Judges 11:1-10
I warmly welcome you to this new month, May. I thank God for His mercy and manifold blessings in our lives. Thus far, the Lord has been so good to us and that’s why you are still a living soul. It is my prayer that the Lord will continually have mercy on us and bless us in all our ways. The number five (5) represents GRACE; and what is grace? It is the supernatural ability of God to release into our lives the blessings we do not deserve. It replaces judgement with mercy, resentment and hatred with favour, curses with blessings, failure with success, and affliction, oppression and bondage with freedom and liberty. May the grace of the Almighty God never depart your life in Jesus’ Name.
The story of Jephthah in the Bible passage above is a typical example of what grace can do in a person's life. On every day of your life please pray for grace. Jephthah did not have what it takes to succeed in life going by his background. The foundation of his life was laid on hatred even from his father’s house. Verses 1 and 2 of the passage declared that Jephthah was thrust out of his father’s house because his mother was not a legitimate wife. He fled from his brethren and went to another land where he began to train and develop himself until grace found him out. May the grace of the Lord locate you at a critical moment in your life in Jesus’ Name.
Why do you need grace?
1. Because the times are evil (Ephesians 5:15-17): We are in a period of dangers all around us, all kinds of imaginations of evil by men ranging from banditry, kidnapping to ritual killings. All manners of terrible things men do to get wealth, power and fame. However, when you operate in grace, none of these will come near you. Isaiah 4:5 says,
“And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.”
2. To perfect our imperfections (Isaiah 64:6): Matthew 19:17 says, “And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” It is very clear in the scriptures that righteousness cannot be attained by our flesh alone, as it takes the grace of God to be Holy. 1 Peter 5:10 and Titus 3:7 confirm that it is the grace of God that justifies us in all our endeavours to please God and live holy.
3. To avert the plans of the enemies: In Genesis 37:3-36, Joseph’s brothers, who unfortunately were his enemies, plotted to eradicate him but grace stood by him and changed their evil plans to blessings, according to his statement after he became the second most powerful man in Egypt (Genesis 50:20).
How do you attract the grace of God?
1. Through your relationship with God: In Mark 7:27, a Greek woman who was not of the household of faith approached Jesus to heal her daughter who had an unclean spirit. Jesus expressly declared that not every blessing is meant for outsiders, in other words, there are blessings that are reserved for the members of the household of faith. So, for you to be a candidate of grace, you must identify with the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus by accepting Him as
your personal Lord and Saviour. This you do by saying this prayer:
“Lord I confess you as my personal Lord and Saviour, and with my heart, I believe You died for me on the cross; please forgive me my sins and write my name in the book of life…”
God bless you as you do so.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Thank God and give Him praise for the privilege to be alive to see another month.
2. Thank God for His manifold blessings of divine provision and protection over you and all yours.
3. Father, wherever I go this month and whatever I do, let grace speak for me in Jesus’ Name.
4. I decree and declare that from now and the rest of my life I shall be continually covered with the garment of grace.
5. I decree that all the evil plans of the enemies against my life shall turn to produce favour by the grace of God.
Shalom and have a wonderful month.
