Asaph Praise & Awards International

VICTORY THROUGH THE WORD - LUKE 4VS9-12: Has Your mind ever taunt you with thoughts like "If you are really God's child, then why doesn't He do this for you?" Or "If God has really given you this spiritual gift for the body of Christ, why aren't you any good at it?" Over and over, you may hear thoughts that make you feel guilty or condemned and insecure in your Christian walk. You may know the Word of God and yet, Your mind doesn't seem strong enough to just stay focused on t...he verses to overcome these voices. In essence, Satan attempts to discredit you just like he tried with Jesus. Satan said to Jesus, "If you are the Son of God"..... prove it! These are the same kind of words we as believers hear in our heads too. We question if we are really saved, we question God's ability to use us and we question that the promises given to us in His Word are really for us today. In other words, we find ourselves testing the Lord's ability to save us, protect us, use us and speak to us; thus, Satan said to Him, "Prove it". But Jesus didn't do that. Jesus confidently used the Word of God to attack Satan's use of the scriptures directly. It is amazing that the Living Word of God (Jesus) quotes the Written Word of God (The Bible) to attack the Words of the enemy - You too should do the same to suppress every voice militating against your destiny. Now pray this prayer: Let Your Living Word strengthen me to overcome every contrary thought against my destiny in Jesus name, Amen.
See More

STRENGTH IN PERSECUTION - ACTS 7VS54-58: The Sanhedrin council, who sat in judgement over Jesus, Peter and John and now Stephen, had made all the wrong decisions. But if they had accepted that what Stephen said was true, they could have repented and been forgiven. Instead, they compounded their wickedness by stoning Stephen whose strength was in the Lord. It was no accident that one of the rising rabbis, Saul of Tarsus, was present as an observer. As the court rushed out, dra...gging Stephen to His instant execution, Saul was prevented from throwing stones as he was told to look after their expensive robes. Later, Saul too would meet the Lord unexpectedly and by then he knew he must be obedient. It is not often that we perceive the stark contrast between righteousness and wickedness; sometimes it is seen, like the difference between heaven and hell. The hatred is like Satan's, who is filled with fury because He knows his time is short (Revelation 12vs12). And yet today, some of our brothers and sisters around the world suffer in persecution, just because they have dared to stand up for Jesus. Like Stephen, God will use their sacrifice to extend His kingdom (Acts 8vs4); and like Saul, there will be onlookers who will repent and become servants of the gospel (Ephesians 3vs7). If you are being persecuted, stand firm and keep looking to Jesus who alone can release the needed strength for you to overcome. Now pray this prayer: Father, release unto me the strength to overcome every persecution because of my faith in You in Jesus name, Amen.
See More

BLESSED ASSURANCE - ACTS 7VS57-59: Stephen was blessed with a powerful assurance that he belonged to the Lord Jesus. That is why he repeated two of the Lord's great statements on the cross (Luke 23vs34;46). Meanwhile, Saul had a wicked anger inside him, but dressed up in holy clothing. In his religion of works, he believed that God wanted him to exterminate the people who followed Jesus. Saul was sincere, but not at peace because it was self-assured, not God-assured. The assu...rance that the Lord has everything under His command brings peace of mind, rest of heart and bodily composure. It enables us to deal with opposition of every kind. We do not have to fake well-being: we know that all is well with our souls. We do not have to assert our own agenda because we are confident that the Lord has set the pathway ahead for us, and all that is contained in it is under His control. Most of us will not be tested by a violent death, but we will all be tested. The Lord allows these tests to give us the opportunity to trust Him for strength and peace. But do pray for all our brothers and sisters who face ultimate challenges; may they be content to rest in the assurance that the Lord is in command. Now pray this prayer: Equip me Lord to trust in the assurance of Your provisions in Jesus name, Amen.
See More

