June 2023 – Prince Chimaobim – Royal Life Ministries

THANKFUL FOR JUNE 2023

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Friday June 30, 2023

THANKFUL FOR JUNE 2023

Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.
II Samuel 22:50 [KJV]

Colossians 3:17 says, ‘And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.’ Whatever you do in word or deed, give thanks to God. Thanksgiving is what brings perfection to whatever you do in word or deed. For instance, prayer is not acceptable without thanksgiving accompanying it (see Philippians 4:6). Thanksgiving is the common denominator for a life of wonders. From 1st June to this last day of June, we have seen the hand of Yahweh releasing deluge of His Word daily for us. The Word has not been scarce at all and for that we owe Him thanks. Here at #WordForTodayDevotional, we dedicate the last day of the month as our thanksgiving day, where we celebrate the grace of Yahweh that has led us thus far in the month. If you are joining us for the first time, get set to thank Yahweh abundantly today, II Thessalonians 2:13, says that we are bound to give thanks to Yahweh always. It is a duty we owe the Lord. Itemize the things for which you are going to be giving thanks and in the list could be items that are yet to be done. Thank Yahweh profusely for them. As you are thanking Yahweh for what you are expecting Him to do, you are prophesying to that item that it is already done. Let see some benefits of returning to the Lord with thanksgiving:

THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE

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Thursday June 29, 2023

THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
Hebrews 13:15 (KJV)

A sacrifice is something that costs you something. It is a great value given to propitiate a being. II Samuel 24:24 showed us an example; “And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.” The sacrifice of praise is praise that costs you something. It is praise that is not convenient and which tasks on your will and emotions. It is praise that is required at the most inconvenient time in your life. We shall see an example of the people that offered the sacrifice of praise. Anyone can thank Yahweh and praise Him when the going is smooth and great, but when all situations are contrary, and you still praise, it is a sacrifice at that time. It is important to note that sacrifice brings about speedy divine intervention. We saw how the sacrifice that King David gave brought about divine intervention and termination of the plague. That sacrifice also made that place a landmark till all eternity as the place the temple was later built. Sacrifice is very powerful.

RENDER ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (3): BY LIVING IN THE FEAR OF YAHWEH

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Tuesday June 27, 2023

RENDER ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (3): BY LIVING IN THE FEAR OF YAHWEH

Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: …
Habakkuk 1:13a (KJV)

For your praise to be acceptable and satisfactory, you must deal with every enmity between you and Yahweh. The same Yahweh that responds to prayer is the same One that responds to praise. If when you hide iniquity in your heart, He does not hear your prayers (see Psalms 66:18), will He now celebrate you in praise? Yahweh’s eyes cannot behold evil. This attribute of Yahweh is what provoked the Psalmist to ask: ‘Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.’ (Psalm 15:1-3) Righteousness is your gateway to enjoying any benefit from Yahweh. Since He won’t behold iniquity, your praises to Him in iniquity won’t be acceptable before Him. He couldn’t even behold His only begotten Son on the cross when He bore the sins of the whole world upon Himself, how then would He listen to you when you praise Him in sin?

RENDER ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (2): BY LIVING WITH A JOYFUL HEART

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Monday June 26, 2023

RENDER ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (2): BY LIVING WITH A JOYFUL HEART

Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
James 5:13 (KJV)

What makes praise melodious or noise to Yahweh is the heart from where it is emanating. II Chronicles 16:9 says that the eyes of the LORD runs to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. A king Amaziah did what was right but not with a perfect heart, so what he did was discounted (see II Chronicles 25:2). It is only praise that comes from a merry heart that is satisfactory. You are not qualified to sing until your heart is merry. Until you are full of joy or showing high-spirited playfulness, you are not qualified to sing. If you have followed the devotional from first of June, you would have seen that real praise can only be done from a joyful, grateful heart. It goes most times with demonstrations, like Yadah, would require you to throw your hands up in adoration; halal will require you to praise with reckless abandon and be clamorously foolish in both your eyes and that of others. You can never do those things, if you are depressed or moody. The foundation and requirement for acceptable praise is a joyful grateful heart. Until that is in place, it is noise that you are making before the Lord. You can sing without actually praising Yahweh. Many people sing for different reasons and with different motives in their hearts, which make their songs of no effect.

RENDER ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (1): BY LIVING IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH

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Sunday June 25, 2023

RENDER ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (1): BY LIVING IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
John 4.24 (KJV)

For praise to be acceptable, it must be offered by the living. The dead cannot praise Yahweh. ‘The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.’ (Isaiah 38:19). But then there is a problem. Yahweh told Adam in Genesis 2:17, ‘for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.’ Guess what? Adam actually ate that fruit and died. From that day, humanity ceases to be qualified to praise Yahweh because only the living can praise Yahweh. Man died and became separated from Yahweh. Goodnews! Yahushua came, died, was buried, rose on the third day and ascended to heaven where He is interceding for us now. If anyone surrenders to Yahushua HaMashiach he/she is quickened by the Spirit of HaMashiach and recreated. This experience we call being ‘born again’ is the only way man can be alive towards Yahweh and therefore, qualified to praise Him. Until you are quickened back to life and recreated by the Holy Spirit, you cannot praise Yahweh; you are dead in trespasses (see Ephesian 2:1-4). Why do you need Yahushua HaMashiach? The problem is not just the act of sin, but the nature of sin. Even if you claim that you have not sinned, you are still dead in sin because you inherited the nature of sin from Adam. When the Spirit of HaMashiach recreates you, you come alive with a new nature of righteousness not because of what you have done but because of the price Yahushua HaMashiach paid for sin.

