Monthly Archives: October 2017

Memorise: Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. Exodus 20:12
Read: Ephesians 6:1-3
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;
3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
Bible in one year: 2nd Corinthians 1-3, Daniel 5:29-6:13

1. Children are assets of the Almighty God entrusted to our care. We must therefore ensure that we do all we can to nurture them for the Lord and not for ourselves.
2. We should strive to receive commendation from the Lord for our efforts in bringing them up as children He can be proud of.
3. Raising children in today’s world is serious business. Unfortunately, we live in a world where parents have left to chance or entirely neglected the huge tasking of bringing up their children in the fear of the Lord.
4. Many parents justify themselves by concluding that they are helpless, and they shift the blame of their own failures to the happenings in the society.
5. In the time of father Abraham, there were also parents who did not bring up their children to follow the path of God, but for Abraham, his testimony was different. God said this concerning him in Genesis 18:19: “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgement; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”
6. If you want to raise children who will be obedient to the Lord, you must be ready to start right from the beginning of the child’s life. That is what parenting is all about. It involves training and educating a child from the phase of infancy through to adulthood.
7. If you carry out the job of parenting as unto the Lord, you will be well rewarded by Him.
8. There are many parents who realise late in life that they have neglected their roles as parents. In order to make amends, some of them begin to make efforts at “repairing” the lives of their children, but at that point, they discover it has become a herculean task.
9. Obedient children are godly children, committed to a life of honesty in all they do. Such children will never bring shame, reproach or embarrassment to the God of their fathers, because they have a deep understanding of the covenant upon which they have been groomed.
10. There are parents today who have lost control of their children. Some other parents have turned their children into symbols of idolatry. They fear their children more than they fear God. May that not be your portion in Jesus’ Name.
11. Obedient children must honour their parents. They must respect them irrespective of their status in society, if they want to live a life without regret. When their parents need their attention or help, they must be there for them. They must also be ready to submit willfully to their instructions, corrections and rebuke.
12. There are children who bring sorrow to their parents. On the other hand, children of destiny bring great comfort to everyone around them.
13. Are you a child of destiny?

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 Training up a child in the way of the Lord is the best way any parent can choose to bring up their children. It is of great value both on earth and in heaven for the child. The parent also will not only enjoy peace of mind and joy over the child but will also be rewarded for great and good grooming of the child by God. We should stop giving excuses and stand to the responsibility of bringing up our children the godly way. May God strengthen and help us to bring up obedient children in Jesus name. We bless God for Pastor E.A Adeboye and pray that may he wax stronger in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Father, let my children please You always, and grant me grace to care for my parents.
HYMN
1 God give us Christian homes! 
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught, 
Homes where the Master’s will is sought, 
Homes crowned with beauty Your love has wrought; 
God give us Christian homes; 
God give us Christian homes! 
2 God give us Christian homes! 
Homes where the father is true and strong, 
Homes that are free from the blight of wrong, 
Homes that are joyous with love and song; 
God give us Christian homes; 
God give us Christian homes! 
3 God give us Christian homes! 
Homes where the mother, in caring quest, 
Strives to show others Your way is best, 
Homes where the Lord is an honored guest; 
God give us Christian homes; 
God give us Christian homes! 
4 God give us Christian homes! 
Homes where the children are led to know 
Christ in His beauty who loves them so, 
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow; 
God give us Christian homes; 
God give us Christian homes!

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20

Memorise: A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. Proverbs 15:13
Read: Matthew 14:23-27
23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
Bible in one year: 1st Corinthians 15-16, Daniel 5:13-28

