MEMORISE:
Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Colossians 4:2

READ: 1 Peter 5:5-11

5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

MESSAGE

Watchfulness means to be alert and expectant as you monitor someone or something in your care, or as you await the arrival of someone important or a significant event. To be watchful is to be alert to things around you as you live your daily life. The Bible warns us to be vigilant by closely watching the activity of the devil, mortifying all vulnerabilities to temptation, looking out for the enemy’s wily attacks and being ever prepared for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our watchfulness should begin with the words of Proverbs 4:23, which says:

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

The Holy Spirit refers to this as renewing the mind in Romans 12:2, which I best done by filling our minds with the undiluted words of God (Hebrews 4:12). Having set a watch over the thoughts and imaginations of our hearts, we then need to bridle our tongue in order not to sin with it (James 1:26, 1 Peter 3:10). Finally, 1 Peter 4:7 says:

“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”

As Christians in these last days, we are called to watch unto prayers more than ever before.

Why do we need to be watchful? The Holy Spirit answers this in 1 Peter 5:8, which says:

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”

Let us follow the example of our Lord, who took the need to be watchful seriously in the last hour before His sufferings began. Knowing what was about to happen to Him, He was so sorrowful and decided to take His disciples to have a private moment at the Garden of Gethsemane. It was at this retreat that Jesus gave His disciples the sure antidote to temptation. He said in Matthew 26:41:

“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

We are therefore called to be alert to dangers which can erode and shipwreck our faith in Christ such as false teachings, worldliness, love of money, inordinate ambition, sinful pleasure, sexual immorality and all other works of the flesh. Complacency or failure to watch can be very dangerous indeed. It led to the sudden death of Abel, who was killed by a brother who spoke peacefully with him in one minute but rose up to kill him in the next (Genesis 4:8). Sanballat and Tobiah, the enemies of the Jews, would have successfully terminated Nehemiah’s building project if not for watchfulness (Nehemiah 4). I pray that God will expose every activity of the enemy in your like and family today in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, as You did with Elisha, help me to always be one step ahead of my enemies, in Jesus’ Name (2 Kings 6:8-12).

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 14-15
Lamentation 1:15-2:5

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.

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:

Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Colossians 4:2

READ: 1 Peter 5:5-11

5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

MESSAGE

Watchfulness means to be alert and expectant as you monitor someone or something in your care, or as you await the arrival of someone important or a significant event. To be watchful is to be alert to things around you as you live your daily life. The Bible warns us to be vigilant by closely watching the activity of the devil, mortifying all vulnerabilities to temptation, looking out for the enemy’s wily attacks and being ever prepared for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our watchfulness should begin with the words of Proverbs 4:23, which says:

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

The Holy Spirit refers to this as renewing the mind in Romans 12:2, which I best done by filling our minds with the undiluted words of God (Hebrews 4:12). Having set a watch over the thoughts and imaginations of our hearts, we then need to bridle our tongue in order not to sin with it (James 1:26, 1 Peter 3:10). Finally, 1 Peter 4:7 says:

“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”

As Christians in these last days, we are called to watch unto prayers more than ever before.

Why do we need to be watchful? The Holy Spirit answers this in 1 Peter 5:8, which says:

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”

Let us follow the example of our Lord, who took the need to be watchful seriously in the last hour before His sufferings began. Knowing what was about to happen to Him, He was so sorrowful and decided to take His disciples to have a private moment at the Garden of Gethsemane. It was at this retreat that Jesus gave His disciples the sure antidote to temptation. He said in Matthew 26:41:

“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

We are therefore called to be alert to dangers which can erode and shipwreck our faith in Christ such as false teachings, worldliness, love of money, inordinate ambition, sinful pleasure, sexual immorality and all other works of the flesh. Complacency or failure to watch can be very dangerous indeed. It led to the sudden death of Abel, who was killed by a brother who spoke peacefully with him in one minute but rose up to kill him in the next (Genesis 4:8). Sanballat and Tobiah, the enemies of the Jews, would have successfully terminated Nehemiah’s building project if not for watchfulness (Nehemiah 4). I pray that God will expose every activity of the enemy in your like and family today in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, as You did with Elisha, help me to always be one step ahead of my enemies, in Jesus’ Name (2 Kings 6:8-12).

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 14-15
Lamentation 1:15-2:5

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.

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:
And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. Acts 3:8

READ: John 9:1-7

1And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.

2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,

7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

MESSAGE
Healing is the restoration of the body, mind or spirit to a state of wholeness and wellbeing. This restoration may be physical, as in the forgiveness of sins and justification before God. Ultimately, healing is embodied by Jesus Christ, who is the Great healer. He healed different sickness during His earthly ministry, and secured the ultimate healing for all through His death on the cross and subsequent resurrection. Although most healing experience in the Bible were instantaneous, God sometimes heals slowly or gradually over a period of time. In such cases, there is visible steady progress towards full health. Even if a person’s healing is gradual, it is still God who does the healing, and He should be given the glory.

Nevertheless, God still carries out instantaneous healing today. Most Christians today should have heard or witnessed at least one story of how God healed a person at once. Although some don’t believe this is possible, I am happy to announce to you that by the grace of God, instantaneous healings occur daily in The Redeemed Christian Church of God. We have witnessed numerous testimonies of how God instantly healed people of different sicknesses and disease, ranging from simple bacterial infections to reproductive ailments, mental and psychological problems, life threatening sicknesses and terminal diseases. We have even witnessed several cases of the dead being raised back to life and several other seemingly impossible miracles in many of our parishes around the world. Praise God! We are experiencing these great healings because we believe in the power of the Almighty God to perform miracles, signs and wonders today. We are driven by faith in His word in Hebrews 13:8, which says:
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”

We believe that what Jesus Christ did when He was physically here on earth, He is still able to do today. Indeed, God has the capacity to heal everyone who comes to Him for healing, and He is also able to heal them completely. Testifying to this, Matthew 8:16 says:
“When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:”

Divine healing is the inheritance of every child of God and it is freely accessed by faith. The Bible said it all in Isaiah 53:5- Jesus was wounded for the sins that bring sickness, He was bruised for the iniquities that cause diseases, and He wore the chastisement of our peace like a garment so that by His stripes everyone who believes automatically receives their healing. Hallelujah!

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please heal me completely and make me an agent of your healing power, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 12-13
Lamentation 1:1-14

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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20

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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20

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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20

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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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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