A Lesson From Jonah

Apostle Grace Lubega

Jonah 4:10-11(MSG); GOD said, “What’s this? How is it that you can change your feelings from pleasure to anger overnight about a mere shade tree that you did nothing to get? You neither planted nor watered it. It grew up one night and died the next night. So, why can’t I likewise change what I feel about Nineveh from anger to pleasure, this big city of more than a hundred and twenty thousand childlike people who don’t yet know right from wrong, to say nothing of all the innocent animals?”

The Book of Jonah ends on an interesting note; it doesn’t end with Nineveh but with a conversation between Jonah and the Lord over Jonah’s unjustified anger about Nineveh’s repentance and the Lord’s subsequent mercy.

It ends with God dealing with His servant on a pertinent character issue; about the need to understand God’s heart and His mind.

In the grand scheme of things, the story of Jonah was about more than God delivering the city of Nineveh but the Lord dealing with His minister.

When you trace your steps backwards through the story, you will discover that whatever happened to Jonah was orchestrated by God to develop a certain character in him.

Look at the fish, the east wind, the guord and the worm.

Each time the scripture referred to these, it used the Hebrew word ‘manah’ which means to “appoint” or “prepare”.

God appointed and prepared the fish to swallow Jonah in Jonah 1:17; the Lord appointed and prepared a guord in Jonah 4:7; the Lord prepared and appointed a worm to destroy the guord in Jonah 4:7; the Lord prepared a vehement East Wind in Jonah 4:8.

All this goes to show that in all his ups and downs, God’s hand was present upon Jonah.

The end of it was to teach Jonah; to create in him a proper character of mercy and forgiveness.

Beloved saint, God is in your story no matter how it looks.

He is working through it all to grow you into the minister that you must become.

He is causing you to grow and to understand His mind.

See His hand in every situation no matter how ugly. He is working it for your good.

His name be praised!

FURTHER STUDY: Romans 8:28, 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

GOLDEN NUGGET:

God is in your story no matter how it looks. He is working through it all to grow you into the minister that you must become. He is causing you to grow and to understand His mind. See His hand in every situation no matter how ugly. He is working it for your good.

PRAYER: Loving God, thank you for this knowledge. It is a blessed assurance to know that your hand is upon me; you are in every detail of my life, working all things for my good. I choose to see your part God, not to observe any lying vanities but to behold your glorious mercies in every situation. No matter how bad, I see love. The worm worked for me, the east wind blew for me, the great big fish worked for me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Heaven Has Distinctions

Apostle Grace Lubega

1 Corinthians 3:13‭-‬15 (KJV); Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.‬‬‬‬

Whoever believes in Jesus Christ as his or her LORD and savior is a candidate for heaven, but not everyone who goes to heaven is ready for it.

Take the example of one of the criminals that hang besides Jesus at the cross. He said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:42-43 NLT). He went to heaven immediately, but that does not mean that he was ready for it.

At the beginning of salvation, one is a babe, and over time, he or she is expected to mature in the Word, the anointing and in service unto God, so that when the Great Shepherd appears, they will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor, (1 Peter 5:4 NLT).

When a man Labours well, His Lord says unto him, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21a).

Every man is called to be a worker of the kingdom because the Bible says, “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire.
And if any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he shall be saved; yet so as by fire.‬”

This simply means that some people will get to heaven, but their works will not stand the test of eternal fire.

Child of God, you have to understand that what you are doing on earth counts; it is these labours that define your crown and reward.

FURTHER STUDY: 1 Corinthians 9:24-25, 1 Peter 5:1-4

GOLDEN NUGGET:

Child of God, you have to understand that what you are doing on earth counts; it is these labours that define your crown and reward.

PRAYER: Father God, I thank you for this great Word. I thank you because you have taught me to number my days that I may apply my heart to wisdom every day of my life. I mature in your Word, the anointing and my service unto you because I understand I have been called; I am an ambassador of heaven; a worker of the kingdom of God; By grace, I labour mightily to do my part and fulfill my mandate. In Jesus’ mighty name. Amen

Godly Addictions

Apostle Grace Lubega

1 Corinthians 16:15-16 KJV); I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and [that] they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,) That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with [us], and laboureth.

