Luke 5:4-8
“When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
INSIGHT
-The month of June is characterized by the number six which is Biblically, the number of man. Man was created on the sixth day in the image and likeness of God, and instructed to be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth, and to have dominion over all the creatures. It was only after the creation of man that such a decree was issued for there was no one to cultivate the land and keep it. Therefore, man was created to have dominion over all the creatures of the earth. Despite the decree to have dominion on the earth, some men and women live defeated lives in certain areas. Some fight too hard with their physical strength and forget to rely on Jesus Christ who conquered all for us. It is important to note that; winning spiritual battles without fighting does not negate the effectiveness of weapons of war. Even though Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples was mostly with Him, he had shipwreck faith. Peter and the other fishermen had toiled all night and caught nothing. When Jesus came to teach, He preferred to sit on Peter’s boat probably to heal his heart and bless him. It is likely that Peter thought that this was a waste of time for him to lower the nets given the hour; at Jesus’ instructions. Even though Peter lowered one net, he was hesitant and eventually amazed by the great catch that caused the net to break. Peter realized that he had doubted Jesus which he translated as sin. With Jesus on Peter’s boat, he won in the area of divine productivity and increased faith without fighting. We know that we without faith we cannot please God (Hebrews 6:11). To be fruitful therefore, we need to rely on Jesus Christ and trust Him wholeheartedly. Many challenges and hardships may come our way but we are called to rely on Jesus through strong faith and we will win our even battles without fighting.
PRAYER
All the earth bows down to You our Lord and God and sing praises to Your name. Thank You Jesus for You are good and Your mercies endures forever. Thank You for You have enabled us to begin a new week full of health and peace. You have preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping. We exult Your name and lift You high. We raise Your banner in our lives, families, churches and nation and honor Your mighty name. Only You Jesus deserve all glory, honor and praise. We declare that we shall be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth for we are in You and You are in us. Teach us to abide in You as You are in us. You are our Vine and we are the branches, bless us with divine fruitfulness. We can do nothing on our own, take charge dear Jesus. Without You Jesus we can do nothing, grant us Your grace. Bless the work of our hands dear Jesus. Arise Lord and let Your enemies be scattered. May all Your foes flee before You Lord. We shall have dominion over every thing on earth for we trust in You Jesus. Order our steps and lead us in the way we should go this entire week. We cast our nests into the deep for only by abiding in You can we bear fruit. Bless us in aspects of our lives dear Jesus. Forgive us merciful Savior for the many times we have harbored unbelief in our hearts. Remember all those who are unemployed and financially unstable that You may bless them dear Jesus. Bless our businesses and open many doors of opportunities for us dear Jesus. Bless our economy and increase our productivity. Bless our ministries and help us to accomplish our purposes here on earth Jesus our Savior. We humbly ask You to increase our faith in You dear Jesus and establish us in Your divine purposes. Let us see You Jesus in every area of our lives. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forevermore. Amen
Further reading: Genesis 1:26-31, John 15:4-5, 1 Timothy 1:19
John 5:7-9
“The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.”
INSIGHT
-At the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem close to the sheep gate lay many who were blind, lame, paralytic and among them disabled people. A certain man, probably a paralytic who could not walk lay there for thirty eight years. He was desperate for healing and had no one to put him into the pool when the water was stirred. He relied on the curative power from the water and had not known Jesus. When Jesus asked him, “do you want to get well?”. He lamented of the troubles that hindered his wellness. Despite his lack of faith, Jesus healed him and commanded him to take up his mat and walk. He immediately got well and walked with his mat despite the strict Sabbath regulation that hindered everyone from carrying any load. He could not comprehend that Jesus had healed him. He was lost in sin and Jesus instructed him saying, “stop sinning or something worse may happen to you” (John 5:14). Jesus attributed such disability to sin and asked the man to repentance that he may find life and total peace. Many among us are sick physically and spiritually, and lack someone to put them into the pool of health. Like the woman with the issue of blood, we need to touch Jesus’ garment and gain full recovery. It is through such scriptures that we are encouraged in our daily walk and get out of difficult situations. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). Jesus calls us saying, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). Let us then call on Jesus at every hour and cast our burdens unto him and we will find total peace for our souls.
