Monthly Archives: June 2021

MEMORISE:
Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 124:8

READ: Philippians 2:9-11
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

MESSAGE:
When we call on the name of the Lord, we remind Him of what He has done in the past, which He is capable of doing over and over again. At such when we call Him by the name that is associated with some specific wonderous deed of His, He is moved to repeat what He did initially and in a greater dimension. Each name of the Lord describes some of His attributes and what He is capable of doing among the children of men. For example, the Lord’s name-Jehovah-Nissi- meaning the Lord is my banner (as in a war) speaks to the words “hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation” (Exodus 17:16). When you are confronted with a need that only God can meet and you call Him by His name- Jehovah-Jireh, you are reminding Him of His miraculous provision of a ram according to Genesis 22:13-14.

When you call on the name of Jesus Christ in faith, you get miracles. This is because the name of Jesus Christ has been highly exalted, according to today’s text.

For example, the Almighty God sent an angel to announce to Joseph what name the miraculous child should bear- that is, Jesus, and gave the reason for it.
“…….for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

The greatest thing the name of the Lord Jesus Christ does to humanity is the work of salvation. The Bible says:
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

The name of the Lord is a strong tower, it is a shield and a sure defense against demonic attack. When someone is genuinely associated with the name of the Lord, the fellow will live a victorious life without limitation. The Bible also says:
“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;” Mark 16:17

Every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus is Lord (Romans 14:11). This is the reason those who are genuinely saved cannot be attacked successfully by demons. My prayer is that as many as are reading this devotional today are delivered from all forms of demonic oppression in the name of Jesus Christ. However, whoever wants that name to work for him or her must surrender to the Lordship of the Owner of the name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, let every evil knee and tongue bow to the Lordship of Jesus Christ concerning my life, home, work and business in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 18-22.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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MEMORISE:
And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. Genesis 30:22

READ: 1 Samuel 1:17-19
17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.

19 And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.

MESSAGE:
When we say God always remembers, we do not mean that He forgets things or people. ‘God remembers’ means that He has decided to do something. Our Bible reading for today says God remembered Hannah. God could not have forgotten her because she and her family went to Shiloh every year to worship Him (1 Samuel 1:3). When God remembers an individual in need, his or her problems will become history. Rachel in today’s memory verse had been barren for years. When God remembered her however, she gave birth to the choice son of Jacob- Joseph. When God flooded the earth, Genesis 8:1 says:
“And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged;”

Beloved, like Noah and his family came to understand, there are conditions for God’s remembrance. One, you must be godly even among the perverse generations of men. It is said that now, many ‘Christians’ have become ungodly with the excuse that the world is perverted. At the end of time, Noah will be a witness against such people (Matthew 24:37-39). Despite the immoral state of his world, Noah remained godly. No wonder he founded grace with God, and was described as a just and perfect man (Genesis 6:8,9). Two, God must see in you the intent to worship Him before He can remember you for good. Our God is a prudent investor (Genesis 8:20-22).

Hannah, in spite of her state of barrenness, was a devout woman who followed her husband in the worship of Jehovah. It was on one of such occasions that God remembered her and gave her a prophetic proclamation through His priest, which came to pass before the next Shiloh programme. For God to remember you, you must be consistent in His worship. The bible says that it is good to worship the Lord (Psalm 92:1).

As you worship the Lord this year, the Almighty will remember you for good in Jesus’ name. as long as you live in holiness you will experience divine remembrance, in the mighty name of Jesus.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, remember me today. Lord, please bring to manifestation all Your promises concerning me, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 10-17.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 16: O GOD OUR HELP IN AGES PAST.

1. O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.

2. Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.

3. Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.

4. Thy Word commands our flesh to dust,
“Return, ye sons of men”:
All nations rose from earth at first,
And turn to earth again.

5. A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

6. The busy tribes of flesh and blood,
With all their lives and cares,
Are carried downwards by the flood,
And lost in foll’wing years.

7. Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly, forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the op’ning day.

