Selfless Living; A Shepherd’s Call

Apostle Grace Lubega

John 10:11(AMP); I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd risks and lays down His [own] life for the sheep.

Every good shepherd risks and lays down his own life for the sheep; he lives selflessly for the good of the flock.

Moses was a man with a shepherd’s heart. While pleading the cause of Israel before God, he said, “Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin–; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.”(Exodus 32:31-32).

Paul the Apostle is also another pattern in the ministry of a shepherd to the sheep. In Romans 9:3, he says, “For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.”

Christ the ultimate pattern gave up His life for His sheep at the cross.

Moses had a rebellious Israel to deal with but he was willing to have his name removed from God’s book for their sake; Paul had religious and legalistic brethren to deal with but he could readily bear a curse for their sake if it meant their salvation; the Christ went so has as to die for us while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:6).

The people you lead may not be perfect; they may be difficult, demanding and sometimes excessively entitled but God requires us to live selflessly in our service to them.

The heart of the shepherd is one that is ready to be a substitute in the face of punishment; like Moses was to the Jews; like Paul was to Israel and like Christ was to us.

This attribute of the shepherd’s heart is the foundation of the ministry of love that always seeks to cover a multitude of sins(1 Peter 4:8).

FURTHER STUDY: Romans 5:6MSG, John 10:11-14

GOLDEN NUGGET:

The heart of the shepherd is one that is ready to be a substitute in the face of punishment; like Moses was to the Jews; like Paul was to Israel and like Christ was to us. This heart is the foundation of the ministry of love that always seeks to cover a multitude of sins.

PRAYER: My God, I thank you for this Word for today. The Word makes a minister of me in my circumference of influence. I carry the shepherd’s heart for those you have placed under my influence. I serve you Lord in the beauty of sacrificial living for their sake; Like the Apostle Paul, I am alive for the sake of men, to the glory of your name. Amen.

Of The Voice Of God

Apostle Grace Lubega

John 12:28-30(MSG); I’ll say, ‘Father, put your glory on display.'” A voice came out of the sky: “I have glorified it, and I’ll glorify it again.”The listening crowd said, “Thunder!” Others said, “An angel spoke to him!” Jesus said, “The voice didn’t come for me but for you.

In John 12:28, the Almighty God spoke to Christ and told him, “I have glorified your name and will glorify it again.”

The Christ told the people around Him that the voice came for them and not for Him. It means that God’s communication was for their benefit and not Christ’s benefit.

But did they hear what God said? No!

There are those who heard thunder. There are those who assumed it was an angel speaking, only Christ heard the very words of the father.

The men who heard thunder were indifferent to the lines of communication in the realm of the spirit; when communication from the spirit came to them, they could only attribute it to a work of nature and weather.

The men who assumed it was the voice of an angel are those who have an understanding of communication in the realm of the spirit but lack the wisdom to distinguish voices in that realm.

Men who hear the voice, like Christ did are those that are deeply acquainted with communication in the realm of the spirit and because they are, they receive the instruction with which the voice comes.

The voice of God is distinctive. He wants you to hear it like Christ did. He does not want you to be barbaric to His voice because to be barbaric to the voice of God is to be barbaric to divine purpose and instruction.

Cultivate a relationship with God enough to know the meaning of His Voice, because with the voice of God comes instruction for your next level of ministry, business and family.

FURTHER STUDY: 1 Corinthians 14:7-11, Revelation 3:20(AMP).

GOLDEN NUGGET:

Cultivate a relationship with God enough to know the meaning of His Voice, because with the Voice of God comes instruction for your next level of ministry, business and family.

PRAYER: My Lord I thank you for the clarity of your voice in my life. I thank you for the divine instructions imparted in my Spirit with the understanding of your voice. I can never stray off my course of destiny. I live a life patterned after divine instruction and as such I manifest the life of God everywhere I go. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

What Do You See?

Apostle Grace Lubega

Genesis 17:1-3(KJV); And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face…

When God sends forth His Word, His Word comes with the vision of what we ought to behold.

This was the experience that Abraham received in our theme scripture.