1. The message in today’s memory verse is food for thought for those children of God who think that being sorrowful or morose is a Christian virtue.
2. A gloomy spirit is of the devil, who wants us to be in sorrow continually. In contrast to this, God wants all His children to be happy.
3. The Holy Spirit in Isaiah 61:3 said that God gives joy to the sorrowful: “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”
4. The Lord Jesus Christ, who came to demonstrate the nature and the character of God, read the above scripture in a synagogue on a certain day, and He declared: “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” Luke 4:21b By this declaration, as a child of God, you should not live in sorrow any more.
5. All through the course of Jesus’ earthly ministry, one statement that was common with Him was, “Be of good cheer”. In other words, “Have a merry heart”.
6. He continually said this because He knew that a merry heart results in a smiling face and is like medicine to the body and soul (Proverbs 15:13, Proverbs 17:22). For example, John 16:33, Jesus told the disciples to be of good cheer because He had overcome the world. This means that, as children of God, we should not go about in life wearing a sorrowful face in self-pity – not even when we are confronted with the challenges of life.
7. In the story of the man afflicted with the palsy, Jesus told him to be of good cheer because his sins were forgiven (Matthew 9:2). In other words, “Son, although your sins brought this sickness to your life, you are now forgiven, and you are made whole.”
8. I prophesy to you today, irrespective of the agonising condition your past life has brought into your present, the Lord will redeem you today. You are forgiven by the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ, and you will be happy again in Jesus’ Name.
9. In today’s Bible reading, the disciples were in the midst of the sea and its waves tossed them here and there. In the midst of palpable fear and despair, Jesus came to them and rebuked their faithlessness, before rebuking the destructive wind. He then encouraged them to be of good cheer.
10. In like manner, the Lord is speaking to you today that you will not drown in that situation.
11. Be cheerful because Emmanuel is with you. Your joy shall come, and it shall come in full measure in Jesus’ Name.

The joy of the Lord gives strength even in the face of raging storm. Believers should know that the end result of every trial they are faced with is victory. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33. When God says it, believe it and that settles it. May God continually uphold Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Father, flood my heart with unspeakable joy today and for ever more.
HYMN
1 Through the love of God our Saviour,
all will be well.
Free and changeless is his favour,
all, all is well.
Precious is the blood that healed us,
perfect is the grace that sealed us,
strong the hand stretched forth to shield us,
all must be well.
2 Though we pass through tribulation,
all will be well.
Ours is such a full salvation,
all, all is well.
Happy, still in God confiding,
fruitful, if in Christ abiding,
holy, through the Spirit’s guiding,
all must be well.
3 We expect a bright tomorrow,
all will be well.
Faith can sing through days of sorrow,
‘All, all is well.’
On our Father’s love relying,
Jesus every need supplying,
in our living, in our dying,
all must be well.

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20

Memorise: All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him. Proverbs 19:7
Read: 1st Chronicles 4:9-10
9 And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.
10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.
Bible in one year: 1st Corinthians 12-14, Daniel 5:1-12

1. Having tasted poverty and a little bit of wealth, I can tell you that wealth is better than poverty.
2. If you are living in poverty, I prophesy over you that God will lift you out of poverty in Jesus’ Name.
3. One of the reasons why I hate poverty so much is because of what Proverbs 14:20 says about the poor: “The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.”
4. In today’s Bible reading, we are introduced to a Bible hero who experienced poverty, but who was not hypocritical about his undesirable condition. This fellow was Jabez. His mother named him Jabez because she gave birth to him with sorrow. As Jabez grew up, he started experiencing the meaning of his name, and so, he decided to do something about it.
5. It is unfortunate that many people, even some children of God, bear names with negative meanings and connotations, and yet they refuse to do something about it, even after they start sensing the negative influence of such names on their lives. My prayer for you today is that the Almighty God will give you a name that will wipe away generational curses plaguing your life in Jesus’ Name.
6. What Jabez did to change his situation is a common thing that some people don’t consider necessary: he Prayed.
7. There are many lessons we can learn from the life of Jabez, the first of which is that Jabez called on the God he knew was a prayer-answering God – the God of Israel. The question is, who are you calling upon? Psalm 5:3 clearly tells us who we should direct our prayers to: “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”
8. A second lesson to learn from Jabez is that he did not ask for a small blessing; rather, he prayed that God should bless him indeed.
9. Thirdly, he prayed that God would be with him in his prosperity and keep him from evil. It is an open secret that many rich people live in one calamity or the other. Jabez knew this, and so he prayed against riches that attract evil. What a great man who knew the ways of God!
10. If you want poverty to be history in your life, you have to do something about it. Jabez can be classified as someone who was destined to die in penury, but he prayed himself out of poverty and God heard him.
11. Jesus is the way out of poverty (2nd Corinthians 8:9).
12. The life that He gives and His principle will lift you out of poverty.
13. Therefore, give your life to Him without further delay today, and poverty shall become history in your life in Jesus’ Name.

