Monthly Archives: August 2022

THEME: LETTER TO THE CHURCH OF SARDIS 2

MEMORISE: For many are called, but few are chosen. Matthew 22:14

READ: Revelation 3:3 -6

3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Matthew 24:42 -44

42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

MESSAGE

Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

Revelation 3:4

The Church in Sardis must have been fairly big, but Jesus said only a few of them had not soiled their garments. These few must have been called fanatics, but Jesus called them worthy (“for they are worthy”). Even though the world around us now is extremely corrupt, there would always be a few who will not stain their garments. Are you among such few that the Lord considers worthy?

Here are the things Jesus said concerning these few:

They will walk with Him in white because they are worthy to do so. Their names will be found in the book of life. He will confess their names before God and angels.

I want to be amongst these few: What about you?

For those who are not amongst the few, those who don’t do His will and have soiled their garments, He is saying: He will come upon them like a thief. They will not be clothed in white along with Him. Their names will not be found in the book of life, but rather in the book of death.

When the raptures happen, these people will not be prepared, so just like a thief takes his or her victims by surprise and steals from them, so will the rapture do to these ones (Matthew 24:43). By God’s grace, l am prepared. Thus, if the rapture happens now, by the grace of God l will be smiling. The unfortunate thing is that there will be many people in this second set.

Jesus said that, to be amongst the few, you must overcome. You must overcome temptations, the lures of the devil, and the world!

If you want to be amongst the few whose names will be found in the book of life, then you must ensure that you live a holy life from now. Study your Bible daily, don’t miss Christian fellowships, pray without ceasing, preach the word and do the work of God. I pray that you make it to heaven on the last day, in Jesus’ name.

REFLECTION

If rapture takes place today, will you make it to heaven?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 41-44

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: I’M PRESSING ON THE UPWARD WAY

1 I’m pressing on the upward way,

New heights I’m gaining every day;

Still praying as I onward bound,

“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

Lord, lift me up, and let me stand

By faith on Canaan’s tableland;

A higher plane than I have found,

Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

2 My heart has no desire to stay

Where doubts arise and fears dismay;

Though some may dwell where these abound,

My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

3 I want to live above the world,

Though Satan’s darts at me are hurled;

For faith has caught the joyful sound,

The song of saints on higher ground.

4 I want to scale the utmost height

And catch a gleam of glory bright;

But still I’ll pray till rest I’ve found,

“Lord, lead me on to higher ground.”

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MEMORISE: And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. Acts 4:32

READ: Revelation 2:18 -29

18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;

19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.

20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.

23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.

25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.

26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

28 And I will give him the morning star.

29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Acts 2:44 -47

44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

MESSAGE

The only thing that Jesus had against the Thyatira Church was that they gave Jezebel the permission to teach the congregation and she taught them to sin against God. Maybe we should put our attention on the people that were misled. Remember the condition that must be fulfilled if you were to trade in Thyatira in those days. The people easily fell to Jezebel’s lure because she offered them a way to trade and still look like they had not fallen away from their faith.

Many people today are going into the world because they have not been able to find support for their businesses and careers in the Church/amongst Christians. It is important that we join hands to help one another achieve our goals. Set up committee to teach the people about their businesses. Design programmes to teach people skills that can help them make money. Give people the opportunity to tell others within the Church the business that they do and most importantly, encourage everyone to buy whatever they need from a member of the Church. If we Christians patronize one another, there will be less pressure to compromise in order to earn our daily bread.

The Church is a place where we all should be brothers and sister; no discrimination! Read the history of the Church in Acts 2:44-47; they shared all they had and ensured that nobody was hungry. Do you share what you have with the poor in your Church so that they also have some or do you stay away from them because they don’t have!

When we talk about evangelizing for those in the world to come to Christ, we must be aware that the devil is also evangelizing for those who are in Christ to go into the world. Let us do what we can to reduce the pressure on them to go into the world. Yes, you pray with them to receive their breakthrough, but if you have resources they need and you don’t offer them, you are not helping them or the body of Christ in general. James 2:15-16 says:

“If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?”

ACTION POINT

Look for someone in your local assembly who needs help financially and assists the fellow. Also, always ensure you patronize members of the church when you need a product they sell or a service they can provide.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 33-36

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 7: I LOVE THIS FAMILY OF GOD

I’m so glad I’m a part of the Family of God,

I’ve been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood!

Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,

For I’m part of the family,

The Family of God.

You will notice we say “brother and sister” ’round here,

It’s because we’re a family and these are so near;

When one has a heartache, we all share the tears,

And rejoice in each victory in this family so dear.

