RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

WEDNESDAY 22 SEPTEMBER 2021

PASTOR CHRIS

TOPIC: LIVE IN AND FROM CHRIST

KEY VERSE: For in Him we live and move and

have our being; as even some of

your [own] poets have said, For we

are also His offspring

(Acts 17:28 AMPC).

Ephesians 2:4-6 says, “But God, who is rich in

mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved

us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened

us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together

in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." When Jesus was

raised from the dead, we were raised together with

Him and made to sit together with Him in heavenly

places.

Therefore, we’re seated with Christ right now, at

home in Him and with Him. No wonder we’re told,

“…whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the

name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:17). Then Colossians 2:6

says, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the

Lord, so walk ye in him.”

Now that we’re in Him, seated together with Him,

we must live by and through Him. We must live and walk in the Name of Jesus. How do you live and walk in His Name? It evidently conveys to you that His

Name is a place, an environment. When you were born

again, you were born into Christ; you were immersed,

baptized into Christ; therefore, you’re in Christ.

Understand the difference between “you in Christ”

and “Christ in you.” “Christ in you” is about your life,

your glory. “You in Christ” is about your environment,

where you live. So now that you’re in this environment,

live therein. Transact your affairs in, and from, Christ twenty-four hours a day! Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY:

Acts 17:28, 2 Corinthians 5:17 & Colossians 1:27

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

TUESDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 2021

PASTOR CHRIS

TOPIC: A SPECIAL ATMOSPHERE

KEY VERSE: And the Lord will create over the whole

site, over every dwelling place of Mount

Zion and over her assemblies, a cloud

and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the

glory shall be a canopy (a defense of

divine love and protection)

(Isaiah 4:5 AMPC).

Glory to God! The theme verse today foretells

of a phenomenon previously experienced by Israel, a reference to the pillar of a cloud and of fire

which attended them in their exodus from Egypt. They

were under God’s divine protection, provision, love

and care. Exodus 13:21-22 says, “And the LORD went

before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them

the way; and by night in a pillar of fire….”

Even though they were in the desert, in that terrible

arid land, they weren’t scorched by the sun. Then at

night, they were kept warm by a pillar of fire. Thus, day

or night—they were under a special atmosphere. That’s

amazing! This didn’t happen for one day, three days, a

few months or a year; it was for forty long years. God protected them!

Read the psalmist’s account of this in Psalm

105:37 (AMPC): “He brought [Israel] forth also with

silver and gold, and there was not one feeble person

among their tribes.” Deuteronomy 29:5 (NKJV) says, “And I have led you forty years in the wilderness.

Your clothes have not worn out on you, and your

sandals have not worn out on your feet....” This is

extraordinary; they were in God’s presence and He

fed and nurtured them.

Nehemiah 9:20-21 (GNB) says, “In your goodness

you told them what they should do; you fed them

manna and gave them water to drink. Through forty

years in the desert you provided all that they needed;

their clothing never wore out, and their feet were not

swollen with pain.” He hasn’t changed. The same God

takes care of you and nurtures you today. His presence

in, with, and about you today makes you an oasis of

love and grace in a troubled world.

You live in His presence, in a divine atmosphere

of joy, bliss and glory, where you’re absolutely

independent of circumstances. Be mindful of this

always. There could be chaos or anarchy everywhere,

but in Him you’re at peace and in safety. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: Jeremiah 17:7-8 & Isaiah 43:2-3

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

MONDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2021

PASTOR CHRIS

TOPIC: THE SAME QUALITY OF LIFE

KEY VERSE: Behold, what manner of love the

Father hath bestowed upon us, that

we should be called the sons of

God... (1 John 3:1).

Some people ask, “Do we really have the

same quality of life as our heavenly Father

right now in the earth or is it something that’ll happen

when we get to heaven?” Some get confused by their

misunderstanding of what the Apostle Paul said in 1

Corinthians 15:52: “…and the dead shall be raised

incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

First, it’s important to understand that your real

life—your spirit—came from the Word. So, beyond the

physical frame, you have in you the life and nature of

God, the life of the Word. God’s Word is seed (Luke

8:11), and the seed is the life-carrying faculty of a living

thing. The life of God is transferred or transmuted

through His Word, which is His seed.

For example, when He said to the Virgin Mary,

“You shall conceive and give birth to a son,” the Word

He spoke became Jesus. Through the agency of that

same Word, He gave birth to us as new creatures:

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of

incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and

abideth for ever” (1 Peter 1:23).

