MEMORISE:

Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Hebrews 1:9

READ: Acts 8:18-24

18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the LORD for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

MESSAGE

The word anointing is used in several passages of the Bible with reference to the consecration of prophets, kings, priest and things devoted to the worship of God. By these consecration, these persons or things are set apart and empowered to act in God’s power as His representatives on earth. The anointing therefore, refers to the power of God made available through His manifest presence. We see a manifestation of what the anointing is, how it operates and why it is given in Luke 5:17, which says:

“ And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.”

It is something special to witness the outpouring of God’s anointing, which is usually accompanied by His manifest power and magnificent presence. Whenever God decides to reveal the operation of His power through the operation of the anointing, natural laws become temporarily suspended, and we see miracles, signs and wonders of great magnitude. Consequently, children of God always desire such rare opportunities to experience the supernatural, just as people gather from far and near in Luke 5:17. However, God’s anointing is a free gift that money cannot buy. Even the most precious jewel on earth cannot be offered in exchange for it. Because our God does not cast His pearls before swine, certain conditions must be met for anyone who desires to operate in His anointing (Matthew 7:6).

1 Kings 18:30-38shows some deliberate steps Prophet Elijah took to activate the anointing of God. First when the appointed time of worship came, he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. He did everything orderly and meticulously, following divine instructions. Thereafter, he called upon the Name of the Lord in prayer and worship, and God answered by fire. Therefore, if you want to activate God’s anointing in your life, you must first rebuild the altar of God and present yourself before Him as a living sacrifice without any blemish (Romans 12:1). You must be a true worshipper who worships God in spirit and in truth, making sure to adhere strictly to His pattern and instructions as revealed in the Bible. Finally, you must learn to wait patiently for God. There was a waiting period before the fire of the Holy Spirit fell on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:4). The anointing makes you a terror to the kingdom of darkness and a notable representative of the Most High God. May the fire of God’s anointing fall mightily upon you today in the Name of Jesus.

ACTION POINT:

Assess yourself to see whether the parameters that attracted the anointing in today’s memory verse are present in your life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 10-11
Jeremiah 52:24-34

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 11: WHEN THE POWER OF GOD DESCENDED

1. When the power of God descended
On the day of Pentecost,
All the day of waiting ended,
They received the Holy Ghost

Refrain:
O Lord, send the power just now,
O Lord send the power just now,
O Lord send the power just now,
And baptize, every one.

2. Tongues of flame came down upon them,
And they preached the word in power,
Listening multitudes awakened
Turned to God that very hour.

3. We are waiting Holy Spirit
We are all of one accord,
Lord fulfill just now the promise
That is given in thy Word.

4. Fill and thrill us with Thy presence,
Grant the blessing that we need
Flood our souls with wondrous glory,
While the prayer of faith we plead.

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MEMORISE:

And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved. Hosea 12:13

READ: 2 Chronicles 20:20-30

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.

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.

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.

23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.

26 And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day.

27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies.

28 And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the LORD.

29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel.

30 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about.

MESSAGE

Prophecy is basically the revelation of God’s plans and purposes through inspired ad Spirit-filled human beings. It could also mean a message from God about what will happen in the future. Prophesies are of divine origin and always speak authoritatively on things to come. Since the All-knowing God determine future events, He can choose to reveal what will happen in the future to His children beforehand. Prophecy is quite different from predictions or forecasts. While predictions and forecasts may change if the variables used in deriving them changes, prophesies on the order hand are messages from God concerning things which are bound to happen. (Isaiah 55:10-11).

A critical examination of Bible prophecies reveals a systematic fulfilment of what they say, except for a few that remain to be fulfilled in the future. Examples of Bible prophesies that have come to pass include Israel’s captivity in Egypt for 400years in Genesis 15:13, the birth of King Josiah 300 years after it was prophesied in 1 Kings13:2, the rise of the Roman and Greek empires prophesied in great details in Daniel 11, the arrival of John the Baptist as the forerunner of Jesus Christ spoken of in Isaiah 40:3, the birth of Jesus the Messiah revealed in Isaiah 9:6-7, and the destruction of the temple soon after the death of Jesus in AD 70, which was prophesied in Matthew 24:2.

