MEMORISE:

But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7

READ: 1 Samuel 16:6-13

6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him.

7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.

11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

MESSAGE
Making choices is a part of day to day living. On a daily basis, we are faced with the dilemma of choosing between two or more possibilities, or choosing between good and evil. Since our choices determine the course of our lives, it is therefore important that they are based on a foundation that is sound and sure. The most important requirement for making informed choices is knowledge. What better source of knowledge is there than the word of God, which has stood the test of time. It should be noted that whenever the Bible talks about knowledge and knowing, it is usually in the sense of the mind being enlightened by the word of God. Knowledge obtained from God’s word is based on the insight of the Ancient of days, who has seen all and knows all. This makes it balanced and able to guide every aspect of human life. Revealing how important knowledge is to us as children of God, the Holy Spirit says in Hosea 4:6:

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”

Knowledge is power indeed. How much you know about any particular subject determines your ability to make the right decisions on that subject matter. In fact, the more you know about God and His word, the more likely you are to make error proof choices and decisions. This is why Proverbs 1:29-31 says that those who despise or detest knowledge do so to their own peril. Every Christian needs to know that dependence on worldly knowledge can lead to failure, but godly knowledge guarantees success. The elements you need for making those crucial decisions are contained in the word of God, and God’s Spirit is able to open your eyes to recognize them in every situation. That is why Proverbs 1:23 says:

“Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.”

Human knowledge is not reliable; please be wise and let God influence your choices. Indeed, one of the Holy Spirit’s assignments in our lives is to help us make right choices. John 16:13 says:

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

Anyone who follows a supernatural guide is bound to get supernatural results. As Peter acted on Christ’s directives and received a supernatural catch of fishes, so will you receive unprecedented breakthrough today as you act on the counsel of the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ Name (Luke 5:4-7).

PRAYER POINT:
Sweet Holy Spirit, please counsel me to make informed decisions that are error-proof in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: I Samuel 16:6-13
Jeremiah 49:8-22

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Jeremiah 1:5

READ: Isaiah 6:1-8

In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

MESSAGE

A qualification is an official requirement that makes a person eligible for an entitlement or position. It can take the form of a condition that must be fulfilled before a person is considered suitable for a privileged position, or a quality or accomplishment that makes a person acceptable for a particular job or activity. Basically, a qualification is a show of skill, intelligence, knowledge, experience, competence, talent and special abilities. These are obviously required in the appointment of anyone who will take up professional duties and assignments in the fields of medicine, banking and finance, security, law science and technology etc. well, I can confidently tell you that a high level of competence is also required for spiritual appointments, because 1 Timothy 3:6 says a man of God should not be a novice. 2 Timothy 2:15 says further that ministers of God as confident workers in his vineyard, having the ability to correctly dissect the word of truth.

However, all the skills, intelligence, talents and special abilities in this world are grossly inadequate to qualify anyone for divine service. Mankind is naturally disqualified from divine service because of our corrupt human nature that rebels against God’s commandments (Romans 8:7-8), and also because the heart of the natural man is highly deceitful and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). For these reasons, the qualification of any man of God is a function of God’s grace. This was demonstrated in the life of Paul, who was qualified and made competent for divine service by divine authority, irrespective of his past life (Galatians 1:13-15). He testified to the grace of God upon his life in this regard, saying in 2 Corinthians 3:5-6a

“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament;”

This passage tells us that we do not qualify or possess sufficient abilities to merit God’s call. Rather, our ability, competence and sufficiency are from God. By His mercy and favor, we are chosen, qualified and made sufficient as ministers of the new covenant in Jesus Christ. God always qualifies His servants, not by any written code but by the power of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 explains that God’s appointed ministers are usually not considered wise by human standards, and more often than not, they are usually not influential, powerful or of noble birth. God deliberately chooses the foolish, weak and insignificant things of this world to confound the wise, strong and influential ones, so that no one can boast of anything in His presence. There is a common saying that God does not call the qualified, He qualifies that called. This is so true!

PRAYER POINT:

Father, thanks for qualifying me for the task for which You have called me, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 21-22
Jeremiah 48:40-49:7

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE, AND LET IT BE

1.Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise,
Let them flow in endless praise.

