MEMORISE:
While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.
Psalm 146:2

READ: Psalm 146:1-10

1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.

2 While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.

3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.

4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:

6 Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:

7 Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:

8 The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous:

9 The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.

10 The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD.

MESSAGE

In the Nigerian culture, musicians hired to entertain guests at parties often compose songs hailing wealthy and notable people in attendance, calling out their names and listing their exploits. As the musicians go on, these rich fellows find themselves on stage in excitement, pasting cash on the singer’s forehead. Needless to say, these musicians often go home with a bag full of money after such parties, unless they did not celebrate the right people well enough. In like manner, I have discovered that those who have the attitude of praising God live in abundance.

Even when the rich men at these parties don’t know the performing musician personally, they are willing to give him or her all they have in their pockets in return for receiving praise; how much more our God, who not only knows us from our mother’s womb but also loves us. Most of the time, these musicians have to lie or exaggerate in a bid to praise a rich fellow. For example, they can call someone who is a branch manager the chief operating officer of a company. However, with our God, He is so great that no matter how hard we try to exalt His greatness, our words cannot fully capture how great He really is. During praise and worship session at church services, when I see people dancing as if they were dragged to church, I wonder if they know who they are dancing to at all. He is the One who made the heavens and the earth. He sits in the heavens and makes the earth His footstool. He has parted the Red Sea, turned water to wine, raised the dead back to life and done all sorts of great miracles, and yet some people still find it difficult to praise Him with all their heart.

David was someone who knew how to praise God. One day, he danced so much for God that his clothes fell off his body, still he didn’t mind (2 Samuel 6:20). When you read through the Psalms, you will understand why David praised God that much: God had done a lot for him and he decided never to forget His goodness towards him. In return, God blessed David so much that he lacked nothing. I know this because God said He was willing to give David whatever he wanted; all he had to do was ask. 2 Samuel 12:8 says:

“And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.”

David was indeed a blessed man. You also can be blessed as he was if only you are willing to praise God like he did.

KEY POINT:
If you decide never to take God’s majesty and grace over you for granted, you will never lack any good thing.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Kings 2, Ezekiel 44:28-45:9

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.

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MEMORISE:
Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
1 Timothy 1:19

READ: 1 Timothy 1:18-20

18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;

19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

MESSAGE

When chastised over sin, some people are fond of saying that their conscience does not condemn them, even when they have been caught in the obvious act of sin. They may be right after all, because it’s only a conscience that is alive and active than can condemn or caution an individual engaging in things contrary to the will of God. God gave everyone a conscience to serve as an internal restraining guide regulating each of our actions. However, when a person continuously refuses to yield to its control, its voice will be silenced. In that state, such a person’s mind becomes reprobate. Describing this condition, Romans 1:28 says:

“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;”

We are therefore told in today’s Bible reading to hold on to our faith in Christ and keep our conscience clear if we do not want to wreak havoc on our salvation. The text also says that we are expected to engage in a good warfare. What is this good warfare? There is an internal battle that occurs in our minds every day. The devil and his agents continually propose to us things that are contrary to the will of God. We have to continually fight them with the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word, just as our Master did (Matthew 4:1-11), in order to ensure that we live with a good conscience before God. Paul held this up as the great testimony of his life in Acts 23:1b, where he said:

“Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.”

A good conscience is a living conscience. When a person’s conscience is dead, he or she sees things from a skewed perspective. For example, a man may go around sleeping with other women, riding on the excuse that his wife has refused to ‘cooperate’ with him in bed. Such a man would ask, “What do you expect me to do when this woman denied me my right?” When you try to correct some other men who marry a second wife, they may tell you to go and preach to Jacob, David and Solomon first before condemning their action. A Christian sister whose conscience is dead would dress half-naked and tell you what she wears does not matter, inasmuch as she is born again and her conscience does not condemn her. How will her conscience condemn her when she has silenced it repeatedly, to the extent that it is now permanently muted? An example of someone with a dead conscience is Judas Iscariot. Despite the fact that Jesus exposed his betrayal plans and warned him about it, he still went ahead with it. There are many people like him in church today. No matter how hot the sermon is, the reprobate will not heed its warning. That will not be your portion in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to continually live in good conscience before You, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Kings 1, Ezekiel 44:15-27

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 12: DEEPER, DEEPER IN THE LOVE OF JESUS

1 Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.