Prophecy is a wonderful gift of God that is highly desirable for guiding and edifying the Body of Christ. However, it is fast becoming despised and abused ministry for reasons which include people’s unwillingness to hear the truth, increased knowledge and enlightenment, and the proliferation of fake prophets and prophecies. God’s prophets today are being scorned as fanatics and alarmist for telling the truth and calling the world to repentance. Due to breakthrough in science and technology, people now despise anything that appears inexplicable or intangible. Fake prophets and prophecies have also done much damage to the ministry of prophecy by sowing doubts in people’s minds. The combination of these factors seems to be casting a shadow on the ministry of prophecy. However, because prophesy is part of Christ’s gifts to the Church, we must value it and pray for the immediate fulfilment of God’s promise to pour out His Spirit of prophesy upon us in Joel 2:28.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please disgrace and expose all fake prophets for what they are, and speedily fulfil Your promise in Joel 2:28 in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 8-9
Jeremiah 52:12:23

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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MEMORISE:
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
1 Timothy 2:1

READ: Matthew 6:6-13

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

MESSAGE

Prayer is a powerful means of communicating with God. The great thing about prayer in the era of the new covenant in Jesus’ Blood is that there is no need to say prayers in any special location or facing any particular direction for God to hear us. God is a Spirit, and those who worship Him must do so in spirit and in truth; therefore, the location where prayer is made is of little importance. (John 4:24). A careful consideration of Scripture shows that prayer was offered to God in a variety of places. In Acts 3:1, Peter and John went into the temple to pray, while in Acts 1:13-14, prayer took place in the upper room of a house. In Acts 16:25, Paul and Silas prayed in prison, and in Acts 16:13, prayers were said at the bank of a river. In Acts 20:36-38, the brethren prayed together at the waterfront. Further still, in 1 Corinthians 1:4 and several other Bible passages, prayer was made through the writing of letters.

Now, even though we often pray outwardly and in public places, prayer is more or less a hidden ministry. A powerful and successful prayer life is born and sustained in the hidden place of the prayer closet. We learn this from Christ’s teaching on prayer and also from observing His prayer life. Although the Bible records Him praying publicly on several occasions, Jesus taught us to pray in the closet, behind closed doors, where confidential matters can be discussed between God and man. In Matthew 6:6, He said:

“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”

Jesus also lived by this principle. In Matthew 14:23, He went up alone into the mountain to pray, while in Luke 11:1, He was found praying alone in a “certain place”. In Luke 9:18, even while in the company of His disciples, Jesus was said to be alone praying. This indicates that Jesus entered into the prayer closet despite having people around. He kept the focus of His prayers, i.e. his prayer points, private and confidential. He took His prayer as a secret between Himself and the invisible God, who gives answers to secret prayers in the open. It is therefore necessary and wise for Christians to treat prayer as a hidden ministry. Daniel did exploits through prayer but he kept his prayers behind closed doors and strictly confidential (Daniel 6:10, Daniel 9:3). In essence, prayer champions are usually unnoticed, and the prayer that move mountains are often made privately. Develop your private prayer life today, and you will receive wonderful testimonies that call for celebration.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please let my hidden prayers turn to testimonies today, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 7
Jeremiah 51:59-52:11

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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20

MEMORISE:

Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 2:3

READ: 2 Corinthians 11:22-33

22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.

23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.

24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.

25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;

26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?

30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.

31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:

33 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.

MESSAGE

Speaking in several passages of the Bible, the Holy Spirit makes it clear that anyone who will follow Jesus must possess a single-minded desire, characterized by faith, loyalty, enthusiasm and devotion to God (Luke 9:62, Acts 14:22, Titus 2:14, Hebrews 6:12). In other words, as true disciples of Jesus, we are to be filled with unrestricted and single-minded zeal for God and live our lives completely sold-out to Him. Indeed, God expects us to love Him above everything else in this world (Deuteronomy 6:5). Our Lord says in Mark 8:34b-35:

“Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.”

