Things That Make Ministers: Sons To Fathers

 Apostle Grace Lubega

2 Samuel 15:2-6(KJV); And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

Any weakness in your spiritual authority is an opportunity for your promotion if you respond to it with wisdom.

That is why you must COVER it.

Sadly, we live in a generation where if one’s spiritual authority is weak in any area, there are sons that will seek to expose that weakness.

This is very much like the flaw in Absalom’s character that is demonstrated by our theme scripture.

He stole the hearts of the people of Israel by giving the impression that his father was incapable of giving them proper judgment over the issues that affected their individual lives.

He exposed his father’s weakness in order to gain favour before men.

This is in sharp contrast with David. Saul had several weaknesses. He was a man tormented by an evil spirit, but there is no point in the scriptures where we see David broadcasting this fact in order to disqualify Saul from the office of kingship. In fact, he played the harp to soothe him(1 Samuel 17).

Beloved, even if your spiritual authority is weak, cover and pray for them. If other people do not understand your head, your responsibility is to shield him from their scorn and ridicule.

That is the essence of sons to fathers; they POSSESS the gates of the enemies (Genesis 22:17), they DO NOT OPEN their gates to the enemy. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: Hebrews 13:17, Genesis 22:17

GOLDEN NUGGET:
Any weakness in your spiritual authority is an opportunity for your promotion if you respond to it with wisdom. Beloved, even if your spiritual authority is weak, cover and pray for them.

PRAYER: My father, I thank you for this wisdom; for teaching me the things that make ministers and for building in me the character of the Spirit by which men grow. I walk in this understanding to give honour where honour is due and custom where custom is due. Where there is weakness, you teach me how to cover it because your love has taught me never to seek to expose a man but to pray for him. By this pattern, I build ministry and by this pattern I serve. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Things That Make Ministers: Patterns

 Apostle Grace Lubega

1 Corinthians 9:26 (KJV); I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air.

Ministry is a pattern.

As a minister of the gospel, I do not build the ministry like one who doesn’t know where he is going and how to get there.

I must have a DIVINE ROAD MAP and BLUE PRINT.

I know WHAT I must do, HOW I must do it and WHEN I must do it.

There are milestones that the Lord has set for every ministry and the minister ought to recognise them.

If you don’t know the patterns of how ministry grows, you are as one whom the theme scripture says runs with uncertainty or beats the air.

In ministry, we do not ASSUME that if we do such and such a thing then maybe the people will come to church or the anointing will increase.

We do not ASSUME that if we copy a certain minister then we will have his results.

No, even if one imitates another minister, those very imitations must be in the TRUE PATTERNS of ministry.

You have to build ministry with certainty and have a place of affirmation of the things you do, HOW you do them and WHY you do them. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: 2 Corinthians 6:3-13, 1 Corinthians 11:1

GOLDEN NUGGET:

Ministry is a pattern. You have to build ministry with certainty and have a place of affirmation for the things you do, HOW you do them and WHY you do them.

PRAYER: Father, I thank you for such priceless wisdom. It builds in me the true character of the minister, one who understands the patterns and has regard for the ancient land marks set by those before me. I build with certainty and with the affirmation of the Word and the Spirit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Lights By Which We See

 Apostle Grace Lubega

Revelation 2:17 (KJV); He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the HIDDEN MANNA, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written…

There are two kinds of light by which we see in the spirit.

The first is the light for the eyes to see and the second is the light cast on the hidden things that must be seen.

This means that it is one thing for the eyes of your spirit to be opened and it is another for light to be cast on things that ought to be seen.

Even in the physical sense, you have eyes to see yet some things are hidden from you. So it is in the spirit, not all things in the spirit realm are visible.

For this reason, the Bible speaks of things such as hidden manna (Revelation 2:17) or the hidden riches of secret places (Isaiah 45:3).

If your spiritual eyes are opened, but light is not cast on the things that you must see, you cannot minister about these very things. If you attempt to, you will minister questions and uncertainty.

But when light is cast on them, you walk in their reality and can minister their very substance to your hearers.

Yes, it is wonderful for the eyes of your heart to be enlightened or flooded with light (Ephesians 1:18).

However, deeper than that, God wants to flood light on the secret places in Him that you may see these hidden treasures.

By this grace, He reveals to you what is unsearchable by mere sight. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: Ephesians 1:18, Isaiah 45:3

GOLDEN NUGGET:

God wants to flood light on the secret places in Him that you may see hidden treasures. By this grace, He reveals to you what is unsearchable by mere sight.

