Monthly Archives: June 2019

MEMORISE

When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. Luke 5:8

READ: Acts 13:1-5

1Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

5 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.

MESSAGE

Over the years, I have always used every possible opportunity I get to remind my children that soul-winning is not an option for a Christian, it is a necessity. Although God has made provision for the salvation of mankind, the Holy spirit declares in Romans 10:13-15 that sinners may not have access to salvation unless preachers are sent. This highlights the importance of answering the call to missions. The call of God refers to God summoning individuals or groups of people to Himself for the purpose of fellowship and service, both in this world and in eternity. A great example of this is the call of the disciple s by the Master in Mark 3:14, which says:

“And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,”

The call of God may be tied to a specific place, task or vocation in life, and it might also be of a general nature. For example, God called Abraham, Moses and Jeremiah for specific purposes (Genesis 12:1-3, Exodus3:4, Jeremiah 1:5), and after Christ’s successful ministry on earth, He called all His disciples to accomplish the general mission of reaching out to the whole world (Matthew 28:18-20). The primary mandate of the Church is to reach out to all the nations of the earth with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, teaching and baptizing them in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. This is our Great Commission. Referring to our mandate, an author once wrote, “it was a Jew who brought the Gospel to Rome; a Roman who took it to France; a Frenchman who took it to Scandinavia; a Scotsman who evangelized Ireland; and an Irishman that in turn made the missionary conquest of Scotland. No people have every received the Gospel except at the hand of an alien”.

It is critical to note that every member of the Church has an obligation to preach the gospel, because our Lord said in Mark 13:10:

“And the gospel must first be published among all nations.”

Soul winners are not born; they are made out of ordinary individuals who possess a yielded spirit, commitment to do God’s will, compassion for lost souls, and a deep sense of God’s calling. I pray that you will not disappoint God’s grace upon your life, and that you will become an incurable soul winner in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please help me to fulfil my calling as a soul winner in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 23-25
Lamentation 4:17-5:22

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.

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MEMORISE:
Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:5

READ: Revelation 12:9-11

9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

MESSAGE

To conquer is to overcome and have dominion over a person, territory or kingdom. It therefore follows that a conqueror or overcomer is someone who has been able to defeat or overpower a person, territory or kingdom to the point of surrender. The word “conqueror” is also a military term which describes a person who has come out victorious from a war or conflict situation. Who then is our adversary? The answer is found in Ephesians 6:12, which says:

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Through this verse we understand that our greatest enemy is the devil and his kingdom. As mere mortals, it is absolutely impossible to consider overcoming the devil in any form of contest. However, we speak of being conquerors on the basis of God’s declaration concerning us in 1 John 4:4, which says that God in us is greater than everyone in the world. Furthermore, we have the confidence to confront our enemies because God’s Spirit assures us in Romans 8:31 that if God is for us, no one can successfully stand against us. Indeed, regardless of the challenges we face in life, we are more than conquerors through the love of Jesus (Romans 8:36-37). Obviously, Jesus is the ultimate conqueror and overcomer. He fought for us, and through His conquest, we more than conquerors, having obtained victory over the devil without having to fight him.

The Bible records many examples of winners and conquerors, but the greatest of them all is our Lord Jesus Christ. He triumphed over the devil in two spectacular ways that are worthy of mention. Firstly, in Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus faced the devil in a most crucial contest of self-control, knowledge, wisdom and power, but He overcame, giving the devil a technical knockout through the power of God’s word. Secondly, the devil masterminded the unwarranted arrest, orchestrated the sham trial, and inspired the wicked execution of our Lord, not knowing that Christ would totally destroy him through His subsequent death and resurrection (Hebrews 2:14, 1 Corinthians 2:7). Colossians 2:15 says,

“And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

When Jesus died, he went to hell, where He captured the devil and freed the captives. He paraded the devil and his cohorts in an open show of shame, confirming His supremacy over the kingdom of darkness. No matter how hopeless your situation may be or fierceness of the battle against you, I decree that your enemies will be disgraced and you will be victorious, in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, make my enemies submit themselves to Your presence in my life, and let every gate blocking my progress open unto me of their own accord, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 22

Ezekiel 3:61-4:16

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 13: I AM A VICTOR

• Yes, I know I am a victor
For the Bible tells me so
God made me more than a conqueror
Much stronger than all my foes

