Monthly Archives: November 2021

MEMORISE:
For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: Proverbs 5:3

READ: Proverbs 5:1-13
1 My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:

2 That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.

3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:

4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.

5 Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.

6 Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.

7 Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.

8 Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:

9 Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:

10 Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger;

11 And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,

12 And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;

13 And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!

MESSAGE:
The creation of the woman is one of the best things to happen to man. God described the woman as a ‘help meet’ for man in Genesis 2:18. When women are abused however, they become strange and can turn into a problem for any man who crosses their paths.

As a man, a strange woman is that lady who is not approved by God to see your nakedness in any ramification- physical or emotional. No woman apart from your wife, should know your secrets. This is equally applicable to a woman. When someone other than your husband knows everything about you, the fellow may use the information against you someday. Many marriages have been destroyed as a result of careless conversations with strange people. As a Christian husband, you must learn to discuss your issues with your God-ordained wife and not strange women, if you want to get the best of God’s provision in your wife. Proverbs 5:15,17-18 says:
“Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well…… Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee. Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.”

Strange women are deceitful in everything, even in their looks. That explains why a lot of them have to hide their real face under heavy makeup as if they are dissatisfied with how God has created them. A man’s legitimate wife would not need heavy makeup before she looks attractive to him. You begin to wonder who strange women are trying to impress- their husbands who are already familiar with their bodies or men who do not have access to their private life.

Proverbs 5:7-9 says:
“Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth. Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house: Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:”

Whether you are a man or woman, married or single, you must watch out for ungodly relationships or those with the potential to turn into such, with members of the opposite sex. May the Lord help you as you do so.

ACTION POINT:
Establish godly boundaries for all dealings with members of the opposite sex. The only intimacy God approves of is with your spouse.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: MICAH

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 11: I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR.

1. I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.

o Refrain:
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.

2. I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou art nigh.

3. I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide, or life is vain.

4. I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises in me fulfill.

5. I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;
Oh, make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son.

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MEMORISE:
Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure. 1 Timothy 5:22

READ: 2 Chronicles 18:28-34.
28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.

29 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and I will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle.

30 Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, save only with the king of Israel.

31 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.

32 For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again from pursuing him.

33 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.

34 And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died.

MESSAGE:
Many Christians today are partaking in other people’s sins knowingly or unknowingly. It is unfortunate that those who indulge themselves in aiding and abetting sinful lifestyles fail to realize that, not only are they partaking in such sins along with the sinners, they would also be partakers of the punishment. When you serve alcohol to your guests, you are not only encouraging the sinful act, you are also guilty as the drinkers! Trading in alcohol as a child of God is even worse. Habakkuk 2:15 says:
“Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!”

In our Bible text of today, we read about how Jehoshaphat- the King of Judah, partook in the sin of his friend- the King of Israel and was almost killed. But for divine intervention. Jehoshaphat would have died in the battle that was not his. The Bible says:
“As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever. For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.” Psalm 125:2-3

We as children of God must cease being partakers of the sins of unbelievers, so that we will not suffer their punishment with them. Do not enter into a business partnership with people who do not share same values with you. Partnering with someone who does not believe in tithing or someone who does not have a problem with cutting corners will only get you into trouble down the road.

Are you aiding and abetting sin in anyway? Repent today and prayerfully share what the word of God says bout such sins with the concerned persons. I join my faith with yours and declare that as you obey, God will save such persons and hold you blameless, in Jesus’ name.

ACTION POINT:
Examine your life carefully and repent from all actions and inactions that encourage other people to commit sin.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JONAH

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 29: WHAT CAN WASH AWAY MY STAIN?

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

o Refrain:
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

For my pardon, this I see,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my cleansing this my plea,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Nothing can for sin atone,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

This is all my hope and peace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Now by this I’ll overcome—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Now by this I’ll reach my home—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Glory! Glory! This I sing—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
All my praise for this I bring—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

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MEMORISE:
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
1 Corinthians 9:27

READ: 1 Corinthians 9:27

24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

MESSAGE:
One of the three expressways to sin is the flesh, which describes the sinful nature of the fallen man. The works of the flesh are listed in Galatians 5:19-21:
“ Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Galatians 5:17 says that the flesh against the Spirit. We must be careful not to fulfil the lust of the flesh as Apostle Paul warned in Galatians 5:16, knowing fully well that the flesh would typically want to behave sinfully. He himself lamented thus:
“O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 7:24

To the glory of God, he found a solution to this problem as he wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:27
“But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

Like Apostle Paul, we too can overcome the negative influence of the flesh by accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior and committing to live our lives to His pleasure.

