MEMORISE:Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 1John 3:9

READ: 1 John 3:1-10

1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

MESSAGE

To be born again means to be born by the seed of God. Simply put, those who are born again are born of God. Simply put, those who are born again are born of God. Our God is holy, and there is no iniquity in Him. It therefore follows that anyone who becomes born again through His seed will also possess His nature of holiness. 1 Peter 1:23 says:

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

We manifest the nature of holiness when we love righteousness and hate whatever is evil (Hebrews 1:9). Therefore, those who are born of God do not cultivate the habit of sin because the seed of God in them prevents them from committing sin (1 John 3:9). It is a glorious thing indeed to be born of God. No wonder John was excited to declare in 1 John 3:1a:

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:”

Are you born again? If you say you are, do you pass the litmus test of having the nature of holiness? Do you live righteously for all to see? Do you really hate sin or secretly take pleasure in it, even though you do not partake in the act? Weigh yourself on the scales of God’s word today to determine your true situation. Based on the standard of God’s word, we either belong to God or the devil- there is no middle ground. How do we know those who belong to the devil? 1 John 3:8asays:

“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning.”

It is clear as daylight from this scripture that those who live a lifestyle of sin are of the devil. The devil has sin in his nature, and he shares this nature with his children. Conversely, righteousness is God’s character, and His children are known for righteous living. Those who hate righteousness, no matter how long they have been in church, are not of God. Beloved, where do you stand after weighing yourself on God’s scale? If you are still indulging in one sin or the other, you are far from being born of God- you need to return to Calvary to surrender your lifestyle of sin completely. Genuinely repent of your sins and ask God to infuse His seed into you so that you can bring forth His nature. Once you do this, God will graciously replace the nature of sin in you with His nature of holiness. After receiving His nature, subjugate your body and mind to the dictates of His nature. God bless you as you yield to righteousness in all that you do in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, grant me grace to surrender my body and mind to Your nature of holiness in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 33-34
Ezekiel 16:35-52

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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MEMORISE:

Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain? Jeremiah 2:5

READ: Isaiah 45:5-9

5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:

6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.

7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.

9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

MESSAGE

The title of today ‘s devotion is a question we all need to answer. Is it possible for a mere mortal to fight God? The word of God makes it clear that even though it’s an exercise in futility, in reality, it is something people do. Psalm 2:1-3 says:

This scripture describes what is happening in our world today. The governments of several nations have taken counsel against God and against Jesus Christ, His anointed. Teachings about God have been thrown out of public schools, praying publicly in the Name of Jesus is forbidden, and preaching in public space in the Name of Jesus Christ is illegal in many societies. As prophesied in this scripture, some societies have cast away the Biblical cords of restraint that hitherto defined morality. In the name of freedom of though and self, they have broken off the bands of God’s commandments and created room for individuals to indulge in and advocate for all manner of profane lifestyles. People should remember that all those who towed this path in times past ended up being destroyed. You cannot fight against God without grave consequences.

Are you guilty of fighting God? Do you even believe in Him? Those who don’t believe God exist are indirectly saying that they are not answerable to His authority. This sets them in direct confrontation with God, and He can choose to prove His existence to them, pharaoh provoked God to prove Himself by this utterance in Exodus 5:2, saying:

“Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.”

Those who provoke God to prove His existence and capabilities are fighting Him. Those who move God to jealousy by breaking the covenant they made with Him are also fighting Him (Isaiah 45:9; Jeremiah 2:5). The children of Israel broke the covenant they had with God by disobeying His ordinances. This made God jealous, causing His to fight against them. I pray that you will not provoke God’s anger in Jesus Name. what is the state of the covenant between you and the Lord Jesus Christ, which you entered into at the altar of repentance? Have you crucified Him afresh and put Him to shame by falling away from the truth (Hebrews 6:4-6)? Are abiding by the covenant to tithe, or have you joined scoffers to trample God’s commandment under foot? Beloved, in whatever area you are fighting God, repent today before it is too late.

ACTION POINT:

Examine whether you have broken any part of your covenant with God and repent.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 31-32
Ezekiel 16:15-34

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 17: HOLD THE FORT
1. Ho, my comrades, see the signal, waving in the sky!
Reinforcements now appearing, victory is nigh.

o Refrain:
“Hold the fort, for I am coming,” Jesus signals still;
Wave the answer back to Heaven, “By Thy grace we will.”

2. See the mighty host advancing, Satan leading on;
Mighty ones around us falling, courage almost gone!

3. See the glorious banner waving! Hear the trumpet blow!
In our Leader’s Name we triumph over every foe.

4. Fierce and long the battle rages, but our help is near;
Onward comes our great Commander, cheer, my comrades, cheer!

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MEMORISE:
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8

READ: Revelations 22:14-15

14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

MESSAGE
After Cain murdered Abel his brother, a mark was placed on him, which illustrates the bad identity that sin gives. Genesis 4:15 says:
“And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.”