Chorus:
O deeper yet, I pray,
And higher ev’ry day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.

2 Deeper, deeper! blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.

3 Deeper, deeper! tho’ it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.

4 Deeper, higher, ev’ry day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.

5 Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.

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MEMORISE:
Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.
Micah 7:7

READ: Mark 2:1-12

1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.

2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.

3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.

4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.

5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.

6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,

7 Why doth this man thus speak blas-phemies? who can forgive sins but God only?

8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?

9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?

10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)

11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.

12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

MESSAGE
Brethren, it’s one thing to look up to God and be in a hurry, it’s another thing to look up to Him and patiently wait for response to your request at His appointed time. One clear lesson from today’s memory verse is that looking up to God requires waiting patiently on Him. Speaking on this, the Holy Spirit says in Isaiah 28:16:

“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.”

In today’s Bible text, we read about four faithful friends who took a paralytic man to Jesus for healing, but because of the huge crowd around the house where Jesus was, they could not reach Him. Inspired by faith, they looked up to see how they could get their friend to the presence of the Healer, but alas, there was a barrier: the roof. Spurred on by faith, they resolved to break this barrier in order to gain access to Jesus Christ, and when Jesus saw their faith and determination, He had no choice but to give them what they wanted. Let’s take a looks at some of the many lessons embedded in this great story of faith. First and foremost, looking up is the first step to solving the the issues of life. Why? The Almighty God sits over and above all, and with Him there is no impossibility. Secondly, sin is a barrier that can block you from accessing the presence of the One with the ability to solve your problem (Isaiah 59:1-2). Just as the friends of the paralytic man had to remove the barrier of the roof before they could access Jesus, the barrier of sin in his life had to be removed also. That is why before any other thing, Jesus first said to him in Mark 2:5b:

“Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.”

Thirdly, we learn that immediately the paralytic man’s sins were forgiven, he received his healing. For a user of this devotional battling with one health challenge or the other, if you will remove the spiritual barrier of sin through genuine repentance and turn to Jesus Christ for healing, even before you finish reading today’s study, you will sing a song of victory over that health challenge in Jesus’ Name. There is this story of a man who was battling with a medical problem that had defied all treatments. In his search for a cure, the Lord revealed that his ailment was caused by his unforgiving stance against his son-in-law who had abused his only daughter. The day he repented and forgave his son-in-law was the day he was healed. Beloved, I encourage you to look up to Jesus today. Do not allow your present predicament bow your head down in despair. As you look up to Jesus, He will show Himself as the ever present Help, and you will sing a new song of victory in Jesus’ Name.

ACTION POINT:
Forgive those who have hurt you in the past, and you will receive healing for your spirit, soul and body.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Samuel 23-24, Ezekiel 44:1-14

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: HAVE YOU BEEN TO JESUS FOR THE CLEANSING POW’R

1 Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Chorus:
Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

2 Are you walking daily by the Saviour’s side?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

3 When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white!
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Will your soul be ready for His presence bright,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?

4 Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
O be washed in the blood of the Lamb.

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MEMORISE:
[Charity] Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 1 Corinthians 13:6

READ: Proverbs 17:13-15, Revelation 2:18-29

Proverbs 17:13-15
13 Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.

14 The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.

15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.

