RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

SATURDAY 02 OCTOBER 2021

PASTOR CHRIS

TOPIC: HE QUALIFIED US FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS

KEY VERSE: For if by one man’s offence death

reigned by one; much more they

which receive abundance of grace

and of the gift of righteousness shall

reign in life by one, Jesus Christ

(Romans 5:17).

When you confessed the Lordship of Jesus

over your life, instantly, His righteousness

was imparted to your spirit; His righteousness

became your righteousness. You’re now living in the

righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Jesus was righteous before God; He was the

only one born sinless and lived without sin. Thus, He

qualified to be man’s substitute. He fulfilled all the

righteous demands of justice in our behalf. He became

sin on the Cross, for our sakes, so we could be made

righteous. He qualified us to be righteous. Hallelujah!

The Bible says Adam’s transgression made all men

sinners; likewise, the obedience of Christ has made all

men righteous. This is legal before God. Anyone who

acknowledges the obedience and sacrifice of Christ,

and confesses His Lordship is immediately catapulted into the vital experience of salvation and the life of righteousness

Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” To be “justified” means you’re acquitted by your faith in Christ Jesus; you’re declared righteous as though you never sinned, because of what Jesus did.

Now you’re in oneness with God, in fellowship with Him by Jesus Christ. This is so huge; but sadly, many haven’t grasped it yet; as a result, they’re still struggling to be righteous. There’s nothing that you do today, or could ever do, that’ll make you righteous before God; that’s why He gave you His own righteousness. How He loves us so much!

Being born again, you’re as righteous as Jesus is righteous. He substituted His righteousness for your sin-nature; think about that! Now you can fellowship with God unashamed, with boldness, confidence and joy, knowing that He loves you unconditionally. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY 2 Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 2:8-9 & Philippians 3:7-9

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

FRIDAY 01 OCTOBER 2021

PASTOR CHRIS

TOPIC: LIFE WORKS IN YOU

KEY VERSE: Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned (Romans 5:12).*_

Through Adam’s transgression, death passed upon all men. What is death? Many think that death is just the cessation of life, but it’s much more than that. Firstly, death is the expulsion or removal of God’s presence, Spirit and influence from any creature.

Life comes from God; therefore, anything that hasn’t been imparted by the presence of God or His Spirit can’t have life. Science, with all its discoveries, can’t create or give life; they’ve got to get the life from something else that God already made. Anything can be fabricated, but it’ll not have life except there’s contact or influence with what already has life.

Secondly, death is the corruption of a creation and resultant dissolution into its original components. Anything that has life has been influenced by God; it has God’s presence and has been touched of the Spirit. But Satan, who had the power of death, is against that. He works towards the expulsion or removal of that presence. Death begins with the corruption of the creation.

If you have pure water in a vessel, and then drop some little impurity in it, it’s corrupted; it’s now less than a hundred per cent pure. Death begins with corruption of a creation; a change into something that makes it less glorious than it ought to be. Satan aims for the corruption and eventual dissolution of that creation into its original constituents. For example, when a human body dies, the spirit departs, and the body eventually decomposes into water and dirt.

Satan hates God’s creation and seeks to destroy it. That’s why when sickness attacks the body, it’s a corruption of the person’s health. But thanks be unto God! Jesus put an end to death! The Bible says, “…Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:10). Hallelujah! Death has been abolished.

In Christ, you’ve been brought into “deathlessness!” Whereas everything in the natural world degenerates, life works in you and in everything that’s connected to you, because you’re in the realm of life. You’ve passed from death to life (John 5:24). Romans 5:17 says, _*“…they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.”*_

FURTHER STUDY: 1 John 5:11-12, John 5:24 & 2 Corinthians 4:7-12

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

THURSDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 2021

PASTOR CHRIS

TOPIC: YOUR FRUITS MUST REMAIN

KEY VERSE: Look to yourselves, that we lose

not those things which we have

wrought, but that we receive a full

reward (2 John 1:8).

In John 20:21, Jesus said, “…as my Father

hath sent me, even so send I you.” He sent

us with the fullness of the Spirit (John 3:34); and so,

we must produce lasting results in bearing fruits of

righteousness. In John 15:16, He said, “Ye have not

chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you,

that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your

fruit should remain….”

In these last days, we’re reaching a lot of people

with the Word of the Gospel; we’re bearing fruits. But

these fruits must remain. We don’t just walk away after

we’ve reached them for Christ; we must follow them

up. The Bible says, “And some days after Paul said

unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren

in every city where we have preached the word of the

Lord, and see how they do” (Acts 15:36).

When people give their hearts to the Lord, they’re

like new born babies. That’s why the Bible says as new

born babes they should desire the sincere milk of the

Word that they may grow thereby (1 Peter 2:2). They need to grow and be established in Christ. So, you must

continue to teach them the Word, encourage them

and travail in prayer until Christ is formed in them as

Paul said in Galatians 4:19.

