Monthly Archives: September 2019

MEMORISE:
He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor. Proverbs 28:8

READ: Isaiah 61:1-6

1 The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.

5 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.

6 But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.

MESSAGE

Every time I make a pronouncement that wealth will change hands, my children in the Lord usually shout “Amen”, but I believe they don’t fully understand what I am saying. If they really understood, they would not need to say “Amen”, because I am only echoing the word of God that is already settled in heaven for ever (Psalm 119:89). Rather than say “Amen’, I would prefer that they act on the conditions that will bring this prophetic word of God to pass in their lives. If you are a child of God, I announce (not pray) that wealth will change hands for your favour, and your songs of “not enough” shall change to “more than enough” in Jesus’ Name. I am declaring this to you for your information and necessary action. In Isaiah 61:4-5, the Holy Spirit declares:

“And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.”

For this to happen, we must pay close attention to the mistakes of those from whose hands wealth will come into ours. Our memory verse reveals some of their mistakes. Because they increase and gather their wealth unjustly, God is saying that their wealth shall be taken away from them and be given to those who will pity the poor. If you are awaiting the transfer of wealth that is to come, are you ready to consider the poor and reach out to them with this wealth? If your answer is yes, I congratulate you because God’s word will be fulfilled in your life. Those who will receive the wealth of the wicked are those ready and willing to redistribute the commonwealth of the populace, stolen by greedy treasury looters and lying fallow in both local and foreign accounts. Isaiah 61:6 is food for thought for those who want to partake of the divine wealth transfer that is to come. It says:

“But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.”

In other words, to qualify for the fulfilment of God’s prophetic word on wealth transfer, your lifestyle must be in tandem with what He requires of His priests and ministers. Some of these requirements are that His ministers and priests should not indulge in strong drink (Titus 1:7, Proverbs 31:4-5, Isaiah 28:7), nor should they be married to more than one spouse (1Timothy 3:2). Do you measure up to His standards? With the little God has blessed you with, do you remember the poor? These are the pertinent questions you need to ask today. God bless you.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, I open my hands this day to receive the wealth of the ungodly for the purpose of expanding Your Kingdom.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Kings 11, Ezekiel 48:15-35

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 1: THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING

1 There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Saviour above.

Chorus:
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need;
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.

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

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

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

5 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:
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
1 Timothy 4:12

READ: Ecclesiastes 11:7-10

7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:

8 But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.

9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.

10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.

MESSAGE

Youthful exuberance can be a very dangerous thing if left unchecked. It can even leave an indelible negative mark on an individual for the rest of his or her life. Are you still a youth? I rejoice with you, but you need to give heed to what the Holy Spirit is saying in today’s memory verse, because in today’s world where the internet never forgets, the enemies of your destiny will hunt for any information about your youthful mistakes when they realise you are on your way to the top. May your enemies never find anything with which they can destroy your great destiny in Jesus’ Name. In the political arena, opponents are always searching for what they can use to destroy each other’s political ambition. Examples abound of how political gladiators dig into the past of would-be political office holders, telling the world the many reasons why they should not be voted into power based on past conduct, even if they have managed to change for the better. Unfortunately, many youths do not listen to profitable counsel when they are gallivanting from one bad habit to another in the name of youthful exuberance.

The story of Reuben in Genesis 49:3-4 should be a wake-up call to any unruly youth reading this devotional study. A sin he committed in the distant past, probably in his late twenties, was revisited at the time he ought to have received the blessing of firstborn far later in life. He probably thought he was clever, handsome and the desire of all women, including his father’s wife, so much so that he slept with her (Genesis 35:22)! The most perplexing thing about this case is that Jacob never mentioned a word about it to him. If he did, probably Reuben would have pleaded for mercy. Some pastors destroyed their marital testimonies when they were young because it never occurred to them that they would be pastors later in life. Down the line, after becoming pastors, they are forced to keep mute whenever any discussion on marital infidelity arises. They cannot authoritatively divide the word of truth on this subject-matter because of their past deeds. Some Christian teachers cannot disclose how many children they have because it will generate questions such as “Is it mummy that gave birth to this or that? If not, who is their mother and where is she? Did you marry her? If yes, how come you divorced her and marry another person, contrary to what you have been teaching us?” To avoid the agony of such questions, I admonish young people to stay away from the so-called youthful exuberance that leads to regrets later in life.