I’m so glad I’m a part of the Family of God,

I’ve been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood!

Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,

For I’m part of the family,

The Family of God.

From the door of an orphanage to the house of the King,

No longer an outcast, a new song I sing;

From rags unto riches, from the weak to the strong,

I’m not worthy to be here, but praise God I belong!

I’m so glad I’m a part of the Family of God,

I’ve been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His Blood!

Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,

For I’m part of the family,

The Family of God.

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MEMORISE: But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Matthew 18:6

READ: Revelation 2:20 -23

20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.

23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

MESSAGE

In our Bible reading today, Jesus tells us what will happen to Jezebel if she does not repent. There are many people in the body of Christ now, talking about old-fashioned Christianity. They say some of the things which form the foundation of living a Christian life are no longer necessary and we can do things differently and still remain Christians. They say as long as your heart is in tune with God, it does not matter how you dress, it is the heart that matters. They forget that it is what is in the heart that will reflect outside. They say you can have intimate friends who are sinners as long as you do not join them in committing sins. They forget that it is evil communication that corrupt good manners. If you are one of those encouraging people to be a little slack with their Christian life so that they can enjoy some of the benefits of this world, you are a Jezebel. How can you say there is something like old-fashioned Christianity when Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8)?

There is nothing like old-fashioned or modern Christianity. Christianity is about becoming like Jesus. Any doctrine or teaching that encourages a mixture with the world system is not Christianity at all, it is the doctrine of Jezebel. Stop teaching, tolerating or encouraging it.

God said He will punish Jezebel by confining her to a bed. Many people develop some stubborn sicknesses without knowing that the root is from God Himself. Unless they repent, they will die from the sickness and not only them but their children also. Jesus said in Matthew 18:7:

Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offence come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

You had better be careful what you teach the children of God so that you don’t end up being cursed by God Himself.

KEY POINT

There is no old – fashion Christianity; always teach the undiluted word of God when given the opportunity.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 29-32

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 5: HAVE YOU BEEN TO JESUS

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?

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 Savior’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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MEMORISE: Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. Revelation 2:20

READ: Revelation 2:18 – 29

18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;

19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.

20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.

23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.

25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.

26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

28 And I will give him the morning star.

29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

MESSAGE

Thyatira was a great commercial city with many trade unions and only members of these associations were allowed to sell their goods there. However, these unions occasionally held feasts in the temples of idols and engaged in gross immorality. For members of the Church to trade, they had to join the unions, thereby partaking in idol worship and immorality. This was a big problem and there was a woman in the Church who capitalized on it to lure them into sin. She called herself a prophetess so many of them believed whatever she said. What Jesus had against the Church in Thyatira however was that they kept giving this woman the platform to preach, as we see in our memory verse today.

These people knew that she was seducing God’s people into fornication and idolatry, yet they kept allowing her to teach. You must be very careful who you allow to step on the podium in your assembly so that Jesus will not say He is disappointed in you. Clearly, this woman must have been very rich and influential. You must never allow children of the devil to teach the children of God, no matter how big their contributions to Church projects are.

Some subtle Jezebels are allowed on altars these days. When the Church brings a professional who is not a true Christian to the altar to teach the people, they have invited Jezebel. The fellow is not going to teach Scriptural principles because he or she does not live by them. Such persons will teach the principles they live by which are those of the world. Once you put someone in front of the children of God to teach them, somehow you have told the people this is a role model worthy enough to listen to and follow.

Whatever field it is that you want your people to learn how to be successful in, find a Christian who has been successful in that area and invite him or her. If you don’t know any Christian who has been successful in that field groom your people to attain success by yourself with the help of Holy Spirit. Don’t invite Jezebels to teach the people how to get success from the devil.

KEY POINT

Be very careful who you allow to mount the altar to teach the people.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 25-28

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: 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.

Refrain:

Oh, deeper yet, I pray,

And higher every 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! though it cost hard trials,

Deeper let me go!

Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,

Let me fruitful grow.

4. Deeper, higher, every 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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20

MEMORISE: Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 1 Corinthians 5:6

READ: Revelation 2:12 -17

12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

MESSAGE

The church in Pergamos was standing firm. They did not deny the faith even with so much decadence around them. The only thing God had against them however is that they accommodated sinners in their midst without cautioning them that they were doing the wrong thing. It is not enough to live holy; you must also be concerned about the holiness of the entire Church. You must not be slow to call to correction those who are doing it wrong within the body of Christ. I am not saying that you should confront anyone but make it clear to anyone that there is the fake and the original. State the attributes of the fake and those original. You don’t have to mention names, the people will know who and who you are talking about. It will be clear that you are not in support of their actions.