In 2 Corinthians 11:3-4, the Apostle Paul shows us

that Satan could take advantage of those who aren’t

yet firmly rooted in the Word and deceive them as he

did Eve. They could be tempted by others who are

preaching a different message or being led by some

other spirits. Therefore, in your evangelical efforts,

persist until you see that those you’ve ministered to

are established in Christ, firmly rooted and grounded

in Him, and they in turn are winning others.

FURTHER STUDY:

2 Corinthians 11:2-4

& Hebrews 6:10 AMPC

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

WEDNESDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2021

PASTOR CHRIS

TOPIC: CHRIST IS ETERNITY

KEY VERSE: As ye have therefore received Christ

Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him

(Colossians 2:6).

The New International Version of the verse

above says, “So then, just as you received

Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him.” A valid

question to ask would be, “If this refers to Christ as a

man, how can you walk or live in a man?” But evidently,

Christ isn’t only the man Jesus or the head of the

Church and His body; Christ is also a place!

When Jesus said in John 14:2, “...I go to prepare a

place for you,” that place is called “Christ”; that’s your

new home and environment. That’s the reason it says

in the ensuing verse 7 of Colossians 2, “Rooted and

built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have

been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:7). The place is called “there” in this

context. It says, “abounding therein”; that means

overflowing with thanksgiving and joy in that place

called Christ. Hallelujah!

He tells us in Hebrews 12:22: “But ye are come

unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living

God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable

company of angels.” All the saints in glory are there. God’s plan is that He’ll gather all things in Christ.

The Bible says, “That in the dispensation of the fulness

of times he might gather together in one all things in

Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on

earth; even in him” (Ephesians 1:10). Christ is eternity!

Now that you’re in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), you live

in eternity. You have eternal life. You’ve passed from

time into timelessness. Glory to God!

FURTHER STUDY:

Ephesians 1:10, John 14:2-3 & 2 Corinthians 5:17-18

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

TUESDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 2021

PASTOR CHRIS

TOPIC: SACRIFICES OF PRAISE

KEY VERSE: By him therefore let us offer

the sacrifice of praise to God

continually, that is, the fruit of

our lips giving thanks to his name

(Hebrews 13:15).

In 2 Chronicles 5, the Bible shows us an

extraordinary moment at the dedication of

Solomon’s Temple. The singers were with clashing

cymbals and strings, giving thanks and offering praises

to the Lord. The Bible says all the priests came together,

“Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them

of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and

their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having

cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east

end of the altar, and with them an hundred and

twenty priestssounding with trumpets)” (2 Chronicles

5:12). They were all rejoicing before the Lord.

The 13th verse says they “…lifted up their voice

with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of

musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is

good; for his mercy endureth for ever….” These are

spiritual sacrifices! They did exactly what God wanted.

The killing of the animals during the ceremony didn’t

bring the glory. But as they offered spiritual sacrifices to

God, the Bible says, “…then the house was filled with

a cloud, even the house of the LORD” (2 Chronicles

5:13).

In 2 Chronicles 20, the Bible tells us how Judah had been surrounded by enemies. Then Jehoshaphat

did something. The Bible says, “…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” (2

Chronicles 20:21). The battle was led by singers. And

what happened to their enemies?

The Bible says “…they were dead bodies fallen to

the earth, and none escaped” (2 Chronicles 20:24).

Hallelujah! When you face difficulties and adversities,

praise the Lord in the beauty of holiness; bless His

Name and affirm that His mercy endures forever. In

the midst of that seeming hardship, declare that His

faithfulness is unto all generations. This is your office

as a priest unto Christ; you’re to offer sacrifices of

worship and praise to God always: “By him therefore

let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually,

that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name”

(Hebrews 13:15).

FURTHER STUDY:

Acts 16:25-26 & Psalm 47:1-9

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

MONDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 2021

PASTOR CHRIS

TOPIC: HE MADE US HEALERS

KEY VERSE: And these signsshall follow them that

believe… They shall lay hands on the

sick, and they shall recover

(Mark 16:17-18).

Acts 28 shows us one of Paul’s experiences on

the Island of Malta where he and a company

of others stayed as a result of a shipwreck. During their

stay, the Bible says Paul healed the father of Publius.

Publius was the headman in that part of the island:

“And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay

sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul

entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him,

and healed him” (Acts 28:8).

Notice the spirit’s language; it says Paul prayed,

laid his hands on him, and healed him. Some people

tell us, “We must be very humble and never say we

healed anybody; only God heals.” But Jesus told us to

heal the sick. He was very emphatic; He said, “Heal the

sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils:

freely ye have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8).