CHORUS
Jesus loves me and I love Him
Together we rule the world
Christ with me I will overcome
By His Blood, His Name, His Word

• Yes, I know I am a victor
Stronger than demons I am
To Satan I am a terror
I am free, o yes, I am

• Yes, I know I am a victor
Stronger than lack, poverty
All my needs Jesus provides for
I have life abundantly

• Yes, I know I am a victor
Barrenness no more indeed
Fruitful is the God I live for
All my dreams shall be fulfilled

• Yes, I know I am a victor
By His strength I shall succeed
No more loss and no more failure
Glory to glory proceed

• Yes, I know I am a victor
No more sorrow, no despair
Jesus Christ is my own Succour
Tomorrow is joy and cheer

• Yes, I know I am a victor
Very soon I’ll reign with Him
His promise is my sure anchor
He’s coming to take me home

• Jesus loves me and I love Him
We rule this world together
As He is so right now I am
Hear me shout Halleluyah

• Jesus loves me Halleluyah
Hear me shout Halleluyah
Halleluyah, Halleluyah
Glory be to God on high

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

READ: Luke 6:27-38

27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.

30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.

33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.

34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

MESSAGE

The greatest challenges confronting most people all over the world today is how to meet daily financial needs. In many cases, the inability to settle essential bills has led to broken homes, stress, sickness, mental illness and even suicide. Poverty seems to have driven a great number of misguided people into vices like gambling prostitution, gangsterism, drug peddling, human trafficking and other serious illegal activities. However, God is not unmindful of our financial situations and troubles; rather. He is moved by compassion to prosper His obedient children. God’s desire for His children to enjoy all-round prosperity is revealed to us in 3 John 1:2, which says:

“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”

I keep telling my children that our Father’s ultimate desire is to see that we are all blessed. God wants us to dwell in His blessings and not live at the mercy of unbelievers. Indeed, the more wealth the Lord releases to us, the more His kingdom on earth will be expanded. Don’t believe those who tell you that you are not supposed to be wealthy as a follower of Christ. This is a false doctrine. God’s word says that you are to lend to nations and not borrow (Deuteronomy 15:6), adding that His blessings make us rich and add no sorrow (Proverbs 10:22). The Bible also says in Psalm 35:27b

“Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.”

However, before you can take possession of your divine wealth, you need to use certain keys that will separate you from poverty and bring you to the realm of unprecedented riches in God. Luke 6:38 tells us that giving is the expressway to prosperity and the antidote to poverty, as it deals with poverty in a way that permanently eliminate lack in a person’s life (2 Corinthians 9:6). Let us some key points here. First and foremost, according to Luke 6:38, giving draws blessings to the giver. Secondly, while we are not expected to be frivolous with money, we must not conserve more than necessary, to the extent that it prevents us from fulfilling our obligations to God or helping the poor and needy. Proverbs 11:24 says:

“There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.”

May God reward you abundantly for your past, present and future labor of love in his vineyard in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please help me to honor You with everything I have, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 20-21
Lamentation 3:25-60

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 1: THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS

• There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.
• Refrain:
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.

• There shall be showers of blessing,
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.

• There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing,
Come, and now honor Thy Word.

• There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!

• There shall be showers of blessing,
If we but trust and obey;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
If we let God have His way.

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MEMORISE:
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. Acts 10:38

READ: Luke 4:18-21

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

MESSAGE

Captivity describes the halted and confined state of an individual, community or nation by an external power. This term also denotes the state of people under the bondage of sin and demonic oppression. Only Jesus Christ has the power to set people free from all forms of captivity. Deliverance happens when a person is rescued from forces of bondage or overwhelming circumstance focuses on captives, prisoners of war, slaves, debtors, suspected criminals, condemned sinners and the oppressed, who are often treated with great cruelty and indignity. Another focus of deliverance is individuals dominated by forces of darkness. Sadly, many people are suffering because they do not know they are in bondage or see that they need deliverance they do not know they are in bondage or see that they need deliverance. Irrespective of the form of deliverance that is needed, the good news is that Jesus Christ was specially anointed for the purpose of setting captives and prisoners free. Isaiah 61:1-3 prophesied it, and we see the manifestation of its fulfilment in today’s Bible reading.

Living in oppression is especially pathetic because it is practically impossible for anyone in this state to make any progress in life or be delivered through self-help. Stagnation, disappointment, failure, fruitlessness, sickness and misfortune are all possible indications that a person needs deliverance. I prophesy to anyone experiencing such evil conditions that you shall be delivered today in Jesus’ Name.