Our annual New Year resolution to live a godly life cannot help us in this regard. Only with the help of the Holy Spirit can any man overcome the flesh. This is why Jesus is calling everyone, saying:
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

As we cry out to the Lord for help to live for Him alone, bringing our flesh into submission, the Holy Spirit will help us and we also would be able to say, like Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 4:7:
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:”

May the Lord give us victory over the flesh, in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please endow help me to uproot every seed of sin the devil has planted in my life and give me victory over the flesh, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 56-61.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 11: I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR.

I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.

o Refrain:
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.

I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou art nigh.

I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide, or life is vain.

I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises in me fulfill.

I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;
Oh, make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son.

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20

MEMORISE:

My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:2

READ: Psalm 121
1I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

MESSAGE:
When there was a famine in Samaria, two women conspired to take turns to kill their children for food. After they ate the child of the first woman, the other refused to surrender her own son for food. The first woman cried to the king for help but he replied, according to 2 kings 6:27 “….If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?”

The Psalmist is right in saying that his help comes from the Creator of heaven and earth, according to our memory verse today. Genuine help can only come from above. The Lord said in Psalm 50:15 “And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”

Many people however, trust other humans, to their disappointment. The Bible discourages us from putting our trust in men. Jeremiah 17:5 says “…..Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.” Whereas verse 7 of the same chapter says “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.”

Many years ago, someone heard that I was building a house and volunteered to supply blocks since he was a block manufacturer, offering to let me pay at my convenience. The moment this man realized I was roofing the house, he began to pester me to pay for the blocks he had supplied, in spite of our agreement that I could pay at my convenience. I reminded him that he was the one who offered that I could pay at my convenience but he insisted that I have to pay immediately. I cried to God for help with a promise that I would never make such a mistake again and He recued me. Beloved, I prophesy to your life that the help which would not expose you to ridicule afterwards will come your way this season, in Jesus’ name.

You must however put your trust in the Lord; you must choose not to have a ‘Plan B’ to your Present Help- the Almighty God. More importantly, you must surrender your life totally to Jesus Christ and abstain from all appearance of evil according to 1 Thessalonians 5:22.

The Lord will send you help from above, in the mighty name of Jesus.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please send help from above today and don’t let me be put to shame, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 45-50.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 14: 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:

Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. John 16:24

READ: John 16:24-27.

24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.

26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:

27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

MESSAGE:
Every child of God must cultivate the habit of praying without ceasing, according to 1 Thessalonians 5:17. The importance of prayer cannot be overemphasized when we consider what those who took time to pray gained by so doing. James 5:17-18 says:
“ Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.”

I remember when I was asking God for a small apartment in the suburbs of Lagos shortly after becoming the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. The Lord forbade me to ask for just an apartment house because He was preparing a city for me. In other words, the Lord was saying that I should not ask for peanuts. Today, the city is in the making. As a matter of fact, what is already on ground is comparable to the modest city and I am still trusting Him for the full actualization of His promise. Praise the Lord!

All we need is to keep on asking Him so our joy may be full. The prayer of Elijah that brough about the rain was not just a five-minute one. He prayed and prayed again before the rain fell. When a man of God prays for a few minutes in public and miracles begin to happen, one should not be deceived to imagine that all we need too are brief prayers. The fact is that the man of God would have actually prayed long hours before the public show of God’s miraculous deeds.

Our Lord Jesus Christ in today’s memory verse says “……ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full”. In other words, we must not stop asking until we receive answers to our prayers so our joy may be full.

Hannah prayed until something happened in her life to confirm that she would get her blessing, according to 1 Samuel 1:13-18. Jabez also prayed and God granted him his request (1 Chronicles 4:10). David said that when he cried to the Lord, He healed him (Psalm 30:2). Cry unto the Lord today, and He will answer you as He answered Hannah, Jabez and Elijah, to mention just a few, in Jesus’ name.

ACTION POINT:
Make out time to pray earnestly today and you will receive unprecedented answers to your requests, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 40-44.

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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20

MEMORISE:

The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.
Exodus 15:3

READ: Exodus 15:1-11.
1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

2 The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.

4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.

5 The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.

6 Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.

8 And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.

9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.

10 Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.

11 Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

MESSAGE:
Children of God shake and bow in fear to the enemy only when they fail to recognize that their Heavenly Father is the Mighty Warrior who has never lost and will never lose a war. The Lord of hosts is our Banner. He is the only one that can protect and lead us into victory.

