Monthly Archives: January 2023

MEMORISE: Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:22

READ: Proverbs 6:23 -28

23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

24 To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.

25 Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.

26 For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.

27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?

28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?

MESSAGE

Building healthy relationships and getting close to people – especially fellow believers is good. All relationships, however, must be clearly defined and never allowed to become a source or platform for sin. For example, the Pastor can know the name of a sister in the Church and the department she works in – that is an expected level of intimacy. Her friend in that department can know her house, parents, place of work, likes and dislikes – that is another level of intimacy. However, due to a higher level of intimacy between spouses, her husband is expected to know more about her than anyone else.

There is a level of intimacy that a brother should never have with a sister he is not married to and vice versa. When you notice that you are getting so close to someone that you can hardly go one hour without thinking about that fellow, you need to cut that relationship. When you notice that if a colleague who is a member of the opposite sex does not come to the office, you are not yourself that day, there is fire on the mountain that must be addressed immediately before it destroys you.

Many people have fallen into adultery and fornication because they had a seemingly harmless relationship with a “friend”. Any friend who knows you more than your spouse could easily become a home breaker. Any friend you feel more comfortable talking with than you do talking to your spouse is a potential enemy. No one should know you better than your spouse. If someone of the opposite sex is trying to know you more intimately than they should, be firm about letting them know their limit.

A man does not need to know where any woman he is not married to shops for her underwear – that information is not for his ears. Any woman who is not a man’s wife doesn’t need to know what particularly excites him-that information is for his better half only.

My people in Nigeria say that when a handshake is beginning to get to the elbow, it’s time to pull back.

KEY POINT

Set boundaries for every relationship you are involved in. Don’t get intimate with the wrong fellow, thereby finding yourself in hell.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 14-15

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR

1 I need Thee ev’ry hour,

Most gracious Lord;

No tender voice like Thine

Can peace afford.

Refrain:

I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;

Ev’ry hour I need Thee;

Oh, bless me now, my Savior,

I come to Thee.

2 I need Thee ev’ry hour,

Stay Thou nearby;

Temptations lose their pow’r

When Thou art nigh. [Refrain]

3 I need Thee ev’ry hour,

In joy or pain;

Come quickly and abide,

Or life is vain. [Refrain]

4 I need Thee ev’ry hour,

Teach me Thy will;

And Thy rich promises

In me fulfill. [Refrain]

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE: Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them? Ezekiel 14:3

READ: Numbers 22:12 -22

12 And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.

13 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.

14 And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.

15 And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.

16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:

17 For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.

18 And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.

19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.

20 And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.

21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

22 And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.

MESSAGE

Many a time we have plan, we present it to God and He says, “No way”. We then say, “l know how to twist God’s hand”. We begin to fast, pray, seek His face and then finally, we come round and say, “Lord, what about that plan?” He could then say, “Go ahead”. You had better not go anywhere. As children of God, it is our duty to obey Him promptly and completely at all times.

In our Bible reading for today, a king asked Prophet Balaam to curse lsrael. Balaam asked God and He said “No”. The king then sent some other people to tell Balaam that he would promote and enriched him if he would curse Israel. Balaam then decided to check back with God and the Lord said, “Okay, if you want to go”. On the way, God sent an angel to block his way. It was Balaam’s donkey that saw the angel; the Prophet, blinded by greed, couldn’t even see what a donkey could. Whenever you are so interested in something that you manage to ‘twist God’s hand’ to permit you to have it, you would be blinded by it and may run into serious trouble because of your inability to see clearly and objectively. If you do a little research to trace the history of Balaam, you would see that he ended up dying by the sword.

One area where Christians often pursue God’s permissive will is in marriage and many of them have regretted it afterwards. The fact that God allow Hagar to give birth when Abraham went in unto her while Sarah was considered barren does not mean that the latter was the one through whom God’s covenant with Abraham would come to pass (Genesis 17:21).