PRAYER
Lord You are merciful and Your mercies endures forever. We give thanks to You Lord for You are good and Your mercies endures forever. We give thanks to You God of gods, for Your mercy endures forever. We give thanks to You Lord of lords, for Your mercy endures forever. To You who alone does great wonders, for Your mercies endures forever. We thank You for Your mercy and love upon our lives, families and nation. We thank You for protecting us and preserving us from COVID-19 and other diseases. We thank You for protecting us from accidents that cause death. We thank You for shielding us from the snares of the evil one. Remember with mercy dear Master all those who are sick in hospitals and at home. Lord You make the blind see and straightens up those who are bent low. Heal them all and touch them with Your righteous right hand. By Your stripes Jesus we are healed, heal us all our physical and spiritual wounds we humbly ask You. Deliver us Jesus from all forms of disease, cancerous sins and pain. Take away the tide of COVID-19 from us merciful Savior. We cast all our burdens and cares unto You for You care for us. Cover us with your precious blood and forgive us all our trespasses. We touch the hem of Your garment Jesus, and obtain Your sure healing. We worship You Lord who blesses our bread and water, and takes sickness away from us. Grant the gift of salvation unto all our friends, relatives and all Your people. We come to Your throne of grace with confidence that we may obtain mercy and grace to help us in time of need. May Your peace Lord that surpasses all understanding dwell in our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen
Further reading: Luke 8:43–48, Mark 2:1-12, Psalm 146:8, Exodus 23:25
Genesis 24:40-44
“He replied, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked faithfully, will send his angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father’s family. You will be released from my oath if, when you go to my clan, they refuse to give her to you—then you will be released from my oath. When I came to the spring today, I said, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success to the journey on which I have come. See, I am standing beside this spring. If a young woman comes out to draw water and I say to her, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar, and if she says to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too,” let her be the one the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’’
INSIGHT
-This chapter exposes an anecdote of the marriage between Isaac and Rebekah. This is a tale of divine connection which describes what the Lord can do to those who faithfully revere Him. Abraham sent his senior servant to Nahor, probably Eliezer of Damascus; under oath with a mission to get a wife for his son Isaac. Abraham prayed that the Lord will send his angels before him and prosper his ways. When his servant reached the well at Nahor, he prayed and a beautiful virgin appeared to fetch water. Rebekah was kind to him. She gave him water in a jar to drink, watered his camels and gave him room to spend the night. Probably Isaac had prayed for a spouse for long, and especially now that his mother Sarah had passed on. Likewise, Rebekah could have been praying for a husband, given that she was ready to leave her fathers house even after her opinion to stay on for a month was necessary. Many among us are waiting on the Lord for spouses. Some are almost getting married and others are hopeful. Some have prayed for long and have lost hope envisioning no possibility of getting married and marrying. Like the Lord supernaturally made a way for Isaac and Rebekah, He will make a way for all those wait on Him at His beautiful time.
PRAYER
Father You are Faithful and Your faithfulness endures to all generations. Jesus You are loving and Your love endures forever. Holy Spirit merciful and Your mercies endures. Thank You for loving us and for this far that You have brought us. You have said in Your word that no one will lack a mate, do something new in our lives, our children, relatives and friends. Bless all those who wait on You for marriage that You may grant them rest in the area of marriage. Make us fruitful, let us multiply and fill the earth dear Master. Open every closed door and wash our blood lines with Your precious blood. Do something new in our lives merciful Savior. Make every thing new at Your dear Lord. Bless all the relationships leading to marriage merciful Savior. Bless all those who are married and grant them peace in their homes. Be with all those who are separated and divorced and answer their hearts desires Jesus. Remember with mercy all the widows and widowers that they may enjoy Your presence always Holy Spirit. May Your love radiate in every home dear Jesus. Send Your angels before us Abba Father and prosper us in all our ways. Take charge in every area of our lives dear Jesus. We bless Your name and lift Your name high. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forevermore. Amen
Further reading: Genesis 15:2, Psalms 9:10
Hebrews 11:11-12
“By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.”
INSIGHT
-The blessing of the Lord makes one rich and adds no sorrow to it (Proverbs 10:22). Abraham and Sarah had strong faith in the Lord and they enjoyed divine fruitfulness even at an old age. It is through faith that we are saved and by our works lest anyone should boast. Like Sarah, we see many other women in the Bible who were barren including Rebekah, Rachel, Hannah, and the Lord came through for them. God desires that we enjoy His blessings for we are His children. Those who put on their faith in the Lord despite the personal limitations receive their reward, but those who have no faith are double minded and receive nothing from Him. Sometimes we face different forms of challenges in life that can be classified as barrenness, but the Lord calls us to have unwavering faith in Him and He will make our joy complete.
PRAYER
Oh Lord how awesome are Your works in all the earth. You are worthy of all our worship and adoration. Nothing is impossible with You our Lord and God. We declare that no one will miscarry or become barren in our homes. Bless all those who are waiting on You for children dear God and open their wombs. Take away any form of lack and barrenness from our lives, families, churches and nation dear Jesus. Make us fruitful dear Jesus and fulfill the number of our days. We declare that our wives will be like a fruitful vine within our houses, and our children like olive plant around the table. You have said in Your word Lord that children are a gifts from You. The fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. Bless us dear Jesus and make us bear much fruit. We shall be fruitful in every area of our lives we declare in Your name Jesus. Our homes are blessed, our marriages are blessed, our families are blessed, our businesses are blessed, our future is blessed, our nation is blessed we declare in Your mighty name Jesus. Thank You Abba Father for Your merciful love upon our lives. Thank You for Your promises unto us, make them come to pass in our lives dear Jesus.
