BREAKING CHAINS OF INJUSTICE.

God's throne is established on justice and righteousness (Psalm89:14). He hates injustice, and he's called us to intercede in prayer as the way to break the chains of injustice. Whether we're praying for impoverished families in the US, political prisoners in Asia, xenophobic, rape & abused women in south Africa or oppressed Christians in nations where the Bible is banned, we are agreeing with God'swill when we pray for justice.
  In 1982, children in a Christian school in southern California were learning how to pray for nations in turmoil. They began by praying for the release of Lech Walesa, the imprisoned of Poland's solidarity trade union.
Thousands of people worldwide were also praying for Walesa, who was eventually freed by Communist authorities and went on to become president of Poland in the nations first Democratic elections. Needless to say that, a similar case was that of Madiba (Nelson Mandela) in South Africa in 1994. Those southern California  children and all the children of Africa as well, saw that their prayers can make a direct difference in the  history of a nation.
        Praying against injustice takes persistence -it may take months or even years before we see a breakthrough. But Jehovah is faithful. He always brings justice to those who cry out to him
What area of injustice can you respond against in your prayer?
Olu Akpata(Zûr)
www.prayerlinez. blogspot.com

AMAZING UNBELIEF

Jesus had returned to teach in his hometown of Nazareth, but this was no "welcome home" party. He longed to bless the people & yo preach the good news. But they took offense at one of their own, a carpenter, appearing with disciples and a message from God. Jesus would gladly have reached out with miraculous power to those who needed his healing touch but he could not. Certainly there was no lack of power or love on jesus' part, but the unbelief of the people held back the power of God.
      One of the greatest hindrances to the  holy spirit functioning in power today is unbelief--those situations where individuals, families, churches, towns, nations and cultures reject God's purpose for themselves and doubt the word of God. In such an atmosphere, the fire of the holy spirit is put out. Conversely, in the atmosphere of faith, miracles can & still do happen!
  Think about some situation in your life where you lack faith. Ask Jehovah to forgive your unbelief and help you to take steps of faith.
Olu Akpata (Zûr)
www.prayerlinez.blogspot.com

GOING DEEP WITH GOD.

God invites us to come and drink deeply-to plunge in and stay deep in the flow of his life-sustaining spirit. This is the living water Jesus was referring to when he said: "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him"(John 7:37). Now that the holy spirit resides in the temple of our hearts, we can expect this living water to flow out from us in order to refresh others.
     As we seek to know God through our personal devotions, we must not be afraid to yield ourselves fully to the holy spirit. As we receive his fûllness, we will be spiritually nourished and bear spiritual fruit that is a source of healing for others.
    Don't just observe this river of waters, or tests its depth with your feet. Immerse yourself fully in it, allow the holy spirit to lead you deeper into God's life-giving water.
    I fervently pray today, that each and every one of us will be a source of that fruit bearing, sickness healing, yoke breaking living water IJN. Amen.
    -Olu Akpata(Zûr)
www.prayerlinez.blogspot.com

EXPOSING OUR DARK SECRETS!

Idolatry today is more subtle and self-deceptive than in Jeremiah's time. Our "god " can be a friend, our self-image, our home or even our work for God. Whenever we constantly obey a need instead of God's spirit, we create an idol.
   Because we depend so often on our idols for security and comfort, our hearts don't easily give them up. Emotions like fear, envy,  jealousy and the like are often indicators that an idol in our hearts  is being threatened.
              A senior colleague of mine offered  these questions at a workshop to help us identify personal idols. I find them very rewarding if, they're sincerely applied:
* Who am i trying to please?
* What needs am i trying to meet?
* What insecurities do i pamper?
* What rewards am i seeking?
* What fears am i fleeing?
* With whom do i compete?
* What guilt am i covering?
* When is there enough?
     The holy spirit is eager to expose and free us from idolatry and self-deception. We simply need to be willing. Let us invite the holy spirit to expose any idol in our hearts as we honestly answer the questions posed above.
  Don't be afraid!  He wants to set us free!

WHO? ME?

