MEMORISE:
But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. Matthew 21:28-29

READ: John 4:34-38

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

35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.

38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

MESSAGE

in today’s memory verse, Jesus tells the parable of a man searching for faithful laborers in His household, and even among His own children. This is indicative of what God does in every generation: always searching for a faithful servant, someone He can depend on, to deliver His undiluted message to the people. This was why Jesus commissioned seventy of His disciples to preach the good news of the gospel in the surrounding cities, towns and villages He planned to visit (Luke 10:1). He gave these disciples specific instructions that signified the level of discipline, commitments and faithfulness with which He expected them to carry out the assignment. The truth of the matter is, in all generations, God is always in search of a few exceptional ones among His children who are obedient, trustworthy, reliable and dependable. Such committed laborers are usually set apart for special assignments, especially tasks related to soul winning. I pray that you will be found among these few special laborers in this generation in Jesus’ Name. in Luke 10:2, Jesus acknowledged the vastness of the available harvest and the scarcity of laborers to bring in the harvest. The harvest is a reference to the souls that are ready to accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior, while the laborers are Christians who are faithfully committed to the task of evangelism or soul-winning. In saying the laborers are few, Jesus is not necessarily talking about the quantity of laborers only; He is also referring to their quality. In other words, the Lord is talking about the scarcity of genuine workmen who are faithfully committed to the task of getting souls into the kingdom.

Jesus specifically gave us the parable of the talents to teach the importance of faithfulness in stewardship (Matthew 25:14-30). All the servants put their talents to profitable use except the servant to whom was entrusted one talent, who went and dug a hole in the ground to hide his lord’s money where it would lie fallow. When their master returned, the servant with one talent was seriously reprimanded. His talent was taken away from him and given as a bonus to someone else. In light of this parable, the Lord expects every one of His children to diligently put their talents and special gifts to profitable use for the advancement of God’s kingdom. We are expected to be committed to God’s work, of which soul-winning is paramount. You will not be named among unprofitable servants in Jesus’ Name. beloved, the greatest rewards and crowns in heaven will go to soul-winners. I therefore plead with you to become a committed soul winner today. As you strive to please God in your stewardship, God will crown all your efforts with success in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please help me to be a faithful servant that is committed to soul-winning in Jesus’s Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 67-72

Micah 7:8-20

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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20

MEMORISE:
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Psalms 23:5

READ: 2 Kings 3:7-18

3:7 And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses. 3:8 And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom. 3:9 So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days’ journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them. 3:10 And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab! 3:11 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may enquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah. 3:12 And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. 3:13 And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. 3:14 And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee. 3:15 But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him. 3:16 And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches. 3:17 For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts. 3:18 And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.

MESSAGE

“The All-Sufficient One” is one of God’s names that aptly describes His incomparable greatness and self-sufficiency in all things. God is sufficient in power, knowledge, wisdom, wealth and authority, being able to accomplish anything He desires and bring to pass anything He has ordained. It is for this reason that we are commanded to look up to Him and depend on Him to provide all our needs and desires. We are to look unto God for salvation and deliverance from all forms of sin, sickness and poverty. Our gaze should be focused on Him whenever we are in need of boldness, encouragement or strength to forge ahead in the difficult journey of life. Our ears and hearts should also be open to His guidance and direction as we live the Christian life daily. As you look unto the All-Sufficient One for the fulfilment of your destiny, you will not be disappointed in Jesus’ Name.

From time to time in the rigorous journey of life, we sometimes find ourselves in a state of tiredness and confusion. At such times, the Holy Spirit admonishes us to run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, for encouragement (Hebrews 12:1-2). Not only are we meant to look unto Him for encouragement, we are also to look unto Him as our perfect example. Speaking on this, the Holy Spirit says in 1 Peter 2:21-23:

“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:”

Looking unto other gods and human systems for forgiveness, deliverance, healing and salvation has brought untold hardship and losses to many. Even looking unto great men and women who are successful in life and ministry has resulted in great disappointment, sorrow and pain in people’s lives. As a matter of fact, this has been a major cause of failure in the life of several people. While human beings are prone to failure, there is no failure or disappointment in Jesus. Looking unto Jesus can only increase your faith and uplift you spiritually and physically.

Looking unto Jesus in our daily Christian walk provides us with direction through the revelations He gives us in His word. By looking unto Him, an ordinary person becomes equipped to do exploits of supernatural dimensions. The Lord Jesus is the All-Sufficient God who provides forgiveness of sin, salvation and a life of joy and peace to all who look up to Him as the Messiah. As you call upon Him today, He will meet all your needs and guide your steps towards fulfilling your destiny in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please prove Yourself as the All-Sufficient God in my life, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Psalm 64-68, Micah 6:9-7:7

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE

1. My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!

2. May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!

3. While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside.

4. When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold, sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll;
Blest Saviour, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!