Not every addiction in this world is folly or scandalous.

Our theme scripture reveals how the house of Stephanas ADDICTED themselves to the ministry of the saints.

When you are addicted to something, you have no power against it.

Addicted men are not conscious of how much time they have spent in pursuit or consumption of a certain drug or habit; but rather they are so consumed by the very act, that it becomes hard to differentiate between them and the very act.

Some people attend church service but are not addicted to ministry.

Others worship but are not addicted to worship. Others pray but are not addicted to prayer.

One of the attributes of addiction is pleasure.

The degree of pleasure something stimulates is the degree to which you will be addicted to it.

Paul says he could spend and be spent for the gospel because it was an addiction.

He declared that necessity is laid upon him because he was addicted. The men and women of the early church rose above the fears of persecution because they were addicted to the gospel.

God is calling you to a life of divine addiction; not just to have a taste of heavenly pleasures but to get addicted to them.

Get addicted to the Word.

Get addicted to His presence.

Get addicted to winning souls.

Get addicted to service to God.

Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: Psalms 16:11, Psalms 119:135

GOLDEN NUGGET:

God is calling you to a life of divine addiction; not just to have a taste of heavenly pleasures but to get addicted to them.

PRAYER: My Heavenly Master, I give you praise for this great day. Thank you for your Word and divine presence that defines my ultimate pleasure. The hunger to see your glory fill the nations satiates my soul and causes me to stay addicted to the work of Ministry. Service is my addiction! Prayer is my addiction! The Word is my addition. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Things That Make Ministers: Keep Your Word

Apostle Grace Lubega

Psalms 15:3-4(MSG); Don’t hurt your friend, don’t blame your neighbor; despise the despicable. Keep your word even when it costs you.

A minister of God must be able to keep his or her word at every cost.

Creation trusts God’s Word because He is faithful to it and because it is in His nature to be true. (Joshua 23:14, 2Corinthians 1:20).

If you really believe God’s Word to be true, you ought to be true to your own words.

Since you are God begotten, your word ought to be sure and your commitment trust worthy.

Your “YES” should mean “YES” and your “NO” should mean “NO.”

If your words are not true, you will also begin to doubt the Word of God, because deception is in your heart.

You will be judged because of any careless words you speak(Matthew 12:36-37).

Words have power and those who are careless with words cannot be trusted with God’s power.

It is WISDOM to be careful with your own words.

If you commit yourself anywhere in ministry, fulfill it. If you say you are going to pray, pray. When you make a vow before God, fulfill it, KEEP YOUR WORD (Deuteronomy 23:21-23).

FURTHER STUDY: Matthew 12:36-37, Proverbs 13:3NIV.

GOLDEN NUGGET:

A minister of God must be able to keep his or her word at every cost.

PRAYER: My great Lord, I thank you for the wisdom of staying true to every word I utter. I am fully aware of the power in every word I speak. I choose to keep every promise and word I utter with the full assurance that you work in me both to will and do according to your good pleasure. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

The Kindness Of The Rod

Apostle Grace Lubega

Psalms 141:5(KJV); Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.

Rebuke is a kindness!

The Psalmist in our theme scripture further reveals that such reproof is an excellent oil.

What an attitude! What a perspective on chastisement!

It is kindness for God to rebuke you or to be rebuked by a spiritual authority.

More than that, you increase and excel in the anointing [the oil] by reason of it.

Yes, no chastisement is pleasant for the moment that it lasts but how about you look at it as an addition to you and not a subtraction?

How about you see it through the eyes of God, as kindness, as an opportunity to multiply in the things of the Spirit?

Christians who do not see chastisement in this light sometimes walk away from the gospel.

Christians who see rebuke in this light grow in the things of God.

