The 'fourth watch' last from 3:a.m. until 6:a.m. Night TIME is when God does SOME of His BEST work! When the lsraelites FACED the RED SEA, we read, 'All that night the Lord drove BACK the sea' (Exodus 14:21 NCV). During 'the middle WATCH ' of the night, Gideon DEFEATED the Midianites (Judges 7:19-24). Jesus rose from the dead before 'DAYBREAK' (Matthew 28:1). Matthew says: 'In the FOURTH WATCH of the NIGHT He came to THEM , walking on the sea. When the DISCIPLES saw Him... they were terrified... immediately Jesus spoke....' Take courage, it is l; do not be afraid" (Matthew 14:25-27NAS).

NOTICE TWO IMPORTANT THINGS:

1) JESUS WAITED until the storm was at its WORST and they'd LOST all HOPE. That's because GOD dictates the TIMETABLE for our DELIVERANCE, and He's NEVER LATE.

2) THE DISCIPLES DIDN'T RECOGNISE HIM UNTIL HE REVEALED HIMSELF TO THEM. Often the answer you NEED is right beside you, but you don't recognise it until God reveals it to you. On another occasion, 'When... the crowd was pushing in...[Jesus] climbed into the boat that was Simon's.... put out... from the shore... [And] using the boat for a pulpit.... taught the crowd' (Luke 5:1-3 TM). In that MOMENT it would have been TEMPTING for Peter to feel IMPORTANT, THINKING the Master needed his BOAT. No, God doesn't need anything we have to accomplish His PURPOSES not our credentials, talent, or resources. So be humble. And don't PANIC! When Jesus came to the disciples that night He was 'WALKING ON THE sea.' God is on TOP of the SITUATION. Be at PEACE; He will do whatever it TAKES to reach and RESCUE you. Your problem is just a PLATFORM DISPLAY His POWER to act on your behalf!

God's Servant

Rev. Alfred Acheampong.

Anchor Scripture: 'IN THE FOURTH WATCH.... HE CAME TO THEM.' (Matthew 14:25 NAS)

Prayer Point: Heavenly Father, thank You for being there for me, my Saviour, refuge, comforter and deliverer. Amen

Stay Blessed!

YearOfSupernaturalProvision

Josiah's grandfather, Manasseh, was a VIOLENT king who FILLED 'Jerusalem from one end to the other with [the people's] blood' (2 kings 21:16 NLT). His father, King Amon, DIED at the HANDS of his own OFFICERS. 'He did what God said was wrong,' reads his epitaph. Josiah was only EIGHT when he ASCENDED the THRONE. Immediately he chose RIGHTEOUSNESS, and didn't stop doing what was right all his life (2 kings 22:2). What's the POINT? We can't pick our PARENTS, but we CAN pick our ROLE-MODELS.

When Josiah was rebuilding the TEMPLE he DISCOVERED a scroll CONTAINING God's law. As he READ it he WEPT, realising his PEOPLE had DRIFTED far from God. So he SENT word to a PROPHETESS and asked, 'What will become of our people?' She told Josiah THAT since he HAD repented when he heard God's Word, his nation would be spared (2 Chronicles 34:14-27). Wow! An entire GENERATION received GRACE because of the INTEGRITY of one man.

So, you can RISE above your PAST and make a DIFFERENCE. Your PARENTS may have GIVEN you your DNA, but God CAN give you a new BIRTH and a new BEGINNING .'You are God's children whom he loves, so try to be like him' (Ephesians 5:1 NIV). Just like Josiah, YOU cannot CONTROL the way your FOREFATHERS responded to God, but you can CONTROL the way you RESPOND to Him. Your PAST does not have to be YOUR prison; you HAVE a say in your LIFE, you have a VOICE in your DESTINY, you have a CHOICE in the PATH you take. CHOOSE well and SOME day GENERATIONS from now OTHERS will thank God for the LEGACY you left.

God's Servant

Rev. Alfred Acheampong.

Prayer Point: Heavenly Father, help me to leave behind a legacy of integrity, and of service to God and man in Jesus name.

Stay Blessed!

YearOfSupernaturalProvision

We think EVERYTHING rests on our SHOULDERS, but it doesn't! It's God's WORLD, not ours. At the BEGINNING of each DAY God REMINDS us that He HAS His WAY, that He CONTROLS outcomes, and that He CARES about every DETAIL of our lives.The way we get  up in the MORNING sets the TONE for our ENTIRE day, so try this: 

FIRST thing tomorrow, GET alone with God for a FEW minutes. Don't TRY to make it LAST an hour, just START with five minutes. Go over YOUR plans for the DAY. If you have a CALENDAR, look OVER it with Jesus. As you are GOING through it you will HAVE some CONCERNS. Just hand them OVER to Him. Maybe you will notice a MEETING or a particular PROBLEM you are WORRIED about. Ask Him for WISDOM. If He DOESN'T give you an IMMEDIATE answer, realise that it's BECAUSE He WANTS you to TRUST Him. He has SOMETHING better in MIND, something that you HAVEN'T thought of YET. So many of us START our day ANXIOUS, hurried, FEARFUL , or RUSHED. But we DON'T have to. We are going to START our day anyway; why not START it with Jesus? Do we have any better offers? We are going to have a FIRST thought anyhow, a FIRST word, so why not let it BELONG to God, before Whom all our ANXIETIES flee? We can DO this. We REALLY can. We can START our DAY with God. Take a MOMENT and MEDITATE on this Scripture: 'Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days (Psalm  90:14 NIV).