The Bible affirms the intention of our maker concerning His own “If they obey and serve Him, They shall spend their days in prosperity, And their years in pleasures.” Job‬ ‭36:11‬. Consequently, by divine purpose we are to live our days in abundance of blessings but devil has deceived many who have derailed from this heavenly arrangement. May the Lord restore all that have derailed from divine purpose in Jesus’ name. “The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.” Proverbs‬ ‭10:22‬ . May we always receive our blessings from God. We bless God for Pastor E.A Adeboye and pray that God will equip him with greater wisdom for greater works in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Father, please bless me indeed with Your blessing that adds no sorrow.
HYMN
There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.
Refrain:
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.
There shall be showers of blessing,
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.
There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing,
Come, and now honor Thy Word.
There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!

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20

Memorise: Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 1st Timothy 4:12
Read: 2nd Thessalonians 3:1-8
1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
2 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.
3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
4 And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.
5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
8 Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
Bible in one year: 1st Corinthians 10-11, Daniel 4:28-37

1. Who are you?
2. If you are a child of God, then you must behave like God and reflect all that He represents.
3. God is love. He is pure and there is no darkness in Him. If you are a child of the devil, your life will be patterned after the devil. I am a branch of Jesus because I am permanently rooted in Him. What about you?
4. As a child of the Most-High God, you are expected to demonstrate His nature everywhere you find yourself. You are an ambassador of Jesus Christ, called to show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light (1st Peter 2:9).
5. To be a representative of God to the world and a role model among believers, it is required of you to surrender yourself solely to Him. By so doing, you will be laying a good foundation for others to emulate.
6. In many churches today, their modus operandi is “do as I say” and not “do as I do”. This was not the example that the believers of old showed us. Apostle Paul in 1st Corinthians 11:1 boldly said: “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” He saw himself as a worthy follower of Christ, and he was not ashamed to tell us to follow his footsteps.
7. As an ambassador of Christ, you have a mandate to fulfil for the Lord in this generation.
8. You have been positioned at such a time as this to be relevant in the scheme of things.
9. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego stood out from the crowd. They did not allow the privileges of royalty to deny them their place in God. They were role models for the world to see, and they did great exploits for God because they had an understanding of the times and season they lived in.
10. Do not engage in any despicable act that will cause men to despise your God. Do not engage in folly and a questionable lifestyle that will destroy what God has planned for you.
11. The world must know that you are a believer, not just in words but also through your deeds.
12. Let your life be an epistle for people to read. Do not do anything in secrecy that will tarnish your image, because the devil is going round looking for great soldiers in God’s battalion to discredit.
13. The devil will never go after those who have nothing to offer. He is after the “Esthers” because he wants to stop them before they get to the king’s palace. He is after the “Daniels” because he wants to stop them from being relevant in life and in governance. He is after the “Nehemiahs” because he can’t stand them rebuilding the broken walls of godliness.
14. To finish well, you must be resolute and determined.
15. Irrespective of the odds against you, you must push through, break barriers and fulfil your destiny in grand style.
16. Be a model of Christ to all men in word, in conversation, in love, in hospitality and in godliness

“And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:18-20‬ . The verses above confirm the main assignment we are committed to while here on earth. God be praised for Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Key Point
If you steadfastly take a stand for God, you will not fall by the wayside of life. 
HYMN
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
the emblem of suffering and shame;
and I love that old cross where the dearest and best
for a world of lost sinners was slain.
Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
and exchange it some day for a crown.
O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
has a wondrous attraction for me;
for the dear Lamb of God left his glory above
to bear it to dark Calvary. Refrain
In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
a wondrous beauty I see,
for ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
to pardon and sanctify me. Refrain
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
its shame and reproach gladly bear;
then he’ll call me some day to my home far away,
where his glory forever I’ll share. Refrain

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20

Memorise: But God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
Read: 1st Corinthians 13:1-8
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
Bible in one year: 1st Corinthians 7-9, Daniel 4:19-27