8. Like flow’ry fields the nations stand
Pleased with the morning light;
The flow’rs beneath the mower’s hand
Lie with’ring ere ’tis night.

9. O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home.

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MEMORISE:
For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant. Psalm 105:42

READ: Nehemiah 13:13-14
13 And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were counted faithful, and their office was to distribute unto their brethren.

14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.

MESSAGE:
When God remembers a positive promise He has made concerning an individual, the fellow is in for a pleasant surprise. Luke 1:73-75 confirms this. In Genesis 8:1, the Lord remembered Noah and every living thing with him in the ark. When God remembers His mercy, He abandons judgement, provided the fellow has genuinely repented (Ezekiel 33:13-16).

Another good thing about this divine remembrance for salvation is that the process is simple. You only need to genuinely turn away from wickedness to godliness. In other words, repent. In Luke 19:8, Zacchaeus demonstrated this, by saying:
“…Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.”

Immediately after, Jesus said salvation had come to him and his household. How pleasant would it be, if every unsaved soul reading this devotional today, would cry to Jesus now and say “Lord remember me for Your salvation”.

When God remembers the good deeds of an individual, the fellow is in for a celebration. Nehemiah knew this and leveraged on it. He asked God to remember his good deeds of building the broken wall of Jerusalem and repairing the gate that was burnt by the enemies of God’s people. It was the good deeds of Abraham, according to our memory verse of today, that earned his descendants the mercies of the Almighty God. God always remembers the good deeds of His people. (Hebrews 6:10).

Beloved, since God cannot forget the good deeds of His people, it is only wise to start and continue doing good. Nehemiah could only be bold to ask God to remember him for his labor because he had done good deeds concerning the house of God. What will God remember you for: good deeds or acts of wickedness?

ACTION POINT:
Begin to perform random acts of kindness to people around you. This would please God and cause Him to remember you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 1-9.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 18: PASS ME NOT, O GENTLE SAVIOR.

1. Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.

o Refrain:
Savior, Savior,
Hear my humble cry,
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.

2. Let me at Thy throne of mercy
Find a sweet relief;
Kneeling there in deep contrition,
Help my unbelief.

3. Trusting only in Thy merit,
Would I seek Thy face;
Heal my wounded, broken spirit,
Save me by Thy grace.

4. Thou the spring of all my comfort,
More than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside Thee,
Whom in Heav’n but Thee.

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MEMORISE:
The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren. Genesis 49:26

READ: Genesis 27:22-29
22 And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.

23 And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau’s hands: so he blessed him.

24 And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.

25 And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine and he drank.

26 And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.

27 And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed:

28 Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:

29 Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.

MESSAGE:
God is the Ultimate Father. In fact, He prefers the title of Father to God. No wonder when Jesus was teaching His disciples to pray in Matthew 6:9, He said they should start with “Our Father”. As a Father, God likes to bless His children. The first thing He did when He created man and woman was to bless them (Genesis 1:27-28). He has also transferred some of that power to fathers on earth. This means that when your earthly father blesses you, it is as though God Himself is blessing you; it is irreversible. We see this in Genesis 27:33:
“And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed.”

Your father’s blessing will propel you to tremendous greatness. In Genesis 27:38-40, Esau only got a remnant of the blessing from Isaac, yet in Genesis 32:6, we see that he had four hundred bodyguards. The first time a president attended one of our programmes at the Redemption Camp in Nigeria, he came along with two hundred and fifty bodyguards, Esau went to meet Jacob with four hundred bodyguards. That is what only a remnant of the blessing can do. In Genesis 27-29, we see that it can also make nations run helter-skelter to help you.

Nothing good comes cheap however, the father’s blessing is costly too, especially when it is from the heart. When Isaac wanted to bless Esau, he asked for something he loved. When you make your father happy, he will bless you from his heart. I had just arrived at the airport in Heathrow and I was carrying two big bags. There were two of my children-in-the-Lord there. One of them just greeted me while the other one ran to take my bags. I told the latter “God bless you”. The other one then said “Daddy, you did not say “God bless you” to me”. I asked. “What did you do to warrant me blessing you?” when you make your father happy, he will bless you from his heart.

