Monthly Archives: January 2019

MEMORISE:
Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: Proverbs 24:3
READ: Mark 4:2-9, Mark 10:29-30
2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,
3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Mark 10:29-30
29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,
30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

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

Yesterday, we learnt a great lesson from the futility of indiscriminate sowing from the Parable of the Sower. The Holy Spirit taught us that it would amount to a waste of seed, time and energy if we do not sow wisely. Today, we will reflect on the benefits of sowing with wisdom.
To conclude His parable on the sower, the Lord in Mark 4:8 said:
“And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.”
The first lesson here is that seeds don’t all yield the same amount of fruit. Every child of God must have this understanding in order not be frustrated by unfulfilled expectations. In His own wisdom, the Owner of the Church did not endow every member of His Church equally (Romans 12:6-8). What is important is that we all sow seeds, using the endowments God has given to each of us, and we must do all within our ability to maximise the potential of our seed in order to yield the expected fruits (John 15:16). It will therefore be wrong for us, as members of the Body of Christ, to begin to compare ourselves competitively with one another. The Holy Spirit discourages this type of attitude among the brethren (2 Corinthians 10:12).
When we choose correctly the right soil to sow our seeds into, we are bound to prosper. It is frustrating to work and have nothing to show for it. Peter experienced this in Luke 5:3-8, by by the time he encountered the Owner of heaven and earth, he had a big catch. From Peter’s experience, you will be wise to learn that you need Jesus Christ, who is Himself the Wisdom of God, to experience breakthroughs in life without struggle (1 Corinthians 1:24-29). Moreover, if you are one of those who pay tithes and give offerings as commanded by God, you must identify the correct soil to sow these seeds of faith into. You must identify a commission which has God’s backing to sow your seeds of giving into. Many people have been discouraged from paying their tithes, offerings and first fruits because God’s promise on these in Malachi 3:10 is not fulfilled in their lives. They have become disgruntled about giving, not only to God but also to the needy, because they lack adequate knowledge on the priciples of sowing. The problem is that many people unknowingly sow among thorns and thistles, on the roadside or even on the rock. From the Parable of the Sower, we know what happens to such seeds. This will not be your experience in Jesus’ Name. Some ministries which are not founded on the call of God are like the wayside and rocky ground that Jesus described; you will be wise not to sow your time and resources in such places. Overall, the best investment you can make is to sow the seed of your life into Christ. If you do, you will surely reap the benefits in multiple folds (Mark 10:30, John 10:10).

KEY POINT:
God is not committed to what He hasn’t commanded. Are you sowing into a cause that has His backing?
HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE, AND LET IT BE
1.Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise,
Let them flow in endless praise.
2.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.
3.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.
4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose,
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.
5. 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.
6. 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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MEMORISE: Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Proverbs 4:7
READ: Matthew 13:1-9
1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Bible in one year:Matthew 6-8, Isaiah 2:6-22

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

If you have heard or read the Parable of the Sower as told by our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, you must have learnt some lessons from it. However, if the Lord tarries, the Holy Spirit will be teaching us some more lessons from the parable over the next few days. The first lesson is that the sower was not prudent enough in the business of sowing. He sowed carelessly and in so doing, wasted a lot of good seed on inappropriate ground. This situation applies to the lives of many people who waste their energy and resources on unprofitable ventures because they are not wise enough to identify the appropriate business, places and people to invest in. It is unimaginable but true that some people sentimentally site their bakery in a village of less than a hundred inhabitants. Among such inhabitants, hardly would twenty people buy a loaf of bread in three days because not only are they used to their local foods, they are also not rich enough to afford a loaf of bread. The story was told of a poor fellow who was very loyal to his king’s business. Whenever the king called for volunteers to work on his farmland, this fellow was the first to show up and the last to leave; he was indeed very hardworking and dedicated. One day, the King decided to help him out of his poverty. He disguised a huge some of money in a big loaf of bread and gave it to him. “Take this bread home and let me see how it will transform your life for the better,” said the king. Incidentally, the value of the bread was enough to pay for the food that the poor man could eat for five days. To the disappointment of the king, the poor man sold the loaf of bread, not knowing what was in it, and that was how he lost the fortune of a lifetime.
Some ventures are like sowing among thorns or on stony ground. Initially, such ventures may appear as though they have prospects, only for diminishing returns to set in later. It is one thing to be hardworking and another thing to work wisely. It is one thing to keep busy and another thing to be busy doing something profitable. Even as minister of the gospel, you need God’s wisdom in the business of Church planting. It is counterproductive to build a three thousand-seater capacity auditorium in a community of 500 people. It is true that the souls of men are more valuable than money and that those souls in the village are not inferior to the souls in the city, but wisdom dictates that a congregation cannot grow beyond the number of people living in the community where it is located. This is the reason why the Holy Spirit inspired the words of today’s memory verse. Wisdom enables the soul-winner to engage in profitable methods of evangelism and church-planting. Praying for a miracle of any kind for an unrepentant sinner, apart from the miracle of salvation, may be equivalent to sowing by the roadside. I pray that the wisdom you need to experience breakthroughs in all dimensions of life will be given to you in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, I ask for wisdom that is rooted in Your word for all aspects of my life in Jesus’ Name.