1. Today’s memory verse gives us a glimpse of what God’s kind of love is all about.
2. This scripture reveals one truth about God’s kind of love, which is that it is unconditional. God loves unconditionally, and His love prompts Him to forgive unconditionally!
3. If God had chosen to wait until we become saints before extending His saving love to us, no one would be saved.
4. Some years ago, one of my sons illustrated the unconditional nature of God’s love. In his place of work, his secretary did something unprofessional, and so he moved him out of his office to another role within the department. While suspending this man from his role as secretary, my son strangely instructed him to hold on to the computer he had been working with, and told him to retain all the files that were on it. Some months later, he reinstated this fellow to his old role as secretary. Surprised at his reinstatement, this secretary was initially not comfortable at his former desk, but my son reassured him that he had been forgiven. He said to him, “I had given you even before you asked for forgiveness. Why do you think I told you to hold on to the computer and keep all the files? I forgave you and restored you even as I was suspending you from office. I planned your reinstatement right from that day, and I didn’t want you to return and start from scratch, which is why I left the computer with you even though you were no longer my secretary.” This secretary was dumbfounded.
5. In today’s Bible reading, we are enlightened on the characteristics of God’s kind of love. The Holy Spirit in these verses first declares the importance of this kind of love, without which life is worthless and meaningless. He then begins to list the characteristics of God’s love.
6. Only God’s type of love suffers long and shows unusual kindness. God is sovereign and all-powerful, so He needs not envy anyone, neither does He need anybody to pump up His ego. God’s love contains no evil (James 1:13).
7. Contrary to some people’s perception, God’s kind of love does not condone or rejoice in iniquity.
8. Some pastors think that the best way of showing God’s kind of love is not to rebuke sinners. Nothing could be further from the truth!
9. God’s kind of love is what Paul instructed Timothy to demonstrate in fulfilling his ministry, by reproving, rebuking and exhorting those he was ministering to with all longsuffering and doctrine (2nd Timothy 4:2).
10. My advice to you is that you embrace God’s love as personified by His Son, Jesus Christ, who died for the sins of the whole world.

God’s love is immeasurable and beyond human comprehension. Another good news is that God’s love is priceless. That He gave us His only begotten Son who in turn gave us His life to give us eternal life is a great gift. We should cherish this love and emulate it as well. 1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. We bless God for Pastor E.A Adeboye and we pray that his strength shall be renewed in Jesus name

.
Prayer Point
Father, let Your love be shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit in Jesus Name.
HYMN
What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
You wilt find a solace there.

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20

Memorise: But godliness with contentment is great gain. 1st Timothy 6:6
Read: Luke 16:10-13
10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?
13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Bible in one year: 1st Corinthian 4-6, Daniel 4:4-18

1. A lot of people think it impossible to live a life of faithfulness, and for this reason, unfaithfulness has become a norm in today’s world.
2. The world may tolerate unfaithfulness and live with its consequences, but we as children of God cannot afford to live a life of unfaithfulness. The Holy Spirit in 1st Corinthians 4:2 notifies us of God’s requirement in this regard. “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”
3. Faithfulness has a secret which many may not recognise because of its simplicity. This secret is revealed in today’s memory verse. It is contentment. Discontentment – an off-shoot of godlessness – makes a person live an unfaithful life.
4. When you are contented with what you have, you won’t indulge in ungodly or immoral acts in order to get what you do not have.
5. When you live a life of contentment, you won’t like King Ahab misuse your position to entrap an innocent person, so that you can take over what belongs to him or her (1st Kings 21).
6. Contentment will prevent you from being envious of people under you who are being celebrated for faithfully discharging their duties to the glory of God.
7. Lack of contentment made Haman hate Mordecai, so much so that he planned to get rid of an innocent, dutiful but uncompromising doorman (Esther 5:11-14). Haman misused his position as a member of the king’s cabinet to pursue the destruction of innocent people (Esther 3:8-11). This is exactly what some people in privileged positions are doing today, even though this is to their own peril.
8. Faithfulness applies in terms of money and position, but it is also applicable in the use of your time. This is manifested in such areas as the time you are expected to spend at your place of work. It is ignorance that makes a child of God to think that he or she can spend just two out of the required eight hours at work, and then expect commendation by the God of Justice, when he or she brings the tithe of wages he or she did not work for. The Name of the Lord is blasphemed when a so-called child of God absconds from work for days – pursuing “missions”- only to come back and collect full wages covering the period of absence, in the full glare of unbelievers.
9. God’s requirement of our faithfulness in stewardship applies to every area of our lives.
10. My prayer is that the Almighty God will open your eyes to see the different areas of life you are lacking in faithfulness, and grant you grace to live faithfully in all these areas.
11. Through faithfulness, unbelievers will see the light and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.
12. This virtue of faithfulness was the reason why employers of labour came to our Church in those days to recruit workers for their secular establishments.
13. May God bring such days back to us in Jesus’ Name.