Revelation 2:18-29
18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

28 And I will give him the morning star.

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

MESSAGE

One doctrine of the world that is gradually creeping into the Body of Christ is that which says “If you cannot beat them, join them.” This doctrine is inconsistent with the values of the kingdom we belong to on multiple fronts. Our lifestyle is characterised by love – God’s kind of love – as our memory verse states, this kind of love does not rejoice in iniquity. Because the world is full of iniquity and scoffs at righteous living, we cannot walk in God’s love when we raise our hands in surrender to join the world in their way of life. Not rejoicing in iniquity simply means standing against evil – as defined by the standard of God’s word. This is one of the problems facing the Church today. Those who refuse to condemn evil and wicked acts are indirectly rejecting and standing against those who are just. One cannot sit on the fence on issues; we either speak out against evil and uphold righteousness or justify evil in our silence. As seen in today’s Bible reading, justifying the wicked is an abomination before the Lord. In His letter to the Church at Thyatira in Revelation 2:18-29, our Lord Jesus Christ commended their charitable service, faith and patience, and then warned them against tolerating sexual immorality typified by a certain Jezebel who called herself a prophetess. She was seducing innocent souls in the Church into sexual immorality and taught a doctrine that encouraged this lifestyle. There are such prophets and prophetesses in the Church today, teaching doctrines that encourage immoral dressing, promiscuity, abortion, masturbation and sexual perversion in the Body of Christ. When you go to such places and see the way their followers are dressed, you will instantly know that the doctrine of Jezebel is being taught there. Thank God our Lord already spoke to us in Matthew 7:20, saying:

“Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”

God is calling on us to stand against evil today. However, we must first reject evil within the Church before taking the battle to the gate of hell out there. As Christians, it must not be mentioned amongst us that we rejoice in iniquity (1 Corinthians 13:6), by applauding instead of condemning acts that are against God’s word and His kingdom’s cause, due to a fear of backlash or condemnation from the children of this world. This is why believers fear to preach against homosexuality in certain countries, if you do, you may be jailed and your fellow brethren might condemn you as being foolish or even wrong! Some pastors also can’t preach against corruption in high places and gain gotten through illicit means because they fear losing income and members. The truth has indeed been mortgaged in some quarters of Christendom. Beloved, arise and let us in one mind stand up against evil.

ACTION POINT:
Pray for the revival of standing for the truth of God’s word in the Body of Christ, and ask the Lord to grant your pastors the boldness to declare His Name without fear.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Samuel 21-22, Ezekiel 43:13-27

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. 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.

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

4. My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

5. Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.

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MEMORISE:
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 1 John 4:8

READ: Matthew 22:35-40

35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

MESSAGE

Love can be defined as a strong feeling of affection for someone, emanating from a firm decision to love that person. The Bible offers us an understanding of the source, character and value of love based on nature and actions of God. It teaches that God is source of love and that His very character is love. If you have ever been so deeply and passionately in love with someone to the point of obsession, you may actually lose your appetite and forget to eat. Your mind may become occupied of nothing else but that person. The object of your love is that last thing you think of when you go to bed and the first thing you think of when you wake up. It is clear from these descriptions that love involves the totality of a person. Love is central theme of the Bible, and is a primary characteristic of God’s nature. It is also the fundamental demand that God places on mankind towards fellow human beings.

From the words of Jesus in today’s Bible reading, it is clear that we are expected to love God first with all our heart, soul and mind. However, we need to experience the love of God in our hearts before we can truly appreciate what true love is, and only then can we demonstrate this love to others. The love of God is revealed in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as stated in John 3:16, which says:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Out of love, God gave His only begotten Son as ultimate ransom for the salvation of humanity. He now commands everyone who has partaken of His love to reciprocate it by loving one another. Speaking in John 15:12, the Lord Jesus Christ said:

“This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”

The Bible makes it very clear that love is revealed through action, especially what is done in the interest of others. Children of God should never be identified with envy, hatred, pride, selfishness or any form of wickedness, as all these are contrary to the nature of God they possess. We should naturally show forth gentleness, goodness and kindness to our neighbors. As Christians, let us always radiate the love of God with meekness, patience and joy. Love is greater than all spiritual gifts, as the best of these gifts is useless without love. 1 Corinthians 13:2 says:

“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.”

Beloved, are you walking in the love of God?

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please help me to love You with all my heart, soul and mind in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 17-18
Ezekiel 42::-14

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 9: IN CHRIST ALONE

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.

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MEMORISE:
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Proverbs 18:21

READ: Numbers 13:25-33

25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.

26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.

27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.

28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.

29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.

30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.

31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.

32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.

