Monthly Archives: August 2018

Memorise: He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Proverbs 28:13
Read: Luke 19:1-10
1 Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
2 Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.
3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature.
4 So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way.
5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up [a]and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, [b]make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”
6 So he [c]made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully.
7 But when they saw it, they all [d]complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.”
8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.”
9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham;
10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Bible in one year: Job 36-38, Matthew 18:21-19:12

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. Many people will end up in hell on the last day because they refuse to allow God clean up their mess now.
2. The Bible makes it clear that the Almighty God cleanses the lives of those who are yielded to Him. In Isaiah 1:18, He made a call to all those who will listen: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
3. One man who heard this call and yielded to it was Zacchaeus. Today’s Bible reading narrates how the Lord Jesus Christ cleaned up his terrible past, even though he was chief among the tax collectors. He had fraudulently and violently enriched himself with other people’s wealth. This explains why he longed to see Jesus for cleansing. When he could not reach Jesus, he climbed up a sycamore tree in order to catch a glimpse of Him, and he got what he desired. How could such a terrible man get the attention of the Most Holy One? The Lord gave him attention because He had already made this promise in Jeremiah 29:13 “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”
This scripture was fulfilled in the life of Zacchaeus as it will be fulfilled in yours today. Your case will catch Jesus’ attention today and all your guilt shall be wiped away.
4. An interesting aspect of this story is that while Zacchaeus was savouring the saving and cleansing grace of our Lord, some other people were busy murmuring that the Redeemer was ushering a lost sheep of the Father into the cleansing room of eternal life.
5. Another recipient of God’s cleansing was David. He caught the revelation of the cleansing grace of God, even in the dispensation of the Old Testament. In Psalm 51:2 & 7, he cried to God to purify him saying: “Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”
6. Beloved, something more effective than hyssop is now available, and it is the Blood of Jesus Christ.
7. In 1 John 1:7 & 9, the Holy Spirit said: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This Blood is still available for you today. Beloved, have you been involved in terrible acts which you are so ashamed of?
8. Surrender your life to Jesus today in genuine repentance, confess your sins to Him and allow Him to clean you up with His precious Blood.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 2 Peter 1:3 Everything good has been made available to us in Christ but the devil keeps trying to deprive us the access to it. We must take our possessions one of which is holiness with boldness and prayerfully through the help of Christ our Lord. May God help us all and strengthen Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Action Point: Take every mess in your life before the throne of grace today and ask God to please clean you up.
Hymn
What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Chorus:
Oh! Precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
For my cleansing this I see
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
For my pardon this my pleas
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Nothing can my sin erase
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Naught of works, ‘tis all of grace
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
This is all my hope and peace
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
This is all my righteousness
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

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20

Memorise: But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. 1st Peter 4:15
Read: Romans 13:1-8
1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
8 Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Bible in one year: Job 30-32, Matthew 17

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. “Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” John 14:30 This declaration made by our Lord Jesus Christ shortly before going to the cross is very profound and significant to what He came to do for humanity.
2. Prior to making this statement, in John 8:46 He also threw this challenge to the religious leaders of His time: “Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?” Without these credentials, our Saviour would not have been qualified to redeem us. Glory be to God, we have a Redeemer who is without sin.
3. The early disciples were first called “Christians” in Antioch because they lived like Christ after being taught His ways (Acts 11:26). This is what the Lord expects from us today.
4. As seen in today’s memory verse, it should not even be mentioned amongst us that one of us is suffering as a result of criminal acts. This is very important for us to note because some Christians think that they were born-again into lawlessness. This is a wrong idea of our liberty in Christ. The Bible says Christians should be law-abiding.
5. It is an aberration when Christians are accused of tax evasion. Our Lord Jesus Christ gave us a perfect example in this regard when He paid His due taxes (Matthew 17:24-27). We should therefore learn from the Master.
6. How would it have been if Jesus was genuinely found guilty of the offences cooked up against Him (Luke 23:4)? He would have been disqualified from carrying out the work of redemption, and we would still be in our sins today.
7. In today’s Bible reading, we are admonished by Paul to obey higher powers. His understanding of God was so profound that he knew that no person could come into power without God assenting to it.
8. If God installs a government for reasons best known to Him, disobeying such a government in civil matters would amount to disobeying God.
9. As a matter of fact, our leaders are described as ministers of God ordained for own for good.
10. For us to live peaceably in this world, let us therefore heed this warning in Romans 13:4-5: “…But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not for wrath, but also for conscience sake.”