This simply means that anyone who follow Jesus Christ must deny himself by refusing to satisfy personal interest or desires. As a child of God, you are expected to deny yourself of personal interest and desires that are in conflict with God’s commandments or ways of His kingdom. God’s will must have priority above all other interests in your life, and His laws should be your yardstick for measuring what is right or wrong. Jesus further warned His followers against working to gain people’s approval, promising that those who run the risk of displeasing men for His sake will end up gaining everything.

“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. This is the first and great commandment.” Matthew 22:37-38

When we love God with all our heart, soul and mind, we naturally develop great passion and zeal for anything that concerns Him. This kind of zeal propelled the heros of faith in the Bible to accomplish great things we read about today. Being totally sold out to God, Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son, David confronted a lion, a bear and Goliath, the three Hebrew boys defied the fiery furnace, and Daniel boldly went into the lion’s den. Driven by pure zeal for God, Stephen faced death with unwavering boldness, and the apostles did great exploits for Him. By the grace of God, Christians are still doing great things for God today, especially in the least expected places. Notwithstanding this, the Bible warns against zeal without knowledge, which breeds religious fanaticism and bigotry. From today onwards, be zealous for God, and you will see Him move heaven and earth just for you.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please grant me grace to declare your word with boldness and zeal to all those around me, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 5-6
Jeremiah 51:41-58

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 10: I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

• I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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:

Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1

READ: John 13:12-17

12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?

13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.

15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

MESSAGE

Our Lord Jesus Christ was recognized as a great teacher when He was here on earth. He taught so wonderfully that those who heard Him were astonished at His teachings. Mark 1:22 says:

“And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.”

While teaching His Disciples His principles on leadership, He said to them in Matthew 20:28:

“Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

In this one verse, He addressed issues of leadership, power, authority and human dignity. The power in this verse lies in the fact that it upturns the notion of what greatness really is, by establishing how a leader must first humble himself or herself in providing necessary service to others. Jesus further expanded His teachings on leadership to include the fact that anyone who desires to be a leader must first be a good follower. He also explained that even though the leaders of the world might exercise authority and control over their subjects, it must not be so among children of God in Luke 22:26, He said:

“But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.”

As disciple of Jesus Christ, we are expected to walk in these principles. Every potential leader in the Body of Christ must first learn to be submissive in service and followership. In Matthew 23:11, Jesus said to His disciples that he who desires to be the greatest among them must first be the servant. He also taught them in Mark 9:35 that if anyone desired to be the leader amongst them, the same fellow must humble himself to take the least position and serve others. To further emphasize the role and importance of service in Christianity, Jesus told His disciples in John 13:13-15:

“Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.”

A disciple cannot be above his Master; neither can servant ever be above his Lord. We are expected to live a lifestyle that honors God. The leadership principles Jesus taught are firmly built on are firmly built on fellowship, service, humility, obedience, and loyalty. If you want to follow Jesus Christ acceptably, you must align your attitude with His principles on leadership.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please grant me grace to continually live a life of service to You as a good follower of Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 4
Jeremiah 51:24-40

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:
Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. John 12:28

READ: Matthew 17:1-9

1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.

8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.

