Buy Without Money

Apostle Grace Lubega

Acts 8:18-19 (KJV): And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money…Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

Sometimes bitterness in one’s spirit camouflages as a desire for the things of the Spirit.

Look at the case of Simon the sorcerer. He wanted the Holy Spirit but in his heart was bitterness.

It is a good thing to desire the things of God. It is good to want the anointing, the increase in ministry, the multiplication of the grace of revelation, the depth in the Word or the demonstration of the power of God.

However, when a Christian with the gall of bitterness lusts after spiritual things, he will always be indifferent to the principle by which we attract these things.

The principle is that we buy without money (Isaiah 55:1). And this is what Simon the sorcerer did not know.

Deeper than this, when we buy, we are NOT supposed to sell these things (Proverbs 23:23).

Buy truth and sell it not, but when you buy, it is without money.

When you attempt to buy the gift of God with money, it is inevitable that you will also sell it at a monetary price: prophecy will come at a price, healing will come at a price and the power of God demonstrated through you will come at a price.

But freely we have received and freely we must give! Hallelujah! (Matthew 10:8).

FURTHER STUDY: Isaiah 55:1, Proverbs 23:23

GOLDEN NUGGET:

When you attempt to buy the gift of God with money, it is inevitable that you will also sell it at a monetary price: prophecy will come at a price, healing will come at a price and the power of God demonstrated through you will come at a price.

PRAYER: My great God, I thank you for this word for today. I thank you for this priceless wisdom by which we hold as sacred the things of the Spirit. It is by this very knowledge that I learn never to play with the holy things, to keep the altar pure and to deeply respect the anointing. I receive what you have availed by faith and never sell it with money. This preserves me as a minister. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Wisdom Of Sons

Apostle Grace Lubega

1 Corinthians 9:18 (MSG); So am I getting anything out of it? Yes, as a matter of fact: the pleasure of proclaiming the Message at no cost to you. You don’t even have to pay my expenses!

It is maturity never to attach a price to your service in the gospel.

When you charge for the gospel, it demonstrates a lack of the wisdom in your sonship.

Sons do not require wages, sons understand that their portion is the INHERITANCE.

I have seen worshippers who will not minister at a conference until they are paid money; for them it is money before service.

I know Christians who cannot play instruments in church services unless they are paid for it; I know pastors who will not preach until they are paid for it.

Never seek to serve a man of God simply because of a pay cheque.

Serve with the purity of heart that knows that God is your TRUE REWARD.

Inheritance comes to such as these because they can be trusted with the household; they will not destroy those given to their care because in them, there is often no grain of selfishness.

FURTHER STUDY: Matthew 10:8, 2 Corinthians 12:15

GOLDE NUGGET:
Sons do not require wages, sons understand that their portion is the INHERITANCE.

PRAYER: Father, I thank you for this wisdom. These great truths build in me the character of a true minister of the gospel. My Lord, I understand that freely I have received and thus I freely give. My heart is in this gospel Lord, I can never seek for money as a reward. I serve with the joy of knowing that you and you alone are my portion.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.

To Stay With The Lord

Apostle Grace Lubega

Genesis 13:10-11 (KJV); And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.

When the children of Israel were delivered from Egyptian captivity, they started to grumble for the things they used to enjoy while in Egypt.

They cried for their “cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlick.”(Numbers 11:5). To them, these defined a level of freedom, even though in fact it was bondage.

You would rather live in a ‘wilderness of freedom’ than an ‘oasis of bondage’ because it does not matter how beautiful the plains are, judgment upon an oasis that has no God can fall at any time.

This is what Lot, in our theme scripture did not understand. When he separated from Abraham, he chose the plain of Jordan, which looked beautiful and was well watered everywhere.

He did not know that this would be the very place upon which God would rain fire and brimstone. (Genesis 19).

Abraham on the other hand, did not look at the beauty of his surroundings. The important thing is that the LORD STAYED WITH HIM.

Our freedom is not in the things that satisfy our flesh or the lust of our eyes.

Our freedom is in the knowledge that regardless of where we are, WE HAVE GOD and are walking in accordance to HIS PERFECT WILL.

FURTHER STUDY: Numbers 11:5, Isaiah 35:1

GOLDEN NUGGET:
Our freedom is not in the things that satisfy our flesh or the lust of our eyes. Our freedom is in the knowledge that regardless of where we are, WE HAVE GOD and are walking in accordance to HIS PERFECT WILL.

PRAYER: My loving father, I thank you for this Word. I am eternally grateful for the freedom that I have in you. It does not matter where I am Lord, I stand in the blessed assurance that it is enough to have you. My wilderness blossoms and my deserts run with rivers of water because you, the giver of life is with me.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.

To See Good Days

Apostle Grace Lubega

1 Peter 3:10 (KJV); For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile

If you wish to enjoy your life and see good days, you ought to refrain your tongue from evil, and your lips from guile.

The Message Bible version of our theme scripture says, “Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good, Here’s what you do: SAY NOTHING EVIL or hurtful.”

Evil in this case includes that which is CONTRARY to the WORD OF GOD.

You create the good in your days by the words you speak!

The Word of God tells us that, “A man shall eat good by the FRUIT OF HIS MOUTH: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence.”(Proverbs 13:2).

Hannah understood this principle when she prayed to the Lord in 1 Samuel 2:1.

She said, “My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: MY MOUTH IS ENLARGED over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.”

Hannah knew how to speak big! Learn to SPEAK the Word of God over your life every day!

Even in the face of adversity, “ENLARGE YOUR MOUTH”.