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Romans 4:15. This implies that know the right thing but not doing it is a sin. The excuse of I don’t know this or that from any believer is therefore likely to be as a result of delibrate carelessness, ignorance, laziness or self deceit. The hands of God are always open wide and we should run in to obtain mercy if we have been enslaved by sin. May God continually increase and uphold Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Prayer Point:
Father, please give me the wisdom to give what belongs to Caesar to Caesar, and help me not to withhold what belongs to You from You, in Jesus’ Name.
Hymn
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
 
Chorus
Trust and obey, for there’s no other
Way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust
and obey.
 
Not a shadow can rise, not a
cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it
away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh
or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and
obey.
 
Not a burden we bear, not a
sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly
repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown
or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and
obey.
 
But we never can prove the
delights of His love
Until all on the alter we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the
Joy He bestows,
Are from them who will trust and
obey.
 
Then in fellowship sweet we
will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the
way;
What He says we will do, where
He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

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20

Memorise: Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: Hebrews 3:8
Read: Hebrews 3:7-19
7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?
18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Bible in one year: Job 25-29, Matthew 16:5-28

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. Unbelief has been a reoccurring problem of mankind in spite of the abundant signs and wonders which the Almighty has demonstrated over the years. It is even more pronounced in this generation, where knowledge based on observations has tremendously increased as indicated by the Holy Spirit (Daniel 12:4).
2. Because the human mind is crafted from childhood to be built around sense-based observations and not on faith, unbelief reigns supreme within the natural man. No wonder the Lord Jesus Christ in Luke 18:8b asked this question: “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
3. You may think unbelief is just a problem of the world, since anyone who comes to God must believe that He is, according to Hebrews 11:6. Well, let me announce to you that more than ever before, the problem of unbelief is now characteristic of the church.
4. The early church also had this problem and this was why the Holy Spirit sent us this warning in Hebrew 3:12 “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any if you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.”
5. The devil has craftily repackaged this old menace of unbelief in our time. When the authenticity of the Bible is being questioned and the relevance of its contents to the 21st century Church is being debated among high ranking church councils and leaders, should we be looking for unbelief elsewhere?
6. Decades ago, some scholars sowed the seed of unbelief, and the Church seemed to be careless about it. They suggested that the New Testament needed to be “demystified”, so that the modern man could embrace the divine literature. In essence, certain things such as the accounts of miracles should be removed from the New Testament so that Christianity could sound logical to the modern mind. 
7. The Evangelicals and Pentecostals never thought that this is evil seed would find its way into their fold. Now we know better.
8. Today, we have a situation where several Church leaders don’t believe in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Several so-called archbishops don’t believe Jesus is the only Way that leads to salvation. Several Christians don’t believe in the reality of eternal punishment in hell fire. These and several other forms of unbelief have taken hold in the hearts of many simple hearted Christians who are too lazy to search the scriptures to experience the truth of God’s word themselves. 
9. Little by little, the core of our faith as Christians is being eroded away. The question that Jesus asked about faith, which seemed so farfetched in His day, is increasingly becoming real in our day. This is why the Holy Spirit is saying to us in Habakkuk 2:4b: “…but the just shall live by his faith.” What is the state of your faith in God and His immutable word today?

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

James 1:6‭-‬8 “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” Without faith it is impossible to please God. Also, doubt will deprive its carrier of receiving from God. This the man in the man in Mark 9:24 realised and he cried out. “Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” My counsel to any believer harbouring unbelief is to discard it totally and embrace faith in God for all things are possible with God! May God continually uphold and strengthen Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Prayer Point:
Father, please help me so that my faith may not be eroded by unbelief under the guise of ‘modernism’.
 
Hymn
There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.
 
