Monthly Archives: May 2019

MEMORISE:

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 1 Thessalonians 4:16

READ: 1 Corinthians 15:51-58

51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

MESSAGE

Going by the Lord’s revelations to His church and comparing these to the events happening around the world today, many Christians believe as I do, that the rapture is heaven’s next big agenda (Matthews 24, Luke 21:5-36). The rapture is an event that forms part of the Lord’s Second Coming, in which the bride of Christ which is the Church, will be caught up to meet Him in the air, and they will be transported from earth to heaven. Only those who are saved and ready for the Lord’s coming will partake of this event, which will happen shortly before the beginning of the great tribulation. The great tribulation is a time of great distress on earth which will be supervised by the antichrist himself. Although no man knows the exact time that the rapture will occur, the Bible gives us signs through which we will know that the time is near (Matthew 24:36, Mark 13:28-29). These signs include suffering, war and destruction on an unprecedented scale (Matthew 24:6-8), as well as moral decadence and high-level of corruption (Matthew 24:12, 2 Timothy 3:1-6).

Why is the rapture important? It is because this event will reveal those who really belong to Christ. It is an event in which the wheat in God’s kingdom will be separated from the tares (Matthew 13:36-43). Those who will be raptured are blessed because they will not partake of the events which the Lord describes in Matthew 24:21 as “great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be”. (1 Thessalonians 5:9). At that time, they will be in heaven celebrating the marriage supper of the lamb (Revelation 19:5-9). Who are those qualified to partake in the rapture? The Holy Spirit answer this question in Ephesians 5:27, which says:

“That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

Christ is coming for a Church that is holy and without blemish. The reason why He washed us with His Precious Blood and cleanses us with His word is so that we can meet standard (Ephesians 5:27, John 15:3). In other words, only those who are made pure by being washed in the Blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, can be raptured. If you are not yet washed in His Blood, today is the day of your cleansing. Confess your sins to Him, accept the work of redemption He did on your behalf, and ask Him to cleanse you with His purifying blood. You will then become as white as snow, ready for the rapture (Isaiah 1:18-19). May the Lord count you worthy to partake in the rapture in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please grant me grace to continually live a life that meets the standard of the Church Your Son is coming for in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 17-19
Jeremiah 33:12-26

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 16: HOLD THE FORT
1. Ho, my comrades, see the signal, waving in the sky!
Reinforcements now appearing, victory is nigh.

o Refrain:
“Hold the fort, for I am coming,” Jesus signals still;
Wave the answer back to Heaven, “By Thy grace we will.”

2. See the mighty host advancing, Satan leading on;
Mighty ones around us falling, courage almost gone!

3. See the glorious banner waving! Hear the trumpet blow!
In our Leader’s Name we triumph over every foe.

4. Fierce and long the battle rages, but our help is near;
Onward comes our great Commander, cheer, my comrades, cheer!

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20

MEMORISE:

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.Matthew 6:10

READ: Acts 14:5-11

5 And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them,

6 They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:

7 And there they preached the gospel.

8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:

9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,

10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.

11 And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.

MESSAGE

When you have revelation of what heaven looks like, you will realize that no other experience can be more pleasant. The Holy Spirit makes it clear that it is indeed possible for us to experience the days of heaven on earth (Deuteronomy 11:21). When Jesus was here on earth, the disciples were actually experiencing heaven on earth. No wonder the Lord said to them in Luke 17:22b:

“The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.”

If you therefore want to understand what heaven on earth looks like, take a look at the life of Jesus here on earth and the experiences His disciples had at that time.

Heaven is a place where God is enthroned supremely and His will is done completely (Acts 7:49, Matthew 6:10). Experiencing heaven on earth therefore implies enthroning God’s kingdom here on earth and establishing His will over all situations. What is God’s will for man and how can it be established? According to Genesis 1:26, the will of God for man is dominion. The devil stole man’s dominion and became the prince of this world after he lured man into sin. This why he claims ownership of the kingdom of this world (John 14:30, Luke 4:6). The devil held sway until Jesus came to overthrow his illegitimate rule (Luke 4:18-19). For this reason, our Lord instructs us to pray that the kingdom of God should come. When God’s kingdom comes upon an individual’s life, there will be restoration of dominion and prosperity in the body, soul and spirit. There cannot be sickness in any body that exists in the kingdom of Jehovah-Rapha. There cannot be death in the kingdom of the Immortal God. Where the kingdom of Jehovah-Nissi holds sway, there can be no defeat or loss of power. Poverty cannot arise where Jehovah-Jireh, the El-Shaddai, reigns.