Now, what can you gift your father-whether biological or spiritual. That could provoke him to bless you from his heart such that heaven would back it up? Present it to him in such a way that he would be happy with you; then ask him to bless you.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, guide me to do something that will provoke my fathers (biological and/or spiritual) to bless me.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 28-31.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS.

1. Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

o Refrain:
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see:
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

2. Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.

3. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow—
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

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MEMORISE:
He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. John 15:2

READ: Luke 13:6-7.
6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?

MESSAGE:
Jesus told a parable about an unproductive, but well nurtured fig tree in today’s Bible reading. The reaction of the person tending this tree, in Luke 13:7, is our concern in today’s devotional. The farmer in this parable had been expecting pleasant fruits based on his efforts; unfortunately, he got nothing. Like this farmer in Luke 3:9, John the Baptist told the Jewish religious leaders of his days:
“And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”

Beloved, according to 1 Corinthians 3:9, we are God’s husbandry. In other words, God is the husbandman, we are the lively trees, nurtured since the day of our birth and particularly since we gave our lives to Christ. There is no doubt that we have been nourished graciously by the Almighty through His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The fact that you are alive to see this day is a pointer to how we have received both physical an spiritual nourishment. The question now is: Are you bearing fruits? The husbandman in our study today ordered that the unproductive fig tree be cut down. This is serious. May we not be cut down in Jesus’ name. The practical “Amen” to this prayer is to simply turn away from a life of fruitlessness.

If you are yet to be born again, Matthew 3:8 says you must first bring forth fruits meet for repentance, if you are already God’s child by His grace, Jesus is saying to you in John 15:4:
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.”

You must give yourself completely to the Lordship of Jesus. you must go the ‘extra mile’ for Him and you will surely get your reward.

Apart from not being cut down and thrown into fire, Jesus promised in John 15:16 that the Father will grant all the requests you make in His name. Once you begin to bear fruit, the Lord will also continue to purge you from all impurities so that you may bear even more. Please mediate on Galatians 5:22-26.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, guide me to do something that will provoke my fathers (biological and/or spiritual) to bless me.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 28-31.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS.
1. Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

o Refrain:
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see:
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

2. Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.

3. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow—
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

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MEMORISE:
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6

READ: John 4:31-34
31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.

32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?

34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

MESSAGE:
It is a common saying that salvation is free. While this is true because no one can pay for the salvation Jesus offers, the reality is that Jesus already paid for it on our behalf. Thus, we would be correct if we say salvation is not free after all. Also, it is not free because recipients too have a token to offer in obtaining eternal life, as we will see today.

In Matthew 13:45-46, Jesus describes how precious the Kingdom of God is, by likening it to what a rich man had to sell all his fortune for. In Matthew 5:29-30, Jesus explained how important it is to gain entrance into the Kingdom of God by advising that we do away with anything that would disqualify us from gaining entry into God’s presence, even if it’s eye!

Today, some Christians are very careless with matters of Heaven. So many people trivialize sin and the harm it is capable of wreaking on their souls. Revelations 21:8 contains a plain truth about the kingdom of God:
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Jesus calls us into free salvation but He adds in Matthew 11:29
“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.”

This is the cost of eternal life- meekness. This is why He said “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5). These no doubt are the cost of discipleship that we must pay to access the free salvation that gives eternal life. Beloved, if you desire eternal life, you must bear the cost even though Jesus has paid the supreme price.

It is sad that today, some leaders in the Church are encouraging people to be comfortable with sin. They explain away the reality of and teach grace with gross irresponsibility. You must do away with such people. Today is the day of salvation, now is the acceptable time. Make your way right with God now.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please put in my heart the hunger and thirst for righteousness.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 22-24.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 27: 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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MEMORISE:
And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. Luke 12:15

READ: Exodus 18:21
21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

MESSAGE:

Covetousness is a major challenge both in the Church and in the world today. Worldliness too has become a great foe of the Church and it appears many Christians (irrespective of how long they have been in the faith), are being carried along. This may be because even they are victims of this sinful habit.