33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

MESSAGE
A person’s words have enormous influence for good or evil and are a sure indicator of the person’s character. The impact of our speech cannot be over emphasized, for the Bible makes it clear that a man’s speech has power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21), and is also capable of bringing success or misfortune to the speaker, as shown in Proverbs 12:13-14, which says:

“The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth”

Job 19:12 reveals that a person’s can destroy others but it also has the capacity to give life to its hearers (Isaiah 50:4). You can easily identify the righteous by their speech. In Isaiah 50:4, this category of people are referred to as “the learned”. “Learned” in this sense does not refer to legal practice, it rather refers to those who are knowledgeable in God’s word. Such people do not speak carelessly. They understand the weight of words and use their words effectively, knowing that someday, they will have to account for every idle word they have spoken. Whenever they open their mouth, a bit of what is stored within them comes forth in line with Mathew 12:34b which says:

“for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”

For those who are genuinely saved, our speech and actions are controlled by God’s word that is hidden in our hearts. Psalm 37:30-31 says:

“ The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.”

When God’s word fills your heart, your mouth will open in wisdom. This is why the righteous take out time to hide God’s word in their heart, and their words are like food to the hearers. If you sit by a righteous man for counselling, what you will hear within a few minutes will put you on the right path. Even the foolish hears the words of the righteous and receive wisdom. Sinners hear the words of salvation from them. The sick receives words of healing, while the hopeless receive encouragement from them. You cannot listen to a righteous man or woman and not be impacted. No wonder his mouth is called a well of life (Proverbs 10:11). There is a fountain of goodness in the righteous, so that whenever they open their mouth, living waters flow out of it. The righteous is a source of inspiration, and his words feed the faith of others, directing them to the path of righteousness. You need to be
Conscious of the manner of speech you produce. As a child of God, please watch your tongue. Wise children of God must learn to use the power in their tongue effectively to pull down the strongholds of the devil in their lives and family. I pray that your tongue will begin to yield fruits of peace and prosperity from this day in the Name of Jesus.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, help me to use my tongue to promote the cause of Your kingdom in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 17-18
Ezekiel 42::-14

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.

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:
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: Colossians 3:5

READ: Matthew 5:27-29

27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

MESSAGE

Today’s Bible reading reveals a unique characteristic of the New Covenant taught by the Lord Jesus Christ. Under the old covenant of the Mosaic Law, a person could not be accused of sexual immorality, such as fornication or adultery, unless he or she was caught in the act by at least two or three weaknesses. This was the strong basis on which the scribes and Pharisees called for the execution of the woman caught in the sin adultery in John 8:2-11. John 8:4-5 says:

“They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?”

Those who follow the Lord’s teaching with an open heart will understand His answer to this question posed by the scribes and Pharisees. Indeed, Jesus came not to condemn but to redeem those under the yoke of sin. Nevertheless, His standard says that one can be guilty of sexual immorality even without sleeping with someone other than his or her spouse. In fact, according to Jesus, one need not be caught in the act of immorality before being declared guilty of it. By the lord’s standard, what is referred to in common parlance as “mere looking” is enough to be adjudged to have committed sexual immorality! This is food for thought for us in the Body of Christ today. When we promote the lust of the eyes by allowing immoral dressing in the church, we are actually exposing members of the Body of Christ to sexual immorality, even when they don’t engage in the act physically. A member of the choir dressed seductively to lead praise and worship will definitely leave the congregation worse off than before they came to church. This is not a question of legalism but following divine principles established by the Lord Himself.

The sin of sexual immorality and perversion is prevalent in the world we live in today because of the ease of access to the virtual world of the internet, where pornography is common place. Nowadays, people can have a voice or video chat with a member of the opposite sex a world away, committing all manner of immorality with them. In the world today, we even have the perversion called sex dolls of various makes and models meant to further promote a terrible kind of self-delusion. In a nutshell, Satan and his agents have devised various ways of luring people into sexual immorality without having any contact with a real human being. As children of God living in this perilous times, we must not become victims of these evil. As instructed by our Lord in Matthew 5:29, we must be ready to give it all it takes to mortify our bodies to sexual immorality. You need to “pluck out your eye”, represented by internet websites, TV programmes and social and social gatherings that make you susceptible to sexual immorality internally. May God honor your sincere efforts by giving you strength of character in your inner man in Jesus’ Name.

