Quiet Time

Scripture: John 8:49-50 Topic: Dishonour Results In A Demonic Invasion Of Your Life.    "Jesus answered, I HAVE NOT A DEVIL; BUT I HONOUR MY FATHER, and ye do dishonour me. And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth."  John 8:49-50 Jesus said He did not have a devil!  Jesus was sure that He did not have a devil because He honoured His father.  If you do not honour your father you cannot be sure that you do not have a devil.  Indeed, people who dishonour their parents have devils working in their lives. You can be sure you do not have a devil when you honour your father. The demons that cause struggles, hassles and frustrations are the portion of those who dishonour their fathers. When Vashti dishonoured her husband, the devils of demotion invaded her life.  "Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve." Luke 22:3 Judas dishonoured Jesus by betraying Him. Judas dishonoured Jesus by even th...

Scriptures: Matthew 15:7-9 Topic: Pretence Aand Deception Can Be A Sign Of Dishonour  "Ye HYPOCRITES, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and HONOURETH ME WITH THEIR LIPS; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Matthew 15:7-9 Being a hypocrite, and pretending all the time is a sign that you think you can deceive someone. You esteem the person to have a lower intelligence. You think you can deceive him because you consider him to be a dimwit. When you try to humour or patronize an important person by saying things you don’t believe, you may draw upon yourself the severest of rebukes. God did not take it lightly when His people feigned respect and pretended to honour Him when in fact their hearts were far from Him.  Over the years I have seen how people try to pretend towards me, telling me things they think I want to hear. When they are not with me ...

Scriptures:  Exodus 14:1-4, 15-18 Topic:  Your Stubbornness Can Be A Sign Of Your Dishonour  "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in. And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I WILL BE HONOURED UPON PHARAOH, AND UPON ALL HIS HOST; THAT THE EGYPTIANS MAY KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD. AND THEY DID SO." Exodus 14:1-4 "And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall fol...

Scripture: Luke 15:17-18 Topic: Leaving Home Can Be A Sign Of Dishonour "And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I HAVE SINNED against heaven, and before thee," Luke 15:17-18 The prodigal son dishonoured his father greatly by leaving home and not serving in the house. The sin that the prodigal son committed was the sin of not listening, not obeying, not deferring to his father. The elder son, on the other hand, honoured his father. He said, “All these years do I serve thee.” In other words, “All these years I have been subject to you, I have deferred to you, I have obeyed you and I have submitted myself to you.” The elder son honoured his father whilst the younger son dishonoured him.  When you leave home unceremoniously, you dishonour your parents.  When you abandon the ministry, it is a sign that you dishonour it....

Scripture: Deuteronomy 5:16 Topic: Disregarding Advice Can Be A Sign Of Dishonour "Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." Deuteronomy 5:16    I once advised some church members not to go into debt. Although they sat there humbly and listened to all my preaching, they actually did not respect my words nor me.  They completely disregarded my advice and some people actually entered into deep debt the very next week. The financial steps that they took showed complete disregard for me and my input.  To honour someone is to take notice of his advice and to try to follow it. Your attempting to follow his advice shows that you actually respect him.  Those church members dishonoured me when they disregarded my advice. Indeed, some of them in their private moments said things like: “He doesn’t know anything about living in...

Scriptures: Matthew 2:11-12, 16 Topic: Your Failure To Call On Someone Can Be A Sign Of Dishonour "And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way."  "THEN HEROD, WHEN HE SAW THAT HE WAS MOCKED OF THE WISE MEN, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men." Matthew 2:11-12, 16 Your visit to someone’s house is a sign of your respect for him. The failure of the wise men to pass by the king Herod’s court was a sign that they dishonoured him. The wise men simply did not show up at the palace of Herod....

Scriptures: Isaiah 53:31, 1 Samuel 15:28-30 Topic: Your Absence Can Be A Sign of Dishonour.  "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not." Isaiah 53:31.  "And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou. And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent. THEN HE SAID, I HAVE SINNED: YET HONOUR ME NOW, I PRAY THEE, BEFORE THE ELDERS OF MY PEOPLE, AND BEFORE ISRAEL, AND TURN AGAIN WITH ME, THAT I MAY WORSHIP THE LORD Thy GOD." 1 Samuel 15:28-30 The presence of someone at your event is evidence that you have been honoured.  When Saul realised he had lost his position, he begged Samuel to be present at the church service.  Samuel’s presence would be a sign of respect for Saul.  Your presence a...

Scripture: Matthew 27:27-42 Topic: The Sixth Stage of Dishonour is To Physically Attack A Person. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. And they crucified him, and parted his garment...