May you embrace this wisdom.

FURTHER STUDY: Hebrews 12:6-8, Hebrews 12:11

GOLDEN NUGGET:

It is kindness for God to rebuke you or to be rebuked by a spiritual authority. More than that, you increase and excel in the anointing [the oil] by reason of it.

PRAYER: My loving father, I thank you so much for this wisdom. I heed to counsel from spiritual authorities and take rebuke in the wisdom of one who knows that it grows me. My spirit is receptive to chastisement because I understand that it is founded on love. By this knowledge I grow and flourish in the courts of the Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Things That Make Ministers: Pangs

Apostle Grace Lubega

Galatians 4:19(KJV); My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you

Every minister of the gospel who understands the pangs of ministry must be able to endure men.

You may be crying for the anointing, for a big ministry and for the opportunity to serve in one capacity or other but are you ready to endure men?

Every increase of a ministry in numbers also comes with the increase in the number of possibly ‘difficult’ individuals.’

Will you be patient with them? Will you endure like a woman suffering birth pangs?

Some might insult you while you pastor them, some might go out of their way to subtract from your labours and make your life hard, will you continually bear the pain of a shepherd?

You may love a person and give them priority and tomorrow, they will walk out of the ministry on the slightest whim; you may serve another with all your heart and the next day, he will turn against you.

What do you do when your patience is stretched to breaking point? Will you continue to travail as a woman with birth pangs because Christ must be formed in them?

Will you pray for them, love them and still believe in them?

As a minister, you endure that hardship like a good soldier.

God did not send us to the righteous but to the difficult, the crazy and the stubborn.

Because you have pangs, you must make the choice every day not to take your hand off the plow.

That is a minister!

FURTHER STUDY: 2 Timothy 2:3, Luke 9:62

GOLDEN NUGGET:

Every minister of the gospel who understands the pangs of ministry must be able to endure men.

PRAYER: My loving father, I am most grateful for your Word. I am strong in you because my strength is begotten of love. I endure hardship of all kinds like a good soldier conscious of the pangs by which Christ is formed in men. By my travails of love, patience and prayer, I see fruit everywhere I stand as a minister. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Checking The Madness Of The Minister

Apostle Grace Lubega

2 Peter 2:16(KJV); But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet

Ministry is not supposed to be a show business; it is a divine office ordained by God for equipping of the saints for the work of ministry.

I say this with the greatest sadness; that we live in a generation where it has been dramatized and turned into some sort of “show off” of the gifts and not divine purpose to serve.

A number of ministers have turned the gospel into entertainment and gain, with pomp, so much that they are starting to become idols of men in this world, not servants of God and man as the Word implores.

As God exalts some, they become an idol to worship not ministers given due honour for their service to the Lord (Sadly, many believers don’t know the difference between worship and honour).

Some ministers have become the thing most expensive to access that money has to be paid to get to them.

It is a wonderful thing to flow in the gifts of the spirit, but it must be exercised with wisdom and in fear of the lord.

The liberty of the Spirit is not the vindication of the same Spirit, wisdom is (Luke 7:35).

If a minister exalts self and draws attention to self and not to Christ, it goes against the testimony of the wisdom from above. It’s rather earthly, sensual and of the devil (James 3:13-15).

Unfortunately, many men are beyond the reach of this understanding, hence will not see the love that edifies, but an attack on “the person.” It takes “beasts of burden” to rebuke them. God help us!

FURTHER STUDY: Colossians 3:17, John 12:32, 1 Corinthians 14:33

GOLDEN NUGGET:
It is a wonderful thing to flow in the gifts of the spirit, but it must be exercised with wisdom and in fear of the lord. The liberty of the Spirit is not the vindication of the same Spirit, wisdom is (Luke 7:35)

PRAYER: Lord, I thank you for this great Word. In this day and time, I stand on the foundation of wisdom because it is the stability of my times and the strength of my salvation. I am as strong as I am wise in the things of the Spirit. In all that you have given me access to, I exercise wisdom, never to stumble the brethren, never to destroy another. To the glory of your name. Amen.