REFUSING TO BELIEVE - MARK 8VS17-21: The Pharisees were hard-hearted to such an extreme that they could not see or appreciate the spiritual or physical miracles. Instead, they continued to insist on a sign. The answer Jesus gave them was pretty amazing. He did not rebuke them nor did He try to reason with them. He allowed them the right to continue in their position of doubt and skepticism. He did not even speak in His own defense. He allowed them to make a choice - to believ...e or not believe. Many times today, He deals with us in the same way. He is a gentleman; He will not force us to be obedient. Sometimes we must deal with similar types of attitudes with the people in our lives - doubting and skepticism. Maybe these people have seen the Lord perform miracles in Your life but they still harass you and want you to prove yourself. They might have even partaken of the "bread" that Jesus miraculously provided for you. Or maybe Jesus has provided miraculously for them as well but they refuse to acknowledge His provision as a miracle. As hard as it can be for us, the responsibility to change them or reason with them is not ours, but the Lord's. It is our responsibility to live in His power and presence, speaking His truth to others while leaving the results to God. We can take comfort and rest in the fact that God does not need us to defend Him. Keep praying for them diligently. And when the struggles come, ask the Lord to give you understanding, for He will continue to provide for you both spiritually and physically - Trust and obey, don't join the unbelievers. Now pray this prayer: Father, make me an agent that will preach faith to others in Jesus name, Amen.
See More

STRIVING FOR GRACE - LUKE 6VS27-37: You have to be willing to forgive and willing to strive for grace. Micah 7vs18 gives us a statement on why God forgives: "Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy". God forgives because He delights in showing mercy. God does get angry. He does have wrath. But that is not the way He wants things to be. God delights in showi...ng mercy. Let me ask you to be honest with yourself and honest with God: When you release somebody-when you tell him or her that you forgive-do you walk away with steam coming out of your ears, or do you, yourself, feel released? If we really have forgiven, we will feel released as well. Now that may take time, but the decision to forgive will set us on the right path. In today's text, the Lord Jesus sets the high standard of kingdom living. Being willing to forgive is the grace you have to strive for, if you do, in the end, it would not be a grudging obedience to the Lord who is saying: "Can't we all just get along?" Being merciful happens - really happens only when God's character is impressed on the crookedness and hardness of our character. Now pray this prayer: Release unto me the grace to be a man after Your heart, Oh Lord in Jesus name, Amen.
See More

A PLAN FOR YOU - 1ST SAMUEL 3VS19-21: Before Samuel was born, his mother Hannah prayed for a miracle from God to open her closed womb. She promised the Lord that she would dedicate her baby to Him, and she kept her promise. After Hannah weaned Samuel, she took him to live with Eli the priest, in the house of God. As a child, Samuel began to hear the Lord's voice. He spoke God's words as instructed. As Samuel grew up, he did as the Lord commanded him and was well-known among t...he people as the Lord's prophet. It is easy to see that God had a clear plan for the life of Samuel, even before he was conceived. And Samuel is seen by some even today as one similar to Moses in his heart and character before God and the people of God. What a blessed life in the Lord! God's Word tells us that He has a plan for our lives. God's Word tells us that He knew us before we were formed in our mother's wombs. Before you were born, God saw the entirety of your life, from beginning to end. His desire for each of us is that we grow in Him, that we love Him with all that we are, and that we give Him all that we have. Then, His Words will be spoken through us and our lives will unfold His divine purpose, all for His glory. Ask the Lord today to help you find strength and confidence in knowing He has a plan and purpose to bless your life from the beginning to the end. Now pray this prayer: Help me Oh Lord to fulfill Your plan for my life in Jesus name, Amen.
See More

REP THE HOUSE, LEAVING HIS IMPRINT 2 - PHILLIPIANS 2VS1-2: Your stepping out today the first working day of the week demands that you're reminded to be conscious of your expectation to "rep the house, leaving His imprint" on every facet of life; you simply cannot be an imprint of Christ to the world if you don't do things on His behalf to bless and serve others. You leave His imprint when you get beyond 'self' by caring for the needs of others; you leave His imprint when you ...forgive quickly instead of holding that grudge. You leave His imprint when you serve His kingdom without grumbling and without expecting anything in return. As children of the Holy, loving King of kings, you and I need to recognize our value in the big picture of God's kingdom - "the eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him"(2nd Chronicles 16vs9). And we need to rep the house...trusting that He will strengthen us to be the imprints that authenticate and validate the reality of His grace. Now pray this prayer: Help me to always leave Your imprints in every encounter of my life in Jesus name, Amen.
See More