God's Servant 

Rev. Alfred Acheampong.

Prayer Point: Heavenly Father help me to always begin my day with God in prayer in Jesus name.

Anchor Scripture: 'IN THE MORNING I LAY MY REQUESTS BEFORE YOU AND WAIT IN EXPECTATION.' (Psalm 5:3 NIV) 

Stay Blessed!

Esther won a beauty contest, married a king, lived in a palace, UNCOVERED a plot to EXTERMINATE the Jewish PEOPLE and saved THEM. Her story SHOWS us the IMPORTANCE of being in the RIGHT place, and being INFLUENCED by the RIGHT people. So:

1) WHERE YOU ARE TODAY IS NO ACCIDENT. Mordecai, Esther's MENTOR, challenged HER and changed HER life by saying, 'Who KNOWS but that you have come to your ROYAL position for such a TIME as this?' Esther didn't SET out to be QUEEN, but ONCE she was, SHE had to DECIDE between her COMFORT and her CALLING. It's a CHOICE we all MAKE. 'What's my calling?' you ASK. It could INVOLVE your JOB, your MARRIAGE, your TASKS as a parent, your FRIENDSHIPS. It could involve the NEIGHBORHOOD where you live or VOLUNTEERING at your church. One thing is CERTAIN: when God calls, it's 'YOUR TIME' We are TEMPTED to THINK we are 'treading water' right now, WAITING for some other TIME or more IMPORTANT opportunity. No, you don't get to CHOOSE your TIME; God DOES that! The Psalmist said, 'My times are in thy hand' (Psalm 31:15).

2) GOD SENDS SPECIAL PEOPLE TO GUIDE US. Without Mordecai in HER life Esther MIGHT never have UNDERSTOOD her CALLING. And without his HELP she MIGHT never have EMBRACED it. So, who's your Mordecai? Who KNOWS you WELL enough to HELP clarify your CALLING ? Who loves you ENOUGH to challenge you when you get off track, or STRENGTHEN you when you WANT to quit and TURN back? Not one of us is a COMPOSITE of all of life's VIRTUES; we all have BLIND spots and WEAKNESSES. That's why God SENDS others; and why we NEED them!

God's Servant

Rev. Alfred Acheampong.

Prayer Point: Heavenly Father connect me to the helpers of my destiny in Jesus name.

Anchor Scripture: 'FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS.' (Esther 4:14 NIV)

Stay Blessed!

YearOfSupernaturalProvision

Sometimes it's WISE to wait, to say, 'l don't have the answer right now but I will think about it, pray, and get back to you.'  Your need to RESCUE someone, or IMPRESS them and make points, will come back to BITE you. The Bible says,  'A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of fools blurts out folly' (Proverbs 12:23 NIV). Allow WISDOM to DETERMINE your RESPONSE , not EGO! When people are ANXIOUS for ANSWERS they will PRESSURE you into SPEAKING before you have all the FACTS or have TAKEN time to PRAY and CONSIDER the situation. If you ASK Him, God will tell YOU what to SAY and WHEN to SAY it. His PROMISE is: 'l have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand' (lsaiah 51:16 NIV). Ego says, 'Don't JUST stand THERE, say something.'  WISDOM says, 'Don't JUST say SOMETHING, stand there!' Quietly ASK God for insight. One insight from Him can settle THINGS in a HURRY . SOMEONE else's NEED to know shouldn't DETERMINE your need to SPEAK.

When Jesus STOOD before PILATE in JUDGMENT He said, 'DO you THINK l CANNOT call on my Father, and he will at ONCE put at my DISPOSAL more than twelve legions of angels?' (Matthew 26:53 NIV). Yet the Bible says, 'He opened not his mouth.' When He was brought before PILATE , Jesus just STOOD there and said NOTHING. That's because He was not on trial, Pilate was. Jesus knew His DESTINY, and most importantly, He knew His FATHER intimately. And when you KNOW God, you can FACE anything with CONFIDENCE; and be FREE to be QUIET . What a WONDERFUL place to be!

God's Servant 

Rev. Alfred Acheampong.

Prayer Point: Heavenly Father, help me to always open my mouth in wisdom and to take time to pray before giving out answers and solutions to issues of concern in Jesus name.

Stay Blessed!