[Chorus]
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.
[Chorus]
There shall be showers of blessing:
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing;
Come, and now honor Thy Word.
[Chorus]
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!
[Chorus]

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20

Memorise: And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Read: Luke 15:11-21
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 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!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
Bible in one year: Job 21-24, Matthew 15:21-16:4

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. The story of the prodigal son can aptly be summarized as what happens under the government of self.
2. Although man was created to have dominion, he was not created to be governed by self. This truth accounts for the instructions God gave to man in Genesis 2:15-17: “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”
3. One can safely assume that the purpose of these instructions was to let man know that he is under divine governance. It is unfortunate that the devil sold the idea of self-government to man. This same idea was what led to the devil’s fall from grace, and as a matter of fact, has continued to be the problem of man even today (Isaiah 14:12-15).
4. The Lord is asking you today: are you living under the government of self or planning to detach yourself from the governance of heaven? Please don’t trend this path. None of those who did it before you have ever had a good story to tell. Psalm 2:1-5 tells us that God is sorely displeased by attempts to rebel against His Lordship.
5. People tend to see obeying God’s instructions as slavery, just as the prodigal son saw the control of his father as slavery.
6. The prodigal son wanted his “freedom”, and so he decided to break away from his father’s control, not because his father was wicked or because he was suffering or lacked anything. All he wanted was self-rule, and he suffered for it.
7. Every story of self-rule initiated against God’s governance ends in chaos, regret and unbearable suffering.
8. The unfortunate thing is that the government of self is finding its way into Church.
9. Today, any church leadership that tends to be built around the governance of God’s Spirit is often maligned, ridicule and condemned.
10. From the onset, the Church of God was designed to be ruled by the Holy Spirit. He is the Vicar that Jesus Christ sent to us after His ascension into heaven.
11. Whatever we do outside the Holy Spirit is invalid. I have said this several times, and because it is the truth and the truth is constant, I cannot retract this statement.
12. Years ago, when certain brothers demanded more freedom from the leadership of our church, I told them that any freedom more than what they had already under God would amount to bondage. Those who did not believe me then, who found a way of getting the freedom they desired, understand this truth better now.
13. Beloved, voluntarily put yourself under the governance of God; it pays now and it will also be worth it in the hereafter. 

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

It is obvious and unfortunate that many believers still need to be educated when it comes to the principles of God. God is not a respecter of persons but He so much respect principles. Godliness has never been a burden and will never be, the Bible says “For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.” ‭‭I Timothy‬ ‭4:8‬ But when man decides to govern himself at the expense of God’s instructions, he is looking for trouble. May we never see the wrath of God in Jesus name. God be praised for Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Prayer Point:
Father, please forgive me in any way I have sought self rule, and take control of my life from now onward in Jesus’ Name.
Hymn
I need Thee every hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine
Can peace afford.
Chorus
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior!
I come to Thee
I need Thee every hour,
Stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their power
When Thou art nigh.
I need Thee every hour,
In joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide,
Or life is vain.
I need Thee every hour,
Teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises
In me fulfil.
I need Thee every hour
Most Holy One;
Oh, make me Thine Indeed,
Thou blessed Son.

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20

Memorise: Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. Ephesians 5:14
Read: 1st Kings 13:11-22
11 Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father.
12 And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah.
13 And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon,
14 And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am.
15 Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread.
16 And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place:
17 For it was said to me by the word of the Lord, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.
18 He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.
19 So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.
20 And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the Lord came unto the prophet that brought him back:
21 And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the Lord, and hast not kept the commandment which the Lord thy God commanded thee,
22 But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the Lord did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.
Bible in one year: Job 17-20, Matthew 14:34-15:20