Our Lord Jesus, in today’s memory verse warns us against covetousness. Covetousness can be described as an inordinate desire for material or non-material possessions, especially those of another individual. In Exodus 20:17, the Lord warns against coveting someone else’s possession or spouse. The vanity in being covetous is captured in Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 which says:
“He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?”

In 1 Timothy 6:6-9, Apostle Paul wrote to warn us against the menace of worldliness and covetousness. He encouraged believers to embrace godliness with contentment which is great again. He said also that “….they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.” (1 Timothy 6:9). John corroborates this in 1 John 2:15-17 where he warned us against worldliness, saying:
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him….. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof…”

Beloved, how far have you been dragged into the world? How far has the world been dragged into you? Are you not running after those things that did not matter to you years ago? Even the rich are now running into the Church; they want peace and satisfaction. They envy believers and want to share in our heritage. While they are running to God for peace and joy, many of us have thrown away these blessings that money cannot buy, for the vanity of this world. Remain where God has established you.

ACTION POINT:

Mortify any form of lust in your life- the lust of the flesh, of the eyes and the pride of life, so you can enjoy everlasting joy and peace.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezra 10.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 14: JESUS MY LORD, MY GOD, MY ALL.
1. Jesus, my Lord, my God, my All,
How can I love thee as I ought?
And how revere this wondrous gift,
So far surpassing hope or thought?
Sweet Sacrament, we thee adore;
Refrain:
Oh, make us love thee more and more.
Oh, make us love thee more and more.

2. Had I but Mary’s sinless heart
To love thee with, my dearest King,
Oh, with what bursts of fervant praise
Thy goodness, Jesus, would I sing.
Sweet Sacrament, we thee adore;

3. Thy Body, Soul, and Godhead, all,
O mystery of love divine.
I cannot compass all I have,
For all thou hast and art are mine.
Sweet Sacrament, we thee adore;

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MEMORISE:
I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Psalm 91:2

READ: Psalm 71:3-7
3 Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.

4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

5 For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.

6 By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.

7 I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.

MESSAGE:
The Most High is also a fortress. A fortress is where you go out from to fight. After you have stayed in the refuge for some time and have prepared for the battle, it will become your fortress. A fortress is where you put on your armor, get all your strength and then go out to battle. For a child of God, the Almighty God is not only your refuge, He is also your fortress. Jehovah- Nissi is not just a God who defends; He also attacks! He is the Divine Fortress for genuine children of God. The God who told Elijah to hide was also the One who told him to go forth and fight, after some time. We see a different Elijah in 1 Kings 18:40:

Another example in 1 Samuel 17:43-45, Goliath had cursed David by the name of his gods and the alter handed him over to the Lord of Hosts. Goliath was disappointed by his gods and weapons whereas David was protected by the Everlasting Arms of the Almighty. Deuteronomy 33:27 says:

Our God never losses a war: David discovered this truth, no wonder he said “Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort….” (Psalm 71:3) knowing fully well that no evil shall befall anyone who makes God his or her habitation (Psalm 91:9-10).

When you make the Almighty your habitation, you must live holy because He is holy. Some people cannot be offered the opportunity to spend time with prominent people simply because they are dirty. If you don’t want to short change yourself of the benefits of living with the King of kings and the Lord of lords, then you have to do away with sinful habits. When you make God your fortress, He will deliver you from the wickedness of life. As you live a life of holiness, God will be your habitation in Jesus’ name.

ACTION POINT:
Take inventory of your life; begin to take steps towards changing anything that may disqualify you from having the Lord as your Sure Fortress.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezra 8-9.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 21: ROCK OF AGES, CLEFT FOR ME.
1. Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.

2. Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

3. Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

4. While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyes shall close in death,
When I rise to worlds unknown,
And behold Thee on Thy throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

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MEMORISE:

The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Psalm 9:9

READ: Psalm 71:1-2
1 In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.

2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.

MESSAGE:
Knowledge, particularly godly knowledge is power. This is why Paul in Philippians 3:10 prayed:
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”

The Almighty God is our sure refuge and fortress. However, that only applies if you are His child. A refuge is somewhere you hide when trouble is looming. For me, this place is the presence of God.

Sometimes, hiding is not cowardice. it could be wisdom, provided you are hiding with the Sure Refuge. Even gallant warriors learn to hide; it is a military strategy. There are several occasions in the Bible when God told His prophets to hide. In 1Kings 17:1-3, Elijah pronounced before a king that there would be no rain until he commanded so. Immediately after he did, God asked him to hide. Is this not strange? Was God afraid of the king? Definitely not! When God says you should hide, what it implies is that the battle is no longer yours but His. I have learnt to hide when God says I should. In Matthew 2:13-15, God told Joseph to take Mary and the baby Jesus into hiding. Even the Son of God had to be taken into hiding. He was hidden so that God could deal with Herod. eventually, Herod was smitten by an angel and eaten by worms thereafter (Acts 12:21-23). If God ask me to hide so He can fight for me, I will gladly do so.

Like the Psalmist in Psalm 71:1-2, when our trust in the Lord is total, we would not need anyone to persuade us to exercise faith. One of my sons told the story of how he destroyed all his charms after he gave his life to Christ. Thus, it became difficult for him to think of going back. Pay attention to the second verse of our Bible reading:
“Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.”

Only the righteousness of God can make us victorious over the attacks of the enemy. A life of holiness makes God incline His ears to our cry in times of trouble. The promise of God in Psalm 91:14-15 is for those who love Him, know His name and keep His commandments. I pray God will be your sure refuge from today in Jesus’ mighty name.

ACTION POINT:
Put your trust in the Lord and shun all worldly alternatives from today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezra 6-7.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 23: STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF CHRIST MY KING.

1. Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

o Refrain:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

2. Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

3. Standing on the promises I now can see
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God.

4. Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.

5. Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call,
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.

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MEMORISE:

He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Psalm 107:20

READ: Jeremiah 33:1-9
1 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying,

2 Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name;

3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

4 For thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword;

5 They come to fight with the Chaldeans, but it is to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have slain in mine anger and in my fury, and for all whose wickedness I have hid my face from this city.

6 Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.

7 And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first.

8 And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.

9 And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.

MESSAGE:
The word is more potent than any two-edged sword, according to the following passage from Hebrews 4:12:
“ For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

It is unfortunate, however, that some Christians trivialize the word of God and so lose its benefits. When the word of God comes to an individual in the form of prophecy, scriptures or other means, wisdom should tell the fellow to pay close attention to it.

Going by our text of today and the memory verse, we can see that the word was sent to the people of Judah for deliverance and restoration of their freedom which they had in battle to the Chaldeans. Never allow yourself to lose focus so that you would know when God sends a specific word of prophecy that could settle your case.

Typically, in the Old Testament before the children of Israel went to war, the word of God would go forth- announcing their victories and that always settled the battle. Sometimes in Church services and programmes, God sends forth prophesies that would have settled people’s cases before they even begin to pray, I prophesy to you: your life, marriage. Business or career will receive the peace of God now, in Jesus’ name.

It is also comforting that the word of God offers spiritual cleansing.
“And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.” Jeremiah 33:8

Thus, every child of God must read, study and meditate upon the word of God day and night (Joshua 1:8). We must partake of the word of God being taught and preached in Sunday School, Bible Study and Christian teaching seminars. The Bible says:
“….even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,” Ephesians 5:25-26

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to align my life to conform to Your word. Through Your word, deliver me today from every bondage.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezra 3-5.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 2: AMAZING GRACE, HOW SWEET THE SOUND.

1. Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

2. ’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

3. Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

4. The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

5. Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

6. The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

7. When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun. Okay

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