There is hope for your deliverance because there is a powerful Savior and Deliverer who is able and willing to deliver you-His name is Jesus. All power in heaven and on earth belongs to him.

Everyone and everything is subject to his authority; even demons are powerless before Him. Once He speaks, demons obey, and at the mention of His Name, they flee and people are delivered. Once again, I decree in the Name of Jesus, receive deliverance from every form of bondage now! Do you need deliverance? The first step is to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior and join a living church. You must then make every effort to avoid self-destructive acts of immorality and sin. Finally, brethren, call upon the Name of Jesus by faith, relying on His word in Romans 10:13, which says:

“ For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Do this and you will begin to enjoy the liberty that Christ gives. Hallelujah!

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please set me free from any evil captivity I am in today, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 18-19
Lamentation 2:19-3:24

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 13: I AM A VICTOR

• Yes, I know I am a victor
For the Bible tells me so
God made me more than a conqueror
Much stronger than all my foes

CHORUS
Jesus loves me and I love Him
Together we rule the world
Christ with me I will overcome
By His Blood, His Name, His Word

• Yes, I know I am a victor
Stronger than demons I am
To Satan I am a terror
I am free, o yes, I am

• Yes, I know I am a victor
Stronger than lack, poverty
All my needs Jesus provides for
I have life abundantly

• Yes, I know I am a victor
Barrenness no more indeed
Fruitful is the God I live for
All my dreams shall be fulfilled

• Yes, I know I am a victor
By His strength I shall succeed
No more loss and no more failure
Glory to glory proceed

• Yes, I know I am a victor
No more sorrow, no despair
Jesus Christ is my own Succour
Tomorrow is joy and cheer

• Yes, I know I am a victor
Very soon I’ll reign with Him
His promise is my sure anchor
He’s coming to take me home

• Jesus loves me and I love Him
We rule this world together
As He is so right now I am
Hear me shout Halleluyah

• Jesus loves me Halleluyah
Hear me shout Halleluyah
Halleluyah, Halleluyah
Glory be to God on high

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20

MEMORISE:

But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil. Proverbs 1:33

READ: Proverbs 1:20-29

20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:

21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,

22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

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:

MESSAGE

But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 1 Corinthians 1:24

This verse reveals that the wisdom of God is not a thing but a personality; hence He speaks, calls, warns and counsels. Jesus Christ is the Wisdom of God, and He is speaking to you directly in today’s Bible reading. The wise will listen to what He has to say and build their lives on the sure foundation of the principles that He teaches. In Luke 6:47-48, He says:

“Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.”

Because of His great love and compassion for all of mankind, He pleads with us to listen to His counsel and asks why we would choose foolishness instead of the wisdom He offers, He wonders why men hate knowledge, which saves us from temporal and eternal calamity when we correctly apply it to our lives. The Wisdom of God even assures us in today’s memory verse that whoever hearkens to Him and does His bidding will live in safety, free from all evils. If I were you, I would listen to what He has to say, act on His warnings and walk in the counsel that He gives.

Beloved, the Wisdom of God calls out to you today from Matthew 11:28-30, saying:

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Have you responded positively to this call? You may not know it but answering this call is the best decision you can make in life. In this call lies salvation, prosperity, rest of mind and total freedom from all forms of stress. The burden of sin is unbearable! It is therefore a wise thing to respond to the call of the one who can remove this burden from us. Answering the call of Jesus unto salvation is the beginning of wisdom. Proverbs 1:31-32 declares the calamity that will befall those who fail to answer His call. May that not be your portion in Jesus’ Name. determine to harken to the voice of God’s Wisdom from today onward.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, give me listening ears to hear Your warnings and counsel and a willing heart to do according to what You say, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 16-17
Lamentation 2:6-18

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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MEMORISE:
Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Colossians 4:2

READ: 1 Peter 5:5-11

5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

MESSAGE

Watchfulness means to be alert and expectant as you monitor someone or something in your care, or as you await the arrival of someone important or a significant event. To be watchful is to be alert to things around you as you live your daily life. The Bible warns us to be vigilant by closely watching the activity of the devil, mortifying all vulnerabilities to temptation, looking out for the enemy’s wily attacks and being ever prepared for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our watchfulness should begin with the words of Proverbs 4:23, which says:

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

The Holy Spirit refers to this as renewing the mind in Romans 12:2, which I best done by filling our minds with the undiluted words of God (Hebrews 4:12). Having set a watch over the thoughts and imaginations of our hearts, we then need to bridle our tongue in order not to sin with it (James 1:26, 1 Peter 3:10). Finally, 1 Peter 4:7 says:

“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”

As Christians in these last days, we are called to watch unto prayers more than ever before.