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. There is a clarion call to all children of God to wake up to God’s expectations of them in areas such as holy living, soul-winning and service to humanity.
2. It is urgent and important to heed this call in obedience to our Father in heaven and in order to bring glory to His Holy Name. Our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 5:15-16 said to us: “Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
3. Knowing that we live in perilous times, swiftly heeding this call has become all the more necessary. When the Holy Spirit made the call in today’s memory verse, things were not even as bad as they are today. Therefore, as the Church of God, we must awaken from our slumber.
4. The Holy Spirit says we should arise from the dead, with a promise that Christ will give us light. In other words, many of us are dead spiritually. Nevertheless, thank God that Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church, is alive to His responsibility of restoring us.
5. How do members of the body of Christ become dead, and what is actually killing them? Today’s Bible reading gives some insight on this. It narrates the story of an old prophet who lived in Bethel, which is translated to mean ‘house of God’. Ironically, this prophet living in the house of God was backslidden. There was also another man, a young prophet who had not compromised his faith in Yahweh. God sent him to prophesy against the idolatrous regime of Jeroboam, with a warning that he must not rest along the way until he returned home from delivering God’s message. Also, he was commanded not to eat or return by the same way he went. This young prophet did according to what the Lord had told him, except that he felt so tired and decided to take a rest under an oak tree. It is unfortunate that it was at this resting spot that the old prophet met and decided him to go against God’s instructions. 
6. Beloved, there are several old prophets around us today. In their backslidden state, they still sound knowledgeable and full of experience when they teach. To unsuspecting young men and women of God, their words are filled with wisdom. You must however beware of their heretic teachings. Their position on several issues can deceive young minds.
7. The poor young prophet believed the old prophet’s lies, and he ended up taking a deadly spiritual siesta! Tragically, this same old prophet was the one who delivered God’s judgement upon the young prophet. So beware! The old prophet wanted to go to hell but wanted as many people as possible to go along with him. Awake, and don’t fall for the enemy’s tricks!

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

“And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” 1 Samuel 15:22 Ignoring God’s word, standard, direction and instructions can be dangerous as well as deadly in our Christian journey. I enjoin us to daily ask God for the grace to obey Him in our daily doings. We are daily refreshed as we study the Open Heavens devotional. May God continually increase Pastor E.A Adeboye on every side in Jesus name.

Prayer Point:
Father, please deliver me from the lies of the devil in the form of old prophet heretics.
Hymn
Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise
Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

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20

Memorise: And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passesth away. 1 Corinthians 7:31 
Read: 1 John 2:15-17
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.
17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Bible in one year: Job 13 – 15, Matthew 15:13-23

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. Worldliness has been misconstrued by some to mean having the good things of life, such as good cars, comfortable houses, decent clothing and the like. This is not true, because some of the heroes of faith that God loved so much were not only very rich, they also lived a good life. Here is Abraham’s servant’s testimony of Abraham’s status in Genesis 24:35; “And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.”
2. The good life Abraham had is evident in the fact that he could afford to entertain three “casual” passersby with a whole calf (Genesis 18:7). He also had three hundred and eighteen foot soldiers in his service (Genesis 14:14).
3. In light of these facts, we need to properly define what worldliness is in order to distinguish it from good living. What then is worldliness if it is not synonymous with being wealthy?
4. Today’s memory verse gives us a hint of God’s view on this subject matter. From this verse of scripture we understand that things of this world are meant for our use but not for our abuse.
5. According to today’s Bible reading, simply defined, worldliness is ‘lust’. ;For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”
6. From the scripture above, we understand that worldliness is lusting after the following:
Things that are not yours and cannot be yours, but which you still desire by all means, such as another man’s wife.
Things you do not necessarily need but which you still get for the sake of the pride of life.
Things you own that you keep away from those who actually need them.
Lack of contentment with what God has made you or given you. For example, a dark person bleaching their skin to become a light person.
7. Above all, worldliness is denying God what He originally gave you when He demands for it. An example of this is manifested when instead of using the blessing God has deposited in your life for the purpose of propagating the gospel, you choose to keep it away from Him because you need to buy the latest car in town, despite the fact that you already have enough cars to take you around.
8. Learn from Joseph of Arimathaea who selflessly volunteered his own expensive tomb for Jesus’ burial (Matthew 27:57-60).
9. Beloved, a person can be poor and still be worldly if the little he or she has is placed or valued higher than the Almighty God.
10. How highly do you rate your possessions today?

