MEMORISE:
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
Proverbs 22:29

READ: Matthew 25:19-21

25:19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 25:20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

MESSAGE

Whoever tells you that there is no longer a reward for diligence in this world is a liar. The word of God, which is forever settled in heaven, has declared that diligence has its rewards in this world and in the world to come. According to God’s word in today’s memory verse, even if the diligence would not want to come before kings, his or her works will drag him or her to the presence of kings for due reward. The power inherent in God’s word is a compelling force that attracts blessings to the diligent. The story of Mordecai in the book of Esther is a great example in this regard. Mordecai was a Jewish captive in Shushan during the reign of Ahasuerus, the Persian emperor. He was made a security guard to the king, and in the course of diligently carrying out his duty, he saved the king from being assassinated. This good deed was recorded in the archives of the empire, even though he was not rewarded at that time. Meanwhile, Haman hated Mordecai and wanted to kill him. However, the night before Haman was to execute his evil plans, the righteousness of God woke the king up and reminded him of the reward still pending for Mordecai’s diligence. Esther 6:1-3 says:

“On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.”

This was the beginning of the reward for diligence received by a watchman who later became second in command to the king (Esther 10:3). What a great lesson his life is to us all! Some security guards are only being paid for sleeping in the open, because they are watching nothing. The story was told of a security guard who was so fast asleep on duty that the one who hired him came and took away his shoes and probably his torchlight and yet he did not know! This was not the case with Mordecai; he did his work meticulously and thoroughly. The Lord’s parable in today’s Bible reading also affirms that diligence attracts great blessings. When the master of the diligent servant came and realised that he had been industrious in the use of the talents given to him, he rewarded him handsomely, making him an administrator over many of his businesses. However, the servant who buried his lone talent was damned. Beloved, be diligent and determine not to eat the food of idleness; it is a sin.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please strengthen my hands to be diligent in all I do, and don’t let me lose my reward.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Chronicles 35-36, Revelation 20:11-21:8

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: TRUST AND OBEY

1. 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

Chorus:
Trust and obey,
For there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise,
Not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt nor a fear
Not a sigh nor a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

3. Not a burden we bear,
Not a sorrow we share
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief nor a loss,
Not a frown nor a cross,
But is blest if we trust and obey.

4. But we never can prove
The delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favour He shows,
And the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

5. 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.

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:
He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
Luke 1:52

READ: Psalm 75:1-7

75:1 Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare. 75:2 When I shall receive the congregation I will judge uprightly. 75:3 The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it. Selah. 75:4 I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn: 75:5 Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck. 75:6 For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. 75:7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

MESSAGE

The topic of today’s devotional is a prophetic word from God to you. God is saying that He is preparing you for an astonishing level of promotion this season. You must therefore be full of praises to Him, because promotion comes from Him alone. Speaking on this, Psalm 75:5-7 says:

“Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck. For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.”

As you walk in expectation of your promotion this season, let me give you a few reasons why you should be full of praises to God. The first reason is that God has chosen to speak against your adversaries, who think that without them your promotion will not see the light of the day. Their pride will bring them down, because the Lord is your Lifter. Let David’s confession in Psalm 3:3 fill your mouth this season, saying:

“Buth thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.”

Moreover, you must praise the Lord because He is the accurate Judge and perfect Assessor acting on your behalf. He will nullify all the malicious recommendations that have kept you under for years, because this is your season of promotion. Do you know that this God, who is our Father in heaven, specialises in putting the ungodly down and lifting His children up? He did it in the life of Mordecai in Esther 8:1-2, which says:

“On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews’ enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her. And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.”

In addition to this, He caused Mordecai to become second in command to King Ahasuerus (Esther 10:3). Our Father also did the same thing for Daniel, who was continuously being promoted in the service of several kings, from Nebuchadnezzar the Babylonian to Cyrus the Persian. At the end of it all, Daniel’s enemies, who lifted up their heels against the Holy One of Israel, were nowhere to be found. They all perished for Daniel’s sake (Daniel 6). Unless your enemies repent, they will become as Daniel’s enemies, and you will be promoted despite their schemes. Those who said your promotion will be over their dead bodies shall receive the desire of their hearts, because you will be promoted whether they like it or not. Hallelujah!

