MEMORISE:
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

READ: Mark 4:35-41

35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.

36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.

37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

MESSAGE

The life of our Lord Jesus Christ on earth shows us that we can have peace amidst the storms of life. In today’s Bible reading, He demonstrated that He is indeed the Prince of Peace, as written of Him, in Isaiah 9:6. While traveling in a boat with His disciples, having just finished a long session of preaching and counseling for only God knows how many hours, there arose a great storm bellowing against the boat in which they were. The disciples were sore afraid that they would die at sea, because it seemed as if their boat would capsize. Meanwhile, Jesus Christ was fast asleep in the inner chamber of the boat. It is amazing that He could sleep even in the midst of a storm! The disciples woke Him up, accusing Him of being unmindful of their predicament. Jesus was surprised that His disciples could ever imagine that the boat carrying the Author of life would capsize! Howbeit, He arose and rebuked the wind behind the raging storm, and there was a great calm.

The series of events that occurred in the story shows us that the devil and his cohorts can launch an attack against us after a successful outreach programmes. Nevertheless, the good news is that God will always take charge and curtail such attacks. We also need to recognize from this story that the devil has no respect for the personality of the anointed. He can attack anybody, even when he knows that failure is inevitable, or how do we explain his attempt to capsize the boat of the one who created him? We must therefore be careful not to rest on our oars as we fight the good fight of faith. Nevertheless, in spite of the devil’s antics, we must not be afraid, because the Stiller of Storms is with us. You will be very wise to always have Jesus in the boat of your life, for He will always rise to any challenge you are confronted with when He is the captain of your life’s boat. A person’s true character is revealed when he or she is confronted with difficult situations. The raging storm revealed that the disciples did not really know Jesus as they ought to know Him. If they did, they would not have accused Him of not being concerned with their plight. As a matter of fact, their show of surprise at Him stilling the storm shows that they had little understanding of Him being God among men. In light of their example, we must never assume that we have fully known the Lord until we see Him in glory (1 Corinthians 13:12). We must continually desire and pray to know Him the more, just like Paul did all the days of his life (Philippians 3:10). The more of Him we know, the more of His peace we will have in our hearts. I pray that His peace will continually fill your heart, even in the midst of the storms of life, in Jesus’ Name.

KEY POINT:
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. (Proverb 17:22).

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Nehemiah 12-13
Hosea 10

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 7: MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name

Refrain
On Christ the solid Rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand

When darkness hides His lovely face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil
Refrain

His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood
When all around my soul gives way
He then is all my hope and stay
Refrain

When He shall come with trumpet sound
Oh may I then in Him be found
Dressed in His righteousness alone
Faultless to stand before the throne
Refrain

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MEMORISE:
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Romans 14:17

READ: Luke 2:9-14

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

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.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

MESSAGE

Today’s memory verse clearly shows that continuous sadness has no place in the kingdom of God. As a matter of fact, being melancholic all year-round is not a Christian virtue. There is a song w eused to sing in the past, and we need to remind ourselves of it today, it is a song in the Yoruba language, which being interpreted goes thus:
“My joy always abounds, My joy always abounds sorrow belongs to the camp of the devil; My joy always abounds”

The angels who announced the birth of our Lord brought joy from heaven to our sorrow-ridden earth. From the abundance of joy in heaven, they proclaimed joy to the world. Only those who are joyful can be comfortable in heaven; melancholic people will not fit in there. Our Lord wants us to be joyous irrespective of what the situation is around is around us, because our joy is not derived from what is happening in the world. For this reason, in John 16:22-24, He said to us:

“And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

One lesson I would like to draw your attention to in this scripture is that Jesus Christ knows what heaven is like, and He wants us to have a taste of heaven here on earth. Unfortunately, some people specialize in making other people sad by their wicked acts, or through diabolical means such as witchcraft, sorcery and other forms of spiritual wickedness in high places. They must be pitied because ultimately, they can never know joy in this world, neither will there be a place for them in the kingdom of God.