It doesn’t matter how good the permissive will look, you better go for God’s express will. Sister, that young man you like may be more financially secure than the one God says you should choose; don’t be fooled by today, God knows tomorrow, and He is instructing you based on that knowledge.

Ask the Lord to reveal His express will to you, because if you ‘twist His arm’ so you can have things your way, the end may be bitter.

KEY POINT

Don’t go to God insisting on your own plan; He may permit it , but you may regret it.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 8-10

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 30: 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. [Refrain]

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. [Refrain]

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. [Refrain]

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE: Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. Zechariah 13:7

READ: 2 Corinthians 1:11 -14

11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

13 For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end;

14 As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.

MESSAGE

Pastors are.considered popular when they have many people following them as they follow Jesus Christ. These followers can be called the pastors’ sheep. The devil understands the principle in our memory verse for today, so these popular pastors are usually major targets for him. He knows that if he can get them to fall and even spoil their reputation, their sheep will scatter and he can begin to feast on them. This is why, instead of joining people to criticise popular Pastors, you should be praying for them. If you don’t support what they are doing and you do not have direct access to them, talk to their employer (God) about it, rather than joining the devil to pull them down.

In 2 Samuel 11:3-4, when David sent for Bathsheba to have an illicit affair with her, she consented because he was the king. There was a huge gap between the king and her husband who was an ordinary soldier. It may surprise you to know that there are some women who consider it a privilege to have illicit affairs with Bishops, General Overseers, Apostles, Senior Pastors and so on. Yes, it is a sin, but the devil has blinded their hearts so much that they now see it as prestigious. That is why you need to pray for them. Don’t assume that they don’t need your prayers. In fact, the more their influence, the more prayers they need.

You should also pray for popular Pastors because every now and then, they step into dangerous territories to preach the gospel. Some of them travel through dangerous roads and go to volatile regions to share the gospel of Christ. Some of them also have to relate with the high and mighty in the society, so they need boldness to tell the truth without compromise.

With the boldness and wisdom needed to draw the high and mighty closer to God, imagine the impact it would have on their leadership and spheres of influence. Believe me honestly, when you pray for them, you are praying for the Body of Christ at large and God will bless you for it.

ACTION POINT

Commit to praying daily and diligently for pastors from today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 5-7

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 22: SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER

1 Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!

that calls me from a world of care,

and bids me at my Father’s throne

make all my wants and wishes known.

In seasons of distress and grief,

my soul has often found relief,

and oft escaped the tempter’s snare

by thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

2 Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!

the joys I feel, the bliss I share

of those whose anxious spirits burn

with strong desires for thy return!

With such I hasten to the place

where God my Savior shows his face,

and gladly take my station there,

and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

3 Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!

thy wings shall my petition bear

to him whose truth and faithfulness

engage the waiting soul to bless.

And since he bids me seek his face,

believe his word, and trust his grace,

I’ll cast on him my every care,

and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

United Methodist Hymnal, 1989

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:
“Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” – (2 Corinthians 2:11)

READ: 2 Samuel 11:1-27 (KJV)

1 And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.

2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

3 And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.

5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.

6 And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.

7 And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.

8 And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king.

9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.

10 And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house?

11 And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.

12 And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.

13 And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.

14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.

17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;

19 And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,

20 And if so be that the king’s wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?

21 Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

22 So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for.

23 And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate.

24 And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king’s servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

25 Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.

26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.

27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

MESSAGE:

Many Christians think they can fall and rise as they like. I have always said that injuries can heal, but the scars will remain. You may commit a sin and God forgives you, but the consequence of that sin may live with you for the rest of your life and even outlive you. Just one mistake can cause serious problems for even your children yet unborn. In Genesis 16:2, Sarah arranged for Abraham to have an affair with her maid and today, the world is paying for that single mistake.