Bowing in fear will displease God, to say the least, because He has commanded that “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3). This is the reason Jesus Christ our Lord came to deliver those who, for the fear of death, subject themselves to everlasting bondage according to Hebrews 2:14-15:
“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

I have experienced the mighty deeds of God in my life over and over again and I have come to the conclusion that there is no god as mighty as my Daddy in heaven – the Lord of hosts. For example, I recall a time I was travelling with my driver and we got to the middle of the narrow bridge that could take only one vehicle at a time. We then suddenly discovered that a truck was also coming from the opposite direction on the same bridge. Only the intervention of the Almighty God could have made that bridge expand for my car and the truck to pass through without colliding with each other.

The Almighty God is the Greatest Warrior. The children of Israel experienced the mighty deeds of God and they composed a song as we read in today’s Bible text. I pray that the mighty deeds of God will produce your desired miracle today, in Jesus’ name. You however, have to become a child of God to enjoy His mighty deeds. The Israelites were regular witnesses to the mighty deeds of God because they belonged to Him- they were His children.

In order to experience the mighty deeds of God, you need to be born again. This is the first mighty work the Lord does in the lives of His children- the salvation of their souls (1 John 1:7-9). I pray that the might deeds of God will become a daily occurrence in your life, in the name of Jesus.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please make me experience Your mighty deeds this season and always, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 34-39.

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;
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;
Oh, make us love thee more and more.
Oh, make us love thee more and more.

3. 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;
Oh, make us love thee more and more.
Oh, make us love thee more and more.

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20

MEMORISE:
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Ecclesiastes 5:5

READ: Psalm 15:1-4.
1 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.

4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

MESSAGE:
One common and deadly habit of many 21st century Christians is making vows and not fulfilling it. This is foolishness of the highest order. When funds are being raised for the work of God, careless children of God make very big vows ‘in faith’, that they are not able to fulfil. They justify themselves by saying “God understands!”

Ecclesiastes 5:5-6 says:
“Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?”

One of the most sensitive and delicate vows is that of the marriage covenant. People no longer accept the fact that marriage vows remain valid until death separates both the husband and the wife. They give all sorts of excuses for divorcing their spouse. One of my children normally asks such people “when you were saying ‘for better for worse’, did you put a limit to the extent of the worse you were talking about?”

Whosoever decides to end a marriage is a covenant-breaker and has failed to fulfil the wedding vow! This is why some of Jesus’ disciples exclaimed, after He explained the sanctity of the marriage vow to them “….If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.” (Matthew 19:10). Jesus replied “….All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given…. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.” (Matthew 19:11-12).

Beloved, do not be a covenant-breaker, because no such person will enter into the Kingdom of God.

Have you made any vow before the Almighty God that you have broken? Repent now, seek His forgiveness and see to it that you take the necessary steps towards amending your ways and fulfilling such vows.

The Bible says:
“But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.” Ezekiel 33:19

Beloved, fulfil your vows.

ACTION POINT:
Think of all the unfulfilled vows you have made and make amends without further delay.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 29-33.

HYMN 20: PRAISE TO THE LORD THE ALMIGHTY.
1. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.

2. Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires e’er have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

3. Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee;
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

4. Praise to the Lord, who, when tempests their warfare are waging,
Who, when the elements madly around thee are raging,
Biddeth them cease, turneth their fury to peace,
Whirlwinds and waters assuaging.

5. Praise to the Lord, who, when darkness of sin is abounding,
Who, when the godless do triumph, all virtue confounding,
Sheddeth His light, chaseth the horrors of night,
Saints with His mercy surrounding.

6. Praise to the Lord, oh, let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him;
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

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20

MEMORISE:
Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD. Isaiah 52:11

READ: 1 Timothy 3:1-7
1This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

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

MESSAGE:
One thing a man or woman that God would use should bear in mind is that he or she must be blameless. This is the prerequisite for a child of God who wants to serve God as a worker or minister, at any level. The Bible says:
“This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless…..” 1 Timothy 3:1-2

When a person volunteers to serve the Lord, it is dangerous if the fellow is not clean in and out because the holiness of God could kill such a person. The Bible says that Isaiah admitted his sinful state and God purified and cleansed him of his iniquity so that he could qualify as a true prophet. After this, the angel of the Lord came and touched him with a live coal from heaven and he was purged of his iniquity (Isaiah 6:5-7). Here we see the mercy of God upon the vessel He decided to use for His glory. However, there is a lesson we must learn from this Scripture. The prophet admitted his sinful state and God came to his aid for cleansing. How often do we seek the Lord for cleansing?