If you currently living in sorrow, the Lord wants to bring you out of it before a broken spirit sends you to an early grave (proverbs 17:22). God wants your joy to be full, and that’s why He said you should Him in faith for whatever you need. The joy we possess as Christians comes from the joy of our salvation. We must guard this jealously and pray for its restoration whenever we err (psalm 51:12). We can learn to joyful by bringing joy to others. In other words, when you put smiles on the faces of people, you will also smile. Happiness is not far from those who make others happy, and joy symbolizes the presence of heaven in a place. Receive abundant joy today in Jesus’ Name!

KEY POINT:
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. (Proverb 17:22).

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Nehemiah 10-11
Hosea 9

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 5: LET OTHERS SEE JESUS IN YOU.

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.

Refrain:
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?

Refrain

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.

Refrain

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MEMORISE:
How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up? Deuteronomy 32:30

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

There are certain blessings attached to marriage which we may be ignorant of except the Holy Spirit reveals them to us. One of such hidden blessings is revealed in today’s memory verse and Bible reading. From these scriptures, God’s verdict is that two are better than one, and according to Ecclesiastes 4:9, the reason is:
“……..because they have a good reward for their labour.”

This indicates that divorce is not the correct solution for marriages that are challenged, because divorce robs couples of maximum victory and rewards. Speaking further on the benefits of companionship derived from marriage, the Holy Spirit explains in Ecclesiastes 4:10:

“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.”

Helping each other out in times of need is another great blessing of marriage. This was part of God’s design when He established marriage as an institution. When God was going to create a companion for Adam, He stated His reason for this, saying in Genesis 2:18:

“It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”

Man needed a companion in the form of a kind-minded person who could help him fulfil his God-given assignment. I’m left in awe whenever I consider the wife God blessed me with, long before I knew His plans to use me in reaching the world with the Gospel. Indeed, He knows the end from the beginning, and so He makes everything beautiful in His own time (Ecclesiastes 3:11). As a beneficiary of God’s blessing in marriage, I make bold to say that only a person who is blessed with a God-given spouse can cope with the hazardous challenges of being a minister of God.

Couples should do everything possible to stay together because God honors their unity by fighting their battles for them. However, this unity must be of a godly sort, and not like that which existed between Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5). Couples should key into power of the Lord’s promise in Matthew 18:19, which says:

“Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.”

This is another valid reason why couples should fear God and not offend Him. He is the author of marriage, who created it for couples to receive maximum blessings from Him. Beloved, whatever it may cost you, keep your marriage intact, because there are great blessings attached to holy matrimony.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, give us the days of heaven on earth in our homes, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Nehemiah 7-8
Hosea 7

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 16: GOD GIVE US CHRISTIAN HOMES.

1. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught,
Homes where the Master’s will is sought,
Homes crowned with beauty Your love has wrought;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

2. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the father is true and strong,
Homes that are free from the blight of wrong,
Homes that are joyous with love and song;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

3. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the mother, in caring quest,
Strives to show others Your way is best,
Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

4. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the children are led to know
Christ in His beauty who loves them so,
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

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MEMORISE:
Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Revelation 3:11

READ: Ephesians 6:10-18
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

MESSAGE

Yesterday, we considered how to enforce the victory bequeathed to us by our Lord Jesus Christ through His death and resurrection. Today, we shall be learning how to fortify this victory, so that it is not stolen from us.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Ephesians 6:10-11

This scripture holds the key to how we fortify our victory in Christ, by commanding us to be strong in the Lord. This is not a piece of advice but an express command given by the Holy Spirit. Beloved, to fortify your victory in Christ, you must be strengthened by the power that comes through having a relationship with the Lord. God does not want His children to be weaklings, which is why He often told the commanders of the army of Israel to be strong and courageous. He said to Joshua 1:9:

“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

Courage is a necessary ingredient for fortifying our victory. During one of our Solemn Assembly services in 2018, I showed my children the video clip of a goat being bullied by a cow. In a turn of events, the small goat put the cow to flight, because it courageously resisted the cow. We can learn from this goat’s courage and persistence.