The underlined word “seed,” is translated from the

Greek word “sperma” from where the English word

“sperm” is derived. The Bible says, “Of His own will

begat He us by the Word (seed) of truth that we should

be the first and the best of His creatures” (James 1:18).

This is how we became sons and daughters of God,

with the same quality of life as our heavenly Father.

Our opening verse says, “Behold, what manner

of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we

should be called the sons of God….” Right now, we’re

the vital sons of God in truth, because we’re actually

born of Him. In the next verse, John emphasizes it:

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God…” (1 John

3:2). On the outside we may not look so great, but

in our spirits we’re absolutely like Him, being born of

Him. He brought us into His realm, His class of being.

No wonder 1 John 4:17 says, "…as he is, so are we

in this world.”

FURTHER STUDY:

1 John 5:11-13 & Romans 8:29

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

*SUNDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2021*

PASTOR CHRIS

*TOPIC:* *BORN OF THE LIFE-GIVING SPIRIT*

*KEY VERSE:* _*And just as we have borne the image

[of the man] of dust, so shall we and

so let us also bear the image [of the

Man] of heaven

(1 Corinthians 15:49 AMPC).*_

Every human person born into this world comes

with the natural human life. That life, however,

is corruptible; it’s mortal, subject to sickness, disease

and death. This was the life and nature of the first Adam

and all those born after him—unregenerate men.

1 Corinthians 15:47–48 says, _*“The first man

is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord

from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also

that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they

also that are heavenly.”*_ Notice the tenses; it says _*“…

as is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy,”

and that’s absolutely right. That’s why Jesus, in His

communication with Nicodemus, said to him, “You

must be born again”*_ (John 3:7).

When you’re born again, you’re born after the

Lord from heaven. So, as Christians, we have the divine

life, we have the God-nature NOW. The one who’s

yet to receive this God-life is “earthy” and susceptible to the depravities and negativities of this world. He or

she is subject to the elements and systems of this world

and snowed-under by their corrupting influences.

But thanks be unto God! Your ties with the first

Adam have been severed completely and forever.

Christ is your root and heritage; you hail from God:

_*“Ye are of God little children…”*_ (1 John 4:4). Whereas

death works in the unregenerate man, you’re of the

life-giving Spirit: _*“And so it is written, The first man

Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made

a quickening spirit”*_ (1 Corinthians 15:45). Life works

in you. Glory to God!

*PRAYER*

*Dear Father, thank you, for I’ve been severed from

perishing because I’m born of God, in the likeness

of the second and last Adam—Jesus Christ. I’m not

of this world; I’m heavenly, a fellow citizen with the

saints, and of the household of God, bringing many

into the Kingdom, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.*

*FURTHER STUDY:*

*John 3:3-7*

_3- Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”_

_4- Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”_

_5- Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God._

_6- That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit._

_7- Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’_

*John 1:12-13*

_12- But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:_

_13- who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God._

*1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN*

Galatians 3:26-4:1-20 & Isaiah 1-2

*2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN*

Luke 23:34-43 & 2 Samuel 11-12

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

SATURDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2021

PASTOR CHRIS

TOPIC: INHABITANTS OF THE

HEAVENLY JERUSALEM

KEY VERSE: Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,

God hath shined (Psalm 50:2).

Paul, in his letter to the Galatian Christians,

referenced the allegory of Sarah and Hagar

(Galatians 4). Through the two women, Abraham

had two sons: Ishmael and Isaac. Sarah and Hagar

represented two covenants. Hagar stands for Mount

Sinai in Arabia, and is a figure of the present city of

Jerusalem in the middle East, which the Bible says is in

slavery with all its people (Galatians 4:25).

Then, there’s the Jerusalem that is above: “But

Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother

of us all (Galatians 4:26). How beautiful! Read the 30th

to 31st verses: “Nevertheless what saith the scripture?

Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of

the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the

freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not children

of the bondwoman, but of the free.”

The Jerusalem that is above is the mother of us

all; that’s the one to which we belong; we’re there

now! Hebrews 12:22 tells us, “But ye are come unto

mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the

heavenly Jerusalem....” In Isaiah 60:14 (MSG), Zion

refers figuratively to Israel as the people of God: “The descendants of your oppressor will come bowing

and scraping to you. All who looked down at you in

contempt will lick your boots. They’ll confer a title

on you: City of GOD, Zion of The Holy of Israel.”

But today, in the New Testament, Zion refers

to God’s spiritual Kingdom, which we’re a part of.