ACTION POINT:
Cut off friends who draw you into things that can lead to regrets later in life, and attach yourself to a mature mentor, who is an example of living a Christ-like life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Kings 9-10, Ezekiel 47:18-48:14

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 O 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;
O 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;
O 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 Saviour and my Friend.

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MEMORISE:
Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. Luke 7:47

READ: Matthew 18:23-35

23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.

29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:

33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

MESSAGE

Experience has shown that people who receive kindness from God and man sometimes turn out to be terrible tyrants. Some people who were delivered from the jaws of death by God’s benevolence and mercy in the past have become takers of lives. Such people forget that as recipients of God’s mercy, much more is expected from them. They are like the wicked servant in today’s Bible reading, whose debt to his master was so great that the master knew there was no way he could pay it, and so forgave him out of compassion. In Matthew 18:28, the Lord describes what this servant did after he was released from prison, saying:

“But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.”

As if that was not enough, this wicked and inconsiderate man put his fellow servant in jail until he got his money back. Some of us might cringe in horror at this awful attitude, but the question is, are we not doing the same thing against our fellow human beings, even in the household of faith? Many of us would have died if God were to repay us according to our sins, but thank God for His mercies. Are however showing the same level of mercy to those we have authority over or within our sphere of influence? Are we not seeking vengeance on those who have wronged us in one way or the other? The story of what the wicked servant did got to the master and, in annoyance, he revoked the pardon he had given the wicked servant, casting him back into prison. In Matthew 18:35, our Lord Jesus Christ concludes the story thus:

“So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”

We became children of God when He forgave our sins. We should therefore not find it difficult to forgive those who offend us, knowing that if we had not been forgiven, we would have been in a sorry state. Having been relieved of our heavy load of sin through forgiveness, let us also forgive at all times. However, if you have not received forgiveness of your sins, it may be that you have not repented of them. Repent today, and you will receive the joy of being forgiven.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please grant me grace to show and mercy to fellow human beings, especially at difficult times, and help me not to disappoint You in this regard.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 8
Ezekiel 47:1-17

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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MEMORISE: Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. Ephesians 5:14

READ: James 2:17-22

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

MESSAGE

Many years ago, during one of our church services at Ebute-Meta, Lagos, I announced that there will be no prayers on that day, because we were only going to praise God. Incidentally, a woman in a wheelchair had been brought to that service for prayers. When those who brought her asked to see the pastor for prayers, the ushers told them that the pastor had instructed that no one would be prayed for; instead, everyone should dance and praise God. These people felt disappointed, but the woman asked them to help her up and support her as she tried to dance even in her pain. However, before long, she pushed them aside and was dancing without and help- she had been healed! Some people have their miracle right in the front of them, but they never get it because they do not make any move of faith. Our memory verse says God will give you light after you have awoken and are arisen, not before. In other words, you have your role to play in getting whatever God has promised you.

As a lecturer and pastor in Ilorin many year ago, I was so ill one day that I could not go for midweek service that day. I lay in bed and decided that since I couldn’t go to church, I would at least listen to a sermon on radio. As I lay there in pain listening to the radio, it seemed as if the preacher was talking to me directly. He said, “if you are sick and have asked God to heal you, then what are still doing on the bed? If you are still lying in bed, then you don’t believe God has healed you, and you will remain there until you believe.” I immediately got up from the bed and went to church, even though I was still in serious pain. Getting to church, I met the brethren still praising and worshipping God, since I, the pastor, wasn’t around to preach. I stayed at the back and tried my best to dance, even though I was still in pain. Soon, I felt like using the toilet, so I went to the restroom. By the time I was done, all the pain and sickness had gone! Hallelujah!

Are you expecting something from God? Tell Him about it and make a move. If you have faith that is not combined with works, it is deed faith. Make your faith come alive today by moving in the direction of your miracle. Healing is already yours by His stripes; all you have to do is get up and claim it.

KEY POINT:
The proof of living faith is the work it produces or action it yields.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 7
Ezekiel 46:13-24

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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MEMORISE:

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 2 Timothy 3:5

READ: 2 Timothy 3:1-9

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their’s also was.