Nobody knows the nature of the mark that was placed on Cain; all we know is that it was meant to identify Cain so that those who met him would not kill him. Some Bible scholars suggest that this mark was given to ensure that Cain did not die cheaply, thereby preventing him from receiving a full doses to of the penalty of his sin. Irrespective of the nature or purpose of this mark, one thing is certain: Cain’s sin gave him a bad identity on the whole earth.

From today’s memory verse we understand that sin puts the mark of the devil’s ownership upon every sinner. Revelation 22:15 further reveals that in God’s sight, a sinner has the identity of a stray dog. Stray dogs are seen outside and are known to be dirty, promiscuous and aggressive. Sin is so terrible that it deforms the image of a person created in God’s image to the level of a dog! No wonder we see the people of this world manifesting the characteristics of dogs today. It is because their minds have been deformed by sin, so they are just manifesting the nature of the image they now possess in them. Some have even gone so low to indulge in unspeakable acts. Sin really leaves a terrible identity on anyone who yields to its control.

Are you caught in the web of sin? Has sin warped your mind so terribly? Is your life overshadowed by the bad identity given by sin? I have good news for you today: no matter how horrible the identity sin has placed on you is, Jesus Christ can remove it today with His blood. All you need to do is to surrender your life to Him as He calls all people to reconcile with God the Father through genuine repentance. When you do this, He will give you a brand new identity (2 Corinthians 5:17-18). Have you been saved by grace? Never return to your vomit of sin like a dog would (2 Peter 2:21-22). Sin will deform your new identity in Christ and change your standing with God. Is that sinful act really worth that much to you? Can the pleasure you derive from it compare to the joy of your salvation and the hope of glory you have in Christ Jesus? Don’t listen to the devil when he says that it doesn’t matter and that no consequence will follow an act of sin. It’s all a lie! Sin does give a bad identity, so run away from it.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, by the precious Blood of Jesus Christ, please remove every horrible identity of sin from my life and grant me a brand new identity as Your child.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 28
Ezekiel 14:12-15:8

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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MEMORISE:
Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. John 4:34

READ: Deuteronomy 8:1-3

1All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers.

2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

MESSAGE
Food is very important and part of our existence as human beings. Even before God created man, He had created the things that Adam and Eve would eat. From this we see that eating food is not ungodly. In fact, as part of God’s instruction to Adam, he told him what was available for Him to eat. Genesis 2:16 says:

“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:”

Nevertheless, man’s existence does not depend solely on food. Adam and Eve failed to realize this when the tempter came to dangle the forbidden fruit before them and they fell headlong for it. No wonder the Lord took the Israelite through the rigors of the wilderness for forty years, to teach them that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of His mouth. This session is so critical that even the first test Jesus faced in the wilderness of temptation was based on it (Matthew 4:1-4). All this happened so we can learn from it.

Amazingly, although food may appear basic and ordinary, it can lead to a man’s downfall. A good example of this is Esau, who sold his birthright for a plate of pottage (Genesis 25:29-34). We must therefore open our ears to learn from the Holy Spirit when He speaks to us on food. In Deuteronomy 8:3, He says man shall not live by bread alone. In other words, bread is part of the things that man needs to live, but this bread must come by a process that follows the pattern of God’s word and meets its standards. This is why Jesus Christ refused to turn stone into bread when the devil asked him to (Luke 4:3-4). He showed us that food is good but it must follow the dictates of God’s word and not be influenced by the devil’s suggestions. Thank God that the Second Adam overcome the mistakes of the first Adam.

Many Christians have shipwrecked their faith because of food and drink, failing to heed that Lord’s warning in Matthew 6:25, which says:

“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?”

Or course, the answer to the Lord’s question is obvious: life is more than meat. This is why it is foolishness to eat the food of death, since the essence of food is to keep us alive in the first place. We must not live by bread alone. In all we do, we must continually look out for the perfect will of God and avoid anything that will send us to hell. May the Lord grant you understanding of this in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please give me the understanding of your word, so that I may live by it and be blessed.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 25-27
Ezekiel 13:20-14:11

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 12: DEEPER, DEEPER IN THE LOVE OF JESUS

• Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
• Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.

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

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

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

• 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:
And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4

READ: 1 Samuel 8:1-5

1And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.

3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

MESSAGE

The Bible says children are the heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is His reward (Psalm 127:3). In other words, God is the owner of children, and He gives them to whoever He pleases. Whenever God counts an individual worthy to have custody of His possession, the fellow should be careful of what he or she does with it. For this reason, through His word, God teaches us how to handle children as precious seeds kept in our care. One of His teachings on this all-important subject matter is found in our memory verse, where the Lord says we must train our children in his ways, not according to any other system.