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

“Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.”
Philippians 4:5 Certain things were explained as worldliness in today’s devotional. Our watchword should be moderation in some and correction as well as adjustment in others. May we be doers of the word and not just hearers only in Jesus name. We pray that Pastor E.A Adeboye shall wax stronger for greater impact in Jesus name.

Prayer Point: Father, please keep my heart away from worldliness in Jesus name.
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.
Chorus:
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 someday 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.
In that old rugged cross, I 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.
To that 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.

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Memorise: when the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Psalm 126:1
Read: Psalm 126:1-4
1 When the Lord brought back [a]the captivity of Zion,
We were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with singing.
Then they said among the [b]nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
And we are glad.
4 Bring back our captivity, O Lord,
As the streams in the South.
Bible in one year: Job 9 – 12, Matthew 13:45-14:12

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. In the course of our reflection yesterday, the Holy Spirit revealed to us some unexpected things that happen when God comes visiting.
2. One outcome of divine visitation is amazing testimonies of sudden turn around, which are so mind-boggling that they lead to laughter.
3. Today’s Bible reading describes this experience. At one of our events, one particular man had a divine visitation and received his own amazing testimony of sudden turn around. This young man was born with only one testicle. With the aim of rectifying this problem, his parents took him to a native doctor who ended up destroying the only testicle he had. This ended any possibility of this young man ever having a child of his own. However, God had a plan to bring laughter back to his life. It was the very first programme I held as the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God at Rowe Park, Lagos Nigeria. In the course of this programme, the young man felt that something sensational was going on between his legs, and he checked to see what was happening to him. He discovered that he had received two brand new testicles! The day he came to visit me in my office after the miracle, he came with his wife and she was pregnant. In his joy and excitement, he said to me, “Sir, do you want me to show you the testicles?” I responded that there was no need for that because I could see the evidence of the new testicles on his wife. God will visit you and creative miracles will be your portion today in Jesus’ Name.
4. Another of such testimonies is that of a young man brought to my office by one of his friends several years ago. This young man said to me, “Sir, I have a big problem.” We found out that his wife had literarily run mad and was roaming the streets completely naked. It is culturally believed by the Yoruba tribe, which he belonged to, that a mentally unstable person that is still within the house can be cured, but once the spirit of madness takes such a fellow to the market place naked, such a person would remain mad for life. As at the time they came to my office, this woman had been bundled off to an herbal treatment home in Kwara State, Nigeria. I was given the address of this place, and I went there to pray for her. Her husband was informed after I left that the prayer did not last more than five minutes. “How can a five-minute prayer deal with this serious madness”, they wondered out of doubt. So they took the woman to a psychiatric hospital. As God would have it, the specialist there said to them, “Let us observe her before we know what to do.” After two weeks of observation, they sent for her husband and told him, “Sir, if you say something is wrong with this woman, then something must be wrong with you, because even though we have not given her any medication, this woman is as normal as any normal human being can be.” A divine visitation of less than five minutes brought laughter back to the family of this young man.
5. I decree that in the Name that is above every other name, this month shall be your month of laughter.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

Asking for God’s visitation should be a daily request for every child of God until the manifestation of this request. Regardless of your status or problem, God’s visit will only produce a positive impact and report. May the Lord continually bless and uphold Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Prayer Point: Father, through Your visitation, reverse the irreversible in my life today in Jesus’ name
Hymn
(Tune: There shall be showers of blessing)
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Sinners will soon be forgiven
Prodigals will come home soon.
Chorus:
Shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Rivers in desert now flowing
Halleluyah to our king.
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Sickness and sorrow will be gone
Bondage will be forgotten.
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
The barren will be fruitful soon
Failure will be forgotten.
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Poverty will be forgotten
Stagnancy will soon be gone.
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
To all miracles are given
There shall be celebrations
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Many will have testimonies
Of prayers answered fully
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
One of us will chase a thousand
Two will conquer ten thousands.
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Songs of praises we will sing
Halleluyah to our King.