In Luke 9:1-2, the Bible says, _*“…he called his

twelve disciples together, and gave them power and

authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And

he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.” He made us healers. Hallelujah!

Read Acts 14; the Bible says Paul was preaching in a

city called Lystra and noticed a certain man who was

crippled from his mother’s womb, and healed him (Acts 14:8-10).

The eleventh verse says, “And when the people

saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices,

saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come

down to us in the likeness of men.” Notice the

underlined portion: the people saw what Paul had

done. Understand that this is the Spirit’s account, His

narration of what transpired. The Spirit says Paul did it.

You’re not an ordinary person; you’re a divine

package of power to bless and heal your world. As you

preach the Gospel, do what Jesus said to do: heal the

sick, raise the dead, and cleanse the lepers. Your hands

are healing hands; they transmit the power of God.

Through you, His divine presence is made manifest

to those in your world.

FURTHER STUDY:

Mark 16:17-18, Acts 8:6-8 & John 14:12

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

SUNDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 2021

PASTOR CHRIS

TOPIC: MAKE THINGS RIGHT WITH THE PROPHETIC WORD

KEY VERSE: You have heard [these things foretold], now you see this fulfillment. And will you not bear witness to it? I show you specified new things from this time forth, even hidden things [kept in reserve] which you have not known (Isaiah 48:6 AMPC).

When you read our opening scripture further into the 7th verse, you’d observe that the “specified new things” Isaiah spoke of were created by the prophetic word: “They are created now [called into being by the prophetic word]…” (Isaiah 48:7 AMPC).

The prophetic word is the “rhema” of God that’s put in your mouth, words that you speak for God. These are utterances the Lord gives you by His Spirit; they come from the inner recesses of your spirit. Remember, your spirit was created by the Word of God, and the Word lives in you (1 Peter 1:23).

Also, the Word, the “logos” of God that dwells inside you sees, understands and knows all things: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:12-13). How then do you bring these things that the Word sees, understands and knows, to pass? It’s by the prophetic words you utter by the Holy Spirit that’s in you.

The Bible says, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy…” (Acts 2:17). This doesn’t only apply to your personal life; you can direct the very course of this world by the prophetic word. For example, when the governments of nations, leaders of industries, and others gang up against the Church, take up words from the Spirit and utter them in faith. We’re not hamstrung; we know what to do to alter events and cause things to align with God’s perfect will! He sent us as His witnesses and as His ministers.

God has put His Word in our hearts and in our mouths and sent us as saviours to our world, just like Obadiah, the prophet, said, “And saviours shall come up on mount Zion…” (Obadiah 1:21). Through your words—the prophetic word—make things right in your life, in your home, in your ministry, job, business, city, and nation. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: 1 Corinthians 2:9-13, 1 Corinthians 14:39 & Joel 2:28

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

SATURDAY 25 SEPTEMBER 2021

PASTOR CHRIS

TOPIC: WHEN GOD SPEAKS IN PROPHECY…

KEY VERSE: If what the prophet spoke in GOD’s

name doesn’t happen, then obviously

GOD wasn’t behind it; the prophet

made it up. Forget about him

(Deuteronomy 18:22 MSG).

When God gives a prophetic word, it’ll come

to pass whether or not you believe it. Think

about this: Jesus said to Simon Peter, “...Verily I say

unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou

shalt deny me thrice” (Matthew 26:34). Did Peter

believe? No! In fact, he insisted, “Even if I must die

with You, I will not deny or disown You...” (Matthew

26:35 AMPC).

But did the words of Jesus come to pass? Yes!

Peter denied Jesus and disowned Him. In fact, on a

certain occasion, Peter cursed and swore that he didn’t

know Jesus. How about the story of Judas? When Jesus

told His disciples one of them would betray Him, Judas

Iscariot didn’t accept what Jesus said about him neither

was he happy about it.

Then the Bible tells us in Luke 22:3 that an evil

spirit entered into Judas Iscariot. When that happened,

he walked out of where Jesus and the disciples were,

went to the Chief Priests to conclude arrangements to

betray Jesus. Look through the Scriptures, you’ll find

several prophetic words to kings, and prophecies to

nations; they didn’t have to believe those prophetic

words, but the words came to pass nonetheless.

However, when you believe the prophetic word,

you’ll be blessed; more so, when the word of prophecy

concerns you for your benefit. For example, when

Mary received the prophetic words about the birth

of Jesus, she said, “...Be it unto me, according to thy Word...” (Luke 1:38).

Mary believed and gave birth to the Lord Jesus

Christ (Luke 2:6-7) according to prophecy. The Bible

says, “And blessed is she that believed: for there shall

be a performance of those things which were told

her from the Lord” (Luke 1:45). When you believe,

those words of blessings come to pass in your life.