1 Corinthians 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. Putting into account the fact that we will stand before our maker to give account of our stewardship here on earth, we must strive to be faithful in our daily deeds. He sees us as we go about our services unto Him. Regardless of the nature, size, location or gravity of whatever we do, let us pray often for grace to be faithful. We should also discipline ourselves to be faithful. The Lord will help us in Jesus name. God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Father, through Your Spirit, please help me to be faithful in life as a steward of the Name of Jesus Christ.
HYMN
Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.
Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.
 

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20

Memorise: We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 1st John 3:14
Read: 1st John 3:11-16
11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
Bible in one year: 1st Corinthians 1-3, Daniel 3:24-4:3

1. Do you know that it is very possible for one to be alive but living in death? Any man who does not have the life of God, manifested as new life in Christ Jesus, is dead even though he or she is physically alive.
2. The If you have received the new life of Christ, you have the nature of God, and one of the defining characteristics of this nature is love (1st John 4:16). This is why the Lord Jesus Christ emphasised that there is no greater commandment than that which is anchored on love for God and love for fellow men (Matthew 22:37-40).
3. You cannot claim to love God when you have hatred and bitterness towards your fellow men. Where there is no love, there will be deceit.
4. There is a lot of deceit in the interpersonal relationships between people today.
5. Do you really love, or are you pretending to love? If you live a life of love, you are living in Christ; but if you are only pretending to love when deep inside you there is so much hatred and evil-plotting against your brother, then you are living in death.
6. The new life in Christ is a spiritual experience that puts an end to all forms of bitterness, hatred and un-forgiveness in your heart.
7. Manifesting love for God and love for others around you showcases the real image of God in you, which is characterised by purity, holiness and righteousness.
8. At the root of all the displacement, destruction and crime witnessed all over the world is the absence of love. Love is at the core of man’s existence.
9. Love is the root of our salvation, and so, nothing genuine can be achieved among brethren if there is no love. When you have love, you will show compassion for those suffering and be willing to help.
10. When you walk in love, you will no longer keep records of wrong done against you by others. Rather, you will let go and let God have His way in your life.
11. True love is not easily offended, and it is always willing to forgive. It is this love that enables you to show kindness to those who hurt you, even though you have the power to harm or punish them. You choose to ignore their deeds because you know that there is nothing you have that you have not received from God.
12. The word of God says prophecy and knowledge will fail, but love will always stand the test of time. Don’t envy others to the point of getting bitter with them. It is not a sign of love. Instead, let us encourage one another.
13. You should not take other people for granted or malign others because you feel superior to them.
14. A child of God should not revenge anything done against him or her, because vengeance is the Lord’s.
15. Are you walking in love, or are you living in death?

God is love likewise our Lord Jesus Christ. This love is what made God to give us His only begotten Son to redeem us from sin and death. This same love is what made our Lord Jesus Christ to take the pain for us and surrendered His life for our redemption. Hatred springs up bitterness and this in turn leads to death. So if a believer by chance hate anyone or think evil against our fellow brethren, such person is living in death. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 Love is so important in our daily deeds. We pray that God will continue to flood the mind of Pastor E.A Adeboye with great revelation for greater impact in Jesus name.

Key Point
If you love God, you won’t hate your fellow men.
HYMN
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
the emblem of suffering and shame;
and I love that old cross where the dearest and best
for a world of lost sinners was slain.
Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
and exchange it some day for a crown.
O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
has a wondrous attraction for me;
for the dear Lamb of God left his glory above
to bear it to dark Calvary. Refrain
In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
a wondrous beauty I see,
for ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
to pardon and sanctify me. Refrain
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
its shame and reproach gladly bear;
then he’ll call me some day to my home far away,
where his glory forever I’ll share. Refrain

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Memorise: Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring fouth more fruit. John 15:2
Read: Luke 19:11-13
11 And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.
12 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
Bible in one year: Romans 14-16, Daniel 3:8-23