“But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.” 1 Corinthians 5:11

In many Churches today, the line between the Church and the world is blurry. During praise and worship, they are singing songs and drumming just like the people of the world. Members of the congregation are dancing the latest dance steps in the world. You see ladies exposing their bodies and wearing very tight clothes. Choristers make their faces up so much that when you see them coming, you know they pay more attention to adorning the flesh than the spirit (1 Peter 3:3-4). The Bible says, “Be ye separate” (2 Corinthians 6:17). If light is beginning to look like darkness, then you can be sure it is no longer light but darkness.

We now have amongst us also, people who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans saying “As long as you have given your life to Christ, then you can go ahead and commit sin; grace will cover you”. Now, because some of these people are big men of God, the other Pastors who know the truth are too afraid to speak up. Don’t keep quiet! Speak up and tell whoever will listen to you that the Nicolaitans doctrine is of the devil and Jesus hates it (Revelation 2;15).

REFLECTION

In Revelation 2:15, Jesus said He is coming to fight those who follow wrong doctrines within the church. Check carefully: are you one of them?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 20-24

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 28: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD

When we walk with the Lord

in the light of his word,

what a glory he sheds on our way!

While we do his good will,

he abides with us still,

and with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain:

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2 Not a burden we bear,

not a sorrow we share,

but our toil he doth richly repay;

not a grief or a loss,

not a frown or a cross,

but is blest if we trust and obey.

3 But we never can prove

the delights of his love

until all on the altar we lay;

for the favor he shows,

for the joy he bestows,

are for them who will trust and obey.

4 Then in fellowship sweet

we will sit at his feet,

or we’ll walk by his side in the way;

what he says we will do,

where he sends we will go;

never fear, only trust and obey.

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MEMORISE:

“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” – (Matthew 10:28)

READ: Revelation 2:8-11 (KJV)

8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;

9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

MESSAGE:

Jesus assured the Smyrnan Church that even though they could experience painful physical death, because they were serving Him, they would have no part in the second death. If Jesus could use this as a consolation, it is then very clear to us that the second death is more hurtful than the physical one. This is why I pity those who would rather sin than experience some pain for the sake of the gospel. The physical death is not what you should fear but rather, the spiritual one (Matthew 10:28). The physical death will last a short time, but the spiritual one is for eternity.

Some people want to do greater things than Jesus did, but are not willing to suffer like Him. Paul said;

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; – (Philippians 3:10)

You cannot fully know Jesus without also partaking in the fellowship of His sufferings. If you are only with Jesus for the goodies but will run away to the devil once the going gets rough, then you are not worthy of His crown. If you don’t love Him enough to surrender your life to Him, then you are not worthy to receive His eternal life. He said;

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. – (Matthew 16:25)

The real life you should hold firmly to with all your might is eternal life. Don’t let anything be too big for you to sacrifice here on earth so as to avoid that second death. Jesus, in the letter to the Church in Smyrna says that He expects us to be faithful until death. Many have not even been confronted with death and they are already unfaithful. Are you one of those? Are you truly faithful to God even in the midst of trials and temptations around you? Today is a good day for you to repent from your unfaithfulness. If you refuse to repent, don’t expect to enter heaven at all because Jesus said if you deny Him here on earth, He will also deny you in Heaven (Matthew 10:33).

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please help me never to deny You again. No matter what temptations I pass through, Lord help me to remain faithful to You.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Isaiah 14 – 19

AUTHOR: PASTOR E A ADEBOYE

HYMNAL: 29 – WILL YOUR ANCHOR HOLD IN THE STORMS OF LIFE

1 Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,

when the clouds unfold their wings of strife?

When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain,

will your anchor drift, or firm remain?

Refrain:

We have an anchor that keeps the soul

steadfast and sure while the billows roll;

fastened to the Rock which cannot move,

grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love!

2 Will your anchor hold in the straits of fear,

when the breakers roar and the reef is near?

While the surges rage, and the wild winds blow,

shall the angry waves then your bark o’erflow? [Refrain]

3 Will your anchor hold in the floods of death,

when the waters cold chill your latest breath?

On the rising tide you can never fail,

while your anchor holds within the veil. [Refrain]

4 Will your eyes behold through the morning light

the city of gold and the harbour bright?