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MEMORISE:And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
1 John 5:20
READ: 1 Chronicles 12:32
And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment
Bible In One Year: Matthew 4-5, Isaiah 1:18-2:5

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

As we start another year, it is pertinent for us to have an understanding of the times we live in, in order for us to succeed. The good thing about understanding is that it belongs to God (Psalm 147:5). Today’s memory verse reveals that one of the reasons why the Lord Jesus Christ came to this world is to give us understanding. How then do we gain access to the understanding that has been freely given to us? Psalm 119:98-100 says:
“Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.”
From this scripture, it is glaring that we need to meditate on the word of God this year if we will walk in the understanding that comes from heaven. No wonder God told Joshua that in order for him to succeed, the Book of the law should not depart from his mouth; rather, he should meditate on it day and night (Joshua 1:8).
The children of Issachar were men who understood the times they lived in. Now, more than ever before, this is an attribute that every child of God should possess, especially in these end times. We thank God we have the Bible available in all kinds of languages and media. It is our sure aid for understanding the signs of this dispensation. In it, the Holy Spirit warns us of the nature of the end times, saying in 1 Timothy 4:1-2:
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;”
Beloved, to speak lies is evil enough, but to add the character of hypocrisy to the speaking of lies is a double tragedy. Our Lord Jesus Christ also said in Matthew 24:24:
“For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”
In order not to be deceived by the different schemes being propagated by the devil in the world today, the elect of God by grace must have an understanding of the times they live in just like the children of Issachar. As a new year begins, many prophecies, predictions and projections will be given by different types of characters. As a child of God with understanding, you must be very careful not to be receptive to them all. Anchor your expectations on the revealed truth in the Bible, and you will live a life of freedom and good success in this new year. May the Lord continually be with you in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please give me the understanding I need to succeed this year in Jesus’ Name.

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MEMORISE:
Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19
READ: Isaiah 43:14-19
14 Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships.
15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King.
16 Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;
17 Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow.
18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
Bible in one year:
Matthew 1-3, Isaiah 1:1-17

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

Welcome to a new year! The Almighty God says to you and me, “I will do a new thing.” How marvelous it is to begin the new year with this promise from our Father. These are not empty words! They are the declaration of the Creator of heaven and earth, the Sustainer and Redeemer of all things, who cannot lie. However, for you to partake of the informative power in this word sent from God, all you have to do is believe. Remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ to the ruler of the synagogue in Luke 8:50b, saying:“Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.”
Beloved, on this first day of the new year, God is telling a user of this devotional, “I will do something new about your spiritual life. Your spiritual status will change from being sinful to being holy. In this new year, you will no longer continue to live a life that saddens My heart, because I have decided to save your soul and cleanse you from all your impurities.” If this applies to you, you must take a bold step of faith like Zacchaeus did in Luke 19:1-10, by repenting of your sins and choosing to right your wrongs through the help and power of the Holy Spirit.
As a new year gift for all His faithful children, our Abba Father makes a promise in today’s Bible reading to do that which is humanly impossible. If you are numbered among His children, I congratulate you, but if you are not, the new thing promised by the Lord begins with the salvation of your soul. Do you know that everything required for your salvation has already been accomplished by the death of Jesus Christ at Calvary?
A new thing can mean different things to different people, depending on their current state. Have you been living in abject poverty in the past years? Do you work like an elephant but eat like an ant? Has your mortgage repeatedly failed or is your business crumbling under financial difficulties? Read 2 Corinthians 8:9 and believe what it says. For a user of this devotional to whom the enemies have said there is no way of escape, the Lord is saying you should not remember the former things nor consider the things of old. Why? It is because this year, that sickness that has devoured your finances shall not remain in your body. This year, the status of those who desire a godly and blissful marriage will change for the better, and those considered barren will experience fruitfulness. However, for you to partake of the new thing God has promised, you must heed His words to Martha in John 11:40:
“…Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?”
In this new year, the One who brought forth water from the rock will bring forth the good desires of your heart in Jesus’ Name

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

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Glory to God for the new year and for His mercies and Grace that kept us through 2018. We appreciate the Grace of God upon Pastor E.A Adeboye for feeding us daily with this devotionals, our prayer is that in His Kingdom none of us will be missing.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, I thank you for bringing me to the beginning of another year. Please fulfill your promise to do a new thing in my life, beginning from today, in Jesus’ Name.

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