9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

MESSAGE

Prayer is a two-way communication with God or a solemn request for help addressed to Him. As a form of intimate communication with God in worship, it usually consists of thanksgiving, adoration, confession, intercession and petition. Based on God’s love for His children, He made prayer available as a means of communicating with Him. God’s grace gives us things we do not deserve, while His mercy shields us from things that are detrimental to our wellbeing. We connect with His grace and mercy when we pray. As believers in Christ, we are able to relate with God on a personal level in the place of prayer because God manifested himself to us in the person of Jesus Christ, and He has opened to us the door of access to the throne room of heaven. He desires all men and women created in his image and redeemed by His Blood to call upon His Name in Prayer, and He promises that they will receive answers from Him. Through our answered prayers, He proves His existence and ability to do all things. Matthew 6:6 says:

“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”

Prayer is an act of faith because it carries with it the assumption that God is willing and at the same time able to hear and respond to the petitions of His children. When we pray, we acknowledge our weakness, limitation and total helplessness, while declaring total trust and reliance on God’s power to solve whatever problem is presented to Him. Prayer is therefore both a wonderful privilege and a solemn responsibility for God’s children. Speaking on prayer, Jeremiah 29:12 says,

“Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.”

Furthermore, our Lord Jesus Christ, in Matthew 7:7, says.

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

These passages and many more in the Bible clearly reveal God’s attitude towards prayer. God is a prayer-answering God who is always move by love and compassion to respond to the prayer request of His children. Be encouraged therefore to come boldly to the throne of grace with the assurance of obtaining mercy, favor and spiritual empowerment in times of need (Hebrews 4:16).

ACTION POINT:
Consciously listen to hear God speak to you whenever you pray. The answer to your prayers could be in what He drops into your heart or speaks in your ears.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 3
Jeremiah 51:6-23

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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20

MEMORISE:
But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. Isaiah 64:8

READ: Jeremiah 18:1-6

1The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,

2 Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.

3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

MESSAGE

The even in today’s Bible reading reveal that God speaks to his own at the time He chooses, using a format of His choice. You cannot rush God to speak His mind, and neither can you identify any style in particular as the format He normally follows whenever He wants to speak. In times past He has spoken through the whirlwind, thunder, fire, a donkey and through the works of a potter. If you desire to relate to Him, you need to learn to wait on Him until you hear Him speak, and you also need to open up your heart because He can speak to you through the most unexpected and inconsequential of things. God can even send you to the ants to hear His word, as He did in Proverbs 6:6. It is amazing that God told Jeremiah to go t the potter’s house in order to hear His words there. Why didn’t God just talk to Jeremiah right where he was? The ways of our God are past finding out! Jeremiah met the potter working on a vessel that got distorted in his hands as he worked, and so he moulded it into another vessel, as seemed good to him. After observing this, God then spoke to Jeremiah, saying in Jeremiah 18:6:

“O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.”

Although all powers in heaven and earth belongs to God, it is not in his character to force His will or desire on anyone. He loves to work with pliable materials that willingly yield themselves to His authority. He loves those who give Him the freedom to mould whatever he deems fit with their lives, just like the potter did with the clay. In other words, God wants His children to completely surrender their lives to Him so that He can make something absolutely out of them. He considers our resistance to His will as an unwise rejection of His love and beneficial grace. God is asking you today, will you allow Me to mould and reshape your life as the potter? Be wise and surrender your life to Jesus today. He will make something beautiful out of your life.

The destiny of anyone who continues to resist or strive with God is like a broken vessel or smashed clay jar that is damaged beyond repair (Isaiah 45:9, Jeremiah 19:10-13). Let’s consider the examples of some people who ended up as broken vessels. In 1 Samuel 15:1-35, God rejected Saul as king because of his continued and unrepentant disobedience, rebellion and stubbornness. Also, Gehazi’s situation went beyond redemption in 2 Kings 5:20-27: he inherited Naaman’s leprosy as a result of untamed greed and covetousness. Judas Iscariot had the good fortune of being with Jesus, like other disciples, but he rejected several warnings the Lord gave and ended up as a broken vessel. You will not end up as a broken vessel in Jesus’s Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please help me to finish my race well and also finish strong, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 1-2
Jeremiah 50:35-51:5

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:
Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward. Lamentations 1:8