In today’s Bible reading, the people of Lystra, who did not know God, experienced heaven on earth. They even though Paul and Barnabas were gods! When you experience heaven on earth in your life, you will also become a wonder. You can experience heaven on the earth if you enthrone God a king over your life by becoming born again. When you do this, Jesus will put an end to the kingdom of the devil that has hitherto dominated your life. When He reigns in your life, sin and all forms of calamity will be overthrown. As a child of God, to what extent have you allowed the principles of God’s kingdom to rule your life? Are there some “reversed area” you would not want to cede over to God? Give God everything today, and let Him rule over your life completely.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please let Your kingdom come in my life. Overthrow the rule of self and of the devil over any aspect  of my life, and begin to reign supreme in me from now onward.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 15-16
Jeremiah 33:1-11

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: TRUST AND OBEY.

1. 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.

o Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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:

Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. Proverbs 11:14

READ: Genesis 41:33-40

. 33 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.

34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.

35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.

36 And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.

37 And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.

38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?

39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:

40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.

MESSAGE

In our daily lives, we need godly counsel. More importantly, people in power need to realize that they need godly counsel in order to rule well. Godly counsel is vital for the success of any human endeavor. I pray that you will never suffer the famine of godly counsel all the days of your life in Jesus Name.

In today’s Bible reading, Pharaoh demonstrated the character of a wise king. He dreamt a dream which he could not interpret, and he sort counsel to get its interpretation. Amazingly, it was Pharaoh’s cupbearer that offered him counsel that led to his problem being solved. The counsel offered by the cupbearer was the result of his encounter with an oracle of God in prison. There are many lessons we can learn from this story, first of which is not to despise those whom God has placed around us, and not to ignore their counsel. Pharaoh could have dismissed the cupbearer’s counsel as coming from a uneducated person taking undue advantage of his access to the king. Furthermore, who would have expected to find a genuine and accurate interpreter of dreams in the prison yard? It was indeed the “God factor” that made the king seek after Joseph, for all odds were against him. The most interesting thing in the story is Pharaoh’s decision to put Joseph charge of the massive project that resulted from the dream’s interpretation. How unsearchable are the ways of God!

A lot of godly counsel has been dismissed by people in leadership, leading to their downfall. This has also had destructive effects on the people the lead. Godly counsel can lead to wise decisions that will bring prosperity to communities, cities, nations and organizations. Leaders in all spheres of life should also learn from how Pharaoh placed a round peg in a round hole to achieve good governance. Pharaoh could have insisted on appointing an indigenous Egyptian to be in charge of the enormous project to be undertaken. He could also have appointed his own child or relative, and that would have bastardized the divine arrangement that God had put in place to save the whole of his empire. Beloved, where do you seek counsel from? Do you go to God and his servant or to the devil and his soothsayers? Remember, only godly counsel can produce wise decisions in your life’s endeavor regardless of the vessel God uses to deliver it. The Lord has on several occasions used my children in the Lord to give counsel that has taken our ministry to the level where it is today. This is why I cherish all the children that the Lord has given to me in the faith, and why I endeavor to train them in the ways of the Lord, so that they in tur can be channels of godly counsel to me and those I set them over. This has worked and is still working for us.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, help me to recognize and accept the godly counsel You send my way, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 13-14
Jeremiah 32:26-44

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: TRUST AND OBEY.

1. 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.

o Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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:

The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish. Proverbs 14:11

READ: Proverbs 1:24-33

24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
.
MESSAGE

Today, the Holy Spirit is asking you if your prosperity is built on wickedness. As today’s memory verse says, it is dangerous to prosper through wickedness. One of my sons was delivered from being hooked by evil prosperity when he was offered a huge amount of money to defraud his organization. He refused to be part of the deal because he knew the spiritual implication of being unequally yoked with the wicked (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). The love of wealth makes a lot of people ignore God’s counsel, with devastating consequences. Such wealth will eventually grow wings and fly away. Proverbs 13:22 says that a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous. In other words, if you manage to gather wealth by stealing, lying or other acts of wickedness, the Lord is saying that He will take that wealth from you and give it to the righteous. Are you tempted to gather wealth through acts of wickedness or enjoying wealth obtained through sin? God is saying to you today that He is willing to prosper you, but you have to repent from your life of sin.