PRAYER: Father, I thank you for your Word. I receive the knowledge by which we walk perfectly in the spirit, the light for my eyes and the light for the hidden things. By this, I launch deeper into unsearchable depths, to the glory of your name. Amen.

By His Travail

 Apostle Grace Lubega

1 Chronicles 4:10 (KJV); And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

Jabez was born in sorrow. He cried out to God that He may bless him, enlarge his coast, and keep him from evil so that he may know no more sorrow. And God answered his prayer!

If Jabez was birthed in sorrow, your birth as a new creature came from an even deeper sorrow.

To have you, Jesus sweated blood. To have you, Jesus asked the Father if it was possible to take away the cup of suffering from Him. To have you, He was bruised, nailed to a cross and crucified. To have you, Jesus was mocked as being unable to save himself. To have you, He was devastated to think that the Father had abandoned Him.

And from His travail and sorrow, Jesus brought many sons to glory.

The scripture reveals that to do this, it was fitting that He, the captain of our salvation be made perfect through suffering (Hebrews 2:10).

He grafted you into a covenant that is built on BETTER PROMISES (Hebrews 8:6). He redeemed you from the hand of he that was MIGHTIER THAN YOU (Jeremiah 31:11) that you may constantly draw with joy from the wells of salvation (Isaiah 12:3).

You are blessed.

Your tents are enlarged, evil is far from you and your portion is everlasting joy and not sorrow. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: 2 Corinthians 8:9, 2 Corinthians 5:21

GOLDEN NUGGET:

From His travail and sorrow, Jesus brought many sons to glory. He grafted you into a covenant that is built on BETTER PROMISES (Hebrews 8:6). He redeemed you from the hand of he that was MIGHTIER THAN YOU that you may constantly draw with joy from the wells of salvation

PRAYER: My God, I thank you for the sacrifice of Calvary. Every lash and nail was because you saw me and paid the price for my redemption.
You walked a mile in my shoes that I may know no sorrow or grief. Today, I draw with joy from the springs of salvation in the knowledge that you paid it all. Oh I am blessed! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Our Boundaries Of Habitation

 Apostle Grace Lubega

Acts 17:26-27 (KJV); And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us.

There are spiritually appointed times and spiritually demarcated boundaries for every child of God.

The appointed times work in correlation with the revelation of God’s WORD in our spirits while the boundaries work with the crowns on our lives.

The crown is the circumference of your influence in the spirit.

God appointed these times and boundaries, that we might seek Him and feel after Him.

The more a man feels after God, the wider the boundaries of his habitation, that is, the greater his influence in the spirit realm.

God cannot increase the spiritual (and consequently physical) influence of a man who does not FEEL AFTER HIM.

This is because if you do not carry the heart of the Father – God, yet have influence over many, the more you will destroy.

Take the example of Paul, a man who felt after God enough to spend and be spent for the gospel (2 Corinthians 12:15), a man who would rather be cursed if this would bring salvation to his brethren the Jews (Romans 9:3).

For such a man, God put no limit on his boundaries of habitation, that is, his ability to influence men.

With confidence, he could say that he is pure from the blood of ALL men (Acts 20:26).

Child of God, this is your portion too; it is not only for those who minister on the pulpits.

You ought to be the businessman after God’s own heart, the career woman after God’s own heart, the husband or wife after God’s own heart.

The more you feel after Him, the more He will trust you with influence over people either in business, career, or even through your marriage. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: Acts 20:26, 2 Corinthians 12:15

GOLDEN NUGGET:

You ought to be the businessman after God’s own heart, the career woman after God’s own heart, the husband or wife after God’s own heart. The more you feel after Him, the more He will trust you with influence over people either in business, career, or even through your marriage.

PRAYER: Loving father, I thank you for this great knowledge. Thank you because I am crowned with glory. Your heart is my heart, your mind is my mind and your desires are my desires. I choose to be faithful with those you have placed under my influence, to pattern my life in a manner that ministers your love and grace to many. To the glory of your name. Amen!

Why We Preach The Grace: The Law Is Ready To Give Way

Apostle Grace Lubega

Hebrews 8:13(AMP): When God speaks of “A new covenant,” He makes the first one obsolete. And whatever is becoming obsolete (out of use, annulled) and growing old is ready to disappear.

God requires that we grow up into Christ in all things (Ephesians 4:15). However, the law is incapable of bringing this kind of maturity.

The law is the school master that LEADS people to Christ (Galatians 3:24); it cannot bring one into the measure of the fullness of the son of God (Ephesians 4:13).

As revealed by our theme scripture, the law is ready to disappear [in regard to its relevance to the believer] to give way for a deeper relationship with God.