Today’s Bible reading reveals the danger of not taking godly care of our children. As upright as Samuel was, he failed in the area of bringing up his children in the ways of the Lord. Concerning his sons, 1 Samuel 8:3 says:

“And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.”

The surprising aspect of this story is that Samuel witnessed how Eli and his household were cut off because Eli did not nurture his children in the ways of the Lord. Beloved, it is better a person does not bear a child than to have child and fail to take godly care of him or her. Eli’s example shows that a heavy price accompanies failure in this regard.

The story was told of a mother who immersed himself into training her son to succeed academically and career-wise, but she neglected training in the fear of God and did not expose him to spiritual activities that could connect him to God. Meanwhile, the son progressed at school, graduated with good grades, and eventually got a good job in the city. Having tasted life in the city, he forgot his roots and did not keep in touch with his mother. One day, his mother decided to visit him in the city, having missed her son for a long time. When she got to her son’s house, she met the gate securely locked. She knocked for a long while before her son managed to open the window of his front room, and behold, it was his mother sweating in the African sun. “Mum, you did not tell me you were coming!” the young man yelled. He then threw a wad of cash at her and told her to go back to the village. This woman wept bitterly. How sad! This is what the wages of nursing a child for ourselves and not for God looks like. I pray that this will not be your portion  as a parent in Jesus’ Name.

ACTION POINT:

Align the way you are bringing up your children with the principles of God

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 23-24
Ezekiel 13:8-19

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 16: GOD GIVE US CHRISTIAN HOMES

1. God, give us christian homes!
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught,
Homes where the master’s
Will is sought,
Homes crowned with beauty thy love hath wrought;
God, give us christian homes;
God, give us christian homes!

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

3. God, give us christian homes!
Homes where the mother, in queenly quest
Strive to show others thy way is best
Homes where the lord is an honoured guest;
God, give us christian homes;
God, give us christian homes!

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

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MEMORISE:
Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. John 16:24

READ: Matthew 7:7-11

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

MESSAGE

Towards the end of His early ministry, Jesus called His disciples aside and said to them in John 16:24:

“Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

I believe the disciples were shocked to hear Him say this, because they must surely have been praying. What the Lord was actually saying to them was that they had not been asking rightly. This is the case with many children of God today. When we think we are praying, we are actually complaining, and some of us are even weary in prayer, contrary to the Lord’s teaching in Luke chapter 18. There is a difference between prayer and complaining. Some of us even accuse God in our prayers! We issue Him queries and present a long list of our good works that should compel Him to do our bidding. This should not be so. Let us learn from the experience of the children of Israel in the wilderness. The Lord said to them in Numbers 14:27-28:

“How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:
”

When we ask God to do something that does not align with His will, He does not consider that to be a prayer. We cannot coerce or manipulate Him into doing things that are against His integrity and honor. If you overhear some people’s prayers, you will be amazed. Some pray that God should kill their “troublesome” spouses so that they can be free to marry someone else! This is not prayer; it is witchcraft! Praying contrary to the will of God is nothing but lusting after ungodliness. If you are under distress due to the wickedness of fellow human beings, it is enough to ask God for deliverance from all enemies; He know what to do to deliver you. Today, I want you to pray like you have never prayed before, asking God to accomplish His will concerning whatever situation you are currently in. ask Him to provide for you, but don’t tell Him how. Tell hi, to promote you but don’t tell Him how. Ask for your long awaited spouse but don’t prescribe for Him. God will answer your prayers today in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, as I present my petitions today, let Your Holy Spirit help me to ask according to Your will, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 21-22
Ezekiel 12:21-13:7

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE
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!

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!

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.

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:
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. Luke 6:38

READ: Proverbs 3:27-28

27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

28 Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.

MESSAGE

These days, many children of God do not pay attention to giving. For many, their experience with false prophets has made them averse to giving, while some are now tired of giving because they have been ignorantly sowing on infertile ground and have not reaped their expected harvest. Have you chosen not to give for one reason or the order? Whatever the reason may be, your experience does not change the validity of God’s word. If the word of God is not working for you, you must have gotten something wrong somewhere. Examine you past actions on giving and make appropriate adjustments where required. The question is, how much and how often should you give?

According to Proverbs 3:27-28, we are to help anyone who is in need, just as Jesus taught in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37). When I was in kindergarten, my teacher taught us a song which says “whosoever you have the power to help is your neighbor; so help him or her”. Furthermore, this scripture teaches that we should not postpone the good deeds of today till tomorrow. Tomorrow might be too late! The story was told of a man who delayed to help his younger brother get the medical treatment he needed. When he later made up his mind to help, he took the money to the hospital, only to meet his brother’s lifeless body on the way to the mortuary! His help was late. In other words, giving is time-bound. Esau is another example of someone who gave belatedly. By the time he brought his father the meal, needed to procure his blessing, someone else had carted the blessing away already. We must be quick to respond to calls to give, especially when it comes to projects that have to do with God’s kingdom. Another lesson we should learn from our Bible text is that for as long as you still have anything to give, you must not stop giving. God id telling us today to give, give and give again. The good thing about giving is that the giver can never lack something to give. Proverbs 11:24 says:

“There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.”