Hebrews 12:18,22-23 (MSG) says, “Unlike your

ancestors, you didn’t come to Mount Sinai--all that

volcanic blaze and earthshaking rumble—…No, that’s

not your experience at all. You’ve come to Mount

Zion the city where the living God resides. The

invisible Jerusalem is populated by throngs of festive

angels and Christian citizens. It is the city where God

is Judge, with judgments that make us just.” So, in the

mind of God, we live in Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem,

NOW, in the same way that the natural born Jews live

in Jerusalem that’s in the Middle East. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: Psalm 48:11 AMPC,

Psalm 50:2 & Psalm 69:34-36

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

FRIDAY 17 SEPTEMBER 2021

PASTOR CHRIS

TOPIC: FAITH TALKS

KEY VERSE: We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed,

and therefore have I spoken; we also

believe, and therefore speak

(2 Corinthians 4:13).

What a beautiful and inspiring description we

have in Hebrews 11 of those in faith’s hall

of fame. The Bible says these men and women tamed

and framed their worlds, their eras, by faith. Abel’s

offering to God, for example, was an act of faith: “By

faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice

than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was

righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being

dead yet speaketh” (Hebrews 11:4).

Abel wasn’t just carrying out some ceremony

with his mouth shut, no! He said some things, such

that even in death, his blood still speaks. What exactly

was his confession? It most certainly would have been

in sync with what the other patriarchs confessed. The

Bible says they confessed that they were strangers in

the world: “These all died in faith, not having received

the promises, but having seen them afar off, and

were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and

confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on

the earth” (Hebrews 11:13).

The key thing is that they spoke faith words. That helps us learn how they created and constructed their

times. They talked their future; they said what was

going to happen, and did all that they did, by faith. It’s

the same spirit of faith at work in us today. We believe,

and therefore speak.

Faith is the noun of believing; believing is a verb.

Your faith is demonstrated in words that propel you

to action. You can’t believe and be quiet. Even in the

negative realm—the satanic realm—they use the same

principle because it’s a spiritual principle. If they don’t

say it, they know it’ll not happen.

Isn’t that what Jesus said in Mark 11:23? He said

you shall have what you say: “For verily I say unto

you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain,

Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and

shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that

those things which he saith shall come to pass; he

shall have whatsoever he saith.” Declare faith-filled

words and rule your world.

FURTHER STUDY:

Proverbs 18:21, Matthew 12:35-37 & 1 Peter 3:10 AMPC

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

THURSDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2021

PASTOR CHRIS

TOPIC: THE WORD ON YOUR LIPS

KEY VERSE: Through faith we understand that

the worlds were framed by the word

of God, so that things which are

seen were not made of things which

do appear (Hebrews 11:3).

There’re three important words to note in our

theme verse; they are framed, words, and

world. The word “framed” is translated from the Greek

“katartizo¯”, and it means to restore or mend. “Worlds”

is translated from the Greek “aion” which means

“course of life”; the structure and administration or

seasons and times of one’s life on earth.

“Word,” on the other hand, is translated from the

Greek word “rhema,” and it means the spoken and

active word to a specific person, for a specific purpose,

at a specific time. From the foregoing, we observe that

the “aions” were framed, mended, restored by the

Word (rhema) of God.

The expression “rhema of God” as you find in the

New Testament is never applied to God talking by

Himself, but to God putting His Word in man’s heart

for man to speak. So, our theme verse doesn’t mean

that God was “framing the aions”; it means that men

framed their worlds—courses of life— by using the Word

of God; they uttered “rhema.”

With “rhema” you give shape, structure and

beauty to your world, to your life; you construct the

conditions—what your world and life should be like—

with the Word on your lips. What’s your life like today?

Do you want a life of ever-increasing grace, glory and

dominion? The key is your mouth!

It makes no difference what obtains presently

in your “aion”; you can mend what needs mending;

you can restore what needs restoration; you can fix

anything that’s been ruined. You can quell terror and

put a halt to the malicious destructions and havoc the

devil seeks to wreak in your world, life, family, city or

country, or in the lives of your loved ones, by uttering

the Word of God that your spirit has taken a hold of.

Use the Word. Put it on your lips and use it to

keep the adversary in his place. Use it to frame the

course of your life to be consistent with God’s plan

and purpose for your life. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: Mark 11:23 & Joshua 1:8 AMPC

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

WEDNESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2021

PASTOR CHRIS

TOPIC: TAKE CARE OF OTHERS KEY VERSE: Therefore encourage (admonish,

exhort) one another and edify

(strengthen and build up) one

another, just as you are doing

(1 Thessalonians 5:11 AMPC).