Apart from being strong in the Lord, we are further commanded in Ephesians 6:10-11 to put on the whole armor of God. What is the whole armor of God? The Holy Spirit articulates this in today’s Bible reading. The armor of God comprises of many components with distinctive uses. These include the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness. The good news is that Jesus Christ is The Truth, just as He is our Righteousness. In other words, making Him our Ally is great wisdom that fortifies our victory. Our armor also includes boots for preaching the gospel of peace everywhere. Unfortunately, many Christians and churches are neglecting this aspect of our divine armor. Consequently, those we failed to preach to yesterday are the ones terrorizing us today. May the Lord forgive us our sin of neglecting to preach the gospel. The shield of faith and the helmet of salvation are other parts of God’s armor. Doubt and unbelief rob us of our victory in Christ, hence the need for faith. Our salvation is shipwrecked when we fail to live a holy life. How well are you fortifying your victory in Christ today?

PRAYER POINT:
Father, strengthen me with Your mighty power, and let me not be robbed of my victory in You.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Nehemiah 7-8
Hosea 7

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 13: YES, I KNOW I AM A VICTOR.

1. Yes, I know i am a victor
For the Bible tells me so
God made me more than a conqueror
Much stronger than all my foes.

Chorus:
Jesus loves me and i love him
Together we rule the world
Christ with me I will overcome
By his blood, his Name, his word_

2. Yes, I know i am a victor
Stronger than sickness, disease
By his stripes I am superior
Far above infirmities

Refrain:

3. Yes, I know i am a victor
Stronger than demons i am
To satan i am a terror
I am free, o yes, i am

Refrain:

4. Yes, I know i am a victor
Stronger than lack, poverty
All my needs Jesus provides for
I have life abundantly

Refrain:

5. Yes, I know i am a victor
Barrenness no more indeed
Fruitful is the God i live for
All my dreams shall be fulfilled

Refrain:

6. Yes, I know i am a victor
By his strength i shall succeed
No more loss and no more failure
Glory to glory proceed

Refrain:
7. Yes, I know i am a victor
No more sorrow, no despair
Jesus Christ is my own succour
Tomorrow is joy and cheer

Refrain:

8. Yes, I know i am a victor
very soon I’ll reign with him
His promise is my sure anchor
He’s coming to take me home

Refrain:

9. Jesus loves me and i love him
We rule this world together
as He is so right now I am
Hear me shout Halleluyah

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MEMORISE:
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Revelation 12:11

READ: 1 John 5:4-6
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

1 Timothy 6:11-12
11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

MESSAGE

Many people do not know that we need to continually enforce the victory that our Lord Jesus Christ earned for us at Calvary, the Lord bequeathed this victory to us as a gift just as He gave the Promised Land to the Israelites. We are therefore declared to be more than conquerors through Him (Romans 8:37). How then do we enforce this victory over the devil, the world and the flesh? Today’s memory verse provides some answers. We can enforce our victory over the devil by appropriating the Blood of Jesus Christ against him and his kingdom. The devil cannot withstand this when done in faith. Any person who wants to live a victorious life over the forces of darkness must believe in the atoning work that Jesus Christ performed when He offered His life as a sacrifice, He poured out His precious Blood and died a cursed death on the cross of Calvary for the deliverance of mankind ( 1 Peter 1:18-19, Galatians 3:13).

Another way of enforcing our victory is by proclaiming the word of our testimony. The Holy Spirit says in Romans 10:10:

“ For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

The Hebrew boys activated their deliverance from the fiery furnace by their confessions. They said in Daniel 3:17:

“ If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.”

True to the words of their declaration, God delivered them. Just as He did for them, He will also deliver you today in Jesus’ Name. However, you must believe in your heart, and in that faith, confess that you are victorious. You are even victorious over death! The fear of death is one factor that makes people lose their faith and consequently their victory. For this reason, Jesus warned us not to be afraid of those who can kill the body and do nothing else. Rather, we should fear the One who can kill the body and throw the body and soul into hell (Matthew 10:28). This Mighty One is more than able to deliver those who believe in Him and confess Him before physical and spiritual obstacles. The appropriate and effective use of God’s word is another means of enforcing our victory. The Lord Himself used this tool when He was faced with temptation in the wilderness, quoting God’s word appropriately to counter the subtle attacks of the devil (Luke 4:1-13). This is why you must be a good student of the Bible. Till the Lord returns, continue to fight the good fight of faith by enforcing your victory over the devil, the world and the flesh. God bless you.