Never let your confessions succumb to the provoking wiles of the devil because to keep your mouth from speaking evil is to guard your life. Glory to God!

FURTHER STUDY: Hebrews 10:39, 1 Peter 4:11

GOLDEN NUGGET:
Learn to speak the Word of God over your life every day! Even in the face of adversity, “ENLARGE YOUR MOUTH”. Never succumb your confessions to the provoking wiles of the devil because to keep your mouth from speaking evil is to guard your life.

PRAYER: Heavenly father, I thank you for this word. It is working in my life. I thank you because my mouth speaks truth. I refuse to speak corruption in the name of Jesus. My mouth ministers grace to all my hearers and is purified by the word of your grace. I rehearse every good thing that I know of you. I praise you God because by this wisdom, I shall enjoy goodness all the days of my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The True Tears Of The Saints

Apostle Grace Lubega

Psalms 119:136 (KJV); Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy 

The highest place of a yielded spirit is that of feeling after God; when His emotions become your emotions.

In that place, God’s desires become your desires and His vision becomes your vision.

Charles Fox Parham used to preach seven times in one night because he wanted to see his generation transformed.

Evan Roberts, grieved by the spiritual dryness in his nation went down on his knees and prayed with tears in his eyes saying to God, “You either give me Wales or I die.”

William J Seymour knelt behind shoe boxes in Asuza in fervent prayer and cried that God would pour His Spirit on his city and God did.

All these examples and so many more in church history achieved what they achieved because ‘rivers of waters’ for those who didn’t keep God’s law ran down their eyes.

So ask yourself child of God; what makes you weep, what are those things that create discomfort in your spirit? Are they selfish desires or are you after God’s own heart?

There are things you will never see in your generation until while in your closet, ‘rivers of waters’ run down your eyes because this in itself reveals the level of your brokenness.

FURTHER STUDY: Acts 13:22, Acts 17:27

GOLDEN NUGGET:
The highest place of a yielded spirit is that of feeling after God; when His emotions become your emotions. In that place, God’s desires become your desires and His vision becomes your vision.

PRAYER: My loving father, I hunger for you. By prevenient grace, you cause me to seek after the things that matter; these are things at the centre of eternal purpose. Your heart is my heart, your mind is my mind. Your will is my will. I hold nothing back Lord and my greatest desire is to see you glorified in all the earth. This day, use me like never before, as a vessel of honour, that many will know you and be drawn to the everlasting light.
In Jesus’s name. Amen.

Preserved By Knowledge

Apostle Grace Lubega

Proverbs 22:12 (KJV); The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.

From our theme scripture, we understand that God’s eyes preserve (watch and guard with fidelity) those in whom is the knowledge of God.

That means God will do anything to preserve the man that knows Him.

This is one of the operations of God’s judgments towards His people.

In my early years of ministry, I had an experience with God at a time when the doctor told me that I had heart disease and had a few months to live.

My greatest deliverance came when the Lord told me, “You know too much to die.”

Knowledge launches us into depths that cause us to buy time on the earth.

That is how the just are delivered by knowledge (Proverbs 11:9).

The Bible says in Colossians 2:3 that In Christ “are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

And if Christ indeed be in you that means you carry within your spirit the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Child of God, as one whose lips keep the knowledge of God (Proverbs 5:2), and whose heart is learned in His judgements, you cannot die young without fulfilling your purpose on the earth.

Early and untimely death is not your portion.

That is why we must know God.

Learn to invest in eternity. Exercise your spirit and your senses unto godliness.

It doesn’t matter who or what sets itself against your knowledge of God.

Because you know God, you shall be preserved and guarded by God Himself. Praise God!

FURTHER STUDY:1 Timothy 4:7-8, Hosea 4:6

GOLDEN NUGGET:
Knowledge launches us into the depths that cause us to buy time on the earth. That is how the just are delivered by knowledge.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I thank you for this knowledge. I thank you because I am preserved. You have encompassed me on every side. I know too much to die. I know too much to perish from affliction. My spirit is exercised in your Word and judgements. My course in this world, my ministry, family, children, career and everything around me is preserved because I know you, God. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

God Is Willing

Apostle Grace Lubega

Luke 5:12-13 (AMP); While Jesus was in one of the cities, there came a man covered with [an advanced case of] leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean and well.” And Jesus reached out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately the leprosy left him.

Many Christians believe that God is able. However, not many believe that He is willing.

God is willing to grant you your heart’s desire liberally and with no reproach or fault finding.

Some Christians struggle with getting results in prayer because they are not convinced that God wills to heal, bless or deliver them.

Others have created erroneous doctrines about the will of God concerning their health, finances, families or ministries.

In our theme scripture, the leper did nothing to deserve deliverance. His cry to the master was, “If you are willing.”

To this, the Lord said, “I am willing.”

It is liberty to have this understanding!

Child of God, arise to this freedom in Christ. Rejoice in the knowledge that God is willing to help you; He is willing to save you; He is willing to heal you; He is willing to change that circumstance. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: James 1:5-6, 1 John 5:14

GOLDEN NUGGET:

God is willing to grant you your heart’s desire liberally and with no reproach or fault finding.

PRAYER: Father, I thank you for your heart towards me. I rest in the blessed assurance that the plans you have for me are good. You are the God who empathised and now sympathises with us. It is not your desire to see us in pain or affliction and with everlasting love, you draw us to yourself. I walk in the liberty of the knowledge that you are willing to save me from all form of affliction. In this is my victory. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

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!