In Genesis 25:29-34, Esau made a single mistake. He despised his birthright just once and by the time we get to Genesis 27:30-40, the Bible says he came in just as his brother was stepping out after collecting the blessing. He begged for a remnant blessing and his father assured him that he would prosper, living by the sword, but that he would serve his brother. This happened because of just one mistake.

In (2 Samuel 11), David made a mistake which gave birth to several others. The mistake was that he was relaxing at a time when kings typically went to war. He then saw what he wouldn’t ordinarily have seen – a beautiful lady taking her bath. You should ask, “Why was David looking into another man’s compound?” If you give the devil an inch, he wouldn’t just take a mile, but rather, he’ll go for your eternity. Before long, the lady was in his bed. She got pregnant and to hide it, he had her husband killed. God sent a prophet to tell David that the sword would never depart from his home. Even today, the sword has not departed from Israel. It all started with one single mistake of relaxing when he should have been at war.

Some Christians think it is harmless to be sleeping when they should be praying. Before they wake the next day, the devil would have sown tares in their field and they would begin to struggle. The unfortunate thing is that they think the struggle is normal and continue in it rather than get up and pray when they should.

Beloved, do not be ignorant of the devices of the enemy who is going round seeking who to devour (1 Peter 5:8). All he needs is one mistake. Do not give it to him.

KEY POINT:
If you give the devil an inch, he wouldn’t just take a mile, but rather, he’ll go for your eternity.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 1-4

AUTHOR: PASTOR E A ADEBOYE

HYMNAL: 23 – 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,
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,
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,
filled with messages from thee.

4 Take my silver and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
every power as thou shalt choose,
every power 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,
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,
ever, only, all for thee.

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE: For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up. Hosea 8:7

READ: Genesis 27:18 -23

18 And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son?

19 And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.

20 And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD thy God brought it to me.

21 And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.

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.

Genesis 37:26 -35

26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?

27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.

28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

29 And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.

30 And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?

31 And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood;

32 And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no.

33 And he knew it, and said, It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.

34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.

35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.

MESSAGE

The Law of harvest states that you will reap much more than whatever you sow. This is why you must be careful of the kind of seeds you sow, because when harvest comes, it is always much more than the seed. In our Bible readings for today, we see Jacob sowing a seed in the first passage and then reaping the harvest in the second. In the first passage, he deceived his father in order to get the blessing and so his children also deceived him that Joseph their brother was dead. Genesis 37:35 says:

“And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For l will go down into the grave unto my son mourning Thus his father wept for him.”

Many a time, the harvest of your seeds comes when you are too old to do anything about it. Everything you do now is a seed and the harvest will come back to you when you may not have as much energy as you do now.

I thank God for some of the seeds l sowed as a young man because l am now reaping the harvests. In 1961, as a 19 year-old, l gave money to a poor, sick old man – a neighbour, so he could get some medicine. The man said to me that someday, l would be traveling abroad as often as people go to market. I laughed at that prophecy because in my village in those days, if anyone was returning from a trip abroad, the entire villages would not go to the farm that day. The hunters would come out and shoot their guns in celebration of the person and everyone would be rejoicing. At that time, there were only 2 people who had gone abroad in my village, and they studied there for a number of years. Now this man was saying that l would be going often. It appeared funny, but l had sown the seed. Today, by God’s grace, that prophesy has been fulfilled.

Beloved pay attention to every opportunity you have to sow a good seed. On the other hand, always check your actions to be sure that you are not showing bad seeds that you will regret when the harvest comes.

KEY POINT

Be very intentional about the seeds you sow today because they will come back in multiple folds tomorrow.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 38-40

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 26: THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS

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

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

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

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

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

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

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE: For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up. Hosea 8:7

READ: Genesis 27:18 -23

18 And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son?

19 And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.

20 And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD thy God brought it to me.

21 And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.

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.

Genesis 37:26 -35

26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?

27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.

28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

29 And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.

30 And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?

31 And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood;

32 And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no.

33 And he knew it, and said, It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.

34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.