ACTION POINT:
Lift up your hands right now and worship the Lord, who is the Lifter of your head and your Promoter.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Chronicles 33-34, Revelation 20:1-10

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 14: LET US WITH A GLADSOME MIND

1 Let us, with a gladsome mind,
Praise the LORD, for He is kind:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

2 Let us blaze His Name abroad,
For of gods He is the God:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

3 He with all-commanding might
Filled the new-made world with light:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

4 All things living He doth feed;
His full hand supplies their need:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

5 He His chosen race did bless
In the wasteful wilderness:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

6 He hath with a pious eye
Looks upon our misery:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

7 Let us therefore warble forth
His high majesty and worth:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:
And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you? Matthew 20:32

READ: Matthew 20:29-34

20:29 And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. 20:30 And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David. 20:31 And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David. 20:32 And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you? 20:33 They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. 20:34 So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

MESSAGE

It is a sad thing to realise that some children of God virtually expect nothing from Him. In the guise of modesty and spirituality, some people practically live a life of begging. Like Lazarus, they live off the provision of their fellow brethren, whom they sometimes consider to be “worldly”. Rather than asking God and working towards having something productive to do that will meet their needs, they prefer living at the expense and mercy of other people. They can be likened to the older brother of the prodigal son, who did not realise who he was and the enormous resources at his disposal as the dutiful son of a very rich man (Luke 15:11-32). It was in his presence that his younger brother foolishly asked for his share of their father’s inheritance and went away to squander it. The older brother kept on working faithfully in his father’s business but never bothered to ask for anything meaningful to celebrate with his friends, even though he desired to do so. The reason he did not ask was because he chose to feign spirituality and modesty. His inward nature and desire came to the fore when his younger brother returned in repentance, and their father forgave him and even celebrated the occasion by killing the fattest cow this older brother has been grooming! Probably he had been planning to ask his father to let him have that cow to celebrate a special occasion. Unfortunately for him, the cow was used to celebrate a lost son who was found! Luke 15:28-30 captures his reaction to this, saying:

“And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.”

In response, his father reminded him that all he had was his. In other words, if he had asked, he would have received whatever he wanted. The bottom line here is that the older son neither knew what he wanted nor his place in his father’s household. He was even asking for just a little goat out of all his father had, which actually belonged to him! He ended up being jealous, and this kept him outside while others enjoyed themselves in his father’s banquet hall. Beloved, what is your expectation from the Lord as you serve Him and do is bidding? In today’s Bible reading, Jesus asked the blind men, “*_What will ye that I shall do unto you?_*” They wisely responded, “*_Lord, that our eyes may be opened._*” Consequently, Jesus compassionately touched them, and they received their sight. The Lord will have compassion on you today, provided you sincerely tell Him what you desire from Him. There is no impossibility with God; He will surely meet your expectations.

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

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Chronicles 31-32, Revelation 19:6-21

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!

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21

READ: Romans 8:35-39

8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

MESSAGE

In today’s Bible reading, Paul lists some realities of life that can shake the faith of a believer. These include tribulation and distress, which manifest themselves today in the form of financial crisis and health issues. Others include covert and open persecution of believers, even in so-called secular nations professing freedom of religion and association. Nations of the world are also plagued with homelessness, famine and poverty, and we are faced with the peril of firearms and weapons of mass destruction falling into the hands of terrorists. It takes being emboldened by the Holy Spirit and having the mind of Jesus Christ, the Lion of Judah, to hold the fort and lift up the banner of God’s kingdom. We should not be dismayed by the prevalence of these evil things because our Lord Jesus Christ already told us they would happen. Speaking in John 16:20&33, He said:

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy… These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

Undergoing trials and tribulations is a part of our faith as Christ’s disciples. The Bible makes this clear to us in 2 Timothy 3:12, which says:

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

Those who have gone ahead of us also passed through these same things, and some even had to pay the supreme price of their lives while upholding the faith. To finish strong like they did, we must believe and live by what the Holy Spirit says about us in Romans 8:37, which says:

“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

Are you passing through tough times? Does it seems the promises of God are not working out for you? I encourage to cheer up and be strong. Don’t deny your Master and Lord because of tough times which will soon fade away. The Lord is speaking to you today through 1 Corinthians 15:58, saying:

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

Hold on to this word and remain unmovable from the straight and narrow way that leads to life. I pray that God will continue to strengthen and uphold you in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please uphold Your Church in these trying period of the end-times, and let me not be numbered among those who will fall away from the truth in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Chronicles 29-30, Revelation 18:14-19:5

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: TRUST AND OBEY

1. 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

Chorus:
Trust and obey,
For there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise,
Not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt nor a fear
Not a sigh nor a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

3. Not a burden we bear,
Not a sorrow we share
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief nor a loss,
Not a frown nor a cross,
But is blest if we trust and obey.