But, there are people who are determined to fight for its continued importance to the new creature in Christ.

I have known men who will do anything to keep legalism on their pulpits.

The fundamental question is how different are you from the enemy who fought for Moses’ dead body? (Jude 1:9); of which, Moses is the representation of the law.

God has not called us to fight for the life of the Old Covenant. It is obsolete, annulled and READY TO DISAPPEAR!

Embrace grace, which is the access to the newness of life.

Embrace grace which is the foundation of the new covenant.

Embrace grace which is the power by which we mature.

Embrace grace because it is the ministry of life.

Embrace grace!

FURTHER STUDY: Hebrews 8:7-12, 2 Corinthians 3:6

GOLDEN NUGGET:
Embrace grace, which is the access to the newness of life. Embrace grace which is the foundation of the new covenant. Embrace grace which is the power by which we mature. Embrace grace because it is the ministry of life. Embrace grace!

PRAYER: Dear God, I thank you because your grace is abundant towards me. It is my message and defines my conversations. By it, I minister life to everything around me. Today, I walk in a deeper revelation of it, I embrace it and yield my spirit to it. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Know Your Times

Apostle Grace Lubega

Matthew 16:3 (KJV); And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

We are all excited about defining SEASONS in this life: seasons of increase, seasons for elevation and seasons for spreading forth. But not many understand their TIMES.

They rejoice in the anticipation of SEASONS but are indifferent to the convictions of TIMES.

As a child of God, you ought to know your TIMES!

Even the enemy can discern seasons but he cannot discern your times of access because that is a heavenly affair.

For example, he sensed the season when the Messiah was born but he did not know the exact time. His solution was to kill every child of the age of two and below (Matthew 2:7-16).

The man at the pool of Bethesda knew the season when the angel stirred the water but he always missed the time! (John 5:1-8). As such, someone always got in before him and was healed.

In our theme scripture, Christ reminds us of the need to understand TIMES and their SIGNS.

David needed the sons of Issachar. The Bible says they had an understanding of TIMES to know what Israel ought to do (1 Chronicles 12:32).

It is good to know the SEASONS but it is MOST IMPORTANT that in the season, you know your TIMES because it is the understanding of times that gives you access to the graces released in any season. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: 1 Chronicles 12:32, John 5:1-8

GOLDEN NUGGET:

As a child of God, you ought to know your times; it is the understanding of TIMES that gives you access to the graces released in any SEASON.

PRAYER: Father, I am most grateful for this Word. This divine wisdom positions me perfectly in accordance to the time of the Spirit. I am never outside the divine calender because I understand my times. I know what I ought to do at all the critical points of my life because this knowledge rests in me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

A Godly Report

Apostle Grace Lubega

Numbers 13:32 (KJV): And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.

In our theme scripture, God called the feedback of the spies an evil report. Although these men were right in their observations, they were not necessarily TRUE.

Many people seek for evidence in order to approve something as true. This is a recipe for deception because we live in a world where there is alot of evidence of things that are not true.

It was a fact that the walls of the city were great; it was a fact that great giants lived there BUT was it true that they could not defeat its inhabitants? No.

Truth is not necessarily what you see with your eyes or what is reasonably accurate. Truth is the person of God.

Every time you see truth, you behold God and the testimony of His Word.

This is what Joshua and Caleb beheld. They did not see great walls, they saw the God who penetrates any barrier. They did not see the sons of Anak, they saw the God who slays giants.

Behold truth. Behold God. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: Numbers 14:9, 2 Corinthians 5:7

GOLDEN NUGGET:

Truth is not necessarily what you see with your eyes or what is reasonably accurate. Truth is the person of God. Every time you see truth, you behold God and the testimony of His Word.

PRAYER: Loving father, I am grateful for your Word. It is the foundation of my victory, my source of strength and the affirmation on which I stand. I look at life through the eyes of the Word and behold truth every day. Nothing in this world can shake me because my walk is one of faith. Regardless of what is around me, I have created my world by the power of your Word and I see its realities manifest every day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

What Is Your Destiny?

Apostle Grace Lubega

Romans 1:11-12 (KJV); For I am yearning to see you, that I may impart and share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen and establish you; That is, that we may be mutually strengthened and encouraged and comforted by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.

In our theme scripture, the word used for establish is “sterizo” which is translated to mean setting one in a particular direction or on a particular course [of destiny].

Destiny is not the things you hope to do ten years from now or things to accomplish in the future.

Destiny is when one walks in the fulfillment of the purpose of God for his or her life. This divine purpose is the grace revealed to us for the advancement and enlargement of the kingdom of God .