In addition, for a fellow to be used by God, the life of such a person must glorify the Lord. God must be honored in the life of such a fellow. The Lord will show off such a fellow among His holy angels, then ultimately prosper and protect him or her eternally.
“And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?” Job 1:8

Though Job suffered many trials, the later part of his life was much better than the former. Job 42:12 says “So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning:…..” Job had exactly double of the possessions he had lost to the attack of the devil. God also gave him seven sons and three daughters, as before, but this time, his daughters were the most beautiful women in the land (Job 42:15). Job experienced this promotion because he remained blameless before God (Job 1:22).

Do you want divine promotion? Do you want to be used for the glory of God? Begin to walk blameless before Him (Genesis 17:1) from today and He will not only use you for His glory, He will also promote you beyond your expectations.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to live a life of complete obedience to Your word, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 18-22

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 LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1

READ: 1 Samuel 17:45-50
45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hands.

48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came, and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.

49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.

50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.

MESSAGE:
We have an enemy- the devil, who is more dangerous that the likes of Goliath; however, the good news is that we also have Jehovah Nissi (the Lord our Banner) who would always give His children victory. The Bible says that the devil, as a roaring lion walks about, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). This was exactly what Goliath did. He roared at the children of Israel and they trembled before him.

The children of Israel however, overcame their enemy through David- God’s anointed. The enemy came, cursing David by the name of his god and David countered him by declaring the Almightiness of Jehovah Nissi.
“This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.” 1 Samuel 17:46

The story in Exodus 17:8-16 also shows us clearly that battles of life are beyond the physical. The Israelites prevailed against the Amalekites as long as Moses’ hands were raised in prayers and worship to the Almighty God. When Moses’ hands became heavy, God provide help through Aaron and Hur to hold his hands up until the Amalekites were completely conquered. Moses returned all the glory of the victory to God by raising an altar and naming it “Jehovah Nissi” to acknowledge that the Lord is the Banner over Israel.

We need God to be the Banner over us if we are to overcome in the battles of life, for we wrestle against unseen forces (Ephesians 6:12). We must therefore, put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-18) as we cannot win the battles of life with our sense or physical weapons. When King Saul wanted to introduce a physical weapon to David, he rejected it because he knew the battle was the Lord’s. David went instead in the name of the Lord with an ordinary sling in his hands because the name of the Lord is a strong tower (Proverbs 18:10).

I encourage you to take hold of the name of the Lord as from today and you will subdue every giant that comes against you. However, you must have a cordial relationship with Jehovah Nissi by submitting to His lordship and living holy (Matthew 5:48).

PRAYER POINT:
Father, I come against all the giants threatening my destiny and destroy them completely, in Jesus mighty name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 7-11.

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:
And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah Jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen. Genesis 22:14

READ: 1 Kings 17:12-16
12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.

14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.

15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.

16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

MESSAGE:
The name Jehovah Nissi means ‘The Lord will provide’. This means God’s provision is guaranteed. David described this truth in Psalm 23:1:
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

My prayer is that this will be your experience too, in Jesus’ name. our God is more than able to meet all our needs. Even today, the Lord will miraculously meet those needs that may be about to put you to shame, in Jesus’ name. David had multiple experiences of God’s provision and they reflect in his numerous Psalms. For example, he described the Lord God as:
“……God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1

God is always on time. If the Present Help in trouble had not shown up on time for the widow of Zarephath, as seen in our Bible text today, the story would have been like that of the woman who killed her child for food in 2 Kings 6:25-29. However, for Jehovah Jireh to come to your aid, you need to have the same spiritual conviction exhibited by the widow. One of her virtues is that she believed in the God of Prophet Elijah. She knew the God Elijah served is alive. She knew what He could do. She trusted in Him completely and was thus able to obey Elijah’s instructions. Her obedience led to her receiving the blessing of multiplication. The Bible says in 2 Chronicles 20:20:
“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.”

Beloved, if we believe in the Great Provider, it will show in how we lead our lives. We would not doubt His promises and so would respond in faith to His directives. We would not be cutting corners in order to achieve things in life because the Bible says “….Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” (Romans 10:11).

The God who provided for Abraham shall always be there for us. The widow in our story was a woman of faith who believed in the God of Israel. She demonstrated this clearly through her respect for the man of God. Do you hold God in high esteem? If you do, it will show in how you treat your pastor and the words of his mouth. May Jehovah Jireh be there for you always, in Jesus name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, You are the only One who can provide for all my needs. Please send help to me today, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 1-6

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 12: IN CHRIST ALONE.

1. In Christ alone, my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

2. In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live, I live

3. There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

4. No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand

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