-Bishop David Oyedepo at CHoP
The Word admonishes us to make the most of our times because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:16, Colossians 4:5). Everyone of us has equal amount of time that is 24 hours per day while very few invest their time, several others just squander them. May we not be among people that squander their time because the quality of a man’s life is a function of the quality of his time. How much he invests his time is what determines the outcome of his life. You hear them say, “in his lifetime”, how much his time was worth, while he lived, is what determines his impact in life. Time!!
1 Corinthians 6:12
I want to ensure that my time goes for what is adding value to my life. They are acceptable, they are normal things to do but are they adding any value to my life? If not, let me go for what adds value to my life. All things are lawful for me but not all things are profitable. All things are normal, they are natural, but I will not be brought under the power of whatever is not adding value (1 Corinthians 6:12). That was Paul’s life, one that had some great insight on the value of time.
This week at Covenant Hour of Prayer, we will be looking at:
WE CANNOT HAVE A HEART FOR GOD AND NOT HAVE TIME FOR HIM.
We will be going through some striking Biblical examples all through the week to convey this truth.
Proverbs 23:26
The greatest seed – give me your heart. The only way to make your marks.
“Give me your heart”
1 Corinthians 2:9
Let your eyes observe my ways and watch out for what I will make out of you (Proverbs 23:26).
We have this narrative from Christ in Matthew chapter 13 verses 44 to 46. God’s Word is loaded with treasures, when any of such treasure is found, you’ll want to give everything to buy into it. Full of treasures. I did a series of teachings in one of the Shilohs, ‘All You Need To Have All Your Needs Met’. You can’t find that and say you don’t have time because God is ALL you and I need to have all our needs met. You can’t find that treasure in the Word and not invest maximally to actualise it in your life.
All you need to have all your needs met: The Lord is all I need and as I catch up with Him, goodness and mercy keeps pursuing after me all the days of my life (Psalm 23:6).
No downtime, no black spot. God is all that you need. You can’t find that treasure and be hanging around, ‘I don’t feel like.’
Since I found the treasure of Matthew 6:33, I have never needed encouragement neither can any man discourage me, no matter how he looks. No matter how many demons might be behind him. You find the treasure in the Word, you’ll give all that you have. You know the Bible says wherever a man’s treasure is, there is heart will be also (Matthew 6:21). You can’t find a treasure and not invest your life to explore it. The treasure in here is richer than the richest gold mine and diamond mine on the earth. It offers all things that make for life and godliness, all things. In it lies our health, our vigour, our protection, our defence, our present, our future, our posterity, our eternity. There is no other treasure anywhere on the earth that covers all those spheres. Walking with God today secures the destiny of your children’s children in their generations. We saw how He did for Abraham (Genesis 22:18).
And in thy seed, for the quality of your walk with me, shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And see Israel today, millennial after (Genesis 12:3). Nobody can find that and be junketing about and be speaking grammar. You will throw your entire being into it. That is what has happened to some of us.
I know that what I am doing is going to impact on my children, my children’s children in their generations like Abraham, so I won’t need encouragement in doing it. Church Gist. I am self-motivated in doing it because I see into the far future of what these treasures hold.
Proverbs 23:26
My son, give me your heart: secure your present, capture your future, secure your posterity and enjoy eternity. It’s everything in one package, not found anywhere else. It’s not just for now. You know drunkards and drug addicts, they live for now, they don’t have anything for the future. I met some young people who are into marijuana, I was in their camp to reach out to them and I asked one of them, “will you like your children to be like this?” He said, “No.” So why are you in it? They have no idea of a future, they are not interested in the future. They are just, “now, let’s smoke and die. There is nothing else.”
Walking with Jesus sir (psalm 112:1-3).
His impact will be speaking forever. That talks about access to eternity and carry your lineage along with you. That tells you eternity. People don’t know these things. When I caught Matthew 6:33, everything else lost value to me and yet I have not lacked any good thing.
I remember a friend of mine saying, “Look Brother David, let’s pray for life partner.”
I said: I don’t need that. My own is covered. Matthew 6:33. I don’t need that, my own is covered. It is in Matthew 6:33 but if you like let’s pray for you.
So we prayed for him and God answered me first. As significant as getting married is, if I pursue Matthew 6:33, it will be added to me. That’s what a treasure is all about.
Let’s look at the example of Abraham: A man with a heart for God. God calls him my friend, Abraham, my friend
Isaiah 41:8
James 2:23 – You see capital F, the Friend of God
Isaiah 51:2-3; Abraham was living in a garden the one that Adam lost by his love for God, by his heart for God.
Isaiah 51:1 – hearken unto me all ye that follow after righteousness.
Follow the example of Abraham who walked with me to a point that he became my friend.
Watch Abraham’s time: Abraham became a nation, he had an army that could take up the army of another nation (Isaiah 60:22). When he heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants and went in the night, pursued them, over ran them and rescued his brother and all the goods (Genesis 14:14-20).
This is Abraham, the Emperor and God said, “walk with me and be perfect. I will make my covenant with you.”