That is why true Christian maturity requires that a man sees his end in God. That is your destiny.

This experience teaches one to number their days and apply their heart to the wisdom of God ( Psalms 90:12).

When a person sees their end they know what to do at every stage of their life.

God has not called you to simply survive on this earth. He has called you to influence, impact, change lives , to be bread to the hungry and water to the thirsty, to subdue the earth, to be rain to barren grounds and an answer to the nations. That is the story of your life. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: Psalms 90:12, 2 Timothy 4:7

GOLDEN NUGGET:
Destiny is when one walks in the fulfillment of the purpose of God for his or her life. This divine purpose is the grace revealed to us for the advancement and enlargement of the kingdom of God.

PRAYER: My loving father, I thank you for this Word. I know that your plans for me are good, plans to give me an expected end. I am set on the course that you have put before me and can never turn to the left or right. I run my race with wisdom and diligence and can never be diverted by the vanities of this world. Every day, I rest in the assurance that I will surely finish well. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

What Quickens Us

Apostle Grace Lubega

Exodus 16:13, 15 (KJV); And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host…And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.

On their journey through the wilderness, the children of Israel fed on two things that have distinctive spiritual meaning.

These were manna and quail.

They called the bread from heaven manna because they did not know what it was. This represents unknown revelation.

Quail on the other hand is translated from the Hebrew to mean sluggishness.

This all spells the sluggish spirit because of the lack of interpretation of the revealed things. They spent forty years meandering in the desert because there is a knowledge of God they had no understanding of.

Sluggishness and slowness in the things of the Spirit happens to those who do not understand the Word.

The Word of God revealed to your Spirit is what quickens you! Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: John 6:63, John 6:48-51

GOLDEN NUGGET:

Sluggishness and slowness in the things of the Spirit happens to those who do not understand the Word. The Word of God revealed to your Spirit is what quickens you!

PRAYER: My loving father, I thank you for your Word. It is spirit and life and quickens me in every area of my life. I yield to knowledge and revelation. Delay is not my portion, my life is in perfect tune with the timing of the Spirit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

God Wants Your Heart

Apostle Grace Lubega

Jeremiah 17:10 (KJV); I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings

There are three levels of sanctification: sanctification unto obedience, sanctification unto the purification of your conscience and sanctification unto the place of your commissioning.

God cannot commission you a certain way, when you are wanting in purity of conscience.

The purity and state of your heart (conscience) defines how far you will go in God.

That purity of conscience comes from the primary places of obedience.

And these primary places of obedience are defined by some of the most basic instructions and convictions of the Spirit: those things that cause you to keep quiet even when you have an opinion; to love when you feel truly hated; to bless when you are cheated and to pray for your accusers when they revile you.

FURTHER STUDY: 1 Peter 1:2, Psalms 139:23

GOLDEN NUGGET:

The purity and state of your heart (conscience) defines how far you will go in God.

PRAYER: My loving father, I thank you for this great word. I am grateful in the knowledge that you are dealing with me every day. You have given me your heart oh Lord and out of it flow priceless treasure. I demonstrate love in all that I do because my conscience is clear. To the glory of your name. Amen.

Lessons In Virtue: A Man Of Vision

Apostle Grace Lubega

Genesis 13:15 (KJV); For all the land which you see, to you will I give it, and to your descendants forever.

One of the greatest blessings that a man can receive from God is a vision for his life.

Vision is the value attached to every man because every man in the spirit realm represents a vision.

That is why as a woman, you don’t just marry a man because he is “tall, dark and handsome”. Your greatest attraction ought to be his vision.

In the same way, a man ought to seek for the wife who sees what he sees and believes in his vision even when circumstances seem to speak contrary.

And, every man with a vision deliberately patterns his life. Such a man does not make critical decisions on impulse, he lives his life by pattern.

When God grants you the vision for your life, you learn to put an order to the things that you do and how you do them.

You don’t just build ministry, you do so by pattern. You don’t just do business, you do so by pattern. You don’t just marry, you marry by pattern.

FURTHER STUDY: Psalms 37:23, Proverbs 29:18

GOLDEN NUGGET:
One of the greatest blessings that a man can receive from God is a vision for his life. And, every man with a vision deliberately patterns his life.

PRAYER: My Great Lord, I thank you for this Word. It casts light on the things that define me and what I live for. Thank you for the vision for my life and the path that you have set before me. You have placed no limits on how far I can go. In faith, I step and stretch forth to do mighty exploits because you have made me able. Greatness is mine because I see what you cause me to see. In Jesus’ name. Amen.