Why do we need to be watchful? The Holy Spirit answers this in 1 Peter 5:8, which says:

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”

Let us follow the example of our Lord, who took the need to be watchful seriously in the last hour before His sufferings began. Knowing what was about to happen to Him, He was so sorrowful and decided to take His disciples to have a private moment at the Garden of Gethsemane. It was at this retreat that Jesus gave His disciples the sure antidote to temptation. He said in Matthew 26:41:

“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

We are therefore called to be alert to dangers which can erode and shipwreck our faith in Christ such as false teachings, worldliness, love of money, inordinate ambition, sinful pleasure, sexual immorality and all other works of the flesh. Complacency or failure to watch can be very dangerous indeed. It led to the sudden death of Abel, who was killed by a brother who spoke peacefully with him in one minute but rose up to kill him in the next (Genesis 4:8). Sanballat and Tobiah, the enemies of the Jews, would have successfully terminated Nehemiah’s building project if not for watchfulness (Nehemiah 4). I pray that God will expose every activity of the enemy in your like and family today in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, as You did with Elisha, help me to always be one step ahead of my enemies, in Jesus’ Name (2 Kings 6:8-12).

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 14-15
Lamentation 1:15-2:5

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 2 : OH JESUS I HAVE PROMISED

1. O Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my Guide.

2. Oh, let me feel Thee near me;
The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
The tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me,
Around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer,
And shield my soul from sin.

3. Oh, let me hear Thee speaking,
In accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion,
The murmurs of self-will;
Oh, speak to reassure me,
To hasten, or control;
Oh, speak, and make me listen,
Thou Guardian of my soul.

4. O Jesus, Thou hast promised
To all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory
There shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Oh, give me grace to follow,
My Master and my Friend.

5. Oh, let me see Thy footmarks,
And in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly
Is in Thy strength alone.
Oh, guide me, call me, draw me,
Uphold me to the end;
And then to rest receive me,
My Savior and my Friend.

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20

MEMORISE:

Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Colossians 4:2

READ: 1 Peter 5:5-11

5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

MESSAGE

Watchfulness means to be alert and expectant as you monitor someone or something in your care, or as you await the arrival of someone important or a significant event. To be watchful is to be alert to things around you as you live your daily life. The Bible warns us to be vigilant by closely watching the activity of the devil, mortifying all vulnerabilities to temptation, looking out for the enemy’s wily attacks and being ever prepared for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our watchfulness should begin with the words of Proverbs 4:23, which says:

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

The Holy Spirit refers to this as renewing the mind in Romans 12:2, which I best done by filling our minds with the undiluted words of God (Hebrews 4:12). Having set a watch over the thoughts and imaginations of our hearts, we then need to bridle our tongue in order not to sin with it (James 1:26, 1 Peter 3:10). Finally, 1 Peter 4:7 says:

“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”

As Christians in these last days, we are called to watch unto prayers more than ever before.

Why do we need to be watchful? The Holy Spirit answers this in 1 Peter 5:8, which says:

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”

Let us follow the example of our Lord, who took the need to be watchful seriously in the last hour before His sufferings began. Knowing what was about to happen to Him, He was so sorrowful and decided to take His disciples to have a private moment at the Garden of Gethsemane. It was at this retreat that Jesus gave His disciples the sure antidote to temptation. He said in Matthew 26:41:

“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

We are therefore called to be alert to dangers which can erode and shipwreck our faith in Christ such as false teachings, worldliness, love of money, inordinate ambition, sinful pleasure, sexual immorality and all other works of the flesh. Complacency or failure to watch can be very dangerous indeed. It led to the sudden death of Abel, who was killed by a brother who spoke peacefully with him in one minute but rose up to kill him in the next (Genesis 4:8). Sanballat and Tobiah, the enemies of the Jews, would have successfully terminated Nehemiah’s building project if not for watchfulness (Nehemiah 4). I pray that God will expose every activity of the enemy in your like and family today in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, as You did with Elisha, help me to always be one step ahead of my enemies, in Jesus’ Name (2 Kings 6:8-12).