There’re Christians who got offended and

almost gave up the faith because someone in

their local church mistreated or disappointed them.

That’s wrong. God didn’t tell us everyone in the church

will like us, treat us well and always be helpful to us. But

He told you to like others, treat them well, and always

be willing to help. So, it begins with YOU!

Don’t let the reason you’re the member of any

particular church or group in church be that you’re

looking for someone to help you; rather, develop a

desire to render service, to help others. Acts 20:35

tells us that it’s more blessed to give than to receive.

If you felt ignored, rejected and uncared for,

that should let you know what some others might be

feeling too. So, take up the responsibility and look

out for those in a similar situation and encourage and

strengthen them. That’s Christian ministry; it’s one of

the beautiful blessings and privileges you get from

being a member of a local church. The church—the local church—has a ministry, and God wants you to

be a vital member.

There’s no one on earth who has no family;

everyone belongs in a family. If you find that you’re

the only one you know in your entire family, reach out

and help someone else who’s lonely, and make them

part of your family. You should never be alone. Don’t

live for yourself only. Be responsible for others, just as

there’re leaders over you who are responsible for you.

FURTHER STUDY: Hebrews 10:24-25 & 2 Corinthians 13:11 NIV

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

TUESDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 2021

PASTOR CHRIS

TOPIC: CUSTODIANS OF ETERNAL BLESSINGS

KEY VERSE: …I will bless thee, and make thy name

great; and thou shalt be a blessing

(Genesis 12:2).

The Christian is blessed in all things. He’s

blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly

places in Christ Jesus. In Genesis 12:2, God didn’t say

to Abraham, “I will bless you and make you ‘lucky’”;

rather, He said, “…I will make of thee a great nation,

and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and

thou shalt be a blessing.” This is what you need: the

consciousness that you’re blessed and are a blessing!

You’re empowered to be successful; the ability to

prosper in all things has been invoked in your life; it’s

inherent in you and works all the time. Everywhere you

go, there’s favour. Your steps are always ordered of

the Lord; you don’t go anywhere by chance, and you

don’t go anywhere alone, for He’s in you and with you

always. This is the heritage of the seed of Abraham.

It worked for the physical descendants of Abraham—

Isaac and Jacob; they were blessed in all things and

bequeathed the same blessings to their generations.

It’s even better with us today; the Bible says,

“And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians

3:29). Ours is a better covenant, established upon

better promises (Hebrews 8:6); promises that have

all been fulfilled in Christ. You ought to know like

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that you’re blessed, and the

custodian of blessings. Make this your consciousness

and confession.

FURTHER STUDY:

Ephesians 1:3 &

Galatians 3:7-9

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

MONDAY 13 SEPTEMBER 2021

PASTOR CHRIS

TOPIC: WORD-BASED SONGS

KEY VERSE: Know ye not that ye are the temple

of God, and that the Spirit of God

dwelleth in you?

(1 Corinthians 3:16)

Have you ever heard some Christians sing,

“Holy Spirit, come down; rain down on

us.” Such a song is inconsistent with truth, because

the Holy Spirit already came on the day of Pentecost

(Acts 2:1-3) and lives in you today. It’s also no use

singing, “Come live in me Holy Spirit.” It’s clear from

our opening scripture that He dwells in you: _*“Know

ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the

Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”*_ (1 Corinthians 3:16).

Some even get emotional and cry, singing, “Fill

me, O Lord!” But the Word never said God is going

to fill you. Paul, by the Spirit, said in Ephesians 5:18,

_*“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but

be filled with the Spirit.”*_ It’s your responsibility to be

filled with the Spirit. He told you to do it. Therefore, no

matter how much you sing and cry to the Lord to fill

you, you’ll never be filled, because the Word already

shows how to get yourself filled with the Spirit.

Singing the wrong songs creates unbelief and

deepens ignorance. Therefore, when you sing, listen to the words; sing songs that are founded on the truth

of God’s Word in the Gospel of Christ. Our worship,

praise and thanksgiving or even songs of edification

must be correctly delivered in words consistent with

the New Testament of Christ. It’s not about singing

your favourite song or the one that gives you goose

bumps; it’s about singing scriptural songs of the present

truth.

FURTHER STUDY:

Exodus 15:1-3, Revelation 4:8-11 & Judges 5:1-3