35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.

MESSAGE
The Law of harvest states that you will reap much more than whatever you sow. This is why you must be careful of the kind of seeds you sow, because when harvest comes, it is always much more than the seed. In our Bible readings for today, we see Jacob sowing a seed in the first passage and then reaping the harvest in the second. In the first passage, he deceived his father in order to get the blessing and so his children also deceived him that Joseph their brother was dead. Genesis 37:35 says:

“And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For l will go down into the grave unto my son mourning Thus his father wept for him.”

Many a time, the harvest of your seeds comes when you are too old to do anything about it. Everything you do now is a seed and the harvest will come back to you when you may not have as much energy as you do now.

I thank God for some of the seeds l sowed as a young man because l am now reaping the harvests. In 1961, as a 19 year-old, l gave money to a poor, sick old man – a neighbour, so he could get some medicine. The man said to me that someday, l would be traveling abroad as often as people go to market. I laughed at that prophecy because in my village in those days, if anyone was returning from a trip abroad, the entire villages would not go to the farm that day. The hunters would come out and shoot their guns in celebration of the person and everyone would be rejoicing. At that time, there were only 2 people who had gone abroad in my village, and they studied there for a number of years. Now this man was saying that l would be going often. It appeared funny, but l had sown the seed. Today, by God’s grace, that prophesy has been fulfilled.

Beloved pay attention to every opportunity you have to sow a good seed. On the other hand, always check your actions to be sure that you are not showing bad seeds that you will regret when the harvest comes.

KEY POINT
Be very intentional about the seeds you sow today because they will come back in multiple folds tomorrow.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 38-40

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE: For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Habakkuk 2:3

READ: Habakkuk 2:2 -4

2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

MESSAGE

The Bible says in Proverbs 13:12, “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is tree of life.” You may have really been hoping for something, but have not gotten it yet and your heart is beginning to feel sick. Beloved, summon up strength and keep hope alive. Habakkuk 2:3 says that every vision is for an appointed time. Your appointed time will soon come in the name of Jesus.

While waiting for their appointed time, many people do things that put a dent in their testimonies. In Genesis 16:2, Sarah asked Abraham to have an extra marital affair with her maid so that the young girl could have a child for him. Sarah gave up hope and compromised. She later regretted it when her appointed time came and she now had her own child. In Genesis 21:10, she told Abraham to send the maid away with her son. Beyond that, l’m sure when she looks down from heaven now and see some of the seeds of that maid attacking her own seeds, she would wish she had kept hope alive.

While waiting for your appointed time, just ensure that you are obeying every instruction of God to the letter, whether it makes sense or not. Many years ago, we were offered the chance to buy all 40 acres of a serene campground called the “Youth Camp”, for N100,000. That was a lot of money back then. I gathered my people together and we pray quoting the Scripture:

Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have l given unto you.
Joshua 1:3

We put off our shoes and walked round that camp ground praying and confessing that it was ours, by faith. Not long afterwards, another ministry heard that the property was available for sale and they promptly paid for it. Our hope were dashed, but l encouraged myself in the Lord and kept hope alive. Before long, God led us to where the Redemption Camp is situated, though then it was notorious for being a home for highway robbers and big snakes. We trusted in the Lord and purchased the first parcel of land that has grown to become Redemption City today. The Redemption City now sits on an expanse of land far greater than what we had earlier wanted to purchase. Thank God that we kept hope alive for our appointed time.

KEY POINT

Your appointed time is coming; don’t give up.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 35-37

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 21: STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF GOD

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.

Chorus:
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 shall not 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.

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE: Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. Acts 21:13

READ: Acts 21:4 -13

4 And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.

5 And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed.

6 And when we had taken our leave one of another, we took ship; and they returned home again.

7 And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day.

8 And the next day we that were of Paul’s company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.

9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.

10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.

11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

Acts 21:12 And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.