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 14-15
Lamentation 1:15-2:5

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 2 : OH JESUS I HAVE PROMISED

1. O Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my Guide.

2. Oh, let me feel Thee near me;
The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
The tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me,
Around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer,
And shield my soul from sin.

3. Oh, let me hear Thee speaking,
In accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion,
The murmurs of self-will;
Oh, speak to reassure me,
To hasten, or control;
Oh, speak, and make me listen,
Thou Guardian of my soul.

4. O Jesus, Thou hast promised
To all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory
There shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Oh, give me grace to follow,
My Master and my Friend.

5. Oh, let me see Thy footmarks,
And in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly
Is in Thy strength alone.
Oh, guide me, call me, draw me,
Uphold me to the end;
And then to rest receive me,
My Savior and my Friend.

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MEMORISE:
And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. Acts 3:8

READ: John 9:1-7

1And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.

2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,

7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

MESSAGE
Healing is the restoration of the body, mind or spirit to a state of wholeness and wellbeing. This restoration may be physical, as in the forgiveness of sins and justification before God. Ultimately, healing is embodied by Jesus Christ, who is the Great healer. He healed different sickness during His earthly ministry, and secured the ultimate healing for all through His death on the cross and subsequent resurrection. Although most healing experience in the Bible were instantaneous, God sometimes heals slowly or gradually over a period of time. In such cases, there is visible steady progress towards full health. Even if a person’s healing is gradual, it is still God who does the healing, and He should be given the glory.

Nevertheless, God still carries out instantaneous healing today. Most Christians today should have heard or witnessed at least one story of how God healed a person at once. Although some don’t believe this is possible, I am happy to announce to you that by the grace of God, instantaneous healings occur daily in The Redeemed Christian Church of God. We have witnessed numerous testimonies of how God instantly healed people of different sicknesses and disease, ranging from simple bacterial infections to reproductive ailments, mental and psychological problems, life threatening sicknesses and terminal diseases. We have even witnessed several cases of the dead being raised back to life and several other seemingly impossible miracles in many of our parishes around the world. Praise God! We are experiencing these great healings because we believe in the power of the Almighty God to perform miracles, signs and wonders today. We are driven by faith in His word in Hebrews 13:8, which says:
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”

We believe that what Jesus Christ did when He was physically here on earth, He is still able to do today. Indeed, God has the capacity to heal everyone who comes to Him for healing, and He is also able to heal them completely. Testifying to this, Matthew 8:16 says:
“When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:”

Divine healing is the inheritance of every child of God and it is freely accessed by faith. The Bible said it all in Isaiah 53:5- Jesus was wounded for the sins that bring sickness, He was bruised for the iniquities that cause diseases, and He wore the chastisement of our peace like a garment so that by His stripes everyone who believes automatically receives their healing. Hallelujah!

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please heal me completely and make me an agent of your healing power, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 12-13
Lamentation 1:1-14

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 7: MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

Refrain:
On Christ the solid rock I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
On Christ the solid rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to veil His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath His covenant and blood
Support me in the ‘whelming flood:
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

When the last trumpet’s voice shall sound,
O may I then in him be found.
Clothed in his righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before his throne.

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MEMORISE:

Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Hebrews 1:9

READ: Acts 8:18-24

18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the LORD for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

MESSAGE

The word anointing is used in several passages of the Bible with reference to the consecration of prophets, kings, priest and things devoted to the worship of God. By these consecration, these persons or things are set apart and empowered to act in God’s power as His representatives on earth. The anointing therefore, refers to the power of God made available through His manifest presence. We see a manifestation of what the anointing is, how it operates and why it is given in Luke 5:17, which says:

“ And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.”

It is something special to witness the outpouring of God’s anointing, which is usually accompanied by His manifest power and magnificent presence. Whenever God decides to reveal the operation of His power through the operation of the anointing, natural laws become temporarily suspended, and we see miracles, signs and wonders of great magnitude. Consequently, children of God always desire such rare opportunities to experience the supernatural, just as people gather from far and near in Luke 5:17. However, God’s anointing is a free gift that money cannot buy. Even the most precious jewel on earth cannot be offered in exchange for it. Because our God does not cast His pearls before swine, certain conditions must be met for anyone who desires to operate in His anointing (Matthew 7:6).