In The Grand Scheme Of Things

Apostle Grace Lubega

Jonah 3:10; 4:1-2(KJV); And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not. But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.

God’s plan of compassion, forgiveness, and deliverance outshines any need for a man to see his prophetic utterances come to pass. Jonah did not understand this at all.

His mind was set on the destruction and fall of Nineveh as he had prophesied it that he overlooked God’s desire to save them at any cost.

In our present day, this mindset is still existent. Some ministers are more concerned about their prophecies coming to pass simply to prove that they are men and women of God.

It is inconsequential if you prophesy disaster and it doesn’t come to pass because you took the initiative to pray against what you saw; it does not make you less of a man or woman of God.

If anything, it is a mark of maturity.

If the Lord shows you something negative that is about to happen, get on your knees and pray about it or invite the congregation to join you in praying about it.

Don’t broadcast it then rub your hands with glee, waiting for the day it will come to pass so you can pounce around as a great minister of the gospel.

God reveals to redeem. He has a program of forgiveness.

Let this mind be in you child of God. In all things, we look to the grand scheme of God’s plan and desire to save. It is about Him, not us.

His name be praised!

FURTHER STUDY: 2 Peter 3:9, Romans 2:4

GOLDEN NUGGET:

God’s plan of compassion, forgiveness and deliverance outshines any need for a man to see his prophetic utterances come to pass.

PRAYER: Father God, I thank you for this great wisdom. I understand the loving kindness by which you draw many and I emulate it in all things. I understand the responsibility that comes with the things you reveal; the responsibility of prayer and intercession and of standing in the gap. I am faithful in this understanding and never seek my glory but yours. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Of The Presence Of God

Apostle Grace Lubega

Jonah 1:1-3(KJV); Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

When a man is in the perfect will of God concerning his life, that man is in the presence of God.

Our theme scripture reveals that when Jonah chose to run away to Tarshish and not go to Nineveh where the Lord had sent him, he consequently went away from the presence of God.

Where God sends you, there is a supply of His presence
When you go in the opposite direction of where He has sent you, to a certain degree, you leave His presence.

So you ought to ask yourself child of God; “Where has God ordained you to be? Where has He sent you to go?”

Do you just wake up in the morning and go where you want to go? Are your footsteps ordered by the Lord?

When you are at work at the job God ordained for you, His presence is with you; you are not alone.

In that business, if the Lord has placed you there, His presence is with you because He sustains what He calls.

As a child of God, learn to respond to His instructions on where to go and where not to go because that determines the degree of His presence available to you.

FURTHER STUDY: Psalms 37:23, Acts 16:6

GOLDEN NUGGET:

When a man is in the perfect will of God concerning his life, that man is in the presence of God.

PRAYER: Father, I thank you for your Word. This day, I choose to respond to your instruction on where I should go. You order my footsteps and I follow your leading with the full guarantee that your presence goes with me. I live a life perfectly aligned to the will of God; conscious of the fact that you are with me, in me and for me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Mystery Of His Will

Apostle Grace Lubega

Ephesians 1:9(KJV); Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

God has not only made known to us His will; He has made known unto us the MYSTERY of His will.

Making known unto us the mystery of His will means that He has also given us the mind of why He wills like He does.

It is one thing to know what God desires; it is a deeper place to understand why He desires it; this is a greater place of intimacy with the designs of divine purpose.

The mystery of His will is not a present continuous experience as you relate with God; it is a past tense experience. It is not in the realm of progressive knowledge but of advanced knowledge.

God let you in on His grand scheme and plan; it is the very reason why you live your life from the very end; it is why the future cannot be a mystery to you.

For some, the future is a question, to you, the future is a revealed life.

FURTHER STUDY: 1 Corinthians 2:16, Isaiah 1:18

GOLDEN NUGGET:

God has not only made known to us His will; He has made known unto us the MYSTERY of His will. Making known unto us the mystery of His will means that He has also given us the explanation of why He wills like He does.