There was once a famous surgeon who was very wicked. He used to charge his patients very high fees and was living off the misfortune of others. He eventually became very rich with many houses all over the place. However, he himself fell sick, and all the money he made through wickedness was spent to help him, but to no avail. He eventually died. Years ago, I went to the University of Ibadan, and after my ministration, my car won’t start. It was discovered that water had mixed with fuel in my car. The fuel tank had to be removed in order to separate this water from the fuel. After this was done, the car started working again. Likewise, for you to prosper, you must get rid of all ungodly elements in your business and work. Zacchaeus was wise enough to know that all the ill-gone wealth at his disposal must be gotten rid of. He said to the Lord in Luke 19:8b:

“Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.”

There was a very wealthy man in a city in South-western Nigeria who had a lot of houses but could not sleep well in any of them. He came for prayers, offering to give us all his houses if only he could begin to sleep well. Of course, we rejected his gift. Beloved, it is indeed foolhardy to “prosper” through wickedness. If you have accumulated riches through fraudulent and bloody means, repent today. Jesus Christ will forgive you and give you grace to restitute your ways like he did for Zacchaeus. If you know these things and do them, it shall be well with you.

ACTION POINT:

Prayerfully restitute any wealth you acquired through falsehood immediately.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 11-12
Jeremiah 32:16-25

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 5: LET OTHERS SEE JESUS IN YOU.

1.While passing thro’ this world of sin,
and others your life shall view,
Be clean and pure without, within;
Let others see Jesus in you.

Refrain:
Let others see Jesus in you,
Let others see Jesus in you.
Keep telling the story, be faithful and true;
Let others see Jesus in you.

2. Your life’s a book before their eyes,
They’re reading it thro’ and thro’
Say, does it point them to the skis,
Do others see Jesus in you?

Refrain

3. Then live for Christ both day and night,
Be faithful, be brave and true,
and lead the lost to life and Christ.
Let others see Jesus in you.

Refrain

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20

MEMORISE:

Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 1 Timothy 3:7

READ: Romans 2:17-25

17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,

18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;

19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,

20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.

21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?

24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

MESSAGE

An old adage says, “One example is better than precepts.” Today’s memory verse tells us why a preacher must live an exemplary Christian life. When a preacher fails to live up to what he or she preaches, such a preacher will suffer reproach and open the door for the devil to have foothold in his or her life. The seven sons of Sceva are a good case in point (Acts 19:12-17). A preacher must have a good report, even among unbelievers. Our Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 5:16:

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Romans 2:20 says those who preach by words alone and not by good deeds are instructors of the foolish. In order words, only a fool would listen to someone who does not practice what he or she preaches. The same Bible verse also describes such people as teachers of babes. Only babes would take a teacher who leads a double-life seriously. However, by the time such babes in Christ grow to a level of considerable spiritual maturity, they will abandon such teachers. This accounts for why some churches remain a nursery for Christians who later move on to higher levels in other churches.

There is no way our preaching can be effective if we do the direct opposite of what we preach. We strip God’s word of its power in the lives of our hearers when we are neck deep in those same vices we preach against. It is better not to be a preacher than to be one who does not do what he or she preaches, because the Name of the Lord is reviled in the process and the word of God is made of none effect. Romans 2:23-24 says:

“Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.”

The choice is yours to make on not being numbered among those who drag the Name of the Lord through the mud. Today, some preachers have become the object of mockery because they have refused to live like Jesus Christ, who embodied all that He taught (Acts 1:1). It is time for preachers to begin to preach and live God’s word, and not their own ideas. Jesus is the Word of God, and preachers must draw the attention of their audience to Him alone. It is when we lift Jesus up in our messages that men will be drawn to Him (John 12:32).

PRAYER POINT:

Father, anoint my tongue with Your fire and make me an effective preacher of Your word.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 9-10
Jeremiah 32:1-15

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 5: LET OTHERS SEE JESUS IN YOU.