13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

MESSAGE

Fire is relentless; once it starts, it could take over its entire surroundings if not well controlled. It just keeps going, clearing off anything that is on its path. As we see in our Bible reading today, Paul did not allow anything at all to discourage him from working for God. In another instance (Acts 13:6-12) , Paul was trying to preach to a governor, but Elymas, the sorcerer , tried to convince the man not to accept the gospel. Paul did not get discouraged; he struck the sorcerer with blindness, got him out of the way and won the governor for Christ. Fire is never afraid of whatever stands in its path.

I remember when we first went to the town of Ede in Nigeria to hold a crusade. There were indications of resistance in the spirit realm, but we put our faith in God and were not discouraged. As the programme was starting, it began to rain very heavily. I wasn’t bothered; as long as it was rain and not fire falling. I decide we would continue the programme. Suddenly, as the choir was about to step on the stage, it collapsed. There was a brother there who owned a tipper. I told him to drive the tipper into the crusade ground, and it became our stage. We went ahead to hold the programme despite all the challenges we faced.

Don’t be discouraged by all those who are trying to stand in the way of the assignments God has committed into your hands; keep going. If they refuse to move out of your way, they will be consumed in Jesus’ name. Be relentless in your pursuit of Kingdom goals. Don’t let lack of funds stop you from doing what you want to do for God. Get going; God will provide the funds when you move. Don’t let disappointments and betrayals weigh you down; encourage yourself in the Lord and keep moving (I Samuel 30:6).

Over the years, so many things have stood in my way – including man-made laws. If those who decide to obstruct me remain in my way. No problem; whatever casualties will result from that will not be my fault. You must be relentless if you really want to be what God has called you to be. You must never let anything stop you.

KEY POINT

Fire is relentless.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 31-34

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 20: STAND UP,STAND UP FOR JESUS

1 Stand up, stand up for Jesus

ye soldiers of the cross;

lift high his royal banner,

it must not suffer loss.

From vict’ry unto vict’ry

his army he shall lead

till ev’ry foe is vanquished

and Christ is Lord indeed.

2 Stand up, stand up for Jesus,

the trumpet call obey;

forth to the mighty conflict

in this his glorious day.

Ye that are men now serve him

against unnumbered foes;

let courage rise with danger

and strength to strength oppose.

3 Stand up, stand up for Jesus,

stand in his strength alone;

the arm of flesh will fail you,

ye dare not trust your own.

Put on the gospel armor,

each piece put on with prayer;

where duty calls or danger,

be never wanting there.

4 Stand up, stand up for Jesus,

the strife will not be long;

this day the noise of battle,

the next, the victor’s song.

To him that overcometh

a crown of life shall be;

he with the King of glory

shall reign eternally.

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE: Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. Proverbs 27:17

READ: Ecclesiastes 4:9 -12

9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?

12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

MESSAGE

Fire is very generous. If you have one hundred candles to light, all you have to do,is light one of them and that one candle can be used to light the remaining 99. Fire lights up other materials that have the potential to carry it.

Fire is always looking out for good materials that are flammable. In Deuteronomy 34:9, when Moses saw that Joshua was a good material, he imparted the spirit of wisdom into him. When Elijah saw that Elisha was a good material, he gave him double portion of his power. Who are the good materials that you have noticed around you – people with potential to do exploits for God, if only they could be mentored correctly? Get close to them and heat them up for God. You don’t know how far that good material around will burn for God if only you can bring him or her close enough to get some heat from you.

I don’t understand how some men of God try to quench the fire of others. Fire does not compete with itself. When fire meets fire, it join forces to impact the environment even more. Is there someone else who carries fire around you? Put denomination aside and join forces to advance the Kingdom of God. Individually there are some obstacles that your fire may be too small to overcome, but when you come together, you can bring down very high mountains. When one fire seems to go down, the moment it comes in contact with another, the new one rekindles it and makes it burn more. It amazes me that sometimes when children of God see another child of God going cold, they would rejoice and say they are ‘minding their business’ rather than getting closer to the person and helping to rekindle his or her fire so that the person can burn even more for God.