The Bible says that when the Lord spoke to him and told him that He would multiply him exceedingly, Abraham fell on his face.

Think about it.

What can possibly provoke this reaction simply because one heard a word from God?

Abraham did not just hear the words spoken by God, he received a vision of these very words.

When God said, “I will multiply thee exceedingly,” Abraham saw his seed multiplied greatly across the nations of the world.

The effect of what he beheld was so great! He fell to his face!

Because he saw, Abraham did not remain a normal man—he became the father of nations.

So, child of God, what do you see when the Word says you are blessed going in and going out?

What do you see when the Word says you will lend and not borrow?

What do you see when the Word says you are more than a conqueror through Christ who strengthens us?

What do you see when the Word says, thanks be to God who always causes us to triumph? What do you see?!

Receive the Word in this understanding, it will not leave you a normal person.

Receive the Word in this understanding and you will move things in the realm of the spirit because such is the power of vision.

FURTHER STUDY: Proverbs 29:18, Habakkuk 2:3

GOLDEN NUGGET:

When God sends forth his Word, His Word comes with the vision of what we ought to behold.

PRAYER: My loving father, I thank you for this knowledge. Lord, I do not merely receive the Word, I see. I see greatness, I see increase, I see multiplication, I see favor, I see your hand upon my life in all that I do. I am shining with the glory of God; I am shining with the wisdom of heaven; as I behold what is in the Word, I become. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Not Ashamed Of The Gospel

Apostle Grace Lubega

Romans 1:16(KJV); For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

The gospel is a great source of pride for us as believers.

For this reason, Paul boldly says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.”

History gives an account of one bold spirit. One day, the female revivalist Aimee Semple McPherson stood up on chair at a public square, closed her eyes and raised her hands like a marble statue.

When she perceived that a number of people had gathered to spectate, she jumped off the chair and ordered them to follow her to the Victory Mission Church and amazingly they did.

She had gained an audience and she preached to them the Gospel.

To some people, her actions may be misinterpreted as extreme.

But it was out of her deliberate hunger to see men come to the saving knowledge of our Lord, even when it cost her, her dignity.

Her method is not a standard but her spirit in it is exemplary.

Nothing pronounces pride in the gospel like public expression and proclamation.

There are faiths in this world that are very public about their belief, why not you too dear Christian?

When you walk into your office, speak a tongue. If someone asks you what that means, you just gained a pulpit, preach the gospel.

If they ask you how your night was, respond with the Word, “He loads me with benefits every morning.” If they ask you what that means, you just gained a pulpit, preach.

If as a lady, men on the street make cat calls at you, turn that into a pulpit. Preach to them!

This gospel is our life, be proud of it child of God.

FURTHER STUDY: John 3:16-17, 2Timothy 4:5NLT

GOLDEN NUGGET:

Nothing pronounces pride in the gospel like public expression and proclamation.

PRAYER: My loving Savior, I thank you for Calvary. What a great sacrifice. What a gift to humanity! Today, I stand in the boldness of the wise who win souls, in the pride of those that understand the precious sacrifice of Christ. Today, the world knows that I wear my truth like a badge of honour, to the glory of your name. Amen!

The Ultimate Bondage

Apostle Grace Lubega

John 8:32-33(KJV); And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

The religious leaders of Christ’s day claimed to be Abraham’s seed and that they were never in bondage to any man.

Abraham is the biblical representation of the ministry of faith. These men claimed to be the seed of faith and that they were free.

But how could they claim such freedom when they could not believe on the person of the Christ?

They ridiculed His miracles because they did not believe; that was bondage.

They killed the person of the Word because they did not believe; that was bondage.

Faith is a liberty of the spirit. The extent of any man’s bondage is the extent of his unbelief.

A Christian who rejects the miraculous yet claims to be a seed of Abraham is bound.

A Christian who denies the power of God yet claims to be the seed of Abraham is bound.

You are Abraham’s seed; your freedom is demonstrated every time you launch out in faith.

When you lay hands on the sick, that is freedom. When you demonstrate the Spirit, give sight to the blind and make the lame to walk, that is freedom.

Praise God!

FURTHER STUDY: John 8:36, Galatians 5:1(AMP).