1.While passing thro’ this world of sin,
and others your life shall view,
Be clean and pure without, within;
Let others see Jesus in you.

Refrain:
Let others see Jesus in you,
Let others see Jesus in you.
Keep telling the story, be faithful and true;
Let others see Jesus in you.

2. Your life’s a book before their eyes,
They’re reading it thro’ and thro’
Say, does it point them to the skis,
Do others see Jesus in you?

Refrain

3. Then live for Christ both day and night,
Be faithful, be brave and true,
and lead the lost to life and Christ.
Let others see Jesus in you.

Refrain

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20

MEMORISE:

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. 2Timothy 4:2

READ: 2 Timothy 4:1-5

1I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

MESSAGE

Preaching is a divine instruction to be obeyed, not only by evangelist and pastors, but by all born again children of God. It is simply telling people about the saving power of Jesus and persuading them to embrace the spiritual gifts He freely gives. Committing this great work into our hands and declaring us to be Christ’s ambassadors, the Holy Spirit says in 2 Corinthians 5:19-20:

“To witness,
that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”

In today’s Bible reading, He instructs us to preach the word in season and out of season. In other words, we are expected to preach the word when it is convenient and when it is not convenient. He also tells us how to preach, saying our message should rebuke, reprove and exhort. Although the gospel is a message of love, it is not devoid of correction for those on the path of destruction, as some people erroneously believe. Any gospel that does not reprove its hearer is incomplete. The good news is supposed to convict those on the part of perdition to make a U-turn onto the path of life and righteousness. This gospel is also not devoid of rebuke for all men. Indeed, our God is love, but some people forget that He is also a Consuming Fire to the ungodly. John the Baptist did not mince words in his preaching about the kingdom of God. In Matthew 3:1-8, he rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees of their hypocrisy and asked them to repent. The message of our Lord Jesus Christ also contained rebuke. In Luke 13:2b-3, He said to His audience:

“Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”

He also rebuked His church at Ephesus, warning them that they had neglected their first love and exhorting them to repent (Revelation 2:1-5). Lastly, the message of our preaching should also exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. We must exhort in doctrine in order to raise mature Christians who are grounded in the ways of God. Some preachers claim to have been called to preach and not to teach doctrine. One wonders where they got their theology from. Any sermon that is void of doctrine is a lifeless oration.

People cannot do the will of God they don’t know, and they only get to know the will of God through exhortation in doctrine (John 7:17). Beloved, you must go out there to preach, so that sinners can embrace the love of God and repent.

ACTION POINT:

Make it a point of duty to present the full gospel of Jesus Christ whenever you preach the word.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 7-8
Jeremiah 31:31-40

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 15: MUST I GO, AND EMPTY-HANDED

1. “Must I go, and empty-handed,”
Thus my dear Redeemer meet?
Not one day of service give Him,
Lay no trophy at His feet?

Chorus:
“Must I go, and empty-handed?”
Must I meet my Savior so?
Not one soul with which to greet Him:
Must I empty-handed go?

2. Not at death I shrink nor falter,
For my Savior saves me now;
But to meet Him empty-handed,
Thought of that now clouds my brow.

Chorus:

3. O the years in sinning wasted;
Could I but recall them now,
I would give them to my Savior,
To His will I’d gladly bow.

Chorus:

4. O ye saints, arouse, be earnest,
Up and work while yet ’tis day;
Ere the night of death o’ertake thee,
Strive for souls while still you may. We

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20

MEMORISE:

The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. Proverbs 11:25

READ: Hebrews 11:17-19

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

Malachi 3:8-12

8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.

12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.

MESSAGE

Our God is a God of principles, and He runs the universe by the principles He has established. Understanding these principles is key to living a blessed life. One of God’s principle is the principle of obtaining a harvest after a period of sowing, while another is that whatsoever a man sows is what he will reap (Genesis 8:22, Galatians 6:7). Based on these two principles, whenever God wants to bless a fellow, He creates an opportunity for the fellow to give up something precious as a seed into the fertile soil of His kingdom. Such divinely organized investment opportunities must be grabbed with both hands. When God wanted to bless Abraham and make him a mighty nation, He asked him to sacrifice his only son to Him. After Abraham passed the tests, he received an everlasting promise of greatness (Genesis 22 16-17).

