Simon Shilo

THE SECRET TO PROMOTIONS For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another. - (Psalm 75:6-7) READ: 2 Samuel 6:13-23 People often describe David in different ways: the shepherd boy, the giant slayer, the worshipper, etc. Despite these different descriptions, almost everyone who has heard and read about David agrees that the most important thing about him is that he knew how to praise God. That was the reason God loved him so much and kept promoting him to the extent that many regard him as Israel's greatest king. If you want to also experience constant promotion and breakthroughs, you must be addicted to praising God. What exactly is praise? Praise is not thanksgiving, and it is not worship. Worship is telling God that He is the King of kings, the Lord of lords, and anything you do to show Him that He is your Lord. Praise, however, however, is boasting about God, like when a boy boasts about his father. In Matthew 21:15-16, the chief priests and scribes, who had seen the marvellous wonders that Jesus did, refused to praise Him. However, children began to cry in the temple, saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David." Despite the fact that they didn't praise God, the chief priests and scribes were angry because the children lavishly poured out their praise on Him. Don't become too big to praise God because when you do, you will become too insignificant to be promoted by Him. Only a fellow with a childlike heart can truly praise God. In the Bible reading for today, when David brought at the ark of God back to Israel, he praised God with careless abandon. He was not ashamed to dance before the Lord; he boasted in the Lord publicly and didn't care about his position, reputation, or anything because he knew that he was praising the source of everything he had. When his wife, Michal, saw him, she felt embarrassed and scolded him when he returned home, saying, "Don't you have shame? Can't you behave yourself when praising God? As a king, you should know better." David replied, "Leave me to praise my God shamelessly. He is the One who promoted me above your father and everyone in your house. He is the source and owner of my life." People who praise God like David never stop enjoying promotions. You should never allow the opinions of people who have not faced the things you have faced and the victories that God has given you to stop you from praising Him exuberantly. Become more intentional about boasting of God's goodness and faithfulness over your life, and He will continually lift you higher and bless you far beyond your expectations (Ephesians 3:20). ACTION POINT: Make sure you boast about God to someone today, in your office, neighbourhood, on social media, and anywhere go. BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 25-26 Open Heaven Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye

PRAYERS FOR 2026 "God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us;" - (Psalm 67:1) READ: Psalm 67:1-7 PRAYERS: 1. Father, I thank You for preserving me throughout 2025. I bless Your holy name because I know I will experience more of Your grace and mercy in 2026. 2. Father, please go before me into 2026 and make every crooked path straight. No evil will come near me and my loved ones in the new year, in Jesus' name. 3. Father, please guide me and direct my path in 2026. Let all my steps be ordered by You, in Jesus' name. 4. Father, please draw me closer to You in 2026. Help me and my household to abide continually in You, in Jesus' name. 5. Father, please strengthen the bond within my family in 2026. Draw us closer together, and let us be truly united in You, in Jesus' name. 6. Father, please open doors of favour and advancement to me and my family in 2026. I decree that we will prosper in the land, in Jesus' name. 7. Father, please give me and my family good health throughout 2026. May we not spend our days in sickness, in Jesus' name. 8. Father, You are my source. Please provide for me and my family in 2026. We shall not lack anything good, in Jesus' name. 9. Father, let Your peace that passes all understanding surround me and my family in 2026. Fear and anxiety shall be far from us, in Jesus' name. 10. Lord, please anoint me for greater exploits in Your kingdom in 2026. Give me the courage and the grace to draw many souls into Your kingdom. 11. Father, please bring destiny helpers my way in 2026. I will not struggle to fulfil the glorious destiny You have given me, in Jesus' name. 12. Your personal prayer points for 2026. BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Revelation 18-19 Open Heaven Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye

LIVE BY HIS PRINCIPLES 1 “But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” - (John 5:17) READ: Deuteronomy 28:1-6 Many Christians complain that things are not going well for them even though it has been a while since they confessed Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. The question I often ask such Christians is, “Since you received Jesus Christ into your life, have you been living by His principles?” It is a good thing to have Jesus in your life, however, you must ensure that you also live by His principles if you want to experience positive changes in all aspects of your life. No matter how spiritual you are, certain principles must be applied for certain things to work in your life. For example, the Bible says that he that does not work should not eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10). No matter how prayerful you are, if you are lazy, you may not escape poverty (Proverbs 6:10-11). Shortly after I became born again, tapes of many pastors teaching the power of positive confession were circulating around the Christian community. They would say things like, “You will become whomever you say you are. Just confess good; say what you want to see in your life.” Although this message is correct, many took it the wrong way. Lazy Christians continued being lazy, while the uneducated ones did not pursue education to enhance their ability to earn. They all just kept confessing, “I am rich, I am not poor,” “I am a landlord, I will never beg,” and so on, but nothing changed in their lives. If you want change, you must adopt the principles of God. One of His principles is in Luke 6:38; if you don’t sow seeds, you shouldn't expect a harvest. Being stingy and yet praying for God to bless you is like being a farmer who did not plant any seed but who goes to his farm every morning to pray that yams should grow there. During the season of harvest, when he digs the ground to get yams, he will find nothing there because he planted nothing. Some other principles of God which I will like to mention are: Do unto others what you want them to do to you (Matthew 7:12), exercise control over your mouth (Psalm 141:3) and your appetite (Proverbs 23:1-3), let others praise you, don’t praise yourself (Proverbs 27:2), always do things in steps, start small and grow from there (Zechariah 4:10), whatever you embark on, ensure that you plan properly for it to be achieved successfully (Luke 14:28). These and many more are principles of life that may not necessarily lead you to hell if they are not practised, but will definitely help you to live a better life on earth if they are. ACTION POINT: Ensure that you live by Kingdom principles. BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 18-21