2.Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3.Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose,
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:

Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. Romans 15:2

READ: Romans 15:1-6

1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:

6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

MESSAGE

Love and compassion are the measure of true Christianity. Our Lord Jesus Christ emphasized this by identifying the commandments to love God as the first and general law, after which He declared the directive to love fellow human beings as the second most important law (Matthew 22:35-40). When we carefully consider love in line with Genesis 1:28, it instantly translates to a moral obligation. We all therefore have an obligation under God to one another, whether as leaders, pastors, married couples, parents, siblings, neighbors or simply as human beings. Scripture further stresses a stronger and higher responsibility for Christians and the Church as a result of our special privileged relationship with God. Many Christians do not have a clear understanding of the responsibilities that God has placed on us in relation to our fellow human beings. Some are still asking, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” If you must know, the answer is yes. God expects you, as Christ’s ambassador in this world, to be your brother’s and sister’s keeper. We have a responsibility to our brethren in the Lord and to the world at large, to be the salt of the earth and beacons of light in this world of darkness. We need to live a life that is true to what the Lord said about us in Matthew 5:13-14, which says:

“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.”

Every Christian has the responsibility to represent Jesus Christ in the world, living as channels of divine mercy and kindness, both within the Church and out in the world. Philippians 2:4-5 says:

“Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:”

We must not close our ears to the cries of those who are poor in worldly goods or those poor in spirit (Luke 4:18, Proverbs 21:13). Many are desperately in need of sustenance, some are enduring diverse sicknesses and various forms of poverty, while some other are in bondage to sin and are being manipulated by the devil. We must reach out to them all with the gospel of love. Let us endeavor to correct, strengthen, and encourage each other in love along the way, making sure not to destroy anyone who falls into error as a result of one weakness or the other. Our light must shine so much that the reflection would brighten the paths of others in darkness and thereby bring glory to God.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, strengthen me to manifest as a problem solver to my generation, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 19-20
Jeremiah 48:21-39

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 5: LET OTHERS SEE JESUS IN YOU.

1.While passing thro’ this world of sin,
and others your life shall view,
Be clean and pure without, within;
Let others see Jesus in you.

Refrain:
Let others see Jesus in you,
Let others see Jesus in you.
Keep telling the story, be faithful and true;
Let others see Jesus in you.

2. Your life’s a book before their eyes,
They’re reading it thro’ and thro’
Say, does it point them to the skis,
Do others see Jesus in you?

Refrain

3. Then live for Christ both day and night,
Be faithful, be brave and true,
and lead the lost to life and Christ.
Let others see Jesus in you.

Refrain

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 Corinthians 5:1

READ: Hebrews 11:32-40

32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.

34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

MESSAGE

Soon after I became born again, God showed me that Christianity is an eternal journey with Him which gets progressively better by the day for those who live in obedience to His commandments. As soon as I understood this, I made up my mind on two things: to live the rest of my life in total obedience to God, and to live with the mindset that the best is yet to come, irrespective of my current status, achievements or breakthroughs. This decision yielded a habit of appreciating God for every success and achievement in life and ministry, without the slightest feeling of accomplishment or the notion that we have “arrived”. Those who have witness the different levels of growth, development and miracles that God has made possible in The Redeemed Christian Church of God have always wondered how we are able to make these great leaps without resting on our oars. The answer lies in Philippians 3:13-14, which says:

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Paul was able to pen these words because he had a revelation of an ever-increasing glory in his spirit. He therefore lived every day of His life with the attitude that irrespective of the present glory, with God on his side, the best was yet to come. No wonder he lived a life that went from glory to greater glory, so much so that God performed special miracles through him (Acts 19:11-12). In spite of it all, he never allowed himself to dwell on his achievements as though he had arrived or attained greatness.

We should therefore learn from Paul’s example that doing great things on an incremental basis is central to the purpose and agenda God has for us. 1 Corinthians 2:9 says:

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”

In essence, the greatest philosophers, investors and scientists cannot comprehend what God has in store for His children. God is so great, and Hid ways are far higher than our ways. Therefore, we can continually expect great and mighty things from Him. The events in 2 Kings 11:18-19 teach that when anyone is on an assignment for God, the fellow must diligently and aggressively carry out such duties according to God’s high calling, and not according to personal preferences. Go ahead and prophesy to yourself today that your best is yet to come!

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please help me to always look forward to a greater future in You, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 17-18
Jeremiah 48:1-20

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 1: THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS

• There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.
• Refrain:
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.

• There shall be showers of blessing,
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.

• There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing,
Come, and now honor Thy Word.

• There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!

• There shall be showers of blessing,
If we but trust and obey;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
If we let God have His way.