ACTION POINT:
Enforce the victory Christ earned for you at Calvary against every factor working against His will for your life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Nehemiah 4-6
Hosea 5-6

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 13: YES, I KNOW I AM A VICTOR.

1. Yes, I know i am a victor
For the Bible tells me so
God made me more than a conqueror
Much stronger than all my foes.

Chorus:
Jesus loves me and i love him
Together we rule the world
Christ with me I will overcome
By his blood, his Name, his word_

2. Yes, I know i am a victor
Stronger than sickness, disease
By his stripes I am superior
Far above infirmities

Refrain:

3. Yes, I know i am a victor
Stronger than demons i am
To satan i am a terror
I am free, o yes, i am

Refrain:

4. Yes, I know i am a victor
Stronger than lack, poverty
All my needs Jesus provides for
I have life abundantly

Refrain:

5. Yes, I know i am a victor
Barrenness no more indeed
Fruitful is the God i live for
All my dreams shall be fulfilled

Refrain:

6. Yes, I know i am a victor
By his strength i shall succeed
No more loss and no more failure
Glory to glory proceed

Refrain:
7. Yes, I know i am a victor
No more sorrow, no despair
Jesus Christ is my own succour
Tomorrow is joy and cheer

Refrain:

8. Yes, I know i am a victor
very soon I’ll reign with him
His promise is my sure anchor
He’s coming to take me home

Refrain:

9. Jesus loves me and i love him
We rule this world together
as He is so right now I am
Hear me shout Halleluyah

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MEMORISE:
When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Psalm 27:2

READ: Isaiah 49:24-26

24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?

25 But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.

26 And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

MESSAGE

There was once a young brother who believed every word he read from the Bible. Based on the word of God, this brother believed that his blood was too precious to be sucked by and devourer, even mosquitoes, and knocked those who used things like insecticide to ride their rooms of mosquitoes. He even proclaimed that no mosquito dared sucked his blood and live! So, one day, he challenged other brethren to watch what would happen to any mosquito that tried to attack him. He stretched his hand out through the window, exposing it to mosquitoes flying nearby. Immediately, several mosquitoes zoomed in on it and began to suck his blood. However, to everyone’ great surprise, once the mosquitoes drank his blood, they fell down dead. To the natural mind which walks in the realm of doubt and unbelief, this may sound like ridiculous story, but it is true. Indeed, the things of the spirit cannot be grasped by the natural mind because they are spiritually discerned (2 Corinthians 2:14). In the same line of faith as this young brother, the Psalmist says in Psalm 27:2:

“When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.”

Enemies are enemies, irrespective of their nature or origin. They can come against us in the form of human beings, animals, plants or any other things in the created world. That is why God’s promise to us in Isaiah 54:17 is all-encompassing, saying:

“ No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.”

Based on God’s promises in today’s Bible reading, if you really belong to Him, you will be toxic to devourers of mankind. It is therefore an anomaly for children of God to say that witches are sucking their blood. Beloved, this should not be your experience because every child of God is in a covenant that is founded on the Blood of Jesus (Luke 22:20). As you partake of Jesus’ Blood at the communion table, His blood flows through entire system, making your blood deadly to every blood-sucking demon. To anyone who has been threatened by witches, I advise you run to Jesus Christ today. He will make you poisonous to those who want to devour you. Several years ago, I also felt threatened when witches in my village planned to make me their breakfast, but the Lord delivered me. He can do the same for you if you genuinely belong to Him. Are you one of His?

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please protect me from all devourers, and cause me to live in peace and good health.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Nehemiah 1-3
Hosea 3-4

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 13: YES, I KNOW I AM A VICTOR.