Further reading: James 1:6-8, Psalm 128:3, Psalm 127:3-5
Exodus 14:13-14
“Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
INSIGHT
-As we saw last week how the Lord fought for the Israelites under the leadership of king Jehoshaphat, God always won their battles even during the time of Moses. The Lord delivered them from the Egyptian captivity and sealed them with His blood during the Passover to protect them from death (Exodus 12:23). From the main passage we see how the Lord fought for them as Moses encouraged them to hold fast their faith in Him. As the Egyptian troops pursued the Israelites, the Lord made a way for them through the Red Sea. As the Lord made a way for the Israelites in battle and in the wilderness, He continues to make a way for us even when there seems to be no way.
SUMMARY
The orange-breasted green-pigeon is commonly found in Asia. Its scientific name is Treron bicinctus and its well known for its beauty and care. It is a gentle and prudent bird which natures its young ones (squeakers or squabs), and offers them protection. From the image we see the pigeon covering its squeakers under its wings to protect them from strong tropical and equatorial winds that predominate the mountainous belt, stretching from the highlands of West Asia to through the Himalayas to the mountains of southern Asia regions. The tropical cyclones also known as typhoons occur in the midst of storms that threaten the squabs, but the pigeon offers a peaceful covering for them. The squabs win every battle without fighting. The pigeon keep them warm, protects them from any form of harm and feeds them. Psalm 91:4 tells us that, God will cover us with His feathers, and under His wings we take refuge; His truth shall be our shield and buckler. What can be compared to our Father’s love. This is the great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God (1 John 3:1). The Lord has loved us so much, He has protected us, provided for us, sustained us, and taken good care of us. Like the pigeon squabs, we fully rely on God and take refuge under His feathers for are His children. Matthew 7:9-11 reveals that, if a child asks for bread from his father, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If he being evil, know how to give good gifts to his children, how much more will our Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him. God’s love for us endures forever and nothing can separate us from His love. God is our ever present help in times of need. As much as we are called to apply weapons of war, God fights our battles and we are always on the winning side. Sometimes awful things happen in our lives and we get discouraged. Things may become overwhelming and slowly loose hope. Some end up doubting God’s promises in their lives. Others among us no longer pray and begin to live carelessly. Many suffer stress and their souls gradually get eroded by doubt and unbelief. As believers, we must remember that no problem is beyond the scope of God’s sovereign care for His children. He has promised to take care of us (Philippians 4:19), make good plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11), and love us beyond measure (Romans 8:37–39). It is only through faith in Christ that we live victorious lives. When Sarah was barren, she believed in God and received her healing. When the woman with the issue of blood believed that by touching the hem of Jesus’ garment she would be healed, her health was restored. When the man at the pool of Bethesda had suffered with infirmity for thirty eight years, Jesus had compassion on him and healed him. He performed this sign on a sabbath to reveal that man was not made for Sabbath but Sabbath for man (Mark 2:27). When Peter could no longer find fish, Jesus revealed His power over all creation and provided for him and the other fishermen supernaturally at an unexpected hour. When Isaac was mourning the loss of her mother, the Lord comforted him with a beautiful wife. We who are born of God overcome the world, through our faith in Christ (1 John 5:4). As children of God who live by faith, we triumph over every situation since victory rests with the Lord (Proverbs 21:31) and His love for us can never fail.
PRAYER
Abba Father our Lord and our God, we appreciate You for who You are and what You have done in our lives. You have been a good God to us and a faithful Father. Thank You for loving us with Your everlasting love. Thank You for keeping us safe under Your feathers. Thank You for sustaining us. Thank You for healing our wounds. Thank You for providing us with every good and precious gift. Thank You for the gift of salvation upon us and our descendants. The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord. Victory rests in You our Lord and God, fight all our battles we humbly ask You. None can be compared to You our loving Father. We are nothing without You Jesus. We cannot make it without You our Everlasting Father. Thank You showing us the way we should go. May Your presence always go before us to make our ways prosperous. We have victory in You dear Jesus. We are more that conquerors in You alone. Only in You do we put our trust. Some trust in horses and others in chariots, but we put all our trust in You. You are our Refuge and Strength, we adore You Lord. Increase our faith dear Jesus and let us see You in every area of our lives. Answer all our prayers and hearts desires Abba Father. We shall prosper because we trust in You Lord. May Your peace be forever in our homes and prosperity within our boarders. Guide our leaders dear Master on how to spend this years budget. No funds will be lost but everything will be utilized for the glory of Your name Jesus, we declare. Our Father who art in heaven; hallowed be Your name; Your Kingdom come; Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptations but deliver us from evil; for thine is the Kingdom the power and the glory; forever and ever. Thank You for loving us Abba Father. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord shine His face upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord shine His countenance upon you and give You peace. Amen
Further reading: Psalms 20:7, 2 Chronicles 20:15-17