ACTION POINT:

Pluck out the eye of sexual immorality by cutting off links to things and people who make you vulnerable to it.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 15-16
Ezekiel 41:12-26

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 2: OH JESUS I HAVE PROMISED

1. O Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my Guide.

2. Oh, let me feel Thee near me;
The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
The tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me,
Around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer,
And shield my soul from sin.

3. Oh, let me hear Thee speaking,
In accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion,
The murmurs of self-will;
Oh, speak to reassure me,
To hasten, or control;
Oh, speak, and make me listen,
Thou Guardian of my soul.

4. O Jesus, Thou hast promised
To all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory
There shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Oh, give me grace to follow,
My Master and my Friend.

5. Oh, let me see Thy footmarks,
And in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly
Is in Thy strength alone.
Oh, guide me, call me, draw me,
Uphold me to the end;
And then to rest receive me,
My Savior and my Friend.

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

READ: Proverbs 1:10-19

10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:

12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:

14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:

15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:

16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.

18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.

19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

MESSAGE

In these last days, the devil is using every phony argument and deceitful practice in his arsenal to entangle the souls of the simple minded. We must therefore be on our guard and put in earnest efforts to preserve our faith and gain eternity. The devil has gone to great lengths to rebrand the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life in a most attractive package, embossed with inscriptions of prosperity all over it. This evil package is now making Christians, even ministers of the gospel, jostle for the kind of lifestyle that is clearly identifiable as worldly, carnal or sensual to those whose spiritual eyes are still open. This is why we must be equipped with the word of God more than ever before, to correctly draw the line between the things of God and worldly desires. Youths are the most affected in this regards. Many of them don’t have a firm resolve to serve God. They have many teachers from electronic and print media, some of whom are apostates, loading them with unsound doctrines that are not based on the totality of God’s word. Many young people are unwilling to surrender every aspect of their lives to God, preferring to do things their own way. The way many of them live shows that they are not subject to the Spirit of the Lord, who should have control over their lives. Such carnal hearts need to see the beauty in living a holy life and loving God genuinely.

One trick the devil is using to enslave youths today is the subtle offer of delicious gifts, appointments and promises of greatness by association rather than through hard work. In many cases, no matter how hard you try, you may not see anything wrong in such an arrangement at first. You might even think it is the result of God’s favour. Under this demonic scheme, a rich and powerful benefactor, acting under the control of demonic forces, tries to use the luxuries he or she can provide to entrap a less wealthy and vulnerable person, so as to make them feel obliged to do their bidding. However, when payback time come, many bewildered victims have been left disappointed, enslaved and hopeless, and some have even lost their lives. I warn Christian youths that those who are addicted to pleasure, having roving eyes that are always seeking enjoyment and a luxurious lifestyle, are easily sucked in and entrapped by wicked predators. The language they speak follows the pattern of their father’s in Luke 4:6-7. I pray that you will not become a victim of mean deceivers in the mighty Name of Jesus. See to it that you do not fall for any deceptive proposal of the devil. Satan does not give favours away for free. His demands are usually much greater than the initial investment, and you may lose your soul in the process. Do not be carried away by appealing offers not founded on God’s principles, because they are deceitful and poisonous food (Proverbs 23:3). Beware of hugs from bears!

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please deliver our youths from the perilous times of these last days in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 14, Ezekiel 40:44-41:11

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:

They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever. Psalm 125:1

READ:
Mark 11:12-14
Mark 11:20-24

Mark 11:12-14
12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:

13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.

14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. Mark 11:20-24

Mark 11:20-24
20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.