YearOfSupernaturalProvision

When you make DECISIONS based on doubt and UNBELIEF , they never turn out right. After HEARING Jesus PROMISE to RISE from the DEAD , and actually SEEING Him ALIVE, the disciples went back to WHAT they were doing BEFORE they met Him: FISHING . NOW God will use our past EXPERIENCES to TEACH HIM us, but He ALWAYS LEADS us FORWARD; never back. When FEAR and UNCERTAINTY make us want to go back to the SECURITY of what we KNOW, we END UP WITH like the DISCIPLES: ' They went out and......GOT into THE boat, and that night they caught nothing' (John 21:3 NKJV).

But there's good news: lf God called you, you are still called. Notice how Jesus addresses them: '"Children, have you any food?"' (John 21:5 NKJV). In spite of your lacklustre performance, you are still His child! Next, He tells them: '"Throw your net on the right side of the boat...". When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "lt is the Lord!" (John 21:7 NIV). That morning Jesus ate breakfast with them, renewed fellowship, removed their doubts and sent them out to change the world. What's the lesson here? When we work out side God's will it is like fishing on the wrong side of the boat; we wear ourselves out and in the end have nothing to show for our efforts. Are you succeeding in life? No? Maybe you are fishing on the wrong side of the boat! Things aren't going to work out right until you submit to Christ, renew your fellowship with Him and allow Him to direct your steps.

God's Servant. 

Rev Alfred Acheampong.

Prayer Point: Heavenly Father, help me to continue to win souls for your kingdom in Jesus name.

Anchor Scripture: 'THROW YOUR NET ON THE RIGHT SIDE.' (John 21:6 NIV) 

Stay Blessed!

YearOfSupernaturalProvision

There's an INTERESTING sequence of EVENTS leading up to Peter's DENIAL of Christ.First, Jesus WARNED Peter that he was a TARGET: '"Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But l have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren'" (Luke 22:31-32). Next we read that when the AUTHORITIES came to arrest Christ, Peter 'followed afar off' (Luke 22:54). Notice, Peter had GROWN distant from Christ. Then the man who SWORE he did die for Jesus DENIED knowing Him. At that point the ROOSTER crowed, Peter REMEMBERED his promise to Jesus, and 'went out, and wept bitterly' (Luke 22:55-62).

Observe how it works:

a) you are UNPREPARED for the enemy's ATTACK when it comes

b) you ALLOW work and family PRESSURES to cause you to FORGET that your first COMMITMENT must always be to God.

c) you END up spiritually DEFEATED. You say, 'That will never happen to me.' That's what Peter said! The reason '"Satan hath desired to have you,'" is because he KNOWS that when you become PASSIONATE about God's purposes, you are UNSTOPPABLE . lndeed, the very DESIRE that's BURNING within you right now is the FUEL that ENABLES you to withstand his ATTACKS.

There's a reason the CRUCIFIXION has been REFERRED to as 'The Passion.' The Bible says of Christ: 'Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God' (Hebrews 12:2 NKJV). Even as He was DYING, Jesus was MINISTERING to others. That's PASSION! So the Word for you today is, 'Don't LOSE your PASSION for God.'

God's Servant 

Rev. Alfred Acheampong.

Prayer Point: Heavenly Father, help me to continue to serve you with passion all the days of my life in Jesus name.

Anchor Scripture: DON'T LOSE YOUR PASSION FOR GOD! 'LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART.'  (Deuteronomy 6:5 NIV) 

Stay Blessed!

YearOfSupernaturalProvision

The CHRISTMAS STORY goes like this: 'There were.... shepherds.... keeping watching over their flocks by night. And behold an angel of the Lord stood before them… The angel said to them, ' Do not be afraid, for behold, l bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign to you: You will find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger (Luke 2:8-12 NKJV).

Have YOU ever WONDERED why the ANGEL first TALKED to shepherds, a job CONSIDERED lowest on the SOCIAL ladder? Think about it: if the ANGEL had talked to church LEADERS they did have had to consult their DOCTRINAL texts books and DENOMINATIONAL boards. If he did appear to CELEBRITIES they did have had to check and see who was WATCHING. If he did appear to CHIEF EXECUTIVES they did have had to CONSULT their DIARIES and spreadsheets. So he gave the GREATEST news STORY in history to THOSE with no axe to GRIND, no REPUTATION to protect and no LADDER to climb; people with humble HEARTS and open MINDS; people with simple, CHILD- LIKE faith. Getting the idea? Outside Bethlehem there is a church marking Jesus' birthplace. Behind the altar is a CAVE with a SYMBOLIC star EMBEDDED in the floor. You can enter the CAVE, but with one REQUIREMENT you must KNEEL. The door is too LOW to get in STANDING up! God still OPERATES that way. You will find HIM among the COMMONPLACE. But to EXPERIENCE Him, you must get DOWN on your KNEES.

God's Servant

Rev. Alfred Acheampong.

Prayer Point: Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending your Son to come to die for my salvation. I renew my pledge to serve Him in humility today and always in Jesus name.

Anchor Scripture: 'NOW THERE WERE… SHEPHERDS...' (Luke 2:8 NKJV)

Stay Blessed!

YearOfSupernaturalProvision