PRAYER: Father God, I thank you. What a blessed truth to know that you have revealed unto me the secrets of your heart and your deepest convictions. I have the advanced knowledge of God and live past the illusion of time, beholding the past, present and future like you do. I live with the boldness of one who has been to the end of this life and is alive to build my existence around the pattern that I beheld. I run my course with accuracy because of the vision of the end that I continually behold, which end can only be you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

By Wisdom We Shine

Apostle Grace Lubega

Daniel 12:3(KJV); And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Wisdom causes you to stand out and to be set apart amidst so many.

Like our theme scripture reveals, it causes you to shine as the brightness of the firmament.

If you must excel in this world, if you must be distinguished among multitudes, you need wisdom.

Even Christ, the son of the living God needed it.

The Bible says in Luke 2:52; “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favour with God and man.”

If Christ needed to grow and increase in wisdom, you too need to.

The scriptures say of wisdom and knowledge that they are stability of our times and the strength of our salvation (Isaiah 33:6).

Wisdom gives you stability; it is what makes you a strong Christian.

You need wisdom to shine; you need wisdom to stand.

You are as strong as you are wise; you are as bright as you are wise.

The blessed news is that Christ has been made our wisdom. When you receive Him, you received all the treasures of knowledge and wisdom.

Live, speak and act with the consciousness of one who is crowned and mantled with wisdom. Glory to God!

FURTHER STUDY: 1 Corinthians 1:30, Proverbs 4:7

GOLDEN NUGGET:

If you must excel in this world, if you must be distinguished among multitudes, you need wisdom.

PRAYER: Loving father, I thank you for the crown of wisdom; it is wisdom that you have called me and it is in wisdom that you have planted and established it. I pattern my life after its dictates, I follow its voice and respond to its call; be it on the physical streets I tread or the celestial streets of heaven. By wisdom I build, by wisdom I minister and by wisdom I grow. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Agape, A Pattern Of Success

Apostle Grace Lubega

1 Corinthians 12:31(KJV); But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

Success is very predictable, when a man, by the scriptures, understands how it comes.

God wants you to understand success the Word-way and not the world’s way.

Our theme scripture reveals to us the most excellent way of success-it is the way of love.

Often times, people struggle in life because they have not understood the love walk; they fail in business and in ministry because they walked outside love; they start initiatives which collapse because their ideals are not founded on the greatest ideal of all, which is love.

This is not merely one loving God so much to start a ministry, a foundation or pursue a cause; this is one responding to God’s boundless love for them and it is in the understanding of His love that they start ministry or pursue any cause.

For every child of God, success comes in the revelation of the love of God toward the Christian God has blessed and the purpose of why God has blessed him or her.

If success comes without the revelation of the love of God, that sort of success shall be short lived.

Success without the revelation of the love of God is success outside divine purpose and the perfect will of God for one’s life.

Divine purpose is only established in the revelation of agape; agape is revealed every time people walk in purpose.

Child of God, lasting success stands on the immovable foundation of understanding God’s love toward you in all things that you seek to pursue.

It is this revelation of love that will cause you to stand when you feel like quitting; it is this revelation of love that will cause you to endure when the tides appear to have turned against you; it is this revelation of love that will cause you to believe in what you have started when those around you have lost faith in you.

Love never fails. When you embrace it, neither can you fail.

FURTHER STUDY: 1 Corinthians 13:13, 1 John 4:8

GOLDEN NUGGET:
Success comes in the revelation of the love of God toward the Christian God has blessed and the purpose of why God has blessed him or her. If success comes without the revelation of the love of God, that sort of success shall be short lived.

PRAYER: My loving father, I thank you for this day, for your great Word and gracious knowledge. I am a love child, perfected in the understanding of its height, breadth, length and depth. All that I do is a response to your great love for me. Because love never fails, I will never fail. In Jesus’ name. Amen.