22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

MESSAGE

Today’s Bible reading narrates a story that demonstrates faith in action and teaches what faith can do for those who live by it. Having declared to us in Habakkuk 2:4 that “The just shall live by his faith,” our Lord’s primary purpose in cursing the fig tree was to show us what living by faith really looks like. That was why the first statement Jesus made after Peter drew His attention to the withered fig tree was “Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22). Jesus further went on to say in Mark 11:23:

“ For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”

Living by faith simply means to have faith in God’s power and in His faithfulness to perform whatever He has promised. If we have faith in God, we should have the confidence to ask Him whatever we desire in the place of prayer. The Lord has told us that this is the pathway to receive our heart’s desires (Mark 11:24). If we have faith in God, we should also be confident to make declarations based on his word. We demonstrate our faith by the confessions of our mouths. Psalm 116:10a says:

“I believed, therefore have I spoken”

Our Lord expects us to declare what we believe to the mountains that challenge the integrity of His word in our lives, instead of crying to him about them. That is what living by faith is all about. A lot of us do not want to develop in our walk with God; we just want to remain at the level of babes, who expect everything to be done for them instead of taking charge. No wonder the Lord asked this question in Luke 18:8, saying:

“Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”

It is one thing to pray and another thing to believe in practical terms that God will do what you are asking for. The story was told of a priest who called for a prayer meeting one Sunday afternoon concerning the challenge of drought in a particular town. After the congregation had gathered for the prayer meeting, the priest looked around and said, “Brethren, you are not ready to pray.” The parishioners wondered, “What do you mean? That is what we have come to do.” He then asked them, “What have you come to do?” they chorused, “To pray for rain to fall!” he then asked them, “Where are your umbrella and raincoats? If you believe that God will answer the prayer you have come to say, you should have brought your umbrella and raincoats!” They went back home and brought their umbrellas and raincoats, and God honored their faith. What a lesson of faith! Beloved, have faith in God.

ACTION POINT:

Take practical steps to demonstrate that you believe your prayers to God are being answered.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 12-13
Ezekiel 40:24-43

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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!

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MEMORISE:

For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
Psalm 91:11

READ: Psalm 91:1-13

1He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

MESSAGE

Bodyguards are security personnel specially trained to protect wealthy and powerful individuals. They are usually found around very important personalities and their family members. As a matter of fact, some people are not seen in public without bodyguards because they don’t feel safe without them. Nevertheless, human bodyguards are limited in power, and the cost of having them is beyond the reach of the average person. However, the good news for Christians in that we have bodyguards in this world, of the spiritual kind, who are automatically appointed to every appointed to every child of God the moment we become born again. Unlimited in power, they are invincible and operate at a speed much faster than the speed of light. The most amazing thing about our bodyguards is that their services have been fully paid for with the Blood of Jesus. That is why Hebrews 1:14 says:

“Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”

When a child is born, what happens to the child depends on the available support system. The stronger the support system. The more fortified that child is for success in life. Princes and princesses benefit from the services of royal servants. As children of God, our Father has provided angels as part of our support system. Psalm 91:10-13 says it is the duty of our Father’s angels to ensure that no harm befalls us. Angels are therefore our personal bodyguards, who go with us wherever we go. When the children of kings go out, they are taken in chauffeur-driven cars, whereas the children of ordinary people trek even through the woods or bush paths without any form of protection. From this day onward, be conscious of and utilize the angelic protection you have around you.

A brother shared a testimony about a flight he was on. He said while airborne, the first two engines of their plan suddenly failed. In panic, their pilot told them that the plane would crash if the third engine also failed, and pandemonium broke out in the plane. All the while, this brother was sitting by the window, He turned to his left to look out, and he saw a huge angel who smiled at him and whispered to him that he was carrying the plane. To the surprise of everyone else, the plane safely landed an hour later at the nearest airport. Nobody could explain how they managed to land except this brother. He said if he had told them what happened, they would not have believed him. In the Bible, when Daniel was thrown into the den of lions, an angel went ahead of him to shut the lion’s mouth (Daniel 6:22). This season, you also shall receive the full complement of your heavenly Father’s support system, in Jesus’ Name.

ACTION POINT:

Commit your family members into God’s hands, asking that His angels will stand guard over them.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 10-11
Ezekiel 40:5-23

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.
On Christ the solid rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to veil His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil.

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

When the last trumpet’s voice shall sound,
O may I then in him be found.
Clothed in his righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before his throne.

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