Will you anchor safe by the heavenly shore,

when life’s storms are past for evermore? [Refrain]

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20

MEMORISE: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. Isaiah 55:8

READ: Revelation 2:8 -10

8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;

9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

MESSAGE

You may wonder if the Smyrna Church offended God, because He kept talking about them going through tribulations and being cast into prison without saying He would rescue them at any point. This letter in the wholeness, gives us a little insight into how God thinks.

Firstly, while it may seem like God cannot see when His children are being persecuted, He knows it all and He has a crown waiting for you if you endure to the end. Secondly, because Jesus knew that some of them would die as a result of persecution, He introduced Himself to them as the One who was dead and is alive. Jesus always relates with us based on what we are going through. He approaches us by letting us know that He has been through that situation before and overcame it. Hebrews 4:15 says:

“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

Whatever it is that you are going through now, Jesus has been through it before, and He overcame. You will also overcome in Jesus’ name. Sometimes persecution can come from so-called Christians too. Jesus says you should remain faithful, nonetheless. No matter what these people do, you are to look up to Him who is the author and finisher of your faith (Hebrews 12:2).

Finally, we see God’s perspective of riches. Though these people seemed to be living in poverty, Jesus said “but though art rich” (Revelation 2:9). To man, the rich ones are those with the big cars and houses, but to God, the rich are those with great faith. 2 Corinthians 6:10 says that these are people who, though they may be poor, are rich because they are making others rich. These are the people storing up treasures in Heaven by using all they have to spread the gospel of God’s kingdom (Matthew 6:19-20). This is not to say that it is a sin to be rich materially, after all, God said He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Exodus 3:6) and these were all wealthy men. Understand that no matter how much money you have, you must never see financial wealth as your riches. You are rich when you are rich in faith.

ACTION POINT

I challenge you to build your faith up so much that even Jesus Christ Himself would testify that you are rich in faith.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 10-13

AUTHOR: PASTOR E A ADEBOYE

HYMN 2: CONQUERORS AND OVERCOMERS NOW WE ARE

1 Conquerors and overcomers now are we,

Thro’ the precious blood of Christ we’ve victory,

If the Lord be for us, we can never fail;

Nothing ‘gainst his mighty pow’r can e’er prevail.

Refrain:

Conquerors are we, thro’ the blood, thro’ the blood;

God will give us victory, thro’ the blood, thro’ the blood,

Thro’ the Lamb for sinners slain,

Yet who lives and reigns again,

More than conquerors are we,

More than conquerors are we.

2 In the name of Israel’s God we’ll onward press,

Overcoming sin and all unrighteousness;

Not to us, but unto him the praise shall be,

For salvation and for blood-bought victory.

3 Unto him that overcometh shall be giv’n

Here to eat of hidden manna sent from heav’n;

Over yonder he the victor’s palm shall bear,

And a robe of white, and golden crown shall wear.

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MEMORISE: Matthew 15:8

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

READ: Revelation 2:4-7

4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.

7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

MESSAGE

You wonder how Jesus would say that the Ephesus church had forgotten their first love after saying that He had seen their works, labour and patience (Revelation 2;4). This tells us clearly that all the labour that these people were putting into the work of God was not from their heart. It had all become routine and there was no longer a deep fellowship between them and the Holy spirit.

Many Christians today fall into this trap of the devil. When they are in prayer meeting, they can pray for two hours, but they can hardly pray for 5 minutes in their closets. When the church evangelism team goes out to evangelize, they are the first to arrive, but they have never opened their mouth to preach the gospel to their neighbors who is an unbeliever. Oh! Gone are those days when you would arrive in church only to be told by the pastor that you would be the one to preach that morning, days when every Christian was a soldier, ever ready for the use of his Master. These days, the Pastor has to pray hard, and give enough notice before he can ask a member to lend the church their car for an assignment. Sadly, the love of many has waxed cold. Is it your love for God that pushes you to the things you do for Him, or do you do them just as a normal duty you have in church? Are you still bubbling with that first love you had when you first gave your life to Christ or is your Christianity now a bunch of activities?

Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. Revelation 2:5

At the beginning of the letter, Jesus said He has seen their works. In verse 5 above, He says they should return to their first works.

There is the work you do mechanically, without being driven by love for God and there is the work you do as a result of your love for Him.. Jesus is telling you today to return to your first love, to do the first works that were driven by that love. It could be the same activity, but the works must now be backed by love.

REFLECTION

Ask yourself, “What drives me to do the work of God?”

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 6-9

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: 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.