1. God’s expectation of you in these end times is that you would live for a cause that is greater than yourself – a cause that will serve the purpose of advancing His Kingdom on earth.
2. What worthy cause in God’s Kingdom keeps you awake at night? What burden are you carrying in your heart?
3. When Nehemiah heard that his people back home had been put to shame and that worship services in the temple of God had been halted, he was overwhelmed with a burden to “occupy” for God and his people (Nehemiah 1:4). He immediately wanted to effect the necessary changes that would restore the image of God’s people.
4. Many Christians are not bothered about making it a duty to occupy in the place of prayer for those in authority.
5. Many Christians are not even concerned about the rate at which many sinners are going to Hell. As long as they are comfortable, they care less about the situation of others. Some people are so self-centred that as long as their immediate family is saved, the salvation of their extended family members is far from their mind. It is our duty as believers to bring all people to the knowledge of God.
6. We must occupy by directing the souls of men to God through prayers and by witnessing to them until they give their lives to God.
7. Although Nehemiah was comfortable in a king’s palace, he was troubled by the discomfort of God’s people. We ought to share the same spirit.
8. The burden for revival in the hearts of men was what led to the outburst of many moves of God in the world since the days of the apostles.
9. The burden for holiness has led many to occupy in the place of prayer for certain territories.
10. Our burden for the business of God’s Kingdom should lead us into prayer and fasting, so that we can become fruitful in our missionary assignments.
11. As a branch of the Vine, you must be ready to bear fruit if you don’t want the Vine to cast you off.
12. The Vine is committed to supplying all you need for the assignment; there is therefore no excuse for you not to occupy till His return (Philippians 4:19).
13. Also, everything that the Vine expects you to do as His branch is done through the strength supplied by the Vine (John 15:5).
14. As long as the branch remains attached to the Vine, it will be able to fulfil all that is expected of it (Philippians 4:13).
15. I remember when I was in the university and I was trusting God for His help in winning the soul of one of my professors. I would do a lot of rehearsals on how I would present the message to him, but each time I saw him, I would lose my confidence. However, God helped me and I eventually succeeded in this assignment.
16. It is only through God’s help that you can occupy till the very end.

This is a call to service as well as call to repentance. Our spirit wills to fulfil purpose at times but flesh overpowers us. This is where the place of prayer comes to light. When we call unto God for help to fulfil His will, He steps in and strengthen us to carry on. May God help us to occupy indeed and produce good fruits that will abide in Jesus name. We are daily refreshed as we study the Open Heavens devotional. May God continually increase Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Father, may I not have to give excuses on the day of accountability.
HYMN
Wonderful story of love;
Tell it to me again;
Wonderful story of love;
Wake the immortal strain!
Angels with rapture announce it,
Shepherds with wonder receive it;
Sinner, oh, won’t you believe it?
Wonderful story of love.
Refrain:
Wonderful! Wonderful!
Wonderful, wonderful story of love.
Wonderful story of love;
Though you are far away;
Wonderful story of love;
Still He doth call today;
Calling from Calvary’s mountain,
Down from the crystal-bright fountain,
E’en from the dawn of creation,
Wonderful story of love.
Wonderful story of love;
Jesus provides a rest;
Wonderful story of love;
For all the pure and blest,
Rest in those mansions above us,
With those who’ve gone on before us,
Singing the rapturous chorus,
Wonderful story of love.

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Memorise: Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth lest, I make my brother to offend. 1st Corinthians 8:13
Read: 1st Corinthians 8:8-13
8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;
11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?
12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.
Bible in one year: Romans 11-13, Daniel 2:46-3:7

1. God redeems us from the unfaithful works of darkness through His mercy and grace.
2. When people become newly saved, though they have genuinely surrendered their lives to God and are committed to going all the way in pleasing Him, they are often not immediately well grounded in the things of God.
3. These young converts need special care and attention from mature believers.
4. It is the responsibility of those who have grown deeper in Christ to encourage those who are making efforts to have their faith established in Him.
5. As their predecessor in the faith, young converts are watching and following you as an example. They must be followed up with love and shown good examples of how to live out their faith in Christ.
6. As an older believer, you must show them compassion and understanding, remembering that Christ came to save us all because of His compassion for us.
7. Mature believers have certain roles to play by deliberately denying themselves of certain things that are lawful but not helpful to the growth of these young converts.
8. Like Paul who became all things to all people so that he might win many to Christ, mature believers must also be willing to become all things for the sake of those they want to establish in the knowledge of the truth. 1st Corinthians 9:22 says, “To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might be all means save some.”
9. If you are grounded in Christ, you are not to use your liberty to harm those who are growing in the faith. Some of these people have already experienced a lot of disappointments outside the Church of God. Some of them have been defrauded, while some others have been unduly taken advantage of because of their vulnerability. Some lost precious things before coming to the knowledge of Christ. The moment they give their lives to Christ, they are full of great expectations because they’ve heard that the Name of the Lord is a strong tower. They believe the brethren will care for them, unlike what they experienced in the hands of unbelievers.
10. We must therefore do all that is within our power not to make them regret their decision to come to Christ, which will be the case if we don’t extend hands of love to them.
11. We must not give them occasion to stumble; neither should we allow them to stray away by our actions.
12. We must avoid all circumstances that will grieve our fellow brethren and ensure that the word of God remains our standard in our dealings with them.
13. Let us be careful not to offend the weak ones or lay a stumbling block on their way, because we are going to be accountable to God for all those He brings across our path.