Scripture: Luke 23:1-2 Topic: The Fifth Stage of Dishonour is To Accuse, To Quarrel and To Be In Conflict With Someone. "And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate. AND THEY BEGAN TO ACCUSE HIM, SAYING, we found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King." Luke 23:1-2 Jesus Christ experienced this fifth stage of dishonour. When you accuse someone, you dishonour the person. It is demeaning for someone to be accused of evil and wrongdoing. When you go to court, the accused person is the least respected person in the court.  He is virtually a criminal until proven otherwise. The judge is respected! The lawyers are respected! The senior lawyers are respected even more! But the accused person is the villain of the courtroom. He may not have done what he is accused of but he is still disregarded and dishonoured.   Be careful of accusations. Accusations lower the person who is accu...

Scripture: Mark 14:3-6 Topic: The Fourth Stage of Dishonour is to Prevent Others From Honouring Someone. "And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. And THERE WERE SOME THAT HAD INDIGNATION WITHIN THEMSELVES, AND SAID, WHY WAS THIS WASTE OF THE OINTMENT MADE? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. AND JESUS SAID, LET HER ALONE; WHY TROUBLE YE HER? She hath wrought a good work on me." Mark 14:3-6 Jesus also experienced this stage of dishonour. The next stage of dishonour is to prevent others from honouring you. Jesus was being honoured by the woman with the alabaster box. However, some disciples were against the idea. “It’s too much” they said. It is too expensive. It is not necessary. That is a waste of money! Who is he?  Is he G...

Scripture: Luke 9:51-53, Mark 5:14-19 Topic: The Third Stage of Dishonour is to Reject Someone. "And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. AND THEY DID NOT RECEIVE HIM, BECAUSE HIS FACE WAS AS THOUGH HE WOULD GO TO JERUSALEM." Luke 9:51-53 "And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. AND THEY BEGAN TO PRAY HIM TO DEPART OUT OF THEIR COASTS. And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil ...

Scripture: John 7:1-5 Topic: Stages of Dishonour: The Second Stage of Dishonour is To Not Believe In Someone.  "After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him. Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand. His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world. FOR NEITHER DID HIS BRETHREN BELIEVE IN HIM." John 7:1-5 Jesus Christ experienced this stage of dishonour. There were many people who did not believe in Him. When you do not believe what someone says, it is a sign that you do not respect the person. A lack of faith is a lack of trust. In other words, you are saying, “You are not trustworthy. Your words are not worth much.” Jesus’ brothers did not believe in him.  Over the years, I have...

Scriptures: Isaiah 53:3, Luke 20:22-26 Topic: Stages of Dishonour: The First Stage Of Dishonour Is To Be Silent When You Ought To Speak.  "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not." Isaiah 53:3 The stages of dishonour can be studied by looking at the ministry of Jesus Christ.  Jesus was progressively dishonoured until He was demeaned, disgraced, humiliated, despised and crucified like a mere criminal.  The scripture above shows us what happened to Jesus Christ. How did things get so bad?  Why did human beings treat Jesus Christ so dishonourably?  Indeed, the people who lived in Jesus’ times moved through all the stages of dishonour.   " Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no? But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me? Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered...

Scripture: Malachi 3:17-18 Topic: God will exempt you from evil because you serve Him.  "And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I WILL SPARE THEM, AS A MAN SPARETH HIS OWN SON THAT SERVETH HIM. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not." Malachi 3:17-18 God will spare you because you serve Him. To be spared is to be exempted from evil. That is a great blessing! Do you want God to save you and spare you? How relieved we are when we are spared evil! You realise that it could have happened to you. You realise that you could have been the one to perish. God had mercy on you and spared your life.  The blessing of exemption cannot be bought with money. It is a great blessing for God to excuse you from the commotion, confusion and judgment that is destined for this world. Credits: Excerpt from Labour To Be Blessed  Bishop Dag Heward - Mills

Scripture: Psalms 91:7-10 Topic: God will exempt you from evil because you make the Lord your habitation.  "A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. BECAUSE THOU HAST MADE THE LORD, WHICH IS MY REFUGE, EVEN THE MOST HIGH, THY HABITATION; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling." Psalms 91:7-10 Perhaps, this scripture best describes the blessing of exemption! A thousand will fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand. But nothing happens to you! That is the blessing of exemption! Receive it right now! Be delivered from the evil that happens to thousands of people around you!  Credits: Excerpt from Labour To Be Blessed  Bishop Dag Heward - Mills

Scripture: Proverbs 11:20-21 Topic: God will exempt you from the punishment coming to the wicked because of your righteousness.  "They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the Lord: but such as are upright in their way are his delight. Though hand join in hand, THE WICKED SHALL NOT BE UNPUNISHED: BUT THE SEED OF THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL BE DELIVERED." Proverbs 11:20-21 You cannot be made righteous except through the blood of Jesus.  You are therefore exempted from eternal damnation and punishment because of the blood of Jesus.  What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world but is not exempted from eternal damnation?  What will your properties in New York do for you when you are in hell?  Labour to be exempted from the eternal damnation that is coming upon the whole world.   Labour for the blessing of being exempted from the lake of FIRE! Indeed, you will be exempted from the punishment that is coming to the world. Human beings have built ...