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MEMORISE:
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Ephesians 4:24

READ: Colossians 3:5-12

3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 3:6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

MESSAGE

The term ‘put on’ in today’s memory is an instruction that is widely used in the Bible to mean ‘be dressed up’. God’s word commands all obedient children of God to be dressed up in certain ways spiritually and physically (Ephesians 6:11, 1 Peter 3:3). Modesty and purity are the hallmarks of our cultural heritage as Christians, and we are to protect this heritage in this world of sin and godlessness. Therefore, children of God are to ensure that modesty and purity are reflected in their physical appearance and spiritual lives.

I strongly believe that a person is usually addressed the way he or she is dressed. Moses was mistaken for an Egyptian because of the way he was dressed (Exodus 2:19-21). If you dress like a prostitute, you will be addressed as a prostitute (Proverbs 7:10). If you dress like a hoodlum, you will be taken for one. Some good Christians choose to dress in ways that do not align with modesty and purity, and when others advise them to change their ways, they argue that a person’s preferred manner of dressing cannot in any way nullify their status as born again Christians. The truth of the matter is, it is one thing to be born again and another thing to submit to the authority of God through total obedience to His commandments. 1 John 2:3-4 says:

“And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

The hallmark of a Christian is total compliance with God’s word. Many unbelievers are contending with God intentionally by refusing to accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, but some Christians are unintentionally contending with God out of sheer ignorance. Those who claim to be born again Christians but are yet living in apparent disobedience to God’s word are in effect resisting or contending with Him. Romans 13:2 says:

“Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.”

It is foolish for anyone to contend with the Almighty God (Isaiah 45:9), as this is an exercise in futility that is bound to end in failure, disappointment and eternal regret. I pray that you will yield to the voice of the Holy Spirit today as He speaks to you on the need to change your mode of dressing to comply with God’s standard in Jesus’ Name.

ACTION POINT:
Always judge your motive and ask the opinion of the Holy Spirit before choosing what to wear.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Psalm 57-63, Micah 5:7-6:8

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 5: LET OTHERS SEE JESUS IN YOU

1. While passing thro’ this world of sin,
and others your life shall view,
Be clean and pure without, within;
Let others see Jesus in you.

Chorus:
Let others see Jesus in you,
Let others see Jesus in you.
Keep telling the story, be faithful and true;
Let others see Jesus in you.

2. Your life’s a book before their eyes,
They’re reading it thro’ and thro’
Say, does it point them to the skis,
Do others see Jesus in you?

3. Then live for Christ both day and night,
Be faithful, be brave and true,
and lead the lost to life and Christ.
Let others see Jesus in you.

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Memorise:
And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. Revelation 21:10

Read: Revelation 21-10-27(KJV)

10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.

16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.

19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;

20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.

21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

MESSSAGE

Some wonder how big heaven is for it to accommodate all the people who have existed since the beginning of creation.

The curiosity of such people be appreciated and their questions should be answered by pointing out the mightiness of the Omnipotent God and His capacity to do all things in John 14:1-3, the One who framed the worlds, said:

“Let not your heat be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

Considering that what the Almighty God did within six days in Genesis chapter 1 has been more than enough to sustain life on earth for so long, despite the population explosion of man and animals over time, how much more will what Jesus Christ has been preparing for over two thousand years be able to sustain all those who qualify to be there? Definitely, you don’t need to be a mathematician or quantity surveyor to logically conclude that an estate that has taken over two thousand years to build would be very magnificent.

In Revelation 21:10, this estate is referred to as “that great city”. If the Almighty God, who is greater that the greatest, says that something is great, the greatness of that thing must definitely be unimaginable. No wonder Isaiah 64:4 says:

“For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.”

Beloved, based on God’s word, I want to assure you that even if the whole world turns to Christ today, there still will be more than enough mansions for each and every one in “that great city”. Let us therefore intensify efforts toward fulfilling our assignment of winning souls. The Lord has assured us that the harvest is ripe, so let us reach out to the millions of souls still heading for hell, redirecting them to the path of righteousness and to the kingdom we are patiently waiting for. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we will depopulate hell and populate heaven to the glory of our God and Father. God bless you all as you take this assignment very seriously.

Action Point ;

Go out with determination to preach the gospel, assuring as many as would listen that there is enough room for everyone in our Father’s house.