We shall give account of every act that lead to discouragement of a new convert. As believers, our light should shine so bright that others will see through it. Let take heed lest we make anyone fall. God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Father, deliver me from errors that will cause others to stumble.
HYMN
1. My faith looks up to thee, 
thou Lamb of Calvary, 
Savior divine! 
Now hear me while I pray, 
take all my guilt away, 
O let me from this day 
be wholly thine! 
2. May thy rich grace impart 
strength to my fainting heart, 
my zeal inspire! 
As thou hast died for me, 
O may my love to thee 
pure, warm, and changeless be, 
a living fire! 
3. While life’s dark maze I tread, 
and griefs around me spread, 
be thou my guide; 
bid darkness turn to day, 
wipe sorrow’s tears away, 
nor let me ever stray 
from thee aside. 
4. When ends life’s transient dream, 
when death’s cold, sullen stream 
shall o’er me roll; 
blest Savior, then in love, 
fear and distrust remove; 
O bear me safe above, 
a ransomed soul! 

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Memorise: That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. John 3:6
Read: Galatians 5:16-21
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Bible in one year: Romans 9-10, Daniel 2:31-45

1. As Christians who are Heaven-bound, the works of the flesh are things we should watch out for, so that they do not bring our soul into damnation. We must do all we can to cherish the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
2. If we continue to stir up the fruit of the Spirit in our lives daily, it will be difficult for the flesh to have dominion over us.
3. On a daily basis, our thoughts, words and actions must be guided by this scripture which says: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8
4. If you give your heart to these words, it would be difficult for the flesh to have rule over your mind, and consequently, the works of the flesh will not find expression in your life.
5. Such sins as hatred toward others, envy for what is happening in other people’s lives, pride and arrogance will not have a hold on you because you are walking in the Spirit of God.
6. All those who engage in the works of the flesh have no place in the kingdom of God. If you want to please God, the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches and the lust for materialism, all of which do not allow the word of God to find its rightful place in the hearts of men, will have to go.
7. God commands us to run the Christian race with patience (Hebrews 12:1).
8. There are many who have turned sin into sport. They believe that they are very smart and cannot fall victim of sin. This was the same thinking that Adam and Eve had when they allowed the voice of the serpent to override God’s instructions for their lives (Genesis 3:1-6). Samson also had an idea of the destiny he was meant to fulfil on earth, but he gambled with the anointing of God his life and died with his enemies (Judges 16:28-30). These examples are there for us to learn from and be wise.
9. As a child of God, you have to drop those weights of sin that easily drag you down. Don’t allow the works of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the mundane things of life to deny you of God’s plan for your life.
10. The moment you decide not to walk in the Spirit, you have resolved in your heart to be independent of God, and from that moment, the real life in you dies! This is a deadly path to take.
11. No one who took this path has ever had a good story to tell, but that will not be your lot in Jesus’ Name.
12. You have to be watchful, prayerful and engage in spiritual discipline from time to time, so as not to fall prey to the wiles of the devil manifested through the works of the flesh.

It takes divine insight to understand what it means to walk in the flesh. But if you are truly a genuine child of God, the difference between walking in the Spirit and walking in the flesh wouldn’t be unclear to you. To walk in the flesh is to be disconnected completely from God and live a frustration life. Imagine the Bible affirm that “For as the body without the spirit is dead,.”James‬ ‭2:26‬a. We can see how important it is to be in the spirit and not fulfilling the work of flesh. God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Key Point
The flesh profits nothing, but the Spirit gives life.
HYMN
Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.
Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.
 

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