REP THE HOUSE 1 - PHILLIPIANS 2VS1-2: In part one of these Messages we shall look at our valuable purpose as image bearers of God to be an imprint of Christ to the world around us by examining the Biblical truth that validates this discussion. Today we will consider what is required of us to be an imprint, and we'll discuss our call to "rep the house" as well by taking action. What does that mean? The Lord is the dominion and operators of every Christian life and every Christ...ian needs to rep the house well. The rules are simple: Love God, Love others, Use your manners, Use kind Words, Wear clean clothes and underwear, Say please, Say thank you, Say you are sorry, Be a helper, Get the door for people, Work hard, Go out of your way to make other people feel special. The Lord expects them to rep the house. He rewards them when they do and hold them accountable when they don't. The Bible tells us that all of humanity is made in the image of God. If we profess Christ, however, we are not only fashioned in His image, we are commissioned to be His representatives to the world. It says that the way we live makes a difference and should make an impact on His behalf. To live an imprint of Christ, we can't just believe in Jesus, we also need to behave like Jesus. Live like Jesus. Love like Jesus. Serve like Jesus. Now pray this prayer: Grant me the power to continue to reveal You to the world in good conduct in Jesus name, Amen.
See More

RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT - ACTS 8VS14-17: The Apostles agreed to send Peter and John to see what the Lord was doing in Samaria. They would have remembered when Jesus had taken them through Samaria to meet a woman at Sychar (John 4vs4-42), and many in that town believed in Jesus. When Peter and John arrived, they met people who had been baptized into the name of Jesus. But the new Christians had not been taught to welcome the Holy Spirit when they repented and believed in Jesus.... So Peter and John taught them and laid their hands on them, urging them to receive God's Holy Spirit. After the resurrection, the Lord Jesus had told the Apostles that they must receive the Holy Spirit who would be sent to them (John 20vs22). So they had been prepared for pentecost. But Philip the evangelist had not been present at the time. Although he was presumably one of the Pentecost converts, and known to be full of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6vs3), he did not teach new believers to actively welcome the Spirit. So Peter and John, laid hands on the Samarithan believers assuring them that they should welcome God's Spirit, as equal brothers and sisters to the believers in Jerusalem. When you share the gospel, tell people about Jesus who died for their sins and was raised to make them right with God. When you do, they often need to be taught how to respond: 'believe in Jesus, repent of sinful rebellion, be baptized and welcome His Holy Spirit' (Acts 2vs38). Do not think you cannot help them; indeed, you may well be the person the Spirit has chosen to lead them to Christ. Now pray this prayer: Father help me to impact others with the Holy Spirit in Jesus name, Amen.
See More

THE WORKS OF FLESH - GALATIANS 5VS19-21: The works of the flesh are in different categories and they usually develop when we are trying to get our own way. It has been said that terrorism is a very difficult war to wage because it is hard to figure out who the enemy is. You cannot win a war without knowing whom you are fighting. Similarly, in a battle against carnality, we must understand who and what we are up against. God does not leave us hanging - He does not require us t...o fight and overcome our carnal nature without showing us exactly what we have to fight. The number one enemy is our carnal nature which is the (FLESH) that is why we continually battle carnal nature. Christianity is an all-out war against the flesh. We are required to fight the good fight and battle the flesh. No man can take control of the flesh if he has not surrendered to the Lordship of Christ. If He (Christ) is the Lord of your life only then; He takes charge, suppress your flesh and uphold your Spirit man to live above carnality - why not let Christ take full control of your life today. Now pray this prayer: Lord Jesus take full control of my life and deliver me from the flesh in Jesus name, Amen.
See More