Genesis 17:10
Abraham as busy as he was, the Emperor of his empire, abandoned all his responsibilities, went and circumcised himself, his son, at 90. Abraham had time for anything God commands. That’s what made him His friend. Whatever God commanded would always suit Abraham.
Abraham the Emperor slept and had an encounter with God in the night,” bring forth your son, your only son Isaac”, as if he had no schedule for the following day (Genesis 22:2). He rose up early in the morning, whatever God says cancels whatever is on ground. Abraham had time with God and he ended up as a symbol of generational blessing. Abraham had time for God.
Jesus said, “If you are Abraham’s seed, then do the works of Abraham” (John 8:39).
Abraham the Emperor. You are an employee, most of us, a number of us are founders of small, small businesses. Abraham had an army, lined up responsibilities, was over a kingdom, an empire but whatever God said Abraham had time for it (Genesis 14:14)
Get thee out of thy country (Genesis 12:1). He left. Where am I going? I will show as you are going. He left. Abraham had a heart for God. He staggered not at the promise of God at any point in time but was strong in faith, giving glory to God (Romans 4:20).
John 8:39
You are Abraham’s seed, get up and do the works of Abraham.; then you begin to command and experience the blessing of Abraham in your life.
Our little song that we use to sing, “Abraham’s blessings are mine”: they can’t be yours except you are out to do the works of Abraham. Abraham’s blessings are only yours and mine when we do the work of Abraham.
A man with a heart for God, a man that had time for God. Whatever God commands, Abraham had time for it!!!
That’s what made Abraham, Abraham. That’s what will make you a seed of Abraham producing results after the same order. Quality time for God!!
One cannot have a heart for God without making great marks on the earth.
Genesis 24:1
Abraham was old and stricken in age and God had blessed him in all things. It didn’t stop there, Jesus saw Abraham seated on a throne in Heaven and Lazarus at his footstool. Jesus died to bring us into the blessing of Abraham (Galatians 3:13). In heaven, the rich fool called him father Abraham. There are 2 fathers out there, the Father God and father Abraham.
Abraham had a heart for God and he made great marks in time and eternity.
The midst of the year is here. I don’t have time. You don’t have a heart.
“I won’t do that”: Over to you. That won’t remove anything from God.
“I will do it”: Okay, it is for your benefit.
“I won’t do it”: You are the one to count the loss.
“I don’t have time”: Good comment!
My old man said to me one time, we were on vacation, “what are you doing this time?”
I said: I am preaching.
“Hehnn, you are preaching for 3 months”
Response: Yes, I am preaching.
“That is what you will eat.”
I said: Amen. We were all eating it before he died. All of us. Nations are eating from it today, preaching.
No call into Ministry but a heart for God. You can’t quench that heart, it is inside me rolling me, all the time.
It’s not about “pray for me, pray for me”, you better line up. Praying for you will impart grace, it’s your input that determines and defines your future.
Prayer: Surrender your time to Jesus for a quality walk with him, responding to His commands with utmost delight at all times.
Not dragging, not murmuring, not complaining, not looking back. Take that grace. Pray that revival order of prayer.
I receive grace to operate in the realm of Abraham’s walk with you. Quality time to secure my present, capture my future, secure my posterity and enjoy eternity.
Pray that prayer. Your walk with God today will speak tomorrow, it will speak in the lives of your children, your children’s children in their generations. It is all about you making a choice.
Lord, I receive the Abrahamic order of grace upon my life with a quality walk with You, with my time available to you at all times. Not only in this season but far beyond this season. So help me Lord.
Thank You Father. In Jesus precious name we have prayed.
We have Morning Prayer Raid and Evening Prayer Raid.
Morning Prayer Raid: 8 to 9:30. That is set for all our Senior Citizens, Retirees, Nursing Mothers, all those on the line for miracle jobs, all those contractors who are waiting for open heavens in their respective endeavours. Make it a time with Jesus.
8 to 9:30 am and 5 to 6 pm, across all our District and Area Centres, Lagos and Ota.
Same time, we have our Gospel Raid and that is taking off from each one’s place. They are going to work, they are at the bus stop, those who are out for open field outreaches…just brew up. Let God know you are all out for Him. I can tell that before July is over, you are singing a new song.
Let no day pass during this season without you saying, “Jesus, confirm Your Word in the midst of your people. Let everyone on the field return with bountiful harvest.”
“Let every Service be a Service of fire. Lord, turn the stories of everyone during this season. Clear off all everlasting mountains. Lord, level out all perpetual hills. Give your people a new name.”
Every day keep pressing on the altar of prayer with passionate reach out to people. Looking out for your 8 targets and praying over them, “Jesus, I desire the salvation of this man and this woman. I desire the salvation of this family.” Church Gist. And watch what He will make out of you.
Please listen, what you’ll make with this time has a lot to do with what your future will be.
It’s your time of visitation. Give God thanks.
The week is open for your spiritual exploits.
SPEAK TO THE WEEK:
It’s the first week. What you do with the first is so important. It’s the first week of this great awakening!
Speak to it: capture the week for high level spiritual engagement.
CHoP is an acronym for Covenant Hour of Prayer
