Port Harcourt Chronicles!

Topic: God Answers Prayers [Saturday February 28, 2015] Memorise: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: - Matthew 7:7 Read: (Psalm 5:1-3 KJV) 1 Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. 2 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. 3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 23:1-24:14, and Revelation 8:13-9:19 MESSAGE: Prayer is ordained by God as a means of communication between God and man. Christians are commanded to depends on God completely for all their needs, hopes and aspirations by bringing all their requests to Him in prayer (Philippians 4:6). In today’s memory verse, God challenges anyone who believes in Him to ask and they shall receive, to seek and they shall find, to knock and it shall be opened to them. He went further in John 16:24 where He sai...

Topic: Wearing a Mask?  [Friday February 27, 2015] Memorise: Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. - Psalm 86:3 Read: (Psalm 88:1-9 KJV) 1 O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee: 2 Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry; 3 For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. 4 I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength: 5 Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand. 6 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps. 7 Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah. 8 Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth. 9 Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out...

Topic: Lamentation as Praise! [Thursday February 26, 2015] Memorise: For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. - Psalm 30:5 Read: (Psalm 30:7-12 KJV) 7 LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. 8 I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication. 9 What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? 10 Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper. 11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; 12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 19-20 and Revelation 7 MESSAGE: A lamentation is a song mourning or sorrow. In the Bible, lamentations were usually...

Topic: The Blessing of Thanksgiving [Wednesday February 25, 2015] Memorise: It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: - Psalm 92:1 Read: (Luke 17:11-19 KJV) 11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, sav...

Topic: Power in His Name [Tuesday February 24, 2015] Memorise: Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. - Psalm 29:2 Read: (Philippians 2:9-11 KJV) 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Bible in one year: Ezekiel 16, Revelation 5:1-6:2 MESSAGE: One of the first things that a genuinely born-again Christian will quickly recognise about the Christian experience is the fact that there is power in the Name of Jesus. Immediately a fellow accepts Jesus as Lord and Saviour, the powers that used to manipulate and controls things in the person’s life become paralysed as he or she begins to call upon the Name of the Lord. This is simply because all power be...

Topic: Worshipping the Unknown God? [Monday February 23, 2015] Memorise: Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. - John 4:22 Read: (Acts 17:16-23 KJV) 16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. 17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. 18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection. 19 And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? 20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean. 21 (For all the Athenians and strangers which w...

Topic: The Lethal Weapon of War [Sunday February 22, 2015] Memorise: And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. - Act 16:25-26 Read: (2 Chronicles 20:21-23 KJV) 21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. 22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. 23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped ...

Topic: Practical Worship: Dancing [Saturday February 21, 2015] Memorise: Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp. - Psalm 149:3 Read: (Psalm 103:1-5 KJV) 1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 7-9, and Revelation 2:18-3:6 MESSAGE: We can worship God in various ways and manners. It is possible to worship God in song, dance and even in silence. However, throughout the Bible, practical worship is the preferred mode of worship whenever God does something great for His people. On the day God miraculously delivered Israel from Pha...

Topic: Christian Atheist? [Friday February 20, 2015] Memorise: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. - 1 John 2:15 Read: ( 2 Timothy 3:1-5, KJV ) 1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. Bible in one year: Ezekiel 4-6 , and Revelation 2:1-17 MESSAGE: Our Bible reading today reveals some strange characteristics of the last days that should in no wise be mentioned among children of God. Unfortunately, many of these behaviours dominate the Church today....

Topic: Perfect Knowledge of God [Thursday February 19, 2015] Memorise:  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. -  Romans 1:19 Read:  ( Matthew 11:25-27 KJV ) 25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. 27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Bible in One Year:   Ezekiel 1-3  and  Revelation 1 MESSAGE: The scriptures make it clear that it is possible to acquire the knowledge of God. As a matter of fact, God has systematically and painstakingly revealed Himself to humanity through nature and through the Bible. The Bible teaches...

Topic: Worthy Service [Wednesday February 18, 2015] Memorise: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. - Romans 12:1 Read: (1 Samuel 15:22-23 KJV) 22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. Bible in one year: Lamentations 3-5, and Acts 28:11-31 MESSAGE: Service is work done for the benefit of other people or as a form of worship of God. Service characterised the essence of the ministry of Jesus and it is at the core of discipleship. Service means to work, to labour or to minister. According to our memory vers...

4 Simple ways to empower your people to do better By Jeanine Blackwell Every boss has managed at least one employee that doesn’t respond to coaching—you might have one on your team right now. No matter how many times you go over your specific expectations or review procedures, this one team member continues to make costly mistakes that slow down productivity. While it’s easy to blame poor performance on the employee, there may be another culprit: Your communication style. A recent study on the cognitive-learning abilities of people compared to rats by researchers from the University of Leuven in Belgium demonstrated something long-suffering managers have always suspected: humans can be slow to pick things up. This is because human comprehension is complex. According to the research of Dr. Bernice McCarthy, creator of the widely adopted 4MAT teaching model that takes into account different learning styles, learning happens along a continuum, a cycle of understanding and buy...

Topic: Worthy Worship? [Tuesday February 17, 2015] Memorise: But the hour cometh and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. - John 4:23-24 Read: (Revelation 5:11-14 KJV) 11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. 13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. 14 And the four be...

Topic: Despising the Days of Small Beginnings? [Monday February 16, 2015]  Memorise: For who hath despised the day of small rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth. - Zechariah 4:10  Read: (1 Kings 18:42-44 KJV) 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, 43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. 44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. Bible in one year: Jeremiah 51:52-52:34, and Acts 27:13-32  MESSAGE: Today’s reading is a popular Bible ...

Topic: God’s Time-Table [Sunday February 15, 2015] Memorise: To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. - Ecclesiastes 3:1 Read: (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 KJV) 1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. Bible in One Year: Jeremiah 51:1-51 and Acts 26:24-27:12 MESSAGE: Today’s re...

Topic: Faith without Works? [Saturday February 14, 2015] Memorise: But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. - Hebrews 11:6 Read: (James 2:14-17 KJV) 14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Bible in One Year: Jeremiah 49:23-50:46, and Acts 26:1-23 MESSAGE: It is necessary to first establish the fact that the statement of James that “faith without works is dead”, applies to the fellow who knows the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Such a person knows the facts about God in the mind, is pe...

Topic: Divine Information [Thursday February 12, 2015] Memorise: 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 tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. - Revelation 2:7 Read: ( Amos 3:7-8 KJV ) 7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. 8 The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy? Bible in one year: Jeremiah 45-47, and Acts 24:22-25:12 MESSAGE: Divine information refers to knowledge, instruction, intelligence, facts or details relating to or proceeding directly from God. Divine information is given as an act of love to save humanity from Satan, sin and its destructive effects. There are many sources of divine information such as the Bible, the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ. The operation of these three complement and do not contradict each other. This truth is e...