MESSAGE

Atheism is simply the absolute denial of God’s existence. Who then is a practical atheist? It is he or her who theoretically believes in God but in practice, leads a life that denies His existence. These are the type of people described in today’s memory verse. How do we know practical atheists in our midst today? Jesus said we should know them by their fruits (Matthew7:20). Apostle Paul in today’s Bible reading list some of the characteristic traits of practical atheists, summed up in their denial of the power to live a godly life in this world. Practical atheists believe that holiness is an illusion and teach others to believe so too, thereby causing people to live a lifestyle of sin. Unfortunately, they have crept into the church and have succeeded in leading people astray. They are deadly in the sense that they appear to be religious and well-informed, but their conduct contradicts their claim of faith. In 2 Timothy 3:7-8, the Bible describes them in the following terms:

“Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.”

Practical atheists are found among great Church men and women who use the cover of their successes in ministry to peddle heresies as sound superior teachings. As stated in 2 Timothy 3:8, they are like Jannes and Jambres, who withstood Moses by displaying magical powers to counter the miracles Moses performed in a bid to convince Pharaoh to let the Israelite go (Exodus 7:11-12, Exodus 7:22). Although practical atheists tend to have knowledge through extensive learning, they never come to the knowledge of the truth which sets free from living a life of sin (John 8:32). Some of them are like the Pharisees and Scribes of old. Just as Jesus questioned Nicodemus, a professor of the law, He is asking such people today, “Didn’t you claim you have a Master’s degree or PhD in theology, and yet you don’t know that without holiness no man shall see the Lord? You say you’re a professor of religious history, and yet you don’t know that I Am the same yesterday, today and forever? Don’t you know that My standards cannot be changed by modern society?” mere believe in God is not enough; we must live according to His standards. Even demons believe in the existence of the one true God but that hasn’t changed who they really are (James 2:19). From now on, let your life always conform to your beliefs.

ACTION POINT:

Examine yourself to see whether any aspect of your life nullifies your claim of faith in Jesus Christ and His word.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 5-6
Ezekiel 46:1-12

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 17: 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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MEMORISE:
_And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord._
Ephesians 6:4

*READ: 1 Samuel 22:1-2*

1 _David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him._

2 _And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men._

*MESSAGE*

Three vital ingredients are necessary to make every parent successful in the task of nurturing children as precious gifts from God. These are knowledge, understanding and godliness. Unfortunately, many people who are privileged to be parents do not have what it takes to effectively fulfill their responsibilities. Parents need the type of knowledge that is found only in God’s word to carry out their parental responsibilities in line with God’s expectations. Speaking on the significance of children in our lives, Psalm 127:3 says:

” _Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward._ ”

Parents need to understand that through procreation, God gets His reward for all the care He has bestowed on them from the time they were born! In other words, because of human reproduction, God does not need to repeatedly go through the process of moulding clay to create new generations of worshippers that He desires. Children are God’s reward, so nobody should attempt to share His glory with Him over them. Parents must stop “playing God” over their children; rather, they should nurture them to meet God’s expectations, according to today’s memory verse.

Our Bible reading tells us an interesting story of “abandoned children”, who were once social miscreants, identifying with a man who had the heart of a father to take them in. It is equally interesting that this man, David, was also a fugitive. He was on the run because a jealous king wanted to kill him. David did not discard these boys; rather, he nurtured them to become useful for themselves, their families and the society at large. In Nigerian street parlance, he became the “area father” of about four hundred “area boys” who became soldiers for the nation of Israel when he became king. Here is a roll call of a few of them and their exploits in 2 Samuel 23:8-10:

” _These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time. And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away: He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil._ ”

From their example, let us learn to nurture and train our biological and spiritual children to the point of fulfilling their destinies. When we develop them like David did to the abandoned vagabonds, they will go on to become useful assets for God and humanity in the near future.