4. But we never can prove
The delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favour He shows,
And the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

5. 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.

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:
Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Psalm 106:1

READ: 2 Chronicles 20:19-22

20:19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high. 20:20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. 20:21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. 20:22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

MESSAGE

God’s children have so much to praise Him for. That you are alive today and able to read this devotional is a good enough reason to praise Him. I believe that most Christians know that there is power in praising God. Some have even experienced great miracles as a result. I am therefore surprised that some of us still find it hard to praise God as often as we should. One reason for this may be our preoccupation with meeting life’s daily demands. Sometimes, these demands occupy our time so much that we forget to praise God. We must be like David who made a firm commitment to never forget God’s benefits in his life. In Psalm 103:1-2, he said:

“Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:”

Endeavour to emulate this good attribute that David had, even if it means setting reminder on your phone or putting up reminder notes on your walls at home. Make up your mind to offer praises to God on a daily basis, irrespective of the situation you are passing through or how you feel. In all you do, never forget to praise God.

When we praise God, it shifts the focus of our mind away from ourselves and our reality to God and His infinite possibilities, and when our focus is on God rather than our situation, we will begin to see how great God is compared to the size of our problems. Also, when we praise God in spite of how we feel or what we are going through, we declare our dependency on Him and acknowledge that we are not in control of our lives. As a result, we receive peace and strength in place of worries and burdens.

One great benefit of praising God is that it causes our enemies to scatter. 2 Chronicles 20:22 says:

“And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.”

This verse describes what happened when three big nations connived to battle against Judah, knowing that they had just a small army. Considering their numerical disadvantage, Judah would have lost the battle woefully. However, God turned the situation around in their favour when they praised Him. Do you have enemies bigger than you? Activate the power of praise today and see them destroyed for your sake. The fact is when we refuse to praise God, we shortchange ourselves and prolong our problems. Therefore, let praising God become your lifestyle from today.

KEY POINT:
Praising God helps us to focus on His ability and opens the door of possibilities to us.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Chronicles 26-28, Revelation 17:15-18:13

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:
For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. Mark 5:28

READ: Matthew 8:5-13

8:5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 8:6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 8:7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8:8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 8:9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 8:10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 8:11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 8:13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour..

MESSAGE

I am pleased to announce to you today that just one encounter with the Almighty, with whom there is no impossibility, is all that you need to make all your problems a thing of the past. Not only will your problems be dealt with through an encounter with Him, you will also receive the mother of all blessings, which is eternal life. The story of the centurion who encountered Jesus Christ is a good example of the possibilities that a divine encounter brings. Incidentally, this centurion was not a Jew. Nobody can tell how he got to know about Jesus, but suffice it to say that he was singled out for this encounter by divine arrangement. Typical of a soldier, he went straight to the point in his communication with Jesus, and the Lord offered to come to his house to grant his request. Amazingly, even though he was not a Jew, this centurion demonstrated great faith in the Messiah of the Jews. He declined Jesus’ offer to come to his house, saying that the Master just needed to speak a word and his servant would be healed. He believed that whatever Jesus said would definitely come to pass. The Lord was touched by this demonstration of faith, commending it as the sort He had not seen in Israel.

Beloved, let us learn from the centurion. He was out to get healing for his servant and this led him to Jesus. This encounter produced results because he had great expectations. Whenever you come before the Lord’s presence, you will be wise to come before Him with a pure heart that expects significant things from Him. Go before the Lord believing like the centurion did. You will notice that the centurion applied what he knew about authority as a soldier to connect with a profound spiritual principle. It is unfortunate that instead of allowing God to use their professional background to help them understand divine principles, some people rather allow the devil to convince them that there is no God. The reality of human efforts being futile without God is what convinced Peter, an experienced fisherman, that his catch of fish at the Lord’s direction was not ordinary (Psalm 127:1, Luke 5:8). He therefore bowed to the divine supremacy of the preacher who knew more about fish than any experienced fisherman. This encounter changed Peter’s life permanently, making him famous in almost all the nations of the world. The woman with the issue of blood, who declared the words of today’s memory verse, also had a divine encounter with Jesus, which put an end to pain, shame and waste in her life. In order not to miss your day of visitation by the Lord, never get too familiar with His works. Always appreciate His miracles and let your heart be full of expectation of a divine encounter at all times. I pray that you will not miss your day of visitation, like the children of Israel did, in Jesus’ Name (Luke 13:34-35).