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Memorise: And there was great joy in that city. Acts 8:8
Read: Genesis 18:1-14
Then the Lord appeared to him by [a]the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day.
2 So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground,
3 and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. 4 Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.” They said, “Do as you have said.”
6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.”
7 And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it.
8 So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.
9 Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” So he said, “Here, in the tent.”
10 And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.)
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and [b]Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
13 And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’
14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”
Bible in one year: Job 5-8, Matthew 13:24-44

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. There is a link between divine visitation and laughter.
2. When God comes visiting, He ensures He leaves behind something to laugh about before He departs. We see this manifested when Phillip the evangelist took the presence of God to Samaria with the preaching of the gospel. The aftermath of this divine visitation was laughter (Acts 8:5-8).
3. Today’s Bible reading also narrates how Abraham invited the presence of God into his tent without even knowing it. Because Abraham was given to hospitability, he was just doing what he knew how to do best. Little did he know that he was entertaining the angels of the Lord! After this visit, he and his wife received something to laugh about.
4. When you visit God in His sanctuary, you go home with what your faith can carry. A divine visitation is more awesome than this.
5. During a divine visitation, the Almighty comes to you with His entourage, loaded with blessings, many of which money cannot buy. If God were to judge Sarah by her faith, she would have received nothing from Him. However, as Sarah’s case shows, when God comes visiting, He has already made up his mind to bless you regardless of the level of your faith.
6. Many things happen when you receive an unexpected divine visitation, one of which is that God accepts your offering.
7. When God was passing by Abraham’s tent, Abraham did not even know that it was God coming his way. Nevertheless, he extended an invitation which activated this life-changing visit, which had been preordained by God Himself. It is therefore no surprise that God readily accepted his invitation and also accepted his offerings of food and drink. I pray that God will today accept your invitation of His presence into your life for salvation, healing, breakthrough, joy and great laughter. I also pray that He will accept the offering of your life to Him in Jesus’ name.
8. When the Shunamitte woman invited Elisha into her home, little did she know that she was attracting a divine visitation into her life (2 Kings 4:8-17). Because God wanted to bless her, He accepted her invitation to abide under her roof through His prophet. As a result of this, the man of God was moved by God to consider that this woman who had been meeting his needs and those of his servant must also have a need of her own to be met. When he asked what he could do for her, she said she needed nothing. Thank God his servant recognized the one need which money could not buy in her life: she had no child and her husband was old. Nine months later, she was carrying her baby.
9. You should learn from this woman’s experience that you need cannot be met unless you realize that you have a need. I pray that the Almighty God will choose your home for His abode today, and this gesture will be a point of contact for meeting your age-long needs in Jesus’ name.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

Just as one word from God can turn things around in a minute, one visit from Him can also change one’s life forever. However, holiness and obedience is required for this visit to be experienced. Manifesting the fruit of the spirit will give us access to this visitation. Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” May God help us to position ourselves rightly for His visit in Jesus name. We pray that may God continually strengthen Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Prayer Point: Father, please visit me today and cause me to laugh in Jesus’ Name.
Hymn
(Tune: There shall be showers of blessing)
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Sinners will soon be forgiven
Prodigals will come home soon.
Chorus:
Shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Rivers in desert now flowing
Halleluyah to our king.
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Sickness and sorrow will be gone
Bondage will be forgotten.
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
The barren will be fruitful soon
Failure will be forgotten.
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Poverty will be forgotten
Stagnancy will soon be gone.
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
To all miracles are given
There shall be celebrations
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Many will have testimonies
Of prayers answered fully
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
One of us will chase a thousand
Two will conquer ten thousands.
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Songs of praises we will sing
Halleluyah to our King.

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20

Memorise: Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance? I Samuel 10:1
Read: 1 Samuel 9:15-10:1
15 Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear the day before Saul came, saying,
1 Samuel 10:1
1 Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him and said: “Is it not because the Lord has anointed you commander over His [a]inheritance?
Bible in one year: Job 1 – 4, Matthew 13:1-23