Scripture: Psalms 37:18-22 Topic: God will exempt you from evil times of financial difficulties and economic crises because you are upright.  "THE LORD KNOWETH THE Days OF THE UPRIGHT: AND THEIR INHERITANCE SHALL BE FOR EVER. THEY SHALL NOT BE ASHAMED IN THE EVIL TIME: AND IN THE DAYS OF FAMINE THEY SHALL BE SATISFIED. But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away. The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth. For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off." Psalms 37:18-22 The world is hurtling towards financial disaster.  Most of the world’s financial systems are based on deception.  Nations are up to their necks in debts! Banks are up to their necks in debt!  Much of the impressive prosperity that we see bandied around is actually fake prosperity.  There is going to b...

Scripture: Isaiah 60:1-2 Topic: God will exempt you from the darkness coming on the whole earth because of His glory. "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, AND GROSS DARKNESS THE PEOPLE: BUT THE LORD SHALL ARISE UPON THEE, and HIS GLORY SHALL BE SEEN upon thee." Isaiah 60:1-2 This famous scripture describes the exemption that comes on God’s people.  In the midst of gross darkness, a light starts to shine.  Darkness covers the whole earth.  Everyone seems to be plunged into deep darkness.  What is this darkness? This darkness is the darkness of poverty, the darkness of sickness, the darkness of sin, the darkness of defeat, the darkness of frustration, the darkness of humiliation, the darkness of failure and the darkness of death.  In the midst of this overwhelming darkness, you will begin to be a beacon of salvation, light and hope.   When everyone is dyi...

Scripture: Isaiah 5:20 Topic: God will exempt you from evil because He will not put bitter as sweet and sweet as bitter.  " Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"  Isaiah 5:20 In other words, God will not treat the sweet as He treats the bitter.  How do you treat sweet things? You suck sweet things endlessly. How do you treat bitter things? You spit them out of your mouth. God will not treat His sweet children the same way as He treats His bitter children. The sweet ones will be exempted from being spat out.  Instead of labouring to be rich, Labour to become God's sweet child. Credits: Excerpt from Labour To Be Blessed  Bishop Dag Heward - Mills

Scripture: 2 Peter 2:5-9 Topic: God will exempt you from evil because He knows how to extract the godly from temptations.  "And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) THE LORD KNOWETH HOW TO DELIVER THE GODLY OUT OF TEMPTATIONS, AND TO RESERVE THE UNJUST UNTO THE DAY OF JUDGMENT TO BE PUNISHED:" 2 Peter 2:5-9 Most armies know how to extract their soldiers from dangerous places where they are trapped. They will send troops to get them out. They will send commandos to extract them miraculously from their captors. Th...

Scripture: Psalm 33:18-20 Topic: Labour For Exemption From Evil - PART 2 "BEHOLD, THE EYE OF THE LORD IS UPON THEM THAT FEAR HIM, upon them that hope in his mercy; to deliver their soul from death, AND TO KEEP THEM ALIVE IN FAMINE. Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield." Psalms 33:18-20 All through the Bible, God exempts His people from the judgments that are coming. In the great flood, He exempted Noah from destruction! In the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah He exempted Lot and his family from the fire! You will be exempted from the judgment of the wicked! All those who had laboured to be rich in Sodom and Gomorrah were shocked as their houses were burnt to the ground.  Arise and shine, your light has come! Gross darkness will cover the earth but you will be exempted from the world’s darkness. The glory of the Lord will be seen upon you.  There is no need to seek a better place to live. Gross darkness is going to cover the whole world. You need the p...

Scripture: Psalm 33:18-20 Topic: Labour For Exemption From Evil -PART 1 "BEHOLD, THE EYE OF THE LORD IS UPON THEM THAT FEAR HIM, upon them that hope in his mercy; to deliver their soul from death, AND TO KEEP THEM ALIVE IN FAMINE. Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield." Psalms 33:18-20 The eye of the Lord is upon you.  Because you fear God, your soul will be exempted from the evil that is lurking around.   God can keep you alive in a famine. When everyone else is destroyed by the poverty and financial difficulty, you will survive.   Instead of labouring to be rich, you must labour for the blessing of being exempted from evil. Instead of striving for wealth, strive to be exempted from the curses that are multiplying over the planet. Why work with all your heart to get rich,when you can work with all your heart for the blessing of “exemption”. Strive to be exempted from the many evils that are in the world. There are many evils sweeping thro...