1 Kings 18:30-38shows some deliberate steps Prophet Elijah took to activate the anointing of God. First when the appointed time of worship came, he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. He did everything orderly and meticulously, following divine instructions. Thereafter, he called upon the Name of the Lord in prayer and worship, and God answered by fire. Therefore, if you want to activate God’s anointing in your life, you must first rebuild the altar of God and present yourself before Him as a living sacrifice without any blemish (Romans 12:1). You must be a true worshipper who worships God in spirit and in truth, making sure to adhere strictly to His pattern and instructions as revealed in the Bible. Finally, you must learn to wait patiently for God. There was a waiting period before the fire of the Holy Spirit fell on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:4). The anointing makes you a terror to the kingdom of darkness and a notable representative of the Most High God. May the fire of God’s anointing fall mightily upon you today in the Name of Jesus.

ACTION POINT:

Assess yourself to see whether the parameters that attracted the anointing in today’s memory verse are present in your life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 10-11
Jeremiah 52:24-34

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 11: WHEN THE POWER OF GOD DESCENDED

1. When the power of God descended
On the day of Pentecost,
All the day of waiting ended,
They received the Holy Ghost

Refrain:
O Lord, send the power just now,
O Lord send the power just now,
O Lord send the power just now,
And baptize, every one.

2. Tongues of flame came down upon them,
And they preached the word in power,
Listening multitudes awakened
Turned to God that very hour.

3. We are waiting Holy Spirit
We are all of one accord,
Lord fulfill just now the promise
That is given in thy Word.

4. Fill and thrill us with Thy presence,
Grant the blessing that we need
Flood our souls with wondrous glory,
While the prayer of faith we plead.

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MEMORISE:

And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved. Hosea 12:13

READ: 2 Chronicles 20:20-30

20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.

22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.

26 And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day.

27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies.

28 And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the LORD.

29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel.

30 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about.

MESSAGE

Prophecy is basically the revelation of God’s plans and purposes through inspired ad Spirit-filled human beings. It could also mean a message from God about what will happen in the future. Prophesies are of divine origin and always speak authoritatively on things to come. Since the All-knowing God determine future events, He can choose to reveal what will happen in the future to His children beforehand. Prophecy is quite different from predictions or forecasts. While predictions and forecasts may change if the variables used in deriving them changes, prophesies on the order hand are messages from God concerning things which are bound to happen. (Isaiah 55:10-11).

A critical examination of Bible prophecies reveals a systematic fulfilment of what they say, except for a few that remain to be fulfilled in the future. Examples of Bible prophesies that have come to pass include Israel’s captivity in Egypt for 400years in Genesis 15:13, the birth of King Josiah 300 years after it was prophesied in 1 Kings13:2, the rise of the Roman and Greek empires prophesied in great details in Daniel 11, the arrival of John the Baptist as the forerunner of Jesus Christ spoken of in Isaiah 40:3, the birth of Jesus the Messiah revealed in Isaiah 9:6-7, and the destruction of the temple soon after the death of Jesus in AD 70, which was prophesied in Matthew 24:2.

Prophecy is a wonderful gift of God that is highly desirable for guiding and edifying the Body of Christ. However, it is fast becoming despised and abused ministry for reasons which include people’s unwillingness to hear the truth, increased knowledge and enlightenment, and the proliferation of fake prophets and prophecies. God’s prophets today are being scorned as fanatics and alarmist for telling the truth and calling the world to repentance. Due to breakthrough in science and technology, people now despise anything that appears inexplicable or intangible. Fake prophets and prophecies have also done much damage to the ministry of prophecy by sowing doubts in people’s minds. The combination of these factors seems to be casting a shadow on the ministry of prophecy. However, because prophesy is part of Christ’s gifts to the Church, we must value it and pray for the immediate fulfilment of God’s promise to pour out His Spirit of prophesy upon us in Joel 2:28.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please disgrace and expose all fake prophets for what they are, and speedily fulfil Your promise in Joel 2:28 in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 8-9
Jeremiah 52:12:23

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 7: MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

Refrain:
On Christ the solid rock I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
On Christ the solid rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to veil His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath His covenant and blood
Support me in the ‘whelming flood:
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

When the last trumpet’s voice shall sound,
O may I then in him be found.
Clothed in his righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before his throne.

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