WHO, ME?
Many of us subconsciously believe,"God could never use us". We let this chorus play over & over in our minds as we consider ourselves either too young or too old, not educated enough or otherwise unsuitable for God's purposes. But the truth is this: God can do anything, and he can do anything through us!
  In Israel's early history, the anointing for ministry was given to specific individuals like Saul. But the lord said the time was coming when he would "pour out (his) spirit on all people" (Joel 2:28).
That time is now. It began on the day of Pentecost when God fulfilled this prophecy by pouring out his spirit on all who awaited him.
The crowd was amazed that God could use Galileans, men and women with little education or prestige. Peter commented: "This is what was spoken by prophet Joel " (Acts 2:16). The reality of the outpoured spirit still continues; we all can be filled with God's spirit.
Ask God for a great infilling of the holy spirit today! No ceremonies, no qualifications, no written examinations, just kneel down before him & ask in a simple conversation.
-Olu Akpata (Zûr)

LIVING AS GOD INTENDED

Akin my friend had just bought a beautiful new car, (his 1st actually) .As he drove away from the dealership, the salesman's final word was: "Remember, sir, to read the manual. It will tell you how to get the best performance out of your car." Akin wasn't interested though, he just wanted to drive his car as fast & as far as he could. His attitude was: "What authority do the manufacturers have to tell me how to use my car? "
   In one sense though, my friend was right. The manufacturers had no legal authority to make him read the manual, their authority was based on knowledge: They had designed the car, and they knew how it worked and how to care for it. Akin understood their perspective only too well when he burned out the engine a few months later.
Now change the characters. That book you read or would love to study every morning, the one probably next to you as you read this article is the "Manufacturer's Instructions " on life. Our Creator has given us the Bible to help us understand how to live. He doesn't force us to read it, but we would be foolish if we don't.
Of course, this analogy is limited. God does have authority over us and will one day hold us accountable for our actions. Through the centuries, he's given good laws to guide his people into a life -giving relationship with him.
     God's law thought the Israelites how their personal & social lives should reflect his holiness, how their broken relationships could be restored, and how they could be set apart as a unique people. The Ten commandments are the summary of his law. He also gave "case laws " that are specific examples of how the laws were to be applied. Embodied in all these laws is the message Moses gave Israel at the end of his life: "I have set before you life and death, blessings & curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live " (Deuteronomy 30:19) May I affirm strongly at this juncture that: By following God's ways we are choosing life!
    The good life is an ideal that the Bible continually sets before us. It's what life was like in the Garden of Eden. With disobedience came death and separation from God, the source of life. A world emerged that was completely out of accord with God's purposes. But he never gave up! His righteous laws held out hope for "The good life "-both now and in the future. The vision proclaimed by Isaiah must surely be one of the most powerfully touching in the Bible. It describes a time of joy, abundance and harmony with the Creator.
     When Jesus came to this earth, that good life became even more near to us because Jesus broke the curse of sin and death that was causing the earth to decay. The good life can begin right now for anyone who will lay hold of the promises of God. And when we've lived this life to the fullest, we have an even better fulfillment of a promise to inherit - The joy of spending eternity with our maker.
I am certainly looking forward to such times!!!!

LET US PRAY

LET US PRAY!
OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU.WE ADORE & GLORIFY YOUR HOLY NAME BABA.
WE COME TO YOU THIS MOMENT DADDY, SINFUL AS WE ARE OH LORD! WE BEG YOU FOR FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS & OUR INIQUITIES.
INSTILL IN US A CONTRITE HEART,SO WE MAY SEE WHEN YOU DIRECT US & HEAR YOU WHEN YOU INSTRUCT US.
MAKE PERFECT OUR WAYS ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL OH LORD!
    LET OUR DREAMS NOT DIE BUT LIVE.
LET OUR PLANS NOT FAIL BUT SUCCEED.
LET OUR DESTINIES NOT BE ABORTED BUT MANIFEST.
AND LET THE DESIRES OF OUR HEART BE GRANTED ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL IJN.AMEN.