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. The ways of our God are unsearchable and beyond human comprehension (Romans 11:33).
2. You need to understand this if you will not miss out on the good things the Lord has in store for His children. Using natural methods to search out or predict the plans of God is not just counterproductive, it also leads to frustration. This is why Romans 8:5-6 says: “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
3. Anyone who tries to box God into a pattern will definitely miss His visitation when it happens.
4. In Genesis 18:1-16, when the guests from heaven seemed to be passing by Abraham’s tent, little did he know it was a divine set-up for him to be blessed. Thanks be to God that Abraham did not miss his blessing. His gesture of hospitability brought to fulfillment God’s promise which he had waited on for so many years.
5. When the Lord asks you to do something unusual, He is only setting you up for an unusual miracle.
6. In Joshua chapter 2, the visit of the two spies to Rahab was a divine set-up to make her an agent of salvation for her entire household. My prayer is that the grace to do the unusual that will bring the type of miracles nobody has ever experienced before will be given to you today in Jesus’ Name.
7. Do you know that God’s commandments on paying of tithes, offerings and first fruits are nothing but divine set-ups for superabundant blessings? When you get a taste of this, you will testify that the Lord is good indeed.
8. Today’s Bible reading narrates the story of a divine arrangement in favour of the first king of Israel, Saul. God wanted to anoint him king over Israel, so He caused his father’s donkey to go missing. This made Saul go searching all over for them, till he got to Samuel the king-maker. Before Saul’s arrival at the place where Samuel was, the Lord had spoken to Samuel about his visit and instructed him to anoint Saul king over Israel. Meanwhile, unknown to Saul, while he and his servant wandered around by divine set-up, the missing donkeys were already found. I pray for you today that the Lord will divinely set you up for promotion and breakthrough in life in Jesus’ Name. where we cannot see a single way, God can see uncountable ways for carrying out His agenda.
9. When the Lord was leading me to the Redeemed Christian Church of God in 1973 in search of peace in my life and home, little did I know it was for the purpose of fulfilling His own agenda for my life. If I had any hint then that I would become a pastor, maybe I would have sought spiritual help somewhere else, where I would not be condiered for pastoral work.
10. The Lord’s ways are indeed unsearchable!

Prayer Point: Father, please cause me to be sensitive to Your set-up for unusual breakthrough in my life , in Jesus’ Name.
Hymn
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His word,
What a glory He shed on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Chorus:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.
But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
Then in fellowship we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey

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20

Memorise: confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter in to the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22
Read: Revelation 19:5-9
5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both[a] small and great!”
6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the[b] Lord God Omnipotent reigns!
7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”
8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”
Bible in one year: Esther 8 – 10, Matthew 12:33-50

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. Based on an erroneous understanding of the scripture in Revelation 7:4, a certain religious group claims that only one hundred and forty-four thousand people will qualify to be in heaven. This cannot be further from the truth because the Bible says in verse nine of that same chapter: “After this I behold, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds and people, and tongues, stood before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;”
2. Further debunking this wrong teaching, Apostle John in today’s Bible reading heard the voice of a great multitude shouting Alleluia in worship of the omnipotent God. They were rejoicing because they were numbered among the participants at the marriage supper of the Lamb.
3. The question for our consideration today is, what qualified them to be numbered among these very important guests at the marriage supper of the Lamb? The answer to this question is found in Revelation 7:13-14: “And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
4. Our Lord Jesus Christ came to shed His blood for the remission of our sins, so that we can qualify as citizens of heaven and be numbered among the saints.
5. What is required of us is to accept the offer of his atonement and live by the articles of the new covenant, which He sealed with His Blood.
6. Doing this will surely attract persecution and tribulation in this world.
7. The challenge with some contemporary Christians is that they don’t want to experience persecution or undergo tribulation for the sake of their faith in Christ. They want the world to accept them, and so they adjust their message to what the world likes.
8. We often forget these words of Jesus in John 15:20: “If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.”
9. In other words, just as the world did not like the teachings of the Master, they will also not like ours. However, when we introduce gimmicks not found in the teachings and lifestyle of Jesus Christ and His apostles into our message, the message loses its power. How shall we be numbered among the guest at the marriage supper of the Lamb?
10. The answer lies in these words from Acts 14:22: “we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” There is no other way.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

Prayer Point: Father, please grant unto me the grace to endure tribulations.
Hymn
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.

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