GOLDEN NUGGET.

You are Abraham’s seed; your freedom is demonstrated every time you launch out in faith.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I thank you for the Truth that has made me free. Thank you for liberty of faith in which I walk every day. I am free to heal the sick, free to give sight to the blind, free to make the lame walk. I declare that I serve as a free person and as such the world is changed by the truth I carry in my spirit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Wisdom In Warfare: The Battle Field Of The Mind

Apostle Grace Lubega

2 Corinthians 10:4-5; For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

It is one thing to know the weapons of our warfare. It is another to know how to war.

The weapons may be available but the wisdom to war might be absent.

The scriptures are insistent on the wisdom of warfare. They remind us that wisdom is better than weapons of war (Ecclesiastes 9:18). They also tell us that it is God who teaches us to war (Psalms 144:1).

This means that God is very interested in instructing us in the patterns of warfare.

Look at David before Goliath. The weapons were available as given to him by King Saul. But he lay aside the weapons in favour of the wisdom of warfare (1 Samuel 17:38-39). For David, the wisdom of warfare was in fighting by covenant.

Our theme scripture teaches us another wisdom in warfare which is to understand that the mind is the battlefield.

Strongholds are in the mind.

The Apostle Paul paints this pattern of truth through our theme scripture. He speaks of “casting down IMAGINATIONS”, “everything thing that exalts itself against THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD,” “bringing into captivity EVERY THOUGHT.”

Imaginations, knowledge and thoughts have their seat in the mind.

It is warfare to renew the mind (Romans 12:2); it is warfare to set your mind on things above (Colossians 3:2); it is warfare to understand that God keeps in perfect peace those whose minds are stayed on Him (Isaiah 26:3).

Know your battlefield, child of Faith–it is wisdom to do so. When you do, you will employ the right weapons of war.

FURTHER STUDY: Romans 12:2(AMP); Ephesians 6:17(MSG), Romans 8:6(NIV).

GOLDEN NUGGET:

Know your battlefield, child of Faith–it is wisdom to do so. When you do, you will employ the right weapons of war.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father I thank for the gift of your Word. I thank you because the weapons of my warfare are not carnal but they are mighty in you Lord. You are the God who teaches me to war and this day, I walk in the understanding of my battlefield. My thoughts are pure, my mind is sound. With wisdom, I have overcome and walk in victory every day to the glory of your name. Amen.

The God We Know

Apostle Grace Lubega

2 Chronicles 16:7-9(KJV); And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thine hand. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.

The Lord God is our ever present help in time of need (Psalms 46:1).

But oh, how quickly some people forget that. Some oscillate between relying on God and relying on the arm of flesh.

So was King Asa.

When the Ethiopians and Lubims attacked him, his dependence was solely on God. When Israel attacked him, he forgot the victory the Lord had given him against the Ethiopians and instead sought the help of the king of Syria.

When he did so, God, through His prophet Hanani rebuked him for it.

Think about it for a moment. What was victory to Asa was not victory to God.

The lesson here is that you must be careful from whom you seek help.

Chances are, the things that seem like help today will eventually become mightier than you because you give them a place of authority over your life. For Asa, the Lord told him that because of his actions, the King of Syria had escaped out of his hands. He would never know victory against Syria.

You may seek for help from the men of this world and find yourself a slave to those very men.

You may seek for help from the institutions of this world and find yourself as the victim of those institutions.

When you trust in the arm of flesh, it shall surely fail you.

You have God! He has promised, He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Look to Him. Ignore the alternatives. Trust God!

FURTHER STUDY: Jeremiah 17:5-9, Psalms 46:1

GOLDEN NUGGET:
When you trust in the arm of flesh, it shall surely fail you. You have God. He has promised, He will never leave you nor forsake you. Look to Him. Ignore the alternatives. Trust God.

PRAYER: My God, I thank you for this Word. Lord I trust in you with all my heart, strength and mind. I do not lean on my own understanding but on your promise that stands true through all the ages, that you will never leave me nor forsake me, that you will never permit men to do me wrong, that you are my shield and buckler, the Lord of Sabaoth, my protector and my strong tower. I look to you God, in the perfect knowledge that I am hedged and protected by the Almighty God. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Ultimate Way

Apostle Grace Lubega

Jeremiah 5:4 (KJV) Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God.