READ: 2 Samuel 11:2-4

2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

3 And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.

MESSAGE

Nakedness refers to the absence of clothing and it also refers to the wearing of only underwear. It simply means being inadequately or inappropriately dressed. To be naked is to be bare, lightly dressed or to wear skimpy, revealing or insufficient clothing. These days, people are obsessed with showing of their wealth through fashion. As heros and mentors to many, the rich and famous tend to influence a lot of people to follow their footsteps. Unfortunate, this platform is being used to promote nudity in fashion. If you look at the world today, a greater percentage of fashion style reflects nakedness, particularly in western countries. If the lady’s cleavage is not exposed, the dress is viewed as old-fashioned. If the skirt is not short, such that the lady can’t sit down comfortably without having to cross her legs or continually draw down her skirt to cover her laps, it is not fashionable. If the man’s trousers are not super tight, it is not fashionable. It is however said that instead of world to look to the church for healthy and sensible fashion inspiration, the church is copying the world, which is why indecent and provocative dressing is commonplace in the church of God today. You will go to some churches and wonder whether you are in a brothel. Christ has called us to walk in love, so if you know that you dress seductively and this could cause someone to stumble in lust, you better have a rethink. What is your motive when you say you want to dress to kill? If you want to make heaven, you must judge your motives and actions by the word of God and make necessary adjustments.

The essence of clothing, first and foremost is to cover human nakedness. God is the first one who designed and provided clothes, and His primary purpose was to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve after they attempted to sew fig leaves together as aprons to cover their nakedness (Genesis 3:21, Genesis 3:7). So many people today are wearing fig leaves and calling them clothes. For any clothing to be appropriate for a child of God, whether male or female, it must meet the standard that God set I the beginning by adequately covering human nakedness. Moreover, we are Christ’s ambassadors; an ambassador does not do anything that will tarnish the image of the country he or she represents. As a matter of fact, an ambassador positively projects the cultural heritage of his or her country always. The culture of the kingdom we belong to is holiness, righteousness and the fear of God, and we must project it in this world of sin and godlessness. Furthermore, we have the responsibility of making our body suitable foe the Holy Spirit to dwell in (1 Corinthians 3:16). As the temple of God, defiling your body through nudity has consequences (1 Corinthians 3:17). Henceforth, dress as a worthy ambassador of God’s kingdom.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please expel nudity and destroy immorality in Your Church, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 27
Jeremiah 50:17-34

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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MEMORISE:

Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Hebrews 13:4

READ: Proverbs 5:15-21

15 Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.

16 Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.

17 Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee.

18 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.

19 Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.

20 And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?

21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.

MESSAGE

Whichever way you look at it, marriage is honorable, and this is why those who have rebelled against God in their sexual orientation want to cloak their dishonorable lifestyle with the honor God has bestowed on marriage. Despite what the world is trying to turn it into, the institution of marriage remains God’s perfect arrangement to meet the needs of companionship between a man and a woman who are adults. If discovering and choosing to love a person is beautiful in courtship is exciting, solemnizing a union in a wedding ceremony is divine. After a couple is joined together in holy matrimony and God’s blessings are pronounced on them, they become partners in a sacred institution. The sanctity of marriage is not a figment of human imagination. God indeed designed marriage to be holy, and so it should be approached with great respect and due veneration. This is why today’s memory verse describes marriage as honorable and advise against defiling it, with a strong warning that God’s judgement will fall on anyone who indulges in sexual immorality in marriage.

Another reason why God created the institution of marriage is the need to satisfy sexual desire within an environment of accountability and responsibility. God wants married couples to find sexual satisfaction in marriage (1 Corinthians 7:2). In His infinite wisdom, He provided marital sex as a wise alternative to infidelity and sexual disorder. Today’s bible reading says you should drink water out of your own cistern, meaning that sexual thirst should only be satisfied within the privacy of marriage. Furthermore, sexual body and sexual acts are not public property to be shared with strangers (Proverbs 5:16-17). “Strangers” in this context refers to anyone who has not “Known” you through marriage (Genesis 4:1). Only within marriage did God bless uninhibited sexual joys (Proverbs 5:18-19). Take note that God deliberately used the words “at all times” and “always” in Proverbs 5:19, to remove limits from a married couple’s sexual enjoyment of each other (1 Corinthians 7:3-5). Brethren, please abstain from sex outside marriage, for God has promised to judge all fornicators and adulterers (Hebrews 13:4). Your momentary sinful pleasure is liable for eternal judgment, so ask yourself, is it really worth it (Proverbs 5:20)? He who created all things in heaven and earth for His own pleasure has every right to guide human affairs in conformity with His supreme purpose. Think on these things, and may God engrave them on the tablet of your heart in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please uphold every marriage and let Your power reign in every home, in Jesus’ Name