*PRAYER POINT:*
_Father, teach us to nurture and not despise Your heritage in the children placed in our care._

*BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:*
*1 Kings 3-4, Ezekiel 45:10-25*

*AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE*

*HYMN 16: GOD, GIVE US CHRISTIAN HOMES*

1. God give us Christian homes
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught
Homes where the Master’s will is sought
Homes crowned with beauty Thy love hath wrought
God give us Christian homes
God give us Christian homes

2. God give us Christian homes
Homes where the father is true and strong
Homes that are free from the blight of wrong
Homes that are joyous with love and song
God give us Christian homes
God give us Christian homes

3. God give us Christian homes
Homes where the mother, in caring quest
Strives to show others Your way is best
Homes where the Lord is an honoured guest
God give us Christian homes
God give us Christian homes

4. God give us Christian homes
Homes where the children are led to know
Christ in His beauty who loves them so
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow
God give us Christian homes
God give us Christian homes.

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MEMORISE:
While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.
Psalm 146:2

READ: Psalm 146:1-10

1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.

2 While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.

3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.

4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:

6 Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:

7 Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:

8 The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous:

9 The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.

10 The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD.

MESSAGE

In the Nigerian culture, musicians hired to entertain guests at parties often compose songs hailing wealthy and notable people in attendance, calling out their names and listing their exploits. As the musicians go on, these rich fellows find themselves on stage in excitement, pasting cash on the singer’s forehead. Needless to say, these musicians often go home with a bag full of money after such parties, unless they did not celebrate the right people well enough. In like manner, I have discovered that those who have the attitude of praising God live in abundance.

Even when the rich men at these parties don’t know the performing musician personally, they are willing to give him or her all they have in their pockets in return for receiving praise; how much more our God, who not only knows us from our mother’s womb but also loves us. Most of the time, these musicians have to lie or exaggerate in a bid to praise a rich fellow. For example, they can call someone who is a branch manager the chief operating officer of a company. However, with our God, He is so great that no matter how hard we try to exalt His greatness, our words cannot fully capture how great He really is. During praise and worship session at church services, when I see people dancing as if they were dragged to church, I wonder if they know who they are dancing to at all. He is the One who made the heavens and the earth. He sits in the heavens and makes the earth His footstool. He has parted the Red Sea, turned water to wine, raised the dead back to life and done all sorts of great miracles, and yet some people still find it difficult to praise Him with all their heart.

David was someone who knew how to praise God. One day, he danced so much for God that his clothes fell off his body, still he didn’t mind (2 Samuel 6:20). When you read through the Psalms, you will understand why David praised God that much: God had done a lot for him and he decided never to forget His goodness towards him. In return, God blessed David so much that he lacked nothing. I know this because God said He was willing to give David whatever he wanted; all he had to do was ask. 2 Samuel 12:8 says:

“And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.”

David was indeed a blessed man. You also can be blessed as he was if only you are willing to praise God like he did.

KEY POINT:
If you decide never to take God’s majesty and grace over you for granted, you will never lack any good thing.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Kings 2, Ezekiel 44:28-45:9

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 14: LET US WITH A GLADSOME MIND

1 Let us, with a gladsome mind,
Praise the LORD, for He is kind:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

2 Let us blaze His Name abroad,
For of gods He is the God:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

3 He with all-commanding might
Filled the new-made world with light:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

4 All things living He doth feed;
His full hand supplies their need:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.
5 He His chosen race did bless
In the wasteful wilderness:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

6 He hath with a pious eye
Looks upon our misery:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

7 Let us therefore warble forth
His high majesty and worth:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

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MEMORISE:
Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
1 Timothy 1:19

READ: 1 Timothy 1:18-20

18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;

19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

MESSAGE

When chastised over sin, some people are fond of saying that their conscience does not condemn them, even when they have been caught in the obvious act of sin. They may be right after all, because it’s only a conscience that is alive and active than can condemn or caution an individual engaging in things contrary to the will of God. God gave everyone a conscience to serve as an internal restraining guide regulating each of our actions. However, when a person continuously refuses to yield to its control, its voice will be silenced. In that state, such a person’s mind becomes reprobate. Describing this condition, Romans 1:28 says:

“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;”

We are therefore told in today’s Bible reading to hold on to our faith in Christ and keep our conscience clear if we do not want to wreak havoc on our salvation. The text also says that we are expected to engage in a good warfare. What is this good warfare? There is an internal battle that occurs in our minds every day. The devil and his agents continually propose to us things that are contrary to the will of God. We have to continually fight them with the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word, just as our Master did (Matthew 4:1-11), in order to ensure that we live with a good conscience before God. Paul held this up as the great testimony of his life in Acts 23:1b, where he said:

“Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.”