PRAYER POINT:
Father, cause me to encounter You in a special way today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Chronicles 24-25, Revelation 17:1-14

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

READ: Luke 1:70-75

70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:

71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;

73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,

75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

MESSAGE

Today’s Bible reading should inspire confidence of absolute security in those who are children of Abraham through faith in the Son of the Living God (Galatians 3:7-9). The question is, are you a true child of Abraham? As a child of Abraham, David’s confidence in the protection of the God of Abraham moved him to make this exuberant declaration of faith in Psalm 23:4:
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
In order to put our minds at rest and leave us with absolutely no doubt of His commitment to our security, several passages of the Bible re-echo God’s promise of divine safety to us. The Lord guarantees that He will defend us for His Name’s sake (1 Samuel 12:22, Psalms 106:8, Psalm 23:3). This is significant and very reassuring because we know His Name does not change nor can He deny His Name (Psalm 135:13, 2 Timothy 2:13). It is highly comforting when you realize that your Ally is the Almighty God, but then, you must have a relationship with Him- a Father-child, Shepherd-sheep and Lord-disciple relationship.

The Almighty God recognizes that we are surrounded by enemies in this world, and for that reason He has put a plan in place to save us from them all, through the power of the new covenant in the Blood of Jesus. Why has God done this for us? Luke 1:74-75 answers this question, saying:
“, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.”

As the redeemed of the Lord, there should be no fear in us concerning the enemies. We are the triumphant Church of Jesus Christ, sitting with Him in heavenly places in dominion. We do not walk in fear because fear has torment (1 John 4:18). Fear has pushed a lot of people into doing several abominable things like witchcraft, sorcery and joining all sorts of occult groups. Needless to say, a child of God cannot be found with such, as there is no holiness in occult groups, neither is there righteousness in the company of diviners. Behold, the Lord has made up His mind to defend you if only you will trust Him. Are you in any secret society in order to protect yourself physically or financially? You need to quit today because they cannot help you on the fearful day of the Lord (2 Peter 3:10-13). If you are a child of God, you have no reason to fidget, Jesus is Lord and the Lord of Host for that matter. Therefore, cheer up!

PRAYER POINT:

Father, I thank You for this assurance of my safety and security. Please don’t let me stray away from under Your divine protection.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicle 21-23
Revelation 16

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE
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

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Isaiah 53:4

READ: Isaiah 53:4-5
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

MESSAGE
A burden is a heavy load that attaches itself to a person, whether the person likes it or not. Such a load accompanies its bearer wherever he or she goes, and cannot be freely given up. In essence, a burden is not willingly picked up, because any load picked up willingly can also be relinquished by choice.

Naaman was a man who knew what it feels like to have a burden in one’s life (2 Kings 5). Although he was famous, successful and prosperous, he was a leper and there was nothing he could do about it. All his possessions and achievement could not relieve him of the burden of leprosy he was carrying all around. Do you have a burden in your life like Naaman? Perhaps it is a problem that not even your own making and you have no solution for it. I have good news for you today: there is a person called the Burden Bearer and He is available to take all your burdens away from you. I therefore rejoice with you today because there is no burden too heavy for Him to bear.

To access the help of the Burden Bearer, you first need to admit that you have a burden. In Revelation 3:17, the Lord mentioned how some people thought everything was okay with them, but in reality, they were blind and naked. You have to acknowledge your problem before you can be helped. Also, you must be willing to be helped. Jesus Christ asked the man who had been sick for 38years if he was willing to be made whole (John 5:6). Furthermore, if you want your burden to be lifted, you have to cry to the Burden Bearer for help. Mark 10:46-52 tells of how Bartimaeus cried for Jesus’ help. He kept on crying till Jesus answered. Some people are too proud to ask for help; they just want to do everything themselves. If God helps such people, they might ascribe the glory of what He did to their own efforts. You must be willing to pay the price of persisting in the place of prayer till your burden is lifted.

Lastly, Mark 10:52 tells us that after Jesus took away the burden of Bartimaeus, he followed Jesus in the way. From his example, we understand that after the Burden Bearer has taken away our burdens, we must abide with Him. Many of us come to Jesus when we have a problem, but as soon as the problem is solved, we stop being committed to Him. It is laughable when mere mortals think they can outsmart God. When Jesus takes your burden away, please remain in Him and it will always be well with you.