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 26
Jeremiah 50:2:16

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:

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. Mark 11:25

READ: Matthew 18:23-35 (KJV)

23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.

29 And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

31 So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:

33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?

34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

MESSAGE

Through the span of history, God has demonstrated again and again that He answers petitions.

As individuals of confidence, we are certain that at whatever point we call upon the Name of the Lord for anything, as long as it is His will, the appropriate response will come. He guaranteed us of this in John 14:14, saying:

“On the off chance that ye will ask anything in my name, I will do it.”

To leave us with no uncertainty, the Holy Spirit further says in Psalm 50:15:

“What’s more, call upon me stuck in an unfortunate situation: I will convey thee, and thou shalt laud me.”

Showing the petition noting intensity of our God, there was at one time a challenge between God’s prophet and 450 prophets of a symbol called Baal (1st Kings 18:17-40). Each side was to approach their God or god, to see whose power would demonstrate forward. The prophets of Baal approached their god from morning till evening, however there was no reaction. Nonetheless, the minute God’s prophet called upon Him, fire tumbled from paradise. Brethren, God is still in the matter of noting petitions and quieting the furious tempests of life! He should simply talk over you, and quickly, harmony like a waterway will stream into your life and family. The inquiry is, would we say we are still in the matter of calling upon His Name in sacredness and honorableness? On the off chance that wrongdoing is expelled from our souls, we will call upon Him stuck in an unfortunate situation and He will reply as He did in times past, in light of the fact that He is a similar yesterday, today and until the end of time.

Darling, one specific deterrent to supplication that we have to distinguish and manage is the soul of un-pardoning. Instructing about this in Mark 11:25, Jesus says:

“What’s more, when ye stand supplicating, excuse, if ye have should against any: that your Father additionally which is in paradise may pardon you your trespasses.”

In Matthew 5:23-24, He further stated:

“Thusly if thou bring thy blessing to the special raised area, and there rememberest that thy sibling hath should against thee; Leave there thy blessing before the special raised area, and go thy way; first be accommodated to thy sibling, and after that come and offer thy blessing.”

These sections shows that God won’t acknowledge blessing, offering or thanksgiving of any individual who harbors sharpness and un-absolution, to talk less of noting any supplication made by such an individual. Subsequently, disposing of harshness is basic to carrying on with the Christian life adequately and effectively. Leave retaliation to God. Wipe out harshness by the intensity of affection, pardoning and discharging the individuals who have harmed you to God. When you do this, you can make sure that any supplication you make to God will be replied by flame. May God hear your petitions from His position of authority of effortlessness today in Jesus’ Name.

ACTION POINT

Search your heart for any form of un-forgiveness and let go of it today with God’s help.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Leviticus 25, Jeremiah 49:23-50:1

AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 5 : LET OTHERS SEE JESUS IN YOU

While passing thro’ this world of sin,�and others your life shall view,�Be clean and pure without, within;�Let others see Jesus in you.��Refrain:�Let others see Jesus in you,�Let others see Jesus in you.�Keep telling the story, be faithful and true;�Let others see Jesus in you.��2. Your life’s a book before their eyes,�They’re reading it thro’ and thro’�Say, does it point them to the skis,�Do others see Jesus in you?��Refrain��3. Then live for Christ both day and night,�Be faithful, be brave and true,�and lead the lost to life and Christ.�Let others see Jesus in you.��Refrain

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