1. Yes, I know i am a victor
For the Bible tells me so
God made me more than a conqueror
Much stronger than all my foes.

Chorus:
Jesus loves me and i love him
Together we rule the world
Christ with me I will overcome
By his blood, his Name, his word_

2. Yes, I know i am a victor
Stronger than sickness, disease
By his stripes I am superior
Far above infirmities

Refrain:

3. Yes, I know i am a victor
Stronger than demons i am
To satan i am a terror
I am free, o yes, i am

Refrain:

4. Yes, I know i am a victor
Stronger than lack, poverty
All my needs Jesus provides for
I have life abundantly

Refrain:

5. Yes, I know i am a victor
Barrenness no more indeed
Fruitful is the God i live for
All my dreams shall be fulfilled

Refrain:

6. Yes, I know i am a victor
By his strength i shall succeed
No more loss and no more failure
Glory to glory proceed

Refrain:
7. Yes, I know i am a victor
No more sorrow, no despair
Jesus Christ is my own succour
Tomorrow is joy and cheer

Refrain:

8. Yes, I know i am a victor
very soon I’ll reign with him
His promise is my sure anchor
He’s coming to take me home

Refrain:

9. Jesus loves me and i love him
We rule this world together
as He is so right now I am
Hear me shout Halleluyah

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MEMORISE:
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
Ecclesiastes 9:10

READ: 2 Timothy 4:5-8

4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

MESSAGE

Someone once said that the graveyard is the richest place on earth, because in it lies buried many gifts, talents, untapped ideas and unquantifiable capabilities. The reason this assertion is somewhat true is that many have died while still loaded with great ideas, treasures, unused potential and energy. In order not to fall into this category after passing on to be with the Lord, we must obey the admonition of the Holy Spirit in Ecclesiastes 9:10, which says:

“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.”

Anyone who walks in the light of this scripture will die empty, having used up all the gifts and good potential the Creator deposited in him or her to the glory of God.

An example of someone who emptied himself before going on to be with the Lord is Elijah. He left behind a double portion of his anointing, symbolised by his mantle which dropped from him as he transited to glory. This mantle immediately started working wonders for his successor, Elisha. Speaking on this, the Bible says in 2 Kings 2:14:

“And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.”

I believe Elijah’s mantle did not just fall from him; he deliberately released it to Elisha because he wanted to go empty. If Elijah had taken the anointing on his life to heaven, it would have been useless there. So, he released it to the generation that succeeded him. What a great life he lived! Another person who died empty was Paul. When you read through the testimony of his life, you will agree with me that he died empty. He himself testified to this, saying in 2 Timothy 4:7-8:

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

Beloved, these people have run their own course, and they now serve as great examples to us. What will the testimony of your life be after your assignment here on earth is done? Strive to make it a glorious one of how you emptied yourself of all that God deposited in you.

ACTION POINT:
Take stock of how well you are utilising the gifts and potential God has deposited in you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ezra 9-10, Hosea 2

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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MEMORISE:
He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
Proverbs 19:17

READ: Acts 2:41-47

2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 2:43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 2:44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 2:45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 2:46 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, 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

MESSAGE

Christian Social Responsibility (CSR) is not a 21st century concept or idea; it has been with the Church from the beginning of the Christian faith. Today’s Bible reading describes the format it took and the impact it had on the early Church. Of a truth, there are lots of blessings that accrue to us individually and collectively as the Body of Christ when we take CSR seriously. The Church of Christ stands the chance of being tremendously blessed if we take the issue of caring for the poor and downtrodden as part of our mission, beginning from our local environment to the ends of the earth. As individuals, we will be tremendously blessed if we give heed to the words of today’s memory verse, which is part of the infallible word of God that never fails. My personal experience from giving to the poor is a testament to the veracity of this scripture.

There is this story of a Church leader who became a Christian as a result of the hospitality shown to him by a Christian couple during the Nigerian civil war. Accordingly to his account, he staggered into the camp of a Christian couple during the civil war, and they received him like their own kinsman, giving him a plateful of rice. A plate of rice during the civil war was worth a fortune, but they gave it to him because of the love of Christ. The man of God said he decided there and then to serve the God of this couple, who did not only provide for them during those austere times but also taught them to be good to others. He concluded in his heart that the God who made human beings as good as this couple must indeed be a very good God.

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

The Church at Philippi manifested certain virtues which triggered the declaration of this wonderful promise. Narrating what they did, Philippians 4:15-16 says:

“Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.”