A good conscience is a living conscience. When a person’s conscience is dead, he or she sees things from a skewed perspective. For example, a man may go around sleeping with other women, riding on the excuse that his wife has refused to ‘cooperate’ with him in bed. Such a man would ask, “What do you expect me to do when this woman denied me my right?” When you try to correct some other men who marry a second wife, they may tell you to go and preach to Jacob, David and Solomon first before condemning their action. A Christian sister whose conscience is dead would dress half-naked and tell you what she wears does not matter, inasmuch as she is born again and her conscience does not condemn her. How will her conscience condemn her when she has silenced it repeatedly, to the extent that it is now permanently muted? An example of someone with a dead conscience is Judas Iscariot. Despite the fact that Jesus exposed his betrayal plans and warned him about it, he still went ahead with it. There are many people like him in church today. No matter how hot the sermon is, the reprobate will not heed its warning. That will not be your portion in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to continually live in good conscience before You, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Kings 1, Ezekiel 44:15-27

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 12: DEEPER, DEEPER IN THE LOVE OF JESUS

1 Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.

Chorus:
O deeper yet, I pray,
And higher ev’ry day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.

2 Deeper, deeper! blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.

3 Deeper, deeper! tho’ it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.

4 Deeper, higher, ev’ry day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.

5 Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.

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MEMORISE:
Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.
Micah 7:7

READ: Mark 2:1-12

1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.

2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.

3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.

4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.

5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.

6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,

7 Why doth this man thus speak blas-phemies? who can forgive sins but God only?

8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?

9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?

10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)

11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.

12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

MESSAGE
Brethren, it’s one thing to look up to God and be in a hurry, it’s another thing to look up to Him and patiently wait for response to your request at His appointed time. One clear lesson from today’s memory verse is that looking up to God requires waiting patiently on Him. Speaking on this, the Holy Spirit says in Isaiah 28:16:

“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.”

In today’s Bible text, we read about four faithful friends who took a paralytic man to Jesus for healing, but because of the huge crowd around the house where Jesus was, they could not reach Him. Inspired by faith, they looked up to see how they could get their friend to the presence of the Healer, but alas, there was a barrier: the roof. Spurred on by faith, they resolved to break this barrier in order to gain access to Jesus Christ, and when Jesus saw their faith and determination, He had no choice but to give them what they wanted. Let’s take a looks at some of the many lessons embedded in this great story of faith. First and foremost, looking up is the first step to solving the the issues of life. Why? The Almighty God sits over and above all, and with Him there is no impossibility. Secondly, sin is a barrier that can block you from accessing the presence of the One with the ability to solve your problem (Isaiah 59:1-2). Just as the friends of the paralytic man had to remove the barrier of the roof before they could access Jesus, the barrier of sin in his life had to be removed also. That is why before any other thing, Jesus first said to him in Mark 2:5b:

“Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.”

Thirdly, we learn that immediately the paralytic man’s sins were forgiven, he received his healing. For a user of this devotional battling with one health challenge or the other, if you will remove the spiritual barrier of sin through genuine repentance and turn to Jesus Christ for healing, even before you finish reading today’s study, you will sing a song of victory over that health challenge in Jesus’ Name. There is this story of a man who was battling with a medical problem that had defied all treatments. In his search for a cure, the Lord revealed that his ailment was caused by his unforgiving stance against his son-in-law who had abused his only daughter. The day he repented and forgave his son-in-law was the day he was healed. Beloved, I encourage you to look up to Jesus today. Do not allow your present predicament bow your head down in despair. As you look up to Jesus, He will show Himself as the ever present Help, and you will sing a new song of victory in Jesus’ Name.

ACTION POINT:
Forgive those who have hurt you in the past, and you will receive healing for your spirit, soul and body.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Samuel 23-24, Ezekiel 44:1-14

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: HAVE YOU BEEN TO JESUS FOR THE CLEANSING POW’R

1 Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Chorus:
Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

2 Are you walking daily by the Saviour’s side?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

3 When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white!
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Will your soul be ready for His presence bright,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?

4 Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
O be washed in the blood of the Lamb.

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