Beloved, give, give and give again, because you will be adequately rewarded.

ACTION POINT:

Reach out to missionaries in the fields, find out their needs and give what you can to help the spread of Christ’s gospel.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 18-20
Ezekiel 12:7-20

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:
And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. 1 Kings 17:13

READ: John 6:5-13

5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.

7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him,

9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.

13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

MESSAGE

As Christians, we need to recognize that the privilege of God’s grace does not absolve us of our responsibilities. It is true that for anyone to succeed in life, God’s grace has to come into play. Nevertheless, we must also understand that by God’s design, all good things come at a cost. In other words, to get a good output from any endeavor, God expects you to give a tangible input in form of effort, which His grace will multiply. Indeed, it is our works that lubricate the wheels of grace. Even the Omnipotent God did not form us from nothing: man was formed from the dust of the ground. When we understand this truth and act on it, we create room for God’s grace to be multiplied in our live. This was what happened in the life of the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:9-16). For her to have food throughout the period of famine, she needed to put in something that would cause God’s grace to work on her behalf. Giving her last meal provided God’s grace an object to act on and multiply. In God’s divine economy, multiplication does not occur in the place of emptiness.

Today’s Bible reading is a testament to how the divine economy works. While the disciples worried about how to feed five thousand hungry people after their retreat, the Master knew that all He needed was something that God’s grace could act upon in order to unleash God’s miraculous provision. All it took was a boy’s lunch of five small barley loaves and two fish. Jesus took the meal, gave thanks and distributed it to the multitude through His disciples. There is a lot we can learn from this story. First, our God is not presumptuous; rather, he is orderly and intentional. Second, though there is nothing He cannot do, there are many things He will not do except we play our part as carriers of His image and collaborate with Him. For example, unless a farmer puts something in the ground, there can be no harvest, not because God cannot do it but because He will not do it. In the same way, unless a man comes together with his wife, reproduction will not take place. Couples waiting on the Lord for the fruit of the womb should know that they have a part to play in this regard for God’s grace to be activated in their lives. Those who keep robbing God of His tithes should also realize that they are preventing God from unleashing His blessing over their lives. May the Lord grant you understanding of His ways in Jesus’ Name.

ACTION POINT:

Examine your life to find out those areas were you have been running away from your responsibilities, and make amends.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 16-17

Ezekiel 11:14-12:6

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

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MEMORISE:

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

READ: Genesis 41:38-44

38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?

39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:

40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.

41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.

42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;

43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.

MESSAGE

The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and he hath set the world upon them.

1 Samuel 2:7-8

From this scripture, we see that no one attains the position of leadership without God having a hand in it. It then follows that irrespective of your background, when God decides to promote or enthrone you, nothing can stop your divine elevation. in this regard, Esther’s case readily comes to mind. A slave girl like her could only become a first lady through divine elevation. We also see this demonstrated in Joseph’s life: an imprisoned slave boy rose to become the second in command to a world emperor. To appreciate what God did in Joseph’s life, we must consider the factors that stood against him. Not only was he a foreigner, he was a slave and a prisoner who had a case of attempted rape hanging round his neck. Only God could have brought about the fulfilment of his long-time dreams in a strange land. I prophesy to you today: regardless of your family, educational or socio-economic background, you will reach your goal in Jesus’ Name.

We can learn some lessons from the story of Joseph’s elevation. First, the Lord caused Pharaoh to recognize the gift of the Holy Spirit in Joseph. Considering the fact that Egypt was a headquarters of astrologers and magicians, Pharaoh could have doubted the accuracy or authenticity of the interpretation and counsel that Joseph gave, if not for God’s hand. Secondly, if age was a factor, Joseph would not have been entrusted with such great responsibilities. In fact, for Pharaoh to have handed over his people and entire realm to a total stranger, it means Joseph found uncommon love and favor in his sight. On that remarkable day, he woke up as a slave boy and went to bed as the prime minister of Egypt. All this was made possible because of the God-factor. Beloved, the Lord is telling you to stop considering your background as a hindrance to your forward and upward movement in life. He will grant you a pleasant surprise this season, and those looking down on you will begin to look up to you, as it happened for Joseph in Jesus’ Name.

PRAY POINT:

Father, I believe Your word today; I declare that my background will not work against my greatness in life in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 13-15
Ezekiel 10:20-11:13

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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