Those who want to get the results that Abraham got must be ready to do the works that Abraham did. It is ironic to hear people sing “Abraham’s blessings are mine” or claim to be Abraham’s children, and yet refuse to do the works of Abraham. The Lord said in John 8:39b:

“If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.”

Malachi 3:8-12 contains a divine investment opportunity which Abraham himself embraced. He and his descendants did this by faith, even before the Law of Moses was given in (Genesis 14:18-20, Genesis 28:22). Today, this same investment opportunity is still open to all of God’s obedient children who desire to receive great blessings from Him. When I was confronted with the principle of tithing as I was growing in faith, I found it difficult to understand it as a divine investment opportunity, until I eventually learnt my lesson in a painstaking way. I discovered that my financial problems persisted even though I was not paying tithes, to the extent that I used to borrow money from my driver to buy fuel into my car before my next salary was paid. However, immediately I realized that God was only setting His children up for blessings through tithing, I threw myself headlong into it. Before long, I stopped borrowing money and eventually had enough to build my first house. When God says “Give”, it is because He wants to us to receive (Luke 6:38). Years ago, when we were preparing for our annual church convention, there were multiple building projects going on within our camp grounds, of which the major one was the roofing of our main auditorium. As I was wondering how to get enough funds for this project, one of my senior pastors came asking for financial assistance for his church’s project. I initially refused because I still needed funds to complete the national project, but God prevailed on me to give him all I had on me. Shortly afterwards, the Lord laid it upon someone’s heart to give me the exact amount needed for the project on hand. I then knew that God was setting me up for supernatural financial breakthrough when He asked me to give all I had to assist this pastor. It was an investment that yielded high dividends. Beloved, I encourage you to invest in the business of God’s kingdom, and your business will not run dry.

KEY POINT:

If you are a child of Abraham, you will do the works of Abraham in the area of tithing.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 4-6
Jeremiah 31:15-30

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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:
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Daniel 1:8

READ: Genesis 39:7-12

7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

8 But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;

9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.

11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.

12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

MESSAGE

People often cite their environment as the reason why the live sinful lifestyle, but this is untenable before God. A good number of people who found themselves in ungodly environments still maintain their loyalty to the Holy God, and they will testify against such people on the last day. Indeed, living holy among ungodly people is possible. Joseph is one example of someone who lived a righteous life in the midst of the ungodly. As seen in today’s Bible reading, he lived under the same roof with an ungodly person who happened to be his boss, and yet he kept his integrity. Nowadays, some people who profess to be born again easily give in when pressured by their superiors to do ungodly things at work. They do this either to gain a promotion or because they fear losing their job, forgetting that the Holy spirit said those who will live godly lives in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). They also ignored His admonition in 1 Timothy 6:6 which says:
“But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

Sadly, in spite of what the Lord said in Mark10:29-30, many people believe that to be born again is to escape a life that will experience persecutions. For such people, living a holy life is not a possibility.

What is holiness? It is simply obedience to the word of God. When you are obedient to God’s word, you demonstrate faith in Him, and your life will be pleasing in His sight. That is what holiness is all about. It was disobedience that took Adam from a position of glory to laboring under a curse. Take a cue from Joseph who in the face of deadly pressure said in Genesis 39:9:

“………how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

Daniel is another person whose life showed that living a godly life in the midst of ungodliness is possible. His actions in today’s memory verse demonstrates that living a holy life is a matter of personal decision. Some people would not want to join the police force because they believe policemen are corrupt. This is not true! You can be a police office and decide not to be corrupt. Some run away from being accountants so that they are not tempted to falsify figures. How wrong they are! You don’t need to be an accountant before you steal the funds of an organization. A governor who purposes in his heart not to embezzle public funds will maintain his integrity, whereas a messenger could end up stealing cans of coffee in his or her custody. Irrespective of your location, with Christ in you, you can live a holy life and enjoy the promotion that it brings, just like Joseph and David did.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, grant me grace to live in obedience to your word even in the midst of ungodliness.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 1-3
Jeremiah 31:1-14

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 10: I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

• 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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MEMORISE:

Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. Hebrews 12:16

READ: 1 John 3:1-3

1Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

MESSAGE

When Apostle John caught the revelation of who we are in Christ, he was so excited about it. You can feel his excitement in these words he penned in 1 John 3:1:

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”

We learn from these words that the children of this world will never understand our ways. They cannot understand us, no matter how hard they try, until they come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Therefore, trying to make the children of this world appreciate or accept our lifestyle is an exercise in futility. Some Christians have compromised their faith in an attempt to impress the world. In spite of the miracles the Master performed- healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing lepers and other signs and wonders – the children of this world still cried “Crucify Him!” They even preferred the notorious robber, Barabbas, to the Author of life (John 18:39-40). Since they rejected our Master, don’t be shocked that they will also reject our way of life.

As sons of God, we have a birthright which our adoption accords us. Although our minds cannot fully comprehend presently the scope of what this birthright gives, we have the assurance that when we see the Lord in glory, we will understand it all, because we will be exactly like Him (1 Corinthians 2:9, 1 Corinthians 13:12, 1 John 3:2). Why is the Lord giving us this assurance? The reason is that He knowns we will face challenges in life which can make us doubt the reality of our heritage as peculiar people chosen by God to be favored above others in the world, having God as our Father. Our Lord also faced this challenge in the wilderness of temptation and on the cross of Calvary (Luke 4:3-12, Mark 15:34). In the wilderness, the devil tried to make Him doubt His status as the Son of the Living God. The devil knew that God would not answer prayers inspired by satanic suggestions or borne out of the desire to satisfy a lust (James 4:3). He also knew that God would not grant a request against His perfect will (Matthew 6:10, Luke 22:42). He was therefore setting Jesus up to have His prayers unanswered when he asked Him to turn a stone into bread to approve His birthright. If Jesus’ prayers were unanswered the devil would have succeeded in making His identity. Beloved, beware of doing things that would amount to selling your birthright as a child of God. The best way to avoid this is to consciously keep yourself away from worldly corruption and anything that defiles. Never live your life to impress anybody but your Father who is in heaven.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, grant me grace not to sell my eternal birthright for temporary gain in this world.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 48-50
Jeremiah 30:10-24

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 10: I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

• 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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MEMORISE:

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

READ: Mark 12:41-44

41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.

43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:

44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

MESSAGE

Many children of God are losing a lot, either because they do not know the Scriptures enough or fail to apply what they know from it. Like Abraham the father of faith, some of them who are millionaires today would have graduated to the level of being billionaire, but they have not moved to that level because they feel they are already doing enough in the area of giving when compared to what others are giving. They do not know that God’s assessment of giving is different from the way people see it. Although today’s memory verse encourages us to be cheerful givers, we should also be conscious of the fact that God is the one who gives commendation for our offerings, and His how much remains after giving! This is clearly seen in today’s Bible reading. Many well-to-do folks among the brethren would be amazed to discover that in spite of the millions they are giving, through commendable, many brethren who are less endowed are actually out-giving them in the sight of God!

Contrary to the misguided opinion of some people, God is actually interested in what we give. In Mark 12:41, Jesus Christ personally observed the offertory in the synagogue, so much so that He knew how many mites the widow dropped in the offering box! I would like to point out here that not all widows are poor. There are actually multi-millionaire widows in our society. However, we are very sure that the widow referenced in today’s Bible reading was poor. We need to get this distinction right because there are certain widows in the Church today who are not supposed to queue up for charity whenever it is being distributed, but they do so. Such charity is meant for the poor among widows. Another lesson we should learn in today’s Bible reading is that in spite of all those who gave fat offerings, heaven commended the poor widow’s giving as being the most sacrificial of all. Let those who specialize in taking offering beware of making uncomplimentary remarks against those who give “tattered notes”, because that might be all that they have!

Beloved, the amount you have left in your storehouse after you have given to God determines your score card in His presence. I pray that you will not only give cheerfully from today but you will also begin to give bountifully, and you will not miss your reward in Jesus’s Name.

ACTION POINT:

Whenever you are giving to God, always consider what you are holding back to determine how sacrificial your giving is to the Almighty God, who gives power to make wealth.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 46-47
Jeremiah 29:24-30:9

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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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