The highest place in wisdom is to understand the Person of Christ in His fullest revelation. The highest place of deception is to reject His very person.

Jesus Christ is the WAY of God (John 14:6). He is not merely the way TO the Father, He is the way OF the Father.

Many belief systems understand the ways of God, they DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE WAY.

There is a difference.

The ways of God are the shapes and forms in which He manifests His person. The way of God is His mind behind everything that He does.

There are many religious systems that have gleaned abit of how God manifests Himself. They are familiar with the ways of healing, the ways of divine providence or the ways of increase. However, some have rejected the way, the man Jesus, and as such are steeped in the highest levels of deception.

If the wisdom you carry doesn’t lead you to know the Way, the bible says, such wisdom will be brought to naught! (Isaiah 29:14).

It is therefore WISDOM to UNDERSTAND, give heed and carry a discernment of the Person of our Lord Jesus.

We know the Father, His character, mind, attitudes and convictions by the ministry of Christ. He is the way.

FURTHER STUDY: Isaiah 29:14, Psalms 103:7 NLT

GOLDEN NUGGET:

The highest place in wisdom is to understand the Person of Christ in His fullest revelation. The highest place of deception is to reject His very person. Jesus Christ is the WAY of God.

PRAYER: Blessed Saviour, I thank you for this great day. Thank you for such wisdom to know you as my ultimate WAY. My Lord you have made foolish the wisdom of this world because the world in its wisdom never knew you as their WAY. I declare that your Wisdom enlightens my eyes to perceive, discern and understand your character and how to manifest your acts. In Jesus name. Amen.

In Capable Hands

Apostle Grace Lubega

Psalms 105:14(NKJV); He permitted no one to do them wrong; Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes.

I have counselled believers who have been so beaten by the storms of life that they were convinced that somehow, God, the very epitome of love, He that did not spare His own son, did not care about them.

It is indeed a sad state of affairs when a man conceives in his heart the great deception that God who is love has fallen short of the very lofty standard of His own personality.

I assure you, this is not so!

Our theme scripture says that He permits no one to do you wrong. What righteous justice!

The word used for “permit” in the scripture means “to allow, to tolerate, to give over or to grant one express license or liberty to do an act”.

This literally means that God can never allow or tolerate any one to do his children wrong. (Psalms 121:7-8).

God can never give you over to affliction, defeat or failure!

Every access and liberty the enemy would have used to do you harm was taken from him on the cross, and the keys handed over for your custody (Revelation 1:18).

You should never worry or lament about your life because the God that keeps you never sleeps neither slumbers. (Psalms 121:4).

You are the apple of God’s eye. (Psalms 17:8).

If He sent a cloud by the day to shelter the Israelites from the sun’s heat and a fire in the night to light their way, do you think He doesn’t care about you?

Child of God, even in your old age, the Lord promises to carry and bear you; He says He has done it and will keep doing it, carrying you on his back and saving you!! (Isaiah 46:4Msg).

You are in capable hands. God be praised!

FURTHER STUDY: Psalms 121:7-8, Isaiah 46:4(MSG).

GOLDEN NUGGET:

God can never give you over to affliction, defeat or failure! You are the apple of God’s eye.

PRAYER: Oh what a blessed opportunity to be owned by a God so caring! I thank you Lord because you are the lifter of my head. You are my strong buckler, a friend that sticks closer than a brother. You are my shield and fortress! You have imprinted my picture on the palm of each of your hands. The hairs on my head are numbered! Thank you for caring about me to the tiniest details of my life! In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Faith Beholds And Rejoices

Apostle Grace Lubega

John 8:56 (MSG); Abraham–your ‘father’–with jubilant faith looked down the corridors of history and saw my day coming. He saw it and cheered.

Abraham represents the ministry of Faith.

Thus, when the scriptures speak of how he looked down the corridors of history, saw Christ’s day and rejoiced, it means that Faith celebrates the FUTURE AS NOW! (Hebrews 11:1).