YOU ARE NOT UNDER LAW - GALATIANS 5VS16-18: Yesterday the Word of God told us that we must put on the new man that is fashioned after Christ. If you have put on the new man, then you are no longer under the law but under grace and rich knowledge of God. Some of the laws given to the children of Isreal were to reveal to them how to obey and please God. It was to make them distinct from other nations (the food and cloth rules). We are no more under the bondage of the laws becau...se the law is now written in our heart. When Jesus died on the cross, He put an end to the laws of the flesh (Ephesians 2vs15). In place of the Old Testament law, written in Christians heart, we are now under the law of Christ which is to love our neighbour as Christ loves us (John 13vs34). If we obey those two commands, we will be fulfilling all that Christ requires of us. The power of God's Holy Spirit in Christ Jesus helps us to live above the laws of sin and death. Brother, you are not under the law but under the grace. It's time for you to embrace the grace of God that is available for you to fulfill your purpose for coming to the world. Now pray this prayer: Dear Lord thank You for the grace that delivers me from the laws of sin and death in Jesus name, Amen.
See More

PUT ON THE NEW MAN - EPHESIANS 4VS24: It is God's desire that none of us should die without hope. The hope that God gives us is not in material things but Eternal and ever shinning glory. Our old way of life before we believe in Christ is completely in the past; for us to remain in the New Hope we must put it behind us like old clothes to be thrown away. This is both a once-for-all decision when we decide to accept Christ's gift of salvation Ephesians 2vs8-10 and a daily cons...cious commitment. We are not to be driven by desire and impulse. We must put on the new role, head in the new direction, and have the new way of thinking that the Holy Spirit gives. This New Man comes to the lives that allow the Holy Spirit to take control of their body soul and Spirit. This cannot happen only by listening to moral instruction, but by putting on the new man who is created in Christ true righteousness and holiness. There must be a difference in your attitude and action. Although change may be slow, it comes as you trust God to change you. God is willing and ever ready to make you a new man in Christ Jesus. Now pray this prayer: Dear Lord thank You for regenerating me to become a New Man. Let Your Spirit take over my life in Jesus name, Amen.
See More

EQUAL ACCESS TO GOD - EPHESIANS 2VS15-18: But for Christ Jesus that gave everyone access to God by His death and resurrection, it would have been very difficult for anyone to have access to God. You and I were far from the promises of the commonwealth of Isreal but through His death on the cross, God takes away the enmity between us and gives equal access to everyone. The cross got us to access God and that was the end of the hostility. Christ came and preached peace to us th...e outsiders and peace to them the insiders. He treated us as equals and so made us equal. Through Him we both share the same Spirit and have equal access to the Father. We are no longer wandering in exile, we now belong to God; building a home with Christ as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. This is God's Holy temple and all of us were built into it. You are now at liberty to serve God in truth and in Spirit. Knowing this that every one of us has been given equal access to come to Jesus to obtain mercy and forgiveness in time of need, come to Jesus, confess your sin and accept Him as your Lord and Saviour, you too will automatically have equal access to God. Now pray this prayer: Thank You Father for giving me direct access to Your throne through the death of Your Beloved Son Jesus Christ. Let the love of Christ bind us all together in Jesus name, Amen.
See More

THIS PRESENT TIME - ROMANS 8VS18-21: The emergence of sin brings so many mishap to the world, it causes constant set back in every area of the sinners life even when he thinks it is advancement in life. Sin causes pain and constant struggle with the plan and purpose of God for our lives; the suffering a believer might be going through cannot be compared with God's glory that is ready to be revealed in due time. Christ said that in the world we are going to have tribulation bu...t we should be of good cheer He (Christ) has overcome the world (John 16vs33). It is the power of God's Holy Spirit that would liberate the human race from the bondage of sin and death. Every Christian should get these straight that it is the 'Spirit Man' that got these salvation experience and not the flesh. After the fall, man degenerated from the Spirit, Soul and body. It's now the other way round - body, soul, and Spirit. And it will remain so until the corruptible puts on incorruptible and the mortal put on immortality, and it shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 1st Corinthians 15vs54 the victory that would overcome this present time is Your faith in the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Know that what you are going through as a believer cannot be compared with God's glory that will be revealed when Christ reappears. Now pray this prayer: Lord, keep me ever ready and not to lose focus of heaven till You appear in Glory in Jesus name, Amen.
See More