Fire burns better when it is in contact with other fires. You and other fires around you will burn better if you come together from time to time to rekindle one another. This is why you find pastors coming together to form associations, so that everyone can ensure that nobody’s fire goes down. Believe me honestly, you will burn better if you don’t look away when you, notice that the fire of someone else is going down.

KEY POINT

Fire is generous and burns better when in contact with other fires.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 278-30

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 12: ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS

1. Onward, Christian soldiers!
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before.
Christ, the royal Master,
Leads against the foe;
Forward into battle,
See his banners go!

[Chorus]
Onward, Christian soldiers!Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before.

2. At the sign of triumph
Satan’s host doth flee;
On, then, Christian soldiers,
On to victory.
Hell’s foundations quiver
At the shout of praise;
Brothers, lift your voices,
Loud your anthems raise.

3. Like a mighty army
Moves the Church of God;
Brothers, we are treading
Where the Saints have trod.
We are not divided;
All one body we:
One in hope and doctrine,
One in charity.

4. Onward, then, ye people;
Join our happy throng.
Blend with ours your voices
In the triumph song:
Glory, laud, and honor
Unto Christ, the King.
This through countless ages
Men and angels sing.

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE: Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Matthew 5:15

READ: Mark 16:15 -20

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

MESSAGE

Fire cannot be ignored; it always affects its environment. Wherever fire is, everyone around there feels it’s heat and whatever comes in contact with it would either be consumed or become fire too. If there is little fire somewhere and you throw some sheets of paper at it, they will catch fire themselves. I am charging all believers today. It is okay when you have just come into a school to say, “Oh, we are surrounded by sinners” but after three months, it would be a shame if they are all still sinners. How can you be in an office for three years with everybody there remaining the same? Fire compels everything around it to become like it. If you have not been preaching the gospel not the people around you,nowhere is your heat? Why have you gone so cold?

In I Kings 18:36-39, when Elijah demonstrated that he is fire, the whole nation fell on their faces and said, “Your God is God”. In Acts 16:25-34, when Paul and Silas were thrown into jail, by the time Paul and Silas had demonstrated that they are fire, the jailer humbled himself and said, “Tell me what l must do to be saved”. I pray you will receive the ability to demonstrate the power of God in your environment now in Jesus’ name. Shining your light would, however, require personal sacrifices. You must spend time praying and dwelling in the presence of Gid. You would need to fast and study your Bible regularly.

Don’t shy away from opportunity to show that you are fire. When a classmate tells you they are not feeling fine, don’t suggest medication, lay hands on them and pray for their healing. By the time the fellow gets healed, he or she would spread the news to others and before you know it, you would have won your faculty over to the Lord. Is there any of your colleagues who is looking up to God for the fruit of the womb? See it as an opportunity to,preach Christ to your entire off pace. Pray for the fellow and assure them that they will carry their babies in nine months. When God does the miracle, everyone will know that your God is real and they will bow to Him.

ACTION POINT

Ensure that everyone who come in contact with you hears the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 24-27

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 1: ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER

1 All to Jesus, I surrender

All to Thee I freely give

I will ever love and trust

You In Your presence daily live

Refrain

I surrender all, I surrender all

All to Thee, my blessed Savior

I surrender all

2 All to Jesus, I surrender Lord,

I give myself to Thee

Fill me with Your love and power

Let Your blessing fall on me

Refrain

3All to Jesus I surrender

Now I feel the sacred flame

O the joy of full salvation a

Glory, glory, to Your name

Refrain

I surrender all, I surrender all

All to Thee, my blessed Savior

I surrender all (I surrender all)

I surrender all, I surrender all

All to Thee, my blessed Savior

I surrender all (all to Thee, my blessed)

All to Thee, my blessed Savior

Please follow and like us:

20