It was their concern for the welfare of God’s servant and the success of his assignment that moved heaven to release the wonderful promise in Philippians 4:19 to them. Beloved, let us go back to the basics of Christian hospitality and communal living, and it will not be long before the whole world will be won to Christ through our love, care and spirit of sharing.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please restore to Your Church the spirit of caring, sharing and love.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ezra 7-8, Hosea 1

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:
Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.
Psalm 67:5-6

READ: Psalm 92:12-15

92:12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 92:13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. 92:14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; 92:15 To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

MESSAGE

Those whom the Lord refers to as the “flourishing” are those who have the capacity to lend to nations. They are the kind of people that nations can humbly go to in order to explain their needs, anticipating that they will receive something impactful from them. The first thing you need in order to flourish is divine favour. In Romans 9:15-16, God said:

“…I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

In other words, struggling for wealth does not necessarily lead to prosperity. This is why an African proverb says, “It is not the lack of food that stops a cat from being as big as the dog.”

After God has shown you favour, the next thing you need in order to flourish is hard work. Lazy people don’t work hard, so they don’t flourish. In John 5:17b, Jesus Christ said:

“My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.”

God is a hard worker, so it would not be in His character to cause a lazy fellow to flourish. In Proverbs 13:4a, the Bible says:

“The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing:”

In my lifetime, I have seen a lot of people who want to flourish without working hard. They remain poor, because God’s word cannot be broken. His word says in Proverbs 22:29:

“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.”

If you don’t want to work hard, then there is no way God can cause you to flourish. When God wants to bless someone, He opens doors to him or her. However, if He opens a door for you, He won’t push you through it; you will have to do what it takes to go through it yourself.

For you to flourish, beyond working hard, you must work right. Working hard is not as important as working right, otherwise all labourers would be the richest people in the world. Peter and some other disciples fished all night but they caught nothing because they were fishing in the wrong place (John 21:3-6). You can only know which way to cast your net if you have surrendered the boat of your life to the Master. Those whose hearts are sold out to Jesus never lack direction. They always have net-breaking catches because Jesus tells them which direction to cast their nets. Is it so with you?

PRAYER POINT:
Father, I am wiling to work hard and work right; please bless me today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ezra 4-6, Revelation 22

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 1: THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING

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

Chorus:
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;
O 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.

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MEMORISE:
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Matthew 6:33

READ: Genesis 21:5-14

21:5 And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him. 21:6 And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me. 21:7 And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age. 21:8 And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned. 21:9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. 21:10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. 21:11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son. 21:12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. 21:13 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed. 21:14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.

MESSAGE

The Lord declared His place in the universe to be first in all things and filling all spheres, saying in Revelation 1:8:

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”

In light of this, He expects those who have given their lives to Him to put Him first in all things. Making God first in our lives is the highest honour we can give to Him. Indeed, there is no other positions suitable for Him in our lives than the first position. The implication of this is that we must consult Him first before we do anything. Those who jump the gun in their walk with God by taking steps before consulting Him always encounter disappointment, failure, hardship and great frustration. No wonder the prophet said in Habakkuk 2:1:

“I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.”

To enjoy our walk with Him therefore, we must be ready to always walk behind Him, patiently waiting and watching as He goes ahead of us to make every crooked path straight, and carefully putting our feet in His footprints.

An example of someone who jumped the gun in the course of his walk with God is Father Abraham. If he had consulted with God before sleeping with Hagar at Sarah’s bidding, the Lord would not have allowed it (Genesis 16:1-3). This action brought commotion to Abraham’s household and caused him great grief. When Sarah could no longer bear the situation, she insisted that Hagar and her son, Ishmael, be sent away. It was at this time that Abraham consulted God on the matter, and God said to him in Genesis 21:12:

“And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.”

If only he had checked with God first, he would have avoided so much pain and hurt. Beloved, let us learn to put God at the beginning, at the middle and at the end of all our plans, because He must fill all spheres of our lives for perfect guidance. This should not be too difficult for those who desire to live with Him in His kingdom eternally. Is God first in your life?

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to recognise and be guided by Your footprints in every situation I am faced with in life, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ezra 1-3, Revelation 21:9-27

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: 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 pow’r as Thou shalt choose,
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne,
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.

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