TOTAL FREEDOM IN CHRIST - ROMANS 6VS7-9: The Holy Spirit helps us to live our lives according to the plan of God. Dead men do not talk and cannot react to their environment. It is only when you are dead to the dictates of sin that you can live above its attractions. Total freedom comes when you believe and respond to the finished work of Christ on the cross as expressed by Christ Jesus in John 8vs36 "So if the Son therefore sets you free, you are free indeed". Total freedom c...omes through faith in the work of Christ. The Word freedom suggest that one had we have been under the captivity and dominion of a stranger force before, until a higher power came to liberate us. Jesus said "The Spirit of God is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captive, and recovery of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised" Luke 4vs18 and Isaiah 61. This is total freedom; no man can free himself from a power that is higher than him, until a stronger power sets him free. You need to walk in constant obedience to the Word of God in order to remain in the freedom that Christ purchased for us by yielding yourself as instrument of righteousness to God. Christ died for you to walk in total freedom from sin and death (the reward of sin); you need to walk in faith. Now pray this prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for setting me free from sin and spiritual death in Jesus name, Amen.
See More

SERVANT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS - ROMANS 6VS18-23: In today's text, the Lord wants us to know that to whomsoever we yield our body to serve and obey is to him we are betrothed. In other Words don't desire sin as much as you desire God's truth. To become slaves of righteousness you must have submitted to the leading of the Spirit. Jesus said that everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin (John 8vs34). He said that slaves have no will of their own; they do whatever their master tells... them to do. They are literally in bondage of their master. So when sin is our master, we are unable to resist it. But it is only by the power of Christ we can overcome sin, then we have to "become slaves to righteousness". Once we come to Christ in repentance and forgiveness of our sin; only then we can resist sinning and start living a life of righteousness by the power of the Holy Spirit and become slaves of righteousness to God. We are commanded by God not to let sin reign in our bodies or obeying its lusts; but instead we are to present ourselves to Him as instrument of righteousness. The presence of the Holy Spirit in Your life means that, as you grow in faith and come to love God ever more each day, you have the strength to resist sin, not give in to the temptation and we now live according to the Word of God. Now pray this prayer: Dear Lord, help me to love You more dearly that I may see You more clearly and follow You more nearly day by day in Jesus name, Amen.
See More

DEAD TO SELF - MARK 8VS34-35: The concept of "dying to self" is a basic foundation of New life in Christ in which we take up our cross and follow Him daily. Dying to self is a result of being born again; the old self dies and the new self comes to life. Jesus spoke repeatedly to His disciples about taking up their cross and following Him. He made it clear that if anybody would follow Him, they must deny themselves, which means giving up their lives - spiritually, symbolically..., and even physically if necessary. This was a prerequisite for being a follower of Christ who proclaimed that trying to save our earthly lives would result in our lives in the kingdom. But those who would give up their lives for His sake would find Eternal life. Baptism identifies us with Christ in His death and resurrection; this portrays symbolically the whole life of the Christian as a dying to self and living for Him who died for us to redeem mankind from perdition. Beloved, dying to self could never be optional but reality of new birth; no one can come to Christ and begin to live a new life in obedience to Him. Now pray this prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to always bear my cross with eternity in focus in Jesus name, Amen.
See More

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE - EPHESIANS 5VS1-5: Who is a Christian? Are you living a Christian life? These are questions I should ask you. Firstly, who really is a Christian? Any individual who seeks to live his or her life according to the principles and values taught by Jesus Christ is called a Christian. Now ask yourself if you are living a Christian life? Ephesians 5vs5 is to be studied seriously: Does our life reflect Christ? Are Christians today not engaged in acts of ungodlines...s that make non-Christians ask if this is what Jesus preaches? Believers still backbite, commit adultery, fornicate, smoke and still consume alcohol as against what Christ said in Mark 7vs21-23. As Christians, our life should touch other lives and we should not be seen in ungodly places or with ungodly attitudes. Christian life is not just a life that believes in Christ Jesus, but a life that mirrors Christ and is able to transmit Christ virtues to others. Anything less of these does not qualify to be called a Christian - Did your Christianity measure up to Christ life. Now pray this prayer: Father impact me to extend Your virtues to the world in Jesus name, Amen.
See More