A Premium On The Spirit

_*For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come (1 Timothy 4:8).*_

    Some people claim to be making progress spiritually,yet their lives are full of ups and downs. “My spiritual life is okay, but I have problems in my business,”some may say. This ought not to be. God expects us to make spiritual progress always. He expects us to grow. If you can make spiritual progress, progress in every other area of your life is absolutely assured, because the spiritual controls the physical.

   Your spiritual life means much more than prayer, Bible study, winning souls, or going to church. Galatians 5:25 says,*_“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”_* To walk in the Spirit means that everything you do: thinking, talking,seeing, eating and so on, must be from the light of His Word. As you continually place your health, family, business, and finances under the light of God, God’s Word will give you total balance, and your life will be a declaration of the whole counsel of God.

   Ensure to always give your spiritual life the priority it deserves. If your physical life is wonderful and you've achieved material and emotional success without giving attention to your spiritual walk, it won’t take too long before those areas are jeopardized. Remember, you’re not a physical being, but primarily a spirit being. Therefore, if your spiritual life isn’t together, you’ll have problems in all other areas sooner or later. But once it is working out well, it will produce the life that’s needed in every other thing about you.

  
|| *PRAYER*

*Dear Father, I thank you, for asI meditate on the Word, I’mchanged, from glory to glory. Imake progress in every area ofmy life: in my health, finances,business and academics; I makeprogress spiritually, in the Nameof the Lord Jesus. Amen.*

*FURTHER STUDY:*

*1 Timothy 4:7-8 KJV*
But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. [8] For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

*Galatians 5:16 KJV*
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

|| *DAILY SCRIPTURE READING*

*1-Year Bible Reading Plan:*
Romans 2:1-29, Psalms 38-41

*2-Year Bible Reading Plan:*
Luke 11:27-36, Judges 1

YOU'RE CHOSEN, ROYAL AND EXCELLENT

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God’s] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light *(1 Peter 2:9 AMP)*.

The epistles aren’t just ordinary writings or mere letters; they’re the out breathings of the Spirit to the Church. That’s why they’re called Epistles to the Church.” So, the Apostle Peter, in the above text, was referring to, and addressing those of us that are born again.
Let’s examine and review the powerful thoughts in the verse.
First, notice the tenses in the phrase: But ye are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation ….” This doesn’t suggest something that’s futuristic; it’s not a promise. It refers to who you are now! You’re a chosen race; you’re dedicated to God; that means you’re sanctified unto Him for glory and for beauty.

You’re His peculiar treasure; plus that, you’re royalty. You’re born a king (Revelation 1:6). You belong in the royal family of the Monarch of the universe. Walk in this consciousness.
Kings reign; therefore, reign in life over the devil, sickness, disease, and the circumstances of life.
Our theme verse also says that we’re God’s own purchased, special people. He purchased us by the blood of Jesus (Acts 20:28), so that we may set forth His wonderful deeds and display His virtues and perfections. That staggers the mind! What a calling!

It means we’re to exude and display divine excellence; we have the ability to do it.Can you see why your life must be so full of excellence? Everything about you must reveal divine elegance and beauty.
There must be a decency of the Spirit about your life, because you’re an ambassador of Christ.
The Spirit of God, who Himself is the Spirit of excellence, has brought excellence into your life; therefore, exude excellence. Do excellent things, because you know who you are.

PRAYER

Dear Father , I thank you for giving me the ability to exude excellence , and manifest your wisdom , greatness and righteousness to my world ! Now and always ,  I  live the glorious and transcendent life to the praises and glory of your Name , being filled with all the fullness of God , and manifesting the fruits of righteousness everywhere , in Jesus ' Name. Amen

*FURTHER STUDY*:

*Deuteronomy  14:2* For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.

*Psalms  135:4* For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.

*Titus  2:14* Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

*1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN*:
John 21:1-25
1 Chronicles 26-29

*2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN*:
Mark 15:33-47
Deuteronomy 6

LEVELS OF MATURITY

For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil (Hebrews 5:13-14).

Some Christians get very excited to read 1 Corinthians 1:30: _*“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.”*_ Then, they come across James 1:5: _*“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him”*_ and get confused. “Should one still ask for wisdom after Christ has been made unto us wisdom?” they wonder. Now, those two verses aren’t contradictory at all; it’s about levels of maturity in Christ.

The Scriptures are given to us to guide and lead us, and as you study, you’ll find that there’re different kinds of instructions for different groups of Christians on the basis of their maturity. Some are addressed to the babes in Christ; others, to the maturing in Christ, and then, there’re instructions for the “fathers” or the spiritually mature in Christ.

The one who’s still a babe in Christ may quote and confess that Christ has been made unto him wisdom, but he hasn’t really caught it. His words and actions may still be incongruous with the Word, and the wisdom of God. He isn’t yet manifesting wisdom, which is a fruit of righteousness. He still acts and thinks like the rest of the world, like those without wisdom. So, James says to such a fellow, “Ask that wisdom becomes a reality in your life.”