Refrain

Oh, 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,

S 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.

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MEMORISE: And said, O LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant, and shewest mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts: 2 Chronicles 6:14

READ: Revelation 2:1 -3

1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

MESSAGE

The first thing Jesus said to the Ephesus Church, after introducing Himself to them is:

I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which were evil: and thou hast try them which says they are apostles, and are not, and has found them liars:

Revelation 2:2

God is watching us closely. He can see it all! He said that members of the Ephesus church did not tolerate sinners. They were separate (2 Corinthians 6:17). Are you comfortable amongst sinners? The Bible asks “what has light gotten to do with darkness”? if you choose a business partner who is not born again, he could be brandishing charm under the table where no one can see him. You would then be wondering why God is not answering your prayers, without knowing that evil spirits have been invited into your business.

Jesus also commended the church for trying the people who came to them claiming to be apostles and finding the fake ones to be liars. When Paul was about to leave the Ephesians, he said:

“For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter among you, not sparing the flocks. Also of your own self shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” Acts 20: 29-30.

Paul warned them of false prophets, and they immediately started trying whoever claim to be sent by God to them. This tell us that the member of this church were not just hearers of the word but doers also. If these people have not acted on Paul admonition to them, only God knows the kind of doctrine that could have enter the church. It is because of this admonition that Jesus said they hated the Nicolaitans. The Nicolaitans are those who preach that once you are saved, you are forever saved- the false grace preachers. The Ephesus church never believed their lies because they tested spirit before even listening to any preacher. You will only fall for false doctrines if you don’t test all spirits.

PRAYER POINT

Father, give me the gift of the discerning of spirits so that I don’t fall prey to wrong doctrines.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 1-5

AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: 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.

Refrain

Oh, 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,

drsTill my life is wholly lost in Jesus,

And His perfect will.]

3 Deeper, deeper! tho’ it cost hard trials,

S 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.

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MEMORISE: The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. Revelation 1:20

READ: Revelation 1:10 -20

10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;

13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

MESSAGE

We see in our Bible reading – today that Jesus Christ was about to dictate letters for John to write and deliver to seven Churches. The Almighty God chose these seven Churches because they represent all the strengths and weaknesses of Christians all through the ages. In the next few days, we will be looking at each of these letters and drawing lessons from them because they are meant for the body of Christ in general and also for the individuals’ that make up the church. Thus, we should regard them as letters from your husband to you – Christ is the husband of the church as we are his bride.

The statement, he that have an ear should let him hear (Revelation 2:7,11, 17, 29, 3:6, 13, 22) makes it clear that He is talking to individuals. On judgment day, you will get the reward of your works here on earth, regardless of which church you were attending.

When John turn to see the voice that spoke to him, there were seven candlesticks representing the churches and, in their midst, he saw Jesus (Revelation 1:12-13). This tells us that Jesus is in the midst of the churches. Jesus is in our midst in the Redeemed Christian Church of God and other every other churches of God out there. Halleluyah.

As soothing as this information is, it should also bring fear to those who are not doing His will. He is right there in your midst and can see all the atrocities that you are committing in the church. On the other hand, He can see all faithful ones and He has a reward for everyone according to their works. What reward does Jesus has for you?

John also saw seven stars in the hand of Jesus and these seven stars are the angel of the churches. Since it is the angel of these churches that the letters were addressed to (Revelation 2:1), it means these were the leaders of the churches – the Pastors. The Pastors are in His hands. This is why He says that you should not touch his anointed and do his prophet no harm (Psalm 105 :15).

If you are a pastor, ensure that you do not bring abomination into his vineyard so that you will not be crushed by His everlasting hands.

REFLECTION

Based on your works so far, what kind of reward do you think Jesus has prepared for you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Songs 3- 8

AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE

HYMN 14: NEARER MY GOD TO THEE

1. Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer to thee!

E’en though it be a cross

That raiseth me.

Still all my song shall be

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer to thee!

2. Though like the wanderer,

The sun gone down,

Darkness be over me,

My rest a stone,

Yet in my dreams I’d be

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer to thee!

3. There let the way appear,

Steps unto heav’n;

All that thou sendest me,

In mercy giv’n;

Angels to beckon me

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer to thee!

4. Then with my waking thoughts

Bright with thy praise,

Out of my stony griefs

Bethel I’ll raise;

So by my woes to be

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer to thee!

5. Or if, on joyful wing

Cleaving the sky,

Sun, moon, and stars forgot,

Upward I fly,

Still all my song shall be

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer to thee

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