ACTION POINT:
Cry to the Burden Bearer today about any burden in your life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicle 17-18
Revelation 14:1-13

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE
1. My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior 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 Savior, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:
And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him. Mark 12:17

READ: Romans 13:1-7
1Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

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

3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

MESSAGE
There are some characters that portray children of God in a bad light today. For example, some of us want to enjoy the social amenities provided by government but don’t want to pay taxes. Those who manifest such behavior are only trying to reap where they did not sow. Contrary to this, Paul admonishes us in today’s Bible reading to be patriotic enough to pay our taxes and perform other civic responsibilities that are expected of us. Our obedience to civic laws should not be by coercion but voluntary, as unto the Lord. The Holy Spirit describes those who are in authority as ministers of God, looking out for our own good (Romans 13:4). It is therefore surprising that some Christians despise their political leaders through their “holier-than-thou” attitude. Christians who defraud the government by not paying their taxes are no better than the government officials whom they despise for stealing government funds. They will all definitely be judged according to their evil deeds on the last day. A government worker who is expected to put in eight hours of work but does just three and uses the rest for his or her personal activities is as guilty as those who loot the government treasury with the pen. As an employee, do you really work for the expected amount of time for which you are being paid?

What do you understand from what the Lord is saying in today’s memory verse? Many people erroneously think that giving to Caesar what belongs to Caesar means bribing their way into Caesar’s favor. This is not true! Caesar takes receipted tributes, such as taxes, dues and levies and not bribes. When you pay your taxes, God is happy with you because you are contributing to the wellbeing of the community you live in. this does not however exempt you from paying your tithes, offerings and first fruits to God. Caesar does not take tithes and offerings, but he must also not be denied his dues and taxes for the construction of roads, bridges and other social amenities. Notwithstanding, let it not surprise you as I say today that if you pay your tithes and offering but default in paying taxes, you are guilty of reaping where you did not sow when you enjoy social amenities being provided by the government you refuse to pay taxes to. If you are guilty of this, repent today and begin to go the extra mile of giving back to your community through Christian social responsibility (CRS).

PRAYER POINT:
Father, give me all I need to play my role in the society and in Your house, through the payment of my taxes to the government and my tithe and offering to You.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicle 11-13
Revelation 12

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: TRUST AND OBEY.

1. 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.
o Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

3. 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 blessed if we trust and obey.

4. 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.

5. 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.

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:
For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after. Jeremiah 30:17

READ: 2 Samuel 19:11-15

11 And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house.

12 Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king?

13 And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.

14 And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy servants.

15 So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.

MESSAGE

God’s desire is to completely restore all those who apply His principles of restoration to any aspect of their life wherein they suffer loss. The degree of restoration a person experiences depends on their level of adherence to the details of these principles. For example, Samson only experience partial restoration because that was what he asked for. He prayed to God in Judges 16:28, saying:
“O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.”

Sadly, he died with his enemies. You will not die with your enemies in Jesus’ Name. in contrast to Samson, Naaman experience total restoration. Speaking on how God restored wholesomeness to him, 2 Kings 5:14 says:
“ Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.”

Naaman’s example is a model for those who want their restoration to be compete. The first thing to note about his restoration in 2 Kings 5:14 is that he went down before restored. We must get off our high horse of self-importance if we desire complete restoration after suffering any form of loss. The next thing to consider is that Naaman dipped himself seven times according to the instruction of God’s prophet, not five or six time. In other words, our obedience must be complete as we wash in the Blood of the Lamb. We must forget our self-righteousness if we want to experience complete restoration spiritually or physically. Many Christians who fall from grace are never completely restored because they did not thoroughly confess or restitute their ways completely, some have been caught in extra-marital affairs that produced children out of wedlock, and under the pretext of taking care of the children produced by such illicit relationships, they still involve themselves in semi-polygamous lifestyles with their mistresses. There is no way such Christians can be fully restored, and as a matter of fact, they are gambling with eternity in hell. Some so-called children of God are even still riding cars they stole before their new birth! They have not completely repented of their old ways and therefore cannot experience the restoration described in today’s memory verse, like David did in our Bible reading. Beloved, you can also be totally restored if you completely return to God. Your health that is failing because of your extra-marital wandering will return if you dismiss all your concubines and other strange women in your life. Have you fully restituted your ways?

PRAYER POINT:
Father, I believe in the possibility of complete restoration; please restore me to wholeness in all areas of life today in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicle 9-10
Revelation 11

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE.

1. My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior 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 Savior, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!

Please follow and like us:

20