Thursday 1, January 2015

Bible Passage(s): Psalm 43: 1 – 17

Memory Verse: “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD” Psalm 40:3

The year 2015 has a great significance for my nation Nigeria, coupled with the fact that it is an election year in the country. This is not just another election, but one that may redefine the political landscape of Nigeria and have a lasting impact on the nation. There is also this prediction by an American diplomat, that the year 2015 may bring to an end the nation called Nigeria!

A review of the defunct year 2014, will reveal a lot of heartaches and turmoil all over our world and some of our nations. We had the Boko Haram menace in Nigeria, which continues unabated and our government has not been able to bring it to an end.

The religious war of ISIS in parts of the Middle Eastern countries, in particular Iran and Syria; with their combined might, the World Powers are having a difficult time to put it down. What about the Russian-Ukraine-European Union and American imbroglio? Not forgetting the North Korean saga, political troubles in China and Hong Kong, the Malaysian airline that is still missing, the sunk South Korean ship, which caused the death of about 300 passengers, many of them school children! The jet airliner that was shot down between the Russian and Ukraine border, killing everyone on board! And the most recent air disaster involving an Air Asia airline, which came down during a flight between Indonesia and Singapore, scattering its 160 passengers and crew into the Indian Ocean! As such you will not blame anyone having a sense of foreboding and fear for the year 2015.
However, in spite of the physical evidences surrounding us, this year the Lord will cause our story and experience to change. He will change our songs of woe to that of joy. This year, the Lord ”….. will put a new song in our mouths, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him. – Psalm 40:3.

For Nigeria, there will be a new experience. ‘The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. The Lord will create ‘Jerusalem (Nigeria) to be a delight and its people a joy.” Isa 65:18. Therefore ‘…. in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.’ 2 Peter 3:13. Yes there has been a lot of problems, injustice, wickedness and unrighteousness in our land, but the Lord will keep His promise as foretold by many men of God, concerning the place and role of Nigeria in the spread of our Lord’s gospel to the world. Nigeria will not disintegrate!

On the personal front, this year, your experience will be as contained in the blessing of Moses upon the tribe of Asher in Deuteronomy 33:26-29; “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, who rides on the heavens to help you and on the clouds in his majesty. The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemy before you, saying, ‘Destroy him!’ So Israel will live in safety alone; Jacob’s spring is secure in a land of grain and new wine, where the heavens drop dew. Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will trample down their high places.” So let’s enter the year with confidence in our God to keep His promises. In so doing, position yourself to receive His Mercy to partake of the new era that will unfold to our nations and our world.

Therefore as we enter the new year 2015 today, I wish you a Happy New Year. In spite of the predictions of gloom and doom, you will sing a New Song this year. Not only you, but also your nation, including Nigeria and indeed the entire world will sing a New Song.

The Lord bless you and keep you. May He make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace, now and forevermore. Amen. Welcome to your year of a New Song. Year 2015 will be great and this month will open the year on a wonderful note for you and your entire household in Jesus mighty name. Amen

Prayers for the Month
1. Come to the presence of God by the way of the blood of the everlasting covenant; the blood of mercy; the blood of Jesus. Confess your sins and those of your nation and ask the Lord for forgiveness. Because, the Bible says ‘if we have iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not hear us’. Therefore lay yourself bare before Him, confess your sins and those of your nation and ask God to forgive you.

2. Thank the Lord for bringing you over to the Year 2015. It is of the Lord that you were not consumed, for His mercies endures forever. Glorify His name and thank Him. In spite of all that occurred in the year 2014 and all that you went through, the Lord kept you alive today to be among the living. Thank Him and praise His Holy name.

3. Many of us travelled all through the year. In the air, on the seas, on the rails and on the roads. We saw many things that the mouth cannot recount. But of His mercies we were not consumed. Thank Him for keeping faith with you throughout the year 2014.

4. Commit this year into the hands of God, yourself and your household and ask that, as the Lord has declared for this year, you will sing a new song. A hymn of praise to your God and King! Make all your request for the year 2015 known to Him and ask that He will perfect everything that concerns you and your household.

5. Pray for your nation and ask the Lord to intervene this year in her affairs. That the eternal God will be your refuge, and underneath will be His everlasting arms.

6. Ask the Lord to drive out the enemies of your nation before her. So that you will live in peace and safety. That your spring shall be secure in a land of grain and new wine, where the heavens drop dew.

7. Pray for your nation, that the Lord will be your shield and helper. That He shall be the glorious sword making the enemies of your nation to cower before her, and that your people will trample down their high places.

8. Pray for peace in our world this year. That the Lord will bring to an end all uprisings and shedding of innocent blood in the name of religion. Ask the Lord to decapitate and destroy all the perpetrators of evil in our world. Pray that this year they will go out of business and be totally uprooted from our lands.

Bola Olowe,
President, Grace Leadership Foundation.

Tags: Messages of Grace