OBSTACLES TO ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (6): NEGATIVE PAST

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Saturday June 24, 2023

OBSTACLES TO ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (6): NEGATIVE PAST

Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.

Isaiah 43:18 (KJV)

Negative past talks about events in your past that when you remember them, you are full of hurt, resentment, hate, vengeful, bitter and depressed. The habit of looking back at past failures is an enemy of praise. You can’t live a life of praise until you let go of the negative past. For instance, if you are driving a car forward, and rather than facing your front, you concentrate on looking backward, you know of course that you are heading for a ghastly motor accident. Lay all the troubles of the past to rest! If you have lost anything, He is the reason why you have not lost everything. You can’t praise Him with burdens. Looking at your negative past all the time will make things negative in your life. Let them go! The Bible says anyone who puts his hand on the plough and looks back, is not worthy of the kingdom (see Luke. 9:62). That means he is not fit for the blessings of the kingdom.

OBSTACLES TO ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (3): OFFENCE

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Wednesday June 21, 2023

OBSTACLES TO ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (3): OFFENCE

And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
Matthew 11:6 (KJV)

Offence is the natural tendency in the hour of difficulty and pressure. It is a negative reaction to unpleasant condition. Unfortunately, it’s a reaction against your helper, thereby rendering you completely helpless. The offended man says, “Why me? Where is Yahweh now? Is His Word still there? Can anyone really count on Him?” The answer to all offenses is patience. In the parable of the sower, Yahushua said: ‘But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.’ (Luke 8:15). No matter how good your heart is, patience is needed to enjoy the fullness of Yahweh’s plan for your life. You get offended easily, that’s why it looks as if things are not working for you. If the devil tells you, “If Yahweh was going to lift you, He should have done it by now.” Tell him, “Yahweh is never late. He created the entire would in six days, so whatever deadline is before me now is too much for Him to perfect all that concerns me.” Be determined, like Job, to wait till the time your change comes from the Lord, for there is no shame to them that wait for Yahweh (see Isaiah. 49:23).

OBSTACLES TO ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (2): COVETOUSNESS

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Tuesday June 20, 2023

OBSTACLES TO ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (2): COVETOUSNESS

And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
Luke 12:15 (KJV)

Covetousness is an attitude marked by inordinate desire for wealth or possessions or for another’s possessions. It is showing extreme cupidity (extreme greed for material wealth); painfully desirous of another’s advantages. Another obstacle to a life of praise is covetousness. Nothing is ever enough for the covetous. People are running helter-skelter daily, because they are under the plague of covetousness. Oh yes, it is a plague which wipes smiles off its victim’s face. The worth of a man is not in what he possesses. But what is the cure for covetousness? 1 Timothy 6:6-8 says, ‘But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment, let us be therewith content.’ Contentment is the answer to covetousness. The Holy Spirit makes us understand that everybody has what it takes to be contented. He said, “And having food and raiment, let us be therewith content.” Note that it says, “having food”, not “foods”; “and raiment”, not “raiments.” Godliness with contentment is great gain. That means contentment is your open door to great gains in life. Why? With contentment, you maintain a praiseful lifestyle, which would bring you outstanding liftings. It is impossible to maintain joy where contentment is absent.

OBSTACLES TO ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (1): THE SPIRIT OF HEAVINESS

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Monday June 19, 2023

OBSTACLES TO ACCEPTABLE PRAISE (1): THE SPIRIT OF HEAVINESS

Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
Psalms 69:20 (KJV)

The spirit of heaviness is an enemy of praise. It is not a state of the mind, neither is it an attitude. It is a spirit – a force in the realm of the unseen. Its victim is not down because of any negative thing that has happened to him; he is depressed most times without even knowing why! He wonders what life is all about. I believe that was the spirit that came upon Elijah when he fled from Jezebel. He said, “… It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.” (1 Kings 19:4.). Until the spirit of heaviness goes, praise, which is your guarantee to the high places in life, cannot flow. But Isaiah 61:1,3 says, ‘The spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to… appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness…’

DIVIDENDS OF PRAISE (10): DESTRUCTION OF PRIDE

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Sunday June 18, 2023

DIVIDENDS OF PRAISE (10): DESTRUCTION OF PRIDE

And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
Acts 12:23 (KJV)

Pride is a trap of the enemy; it has destroyed many destinies. Most unusual liftings lead to pride; but the answer to pride is praise. If you must escape the trap of pride, then you must understand the mystery of praise. A personal life style of continuous praise is able to destroy the poison of pride. Worms ate up Herod because he did not give Yahweh the glory. That means that if he had given Yahweh the glory, he would have been preserved. That means that giving Yahweh the glory, kills pride. If you want pride to be eliminated from your life, then you must learn to promptly and honestly return the glory back to Yahweh. Pride is real and it goes before destruction (see Proverbs 16:18). Whenever pride appears, the next thing that you will see is shame (see Proverbs 11:2). So destroying pride must be the goal of everyone that wants to go far with Yahweh. With pride you don’t need the devil to attend to your case, it is Yahweh Himself that will destroy you because He resists the proud (see 1 Peter 5:5). There was a man called Ahithophel. He was David’s counsellor. When he gave counsel, it was like hearing from Yahweh. But he saw this as a personal achievement and became puffed up. So, when his counsel was rejected, he hanged himself (see 2 Samuel.17:23). He was cut down because of pride. Remember also the story of the rich fool? He said, “I have made enough wealth, I will pull down these barns, I will build bigger ones, and I will say to my soul…” (Luke. 12:16-19). He was too full of himself, thinking that his rich harvest was as a result of his expertise. But Yahweh said to him in verse 20 ‘…Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?’ Pride cut him down!