Bible in one year: Psalm 51-56, Micah 4:6-5:6,

AUTHOR : PASTOR E . A ADEBOYE

HYMN 15: MUST I GO AND EMPTY HANDED.
1. “Must I go, and empty-handed,”
Thus my dear Redeemer meet?
Not one day of service give Him,
Lay no trophy at His feet?

o Refrain:
“Must I go, and empty-handed?”
Must I meet my Savior so?
Not one soul with which to greet Him,
Must I empty-handed go?

2. Not at death I shrink or falter,
For my Savior saves me now;
But to meet Him empty-handed,
Thought of that now clouds my brow.

3. Oh, the years in sinning wasted,
Could I but recall them now,
I would give them to my Savior,
To His will I’d gladly bow.

4. Oh, ye saints, arouse, be earnest,
Up and work while yet ’tis day;
Ere the night of death o’ertake thee,
Strive for souls while still you may.

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MEMORISE:
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. John 4:23

READ: John 4:21-24

21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

MESSAGE

Worship is beautiful act. Personally, I really love to worship God. The true act of worship is expressed when you bow down before a person in total surrender or in form of adoration. Satan knows this, which is why he told Jesus to bow down to worship him (Matthew 4:8-9). In the spirit realm, the act of worship is high priority. This is why I sometimes wonder why people think the time of worship in a church service is the right time for them to walk around to greet people. Some people purposely get to church after the worship session, while some church workers use that time to “put some things in place”. These are all wrong attitudes to worship. I remember one time when I entered a service during the worship session and all the people, I passed bowed to greet me. When I got the microphone, I asked them how they knew that I was passing by if they were truly worshipping God, and I warned them that no one should ever suspend their worship of God in order to greet me again. The time of worship is the most important time in any service.

Our heavenly Father is the Almighty God. He created the heavens and the earth, but He has no creator. He has done so many wonderous things that man can at best only imagine (Psalm 72:18). He can kill and also raise the dead (1 Samuel 2:6). He can change the life of a poor man within minutes (1 Samuel 2:8). He stretches the heavens out as a curtain and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in Isaiah 40:22). Speaking of this great God, Exodus 15:8 says:

“ 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.”

Doesn’t He therefore deserve to be worshipped with almost respect? When the president of a country steps into a gathering, all attention is on him; why then is our attention elsewhere when the King of Kings is being worshipped? Please don’t take God for granted. If your boss is talking to you and your phone rings, you will immediately end the call, but when we are in the presence of God, we dishonor Him by answering and even making phone calls. Many people often wonder why they attend the same worship service as some other people, and those people get their miracles but they get nothing. Perhaps it is because they do not honor God during the service. God clearly said in 1 Samuel 2:30b:

“Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.”

From today, honor God by worshipping Him with all of your being at all times.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, I am sorry for every time I took You for granted, please grant me grace never to take You for granted again.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 45-50

Micah 3:1-4:5

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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20

MEMORISE:
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:4

READ: Luke 2:10-11
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

MESSAGE
Ideally everyone loves to have good things and hear good news. Indeed, speaking on the impact of good news, the Holy Spirit says in Proverbs 25:25:

“As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.”

I pray that good news will come your way this season in Jesus’ Name. beloved, I want to clearly inform you today that the Almighty God is the fountain of good news in the person of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. The bad news of curses, sorrow and limitation came to mankind through the devil’s introduction of sin (Genesis 3:16-24). However, God turned this bad news around when He sent His angels to proclaim the arrival of Good News on earth (Luke 2:10-11). Upon this Good News rests all other news we can describe as good today. Let us consider the character of the good news brought by the angels to mankind. First of all, the angels said “Fear not”. When you consider what fear has caused in the lives of people down through ages, you will appreciate the good news that man has no reason to live in fear anymore. People have lost their minds and done several abominable things as a result of fear. The fear of death has led some to join secret societies and dabble into witchcraft- things which are abominations before the Lord (Deuteronomy 18:10-12, Proverbs 29:25). As a result of the angel’s proclamation, Paul was able to write in 2 Timothy 1:7:

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Another thing to note from the angel’s message is that the good news brings great joy to all people. In other words, any news that does not bring joy is not of God. Also, any message that claims to be the good news must be for all people. This can only come from the God of the entire world. So, the good news of the Son of the living God is not for any single race, tribe or class of people only; rather, it is for all people in all races and from generation to generation.