Remember, it’s children, the babes in Christ, that ask for things. Jesus said, “Ask and it shall be given unto you”; He related it with children asking their father for bread (Luke 11:9-12). The spiritually mature doesn’t ask for anything, because he lacks nothing in Christ. This has become his living consciousness. This is the level God wants you to grow into, where you know that all things are yours; you’re not asking for wisdom, but walking in wisdom.
                     *CONFESSION*

*I’m bearing fruits of righteousness, and the glory of God is revealed in me today in wisdom, power and might! I live in victory and dominion over the elements of this world, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.*

*FURTHER STUDY:* *||* *1 Corinthians 3:21-22* Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; 22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; *||*

*||* *Galatians 4:1-2* Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; 2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. *||*

*DAILY SCRIPTURE READING*

*1-Year Bible Reading Plan:* John 15:18-16:1-16,
1 Chronicles 5-6

*2-Year Bible Reading Plan:* Mark 14:22-31,
Numbers 34

EXTRACT FROM: RHAPSODY OF REALITIES DAILY.

HE IS GOODNESS PERSONIFIED

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning (James 1:17).

God is good (Psalm 24:1). He’s goodness personified, but not many people see or perceive Him as such. They think He wants us afraid and apologetic all the time; so they try to be careful with Him, hoping not to offend Him. God isn’t that way. He’s not waiting to see you slip or make a mistake so He can sniff from heaven and wipe you off the face of the earth. He’s loving and kind.

The Lord Jesus unveiled the Father to us as a loving Father. When He walked the earth, He represented everything that the Father is. The Jews knew God as the God of judgment. Then, they heard Jesus call God “Father”; that was new, and they understood what it meant. The Bible says, _*“Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him”*_ (John 10:31). They wanted to kill Him for daring to call God His Father, thus making Himself equal with God.

The Jews weren’t acquainted with the God who loves the world so much as to give His only Son to die in their place. They knew Him as a consuming fire; therefore, they couldn’t relate with Him. They couldn’t be persuaded, because their opinion and perception of Him was wrong.

God is love, and cares so much for you, up to the strands of hair on your head: _*“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows”*_ (Matthew 10:29-31). That’s why He doesn’t want you to be worried or fretful over anything in life. He’s aware you require money, clothing, food, shelter and all the necessities of life, and has already made them available to you.

He said in 1 Corinthians 3:21, _*“...All things are yours”*_ ; believe and accept it, for it’s true. Live with the consciousness that God has truly made everything you’d ever require for a triumphant life here on earth available to you in Christ Jesus. Enjoy your life by simply accepting His Word and living accordingly.

                     *PRAYER*

Dear Father, I praise and thank you for your goodness in my life. Thank you for caring so much for me, for granting me everything I require to live triumphantly on earth. Christ is glorified in me today, and His righteousness is unveiled through me, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

*FURTHER STUDY:* *||* *Matthew 6:25-34* Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, [shall he] not much more [clothe] you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day [is] the evil thereof. *||*

*||* *Philippians 4:6* Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. *||*

*DAILY SCRIPTURE READING*

*1-Year Bible Reading Plan:*
John 15:1-17,
1 Chronicles 3-4

*2-Year Bible Reading Plan:*
Mark 14:12-21,
Numbers 33

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For a daily article reading and feedback:
*www.rhapsodyofrealities.org*.

He Makes You Creative And Innovative..

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).

One of the beautiful and amazing benefits of having the Holy Spirit in your life is that He makes you creative and innovative. He opens your eyes to see what others don’t see, and your ears to hear what others don’t hear. He anoints your eyes to see the right things, and your mind to understand and conceive lofty ideas.

This brings to mind the famous words of Michelangelo, the great artist. He said, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” He saw what he could get out of an ordinary piece of marble, which everyone else thought was just a stone with no value. From that same stone, he went ahead to create the famous statue of David.

You’re born of the Master Craftsman, and that makes you a master craftsman yourself. This means you can see value where others don’t. You can have creative and innovative ideas; you can bring new things into this world. That’s the nature God has given you, because you’re His workmanship, His product. Some Christians would say about themselves, “I never have any ideas; I’m not creative.” That’s wrong. Never talk like that.

God created you in His image and in His likeness (Genesis 1:26), which means He made you to look like Him, and to function like Him, and He’s a creator. He can bring something out of previously non-existent materials. God doesn’t need to look outside of Himself for the materials with which to create anything because all He requires is inside Him. Likewise, you can bring something out of nothing. The power is within you through the Holy Spirit.

Your creative abilities aren’t limited to what your mind can imagine. You have insight into mysteries and secrets through the Holy Spirit. You have access to divine wisdom. Your mind has been anointed to see further and deeper than that of the ordinary man. Therefore, you should always look inwards for fresh and innovative ideas for your work, and those around you will marvel at the excellence with which you do the things you do.

                     CONFESSION.