Abraham danced because he beheld the magnitude of glory and revelation you would walk in today. Praise God!

He looked past any failure, any problems and challenges and beheld victory and rejoiced.

God thinks this way too. He is the same yesterday, today and forever and to Him tomorrow is as now. (Hebrews 13:8).

God never looks at you and worries about your next day, your next ministry, or how your children will study.

As Abraham’s seed and an heir to the promises of God, you ought to carry the same testimony of celebrating the future as now! (Galatians 3:29).

Faith doesn’t mean there will be no obstacles, it means that amidst all the turmoil, you celebrate your victory even before you see it!

That is the attitude of a victor.
Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: Hebrews 11:6, James 5:11

GOLDEN NUGGET:
Faith celebrates the future as now.

PRAYER: Heavenly father, I thank you for today’s Word. Just as my father Abraham was extremely happy and delighted at the hope and prospect of seeing my day, it can only be true that he saw how great my life would be. I thank you that I am Abraham’s seed, a child of faith. I rejoice at the vision of my future because it glows brighter each day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daring Faith

Apostle Grace Lubega

Hebrews 11:1(AMP); NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].

Faith is not for ordinary men!

When you purpose to get a hold of Faith, get a hold of it up to the end!

For we become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end. (Hebrews 3:14).

One time, I was so sick and the doctors said that I only had days to live. I chose to believe!

The ordinary thing was to give in to self-pity and wait for fate to define my last days on the earth.

When you hear terrible news, the normal thing to do is to break down and wail while asking why God has to ‘pick’ on you all the time.

When you are told something is impossible, the normal thing to do is analyse the fifty reasons why it won’t work.

But there is a hard line that men with extraordinary faith in God must take.

People will think you’re crazy but choose faith. They will number you with the insane but choose faith.

It is not until normal men start to think there is something wrong with you, that you will have started moving in faith.

Some Christians prefer playing it safe, yet faith has given us access to a world of what men call “impossibilities!”

God hasn’t called you to live an ordinary life, go beyond!

Dare to believe God!

Get to a point in your belief system where the devil knows that there is nothing he can use to scare you because every trick is an old one!

Child of God, there is always a great manifestation of reward for men that have enlarged their faith to embrace the impossible in the sight of men. (Hebrews 10:35NLT).

FURTHER STUDY: Hebrews 11:2 (MSG), 1Corinthians 2:4-5

GOLDEN NUGGET:
Get to a point in your belief system where the devil knows that there is nothing he can use to scare you because every trick is an old one! God hasn’t called you to live an ordinary life, go beyond!  Dare to believe God!

PRAYER: Most excellent Father, awesome is your name! By faith the elders obtained a good report. Today I dare to walk out in faith in view of what you have spoken in your Word! I am justified by faith. In Jesus Name. Amen.

The Boldness Of Faith

Apostle Grace Lubega

Genesis 12:1-4(KJV); Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

When God told Abram to leave his homeland to the land He would show him, Abram simply walked out by Faith!

He left all that he was familiar with, his comfort zone, armed with only a promise from God and the boldness of his faith.

God did not instruct him to go north or south. He was not given a map or directions to his destination. He was only told to go to a land God was to show him.

Simply put, God just told Abram, “Go”, and Abraham started walking!

When the Lord instructs you by his Spirit or through his messengers to do anything, you ought not to ask how it be shall be done; just walk out in faith trusting that the steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord. (Psalms 37:23NLT).

Faith means that, if the Lord tells you to believe for crazy things, don’t question the next step, simply walk out.

Be persuaded, convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue it, developing and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you. (Philippians 1:6AMP). Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: Genesis 12:1-3, 2 Corinthians 5:7

GOLDEN NUGGET:
Faith means that, if the Lord tells you to believe for crazy things, don’t question the next step, simply walk out trusting that the steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I give you praise for today. By faith I explore worlds men have never accessed with their natural ability. I walk out to serve and minister with a boldness of faith carrying a full conviction that you are working in me! I am not intimidated by any circumstance because I trust that you are not a son of man to lie and for that, I choose to wholly believe in you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.