Now, what is good news? It is fact that the Savior has been born, and He has paid the price of redeeming us from the consequences of the bad news that sin represents. For those who have accepted Him as their personal Lord and Savior, the eternal punishment meant for the human race has been wiped away by His sacrifice. This is why we have that assurance in today’s memory verse that on the last day, God shall wipe away tears from our eyes, and we will no longer experience death, sorrow or pain. This is the source of our joy and hope. Anyone who accepts this message of the good news as true and also accepts Jesus Christ, who is the Good News, as Lord and Savior will partake of this joy and hope. Have you done this?

KEY POINT:
How well have you fared in propagating the message of the good news this year?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 40-44
Micah 2

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 15: MUST I GO AND EMPTY HANDED.
1. “Must I go, and empty-handed,”
Thus my dear Redeemer meet?
Not one day of service give Him,
Lay no trophy at His feet?

o Refrain:
“Must I go, and empty-handed?”
Must I meet my Savior so?
Not one soul with which to greet Him,
Must I empty-handed go?

2. Not at death I shrink or falter,
For my Savior saves me now;
But to meet Him empty-handed,
Thought of that now clouds my brow.

3. Oh, the years in sinning wasted,
Could I but recall them now,
I would give them to my Savior,
To His will I’d gladly bow.

4. Oh, ye saints, arouse, be earnest,
Up and work while yet ’tis day;
Ere the night of death o’ertake thee,
Strive for souls while still you may.

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MEMORISE:
And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. Psalm 40:3

READ: Genesis 32:9-10

9 And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:

10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.

MESSAGE

In Genesis chapter 28, Jacob became a fugitive because of his deceitful lifestyle. He ran away from the comfort zone of his father’s estate into the realm of the unknown. In the course of his flight, he got to a place where his strength could no longer carry on, and so he stopped to rest, using a stone as his pillow. He was so tired that he did not feel the hardness of the stone on which he laid his head. He even slept so deeply that he had a dream! When he woke up the following morning, he made a vow that showed his desperation and dejected state of mind. He said in Genesis 28:20-22:
“ And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:”

Thankfully, in Genesis 32:9-10, we see this same Jacob singing a new song, indicating that he had become a new man who had been blessed beyond his wildest imagination. His testimony shows that when the Lord in His glorious majesty shows an individual His mercy, that fellow’s song will change. How marvelous it is that a single man on the run with just a shepherd’s staff could now testify that God’s favor had multiplied him greatly, so that he now had a large family, two bands of men, woman and assorted flocks of sheep and oxen.

Another great example of an individual who was given a new song to sign was Hannah. The Bible says this about her in 1 Samuel 1:10 & 13:

“And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore…..Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.”

This is in sharp contrast with her new song of joy in 1 Samuel 2:1, which says:

“And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.”

Just as the Lord changed Hannah’s song, He is able to change your song too.

What has been your song so far this year? Have you been dejected and downcast because things have not been working out for you? The Lord is ready to change your song before this year runs out. Only believe and hold on to His words to you today. I pray that by the intervention of the word, you will sing a new song this season in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please do a new thing in my life that will cause me to compose a new and beautiful song for You in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 36-39

Micah 1

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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MEMORISE:

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Psalm 90:12

READ: Isaiah 40:6-8

6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:

7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

MESSAGE

Whether you believe it or not, there is a price tag of time divinely placed on each day we spend on earth. It is therefore imperative for everyone, especially children of God, to cooperate with God in order to extract the maximum value possible from each day. We can only achieve this if we continuously assess the value placed on every passing moment of our lives. For this reason, Moses prayed in today’s memory verse that the only wise God should teach us to enumerate and evaluate our days on earth, so that we may wisely make the best use of every opportunity we have in the course of living out our single lifespan on earth.

“Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.” Job 14:1-2

Reading the scripture through the lens of today’s memory verse should teach us some vital lessons. The wisdom of God in these verses teaches us that we have a fixed number of days to live on earth, and those days are few, in the overall context of what God is doing in the universe. Every one of us must therefore place great value on each day we live, so that when the time comes to give account of what we did with our lives, it will not be said that we wasted it. Life is not like football game that can be replayed; we only have one shot at it. The Holy Spirit puts us on notice as this reality, saying in Hebrews 9:27:

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”

The fact that God likens our lives to grasses and flowers which wither after a short while should serve as a wake-up call to us that we have a running stopwatch set against all our activities here on earth. You will therefore be wise to pay attention to the words of Hebrews 13:14:

“For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.”

Those who are building “towers of Babel” in order to create a name for themselves should be pitied, because they fail to recognize that we don’t have an abiding place of abode here on earth. Whether they like it or not, they will die someday. There is a Yoruba adage which says, “how many years will you spend on earth to justify making yourself a coat of iron?” The wisdom behind this adage is that a coat of iron will outlive you, and its style might even go out of fashion before you die! Beloved, let us learn to number our days and add value to our lives by serving the Lord in spirit and truth. Lastly, Ecclesiastes 12:13 says:

“ Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to continually asses my life, and help me to place great value on every passing moment of my time, to the glory of Your Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 32-35

Jonah 4

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE.

1. Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise.

2. Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3. Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every 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.

6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

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MEMORISE:
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

READ: Philippians 3:1-14
1Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.

2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

MESSAGE

The way many Christians live their lives today shows self-centeredness and a lack of consideration for fellow believers, especially those who are babes in the Body of Christ. This is why the Holy Spirit is asking us today if we are living for Jesus or for ourselves. These was a discussion among some Church leaders concerning the way people dress to church these days, which has become a menace in some quarters, particularly to the wellbeing of young believers just coming out of the world of lust and promiscuous living. The reaction of some of them was semi-nudity on souls that are not yet mature enough to resist the immoral thoughts that such horrible sights produced in them. The conclusion of that debate was this: “Let everyone dress the way he or she likes.” It is unfortunate that these leaders have forgotten the words of Romans 15:2-3, which says:

“Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.”

Unlike the aforementioned leaders, a good example of a Christian leader who lived for Christ from the moment he gave his life to Him was Paul. This was what motivated him to write the words of our memory verse. In today’s Bible reading, this same Paul gave account of who he used to be before his encounter with the Master, and how he abandoned everything he had once considered gain in order to receive “the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus”. It is interesting to note that Paul willingly went the extra mile just to satisfy his Master and not as a condition for his salvation, because he further said in Philippians 3:9:

“And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”

In other words, Paul was living to please Jesus Christ without being legalistic. When people want to satisfy their own desires, they overstretch the meaning of grace and begin to live careless and lawless lives. Such people are living to please themselves and not the Master any more. Beloved, for you to engage in acceptable service unto our God, you must begin to live for Jesus and pattern your life after His own. You can also pattern your life after His faithful apostles, one of whom said in 1 Corinthians 11:1:

“ Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”

Live to please the Master in all you do and you will experience joy like never before.

ACTION POINT:
Study the lives of Jesus and His apostles and pattern your life after theirs.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 27-31

Jonah 2-3

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 10: I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS.
1. I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

2. Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

3. The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.

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MEMORISE:
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: Daniel 1:8a

READ: Daniel 1:5-15

5 And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.

6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:

7 Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.

8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.

10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.

11 Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.

13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.

14 So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.

15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.

MESSAGE

Daniel was a very intelligent and knowledgeable young man who was taken into captivity in Babylon for the purpose of serving in the king’s palace. As was the custom in Babylon, Daniel had to be trained for three years before he could be assigned his duties. While undergoing his training, he was given a daily portion of the king’s meat, but Daniel refused to partake of it stating clearly that he would not “defile” himself with the king’s meat. Why? The reasons are simple: Daniel knew that the food the king ate was usually first dedicated to the gods of the land, and those who ate from it included the magicians, astrologers and Chaldeans. He knew his God and was sure that the God he served was not the same as the god of the king. He also knew that eating such meat would defile a child of the Almighty God.

What was the result of Daniel not defiling himself with that meat? One day, King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream he could not remember, so he called all his magicians, astrologers and the Chaldeans, who usually partook of his meat, demanding them to remind him of his dream and also interpret it, but they couldn’t. the king then ordered the killing of all the wise men of Babylon for this failure. At that point, Daniel came onto the scene and consulted his companions, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (who along with him didn’t partake of the king’s meat), to pray to God for a solution to the problem at hand. That same night, God revealed the dream to Daniel in a vision (Daniel 2:19). If he had partaken of the king’s meat, his spiritual vision would have been blurred. In Daniel 1:20, the king himself testified that Daniel and his friends were ten times better that his magicians.

The king’s meat is anything that will hinder you from having continuous fellowship with God. For instance, if the staff in your office doctor figures and money from this evil practice is shard round the office, by collecting it, you are eating the king’s meat. If as a public servant you collect bribes to perform a duty you are paid to do, you are also eating the king’s meat. If you are having an affair with your boss or lecturer, you are defiling yourself with the king’s meat. It is therefore no wonder that many people are dull on their job and school; if only they could reject the king’s meat, they would be found to be ten times better than their colleagues. Are others eating the king’s meat around you and it seems as if they are better off? Don’t fret yourself; it is only a matter of time before everyone sees that those who refuse to defile themselves are ten times better than others.

KEY POINT:

If you want to be distinguished for promotion like Daniel, then dare to be different.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 21-26 and Jonah 1

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE.

1. Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise.

2. Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3. Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every 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.

6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

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