I’m the workmanship of God in Christ Jesus; I’m created for good works. I’m excellent and sound, fruitful and productive in every good work. I’m bearing fruits of righteousness, pleasing the Father in all things. My life is for the glory of God. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY:

Genesis 1:1-3 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

1 John 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Exodus 35:30-35 And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; 31 And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship; 32 And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, 33 And in the cutting of stones, to set [them], and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work. 34 And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, [both] he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. 35 Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, [even] of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.

Daily Scripture Reading.

1-Year Bible Reading Plan: John 14:15-31,
1 Chronicles 1-2

2-Year Bible Reading Plan: Mark 14:1-11,
Numbers 32

Understanding True Worship.

Saturday, March 4th .
Pastor Chris

_*God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).*_

When we talk about worship, there’re those who don’t understand what it is. They wonder, “Who do you worship?” “Why do you worship?” “What are the benefits of worship?”

Worship is the recognition and appreciation of the goodness, blessings, kindness and righteousness of God. It’s the recognition, appreciation or confession of His character. For example, when you give thanks to God and say, “Lord, you’re good; you’re kind; you’ve blessed me; you’re righteous,” etc., you’re defining, recognizing, and appreciating His character. 

God likes it when you worship Him like that because it shows who He is in your life; it separates Him from everyone else and from everything else. When you thank Him for His goodness, provisions, blessings, and all the wonderful things He’s given you, and done for you, you’re attributing those beautiful works to Him. The necessary result is that He’ll do more in your life.

Furthermore, worship brings to us a greater revelation of God. This is why we worship God and not men, angels or things. Neither men nor angels have the capacity or ability to reveal themselves beyond what they themselves can perceive. You can’t grow spiritually from knowing an angel or another human being; no human can reflect you to you, because every human being is unique to himself. But in fellowship, God reveals Himself to you, and in that process, He reveals you to you, and also reveals your future, your life, your personality, your value and then His purpose for your life.

That’s why when you study the Bible and read of men and women who encountered God, they all had a divine revelation of God’s purpose for their lives, an understanding of the future that God was leading them into, and a revelation of God Himself. Thus, worship for us is something much more than a form, a ritual or mere religious activity. When we worship God, there’s true recognition, a true perception, and real encounter with Deity.

When you’re in church and it’s time for worship, or when you worship in your closet, give it your attention; worship the Lord in reality, with this understanding.

                    *PRAYER*

*Dear Father, I recognize and appreciate your goodness, blessings, kindness, and righteousness. I worship you from my spirit for making me an excellent person, and decorating my life with your glory. I extol your majesty and praise you for your blessings and wondrous works in my life, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.*

*Further Study:* *||* *Psalm 138:2* I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. *||*

*||* *Revelation 4:10-11* The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. *||*

*||* *Philippians 3:3* For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. *||*

*Kindly download your FREE PDF copy of the special gift of the MARCH Edition of Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional in various languages of the world by clicking on =>* http://bit.ly/2iK6qRp

*Daily Scripture Reading*

*1-Year Bible Reading Plan:* Mark 10:32-52,
Numbers 14-15

*2-Year Bible Reading Plan:* Matthew 20:1-16,
Exodus 13

*EXTRACT FROM: Rhapsody of Realities Daily Devotional*

The Right Songs In Worship

But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when
the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came
upon him (2 Kings 3:15).

IIt’s so important to worship the Lord. Through
worship, you set up an atmosphere for miracles in
and around you, and create the right environment for the
Spirit of God to operate. It may be with a song or a scripture;
as you sing or declare it in worship, the presence of God can
literally overwhelm your situation, resulting in a miracle. It’s
one of the several reasons we make music unto the Lord.
The right spiritual song of worship can position you
to hear from God. Once, Elisha was with three kings who
came to him for counsel. But because he was offended at
one of them, the king of Israel, and had responded to the
king in anger, he couldn’t minister under the anointing (2
Kings 3:13-14). The kings wanted to receive the Word of God
from him, but he couldn’t readily prophesy. So, what did he
do? He said, “Bring me a musician.” The Bible says when the
minstrel—the musician—played, the Spirit of the Lord came on
Elisha, and he began to prophesy (2 Kings 3:15).
If you’ve been a Christian for so long, and you’ve never
heard the Lord talk to you, this might be the missing link. You
have a role to play. You need to position yourself to hear
Him. You need to be free in His presence, not rigid, languid,
dull or uninspiring; worship Him from your spirit, with the
right songs, and before long, your spirit will make that divine
contact with Him, and you can hear as He ministers to you.
He’s a master communicator; He ministers to you even as
you’re ministering to Him.
It’s not about singing “your best” song; it’s about singing the “right songs” for the move of the Spirit. There’s a
time for your best song or your own song, but there’s also a
time for the right song. So, in worshipping Him, you have to
sing the right songs; songs that are inspired by the Word, not
just any song. It’ll tune your spirit correctly and you’ll hear the
voice of the Lord.