The difference, however, is that when God speaks

prophetically about your nation, about your time, your

course of life, whether or not you believe it, it’s going

to happen anyway. So, what you do is to learn the

Word; understand the Word; find and take your place

in that prophetic word, and you’ll be victorious always.

FURTHER STUDY:*

Isaiah 55:11

, 1 Timothy 1:18

& 2 Chronicles 20:20

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

FRIDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 2021

PASTOR CHRIS

TOPIC: WORSHIP HIM ANYWHERE…ANYTIME

KEY VERSE: To whom God would make known what

is the riches of the glory of this mystery

among the Gentiles; which is Christ in

you, the hope of glory

(Colossians 1:27).

In the Old Testament, the Israelites worshiped

God in a temple, but in the beautiful revelation

of the New Jerusalem, the Apostle John gushes in

admiration about how the city of God could exist

without a temple. One would have expected to see

a temple, just as it was in Old Testament days. But

this New Jerusalem, however, doesn’t need a temple

because the entire city is the dwelling place of Almighty

God and the Lamb. That’s remarkable!

In other words, His presence is everywhere in

that city; the whole thing has become His temple.

That brings to mind what Jesus said as He engaged

a woman in Sychar, a Samaritan village. The woman

had said, “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain,

and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where

one ought to worship” (John 4:20 NKJV). But then,

Jesus replied, “…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”*_ (John 4:23). Why? It’s because in the spirit,

they’d experience the presence of God anywhere,

and everywhere.

Today, everywhere you go, you carry His presence

in you, and with you. Now you can better understand

the words of the Apostle Paul in Acts 17:28: “For in

him we live, and move, and have our being….” We’re

not apart or separate from Him. We don’t seek or look for Him; we’re in Him and with Him, and He’s in us,

with us and about us! Wherever you are, wherever

you go, you live and move in Him.

This same Apostle said in Romans 1:9, “For God is

my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel

of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you

always in my prayers." Can you see how Paul did it? He

served God with his “spirit” in the Gospel of His Son.

The word “serve” actually refers to “worship.” That’s

why we can worship Him anywhere, and at any time.

This is different from the Old Testament where

they had to go to the right place to offer the right

sacrifice; if they didn’t go to the right place, it was not

accepted. In fact, when they set up a new temple in

Samaria, God was angry, because according to His

instruction, the temple was only to be in Jerusalem.

But in Christ Jesus, we worship God with our spirits.

Hallelujah!

Even now, lift your hands in worship to the Lord

and offer Him a sacrifice of sweet-smelling savour.

From where you are, worship the Father from your

spirit and according to His Word.

FURTHER STUDY:

Philippians 3:3 & Hebrews 13:15 AMPC

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

THURSDAY 23 SEPTEMBER 2021

PASTOR CHRIS

TOPIC: THE BLESSING OF

THE NEW TESTAMENT

KEY VERSE: To whom God would make known what

is the riches of the glory of this mystery

among the Gentiles; which is Christ in

you, the hope of glory

(Colossians 1:27).

If you’ve ever been to Israel and the Old City of

Jerusalem, you’d have heard of or visited the

Western Wall, or Wailing Wall. It’s one of the most

significant historic sites for the Jewish people. While

thousands of people from different nationalities throng

the Wailing Wall every year to relish this archeological

masterpiece, others religiously journey there to say or

recite prayers, hoping their prayers will be answered

faster at this site.

No doubt, the Wailing Wall is an iconic religious

site, but God isn’t more there than He is in you. Some

are carried away by the idea that if they pray at, let’s

say a “prayer mountain,” a forest, or the Wailing Wall,

God will hear them more. If that were true, Jesus would

have taught about it; He’d have instructed us to pray

at the Wailing Wall, but He didn’t.

The Apostles would have said so too, but they

didn’t. In fact, Jesus said, “…believe me, the hour

cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor

yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father…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” (John 4:21-23).

The inspiration and blessing of the New Testament is

in your heart; it’s with you everywhere.

The Spirit, through the Apostle Paul, reveals the

truth about Christianity—the mystery that was hidden

from ages and from generations. That mystery is “Christ

in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:26-27). This is

God’s vision; that’s the reason for the New Testament.

Everything you’d ever need in life is in Christ, and Christ

is in you; to have Christ is to have everything.

Henceforth, look into your heart, for that’s where

all the answer is. Christ resides in your heart. You’ve

already been blessed with all spiritual blessings in

Christ (Ephesians 1:3). The totality of the character and

nature of the man Jesus, all that He represents—His

life, power, wisdom, majesty, glory and grace—are all

tabernacled in you. This is the blessing of the New

Testament. Praise God!

FURTHER STUDY:

Philippians 4:13, Colossians 3:1-4 & Colossians 1:26-27