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:
They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. Psalm 34:5

READ: 2 Kings 6:24-27

24 And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.

25 And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass’s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.

26 And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.

27 And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?

MESSAGE

A lot of Christians see idolatry or idol worship as something no longer happening in our modern age, or only affecting people in very remote parts of the world, and so they do not pay close attention to what the Spirit of the Lord is saying about it. May I announce to you that idolatry is not just about worshipping idols, it comes in different forms and can indeed be very subtle. One form in which idolatry expresses itself today is the attitude of seeking help from powers other than God Almighty. When we get help from any other source, our allegiance will gradually begin to shift towards such powers that be. God did not mince words when He declared in Exodus 20:5 that He is a jealous God. He is therefore not ready to share those He calls His own with any so-called powers anywhere. Imagine a wife of a general baker going to beg for loaf of bread from a bachelor living next door, when she has access to her husband’s entre bakery. This paints a fairly good picture of what it means to God when we His children look away from Him to other creations of His, including the devil and his agents for help. The most painful thing here is that lasting help does not come from such places. The wife in our illustration can get a loaf of bread from the bachelor and still run out of bread, but she can get an unending supply of bread from her husband’s bakery if only she relies on him alone as her source. God can meet your peculiar needs to the very last detail and supply all of your desires, Zechariah 10:1 says:

“Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORDshall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.”

The only sure source of help is the Almighty God, with whom there is no impossibility (Luke 1:37). The response of the king of Israel in today’s Bible reading is very profound, and it should continually resonate in your heart whenever you are in need. Here is God’s immutable promise to His children in Isaiah 41:10:

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Beloved, where are you looking for help? It is a great mistake if you are not looking towards the Almighty God. I encourage you to have faith in God and seek Him for the help you urgently need, He will not fail you. The words of today’s memory verse will be your testimony from today onward in Jesus’ Name. it is well with your soul.

ACTION POINT:

Cast all your cares upon your heavenly Father today, asking Him to please send you help from His Throne of Grace, in accordance to His promise in Hebrews 4:16.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 15-16
Jeremiah 46:20-47:7

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.

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

READ: Proverbs 3:1-8

1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:

2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

MESSAGE

In these perilous times, we must always keep in mind that God is still in the business of choosing and directing the manner of life His children should live if God id trying to lead your life on a certain path, I rejoice with you because this shows that He has special interest in you. When God shows special interest in a person’s life, it is because He wants to show His awesomeness to the world through that person. God will make you a sign-post to the world on the awesomeness of His power in Jesus’ Name. Jesus said in Matthew 22:14:

“For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Who are the few? The few are those who allow God to chart the course of their lives and allow Him to rule over their affairs. The level to which you allow God to have His way in your life shows how much you trust Him. Moses was a leader who would not do anything unless God approved of it. In his conversation with the Almighty, he emphatically told God in Exodus 33:15,

“If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.”

How pleasant our lives would be if we make God the captain of our ship. David is another man who trusted God’s judgment and sought God’s direction when he was faced with difficult situations. When his camp at Ziglag was raided and his wives and children, as well as those of the soldiers, were all carried away as captives, one would have expected David, as the commander of a formidable army, to immediately ride out and pursue the raiders. On the contrary, he did not move until he got clearance from God (1 Samuel 30:8). Imagine the strength and confidence with which David pursued the marauding raiders once he got divine backing from the Lord of Host Himself. When we allow God to chart the course of our lives, we can never suffer failure or defeat. Children of God who gamble with their lives when taking critical decisions should blame themselves and not God when they fail or are defeated.

Today’s bible reading is full of divine wisdom and loaded with several benefits. It encourages us to keep God’s law in our hearts and allows it rule our lives. The result is that we will live a long and peaceful life. When we live within the framework of God’s precepts. He will favor us and cause men to favor us as well. Whenever you are where God wants you to be, you cannot expect anything less than his favor because you are in His will. Earlier in my life, my ambition was to be the youngest professor in a chosen discipline. However, the Lord commanded me to carry my cross and continue from where my father in the Lord stopped. I am enjoying my life today because I answered “Yes Lord.” No other answer could have turned out better for me. Beloved, let God choose for you! Don’t be among those who think they can use and dump God for their selfish interest. In your career, marriage, where you settle in life and so on, acknowledge the supremacy of God’s judgment and align yourself with His purpose. You will not regret you did.

ACTION POINT:

Yield to the Lord in every area where you have been battling with His choice for you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 14
Jeremiah 46:1-19

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: TRUST AND OBEY.

1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

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

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

3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

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

5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; 1 Peter 2:9

READ: 1 Corinthians 6:15-20

15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.

16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.

17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

MESSAGE

The abnormal use of a thing is what is referred to as abuse. It is unfortunate that many people abuse themselves in different ways. For example, it is an abnormal use of the body and mind when one works, works, and works without taking time to rest, all in a bid to maximize earnings and turnover. If you know how precious you are, you will not burn the candle of your life from both ends. Today, in 1 Corinthians 6:15, the Holy Spirit is asking you whether or not you realize that your body is a part of Christ. In order words, even the body we call ours actually belongs to Jesus Christ. This tells you how precious we are in the sight of the Lord. As children of God, we are so unique! That we are joined to God in one Spirit should gladden our hearts and make us shun any form of defilement. No wonder the Psalmist says in Psalm 139:14:

“ I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”

When we abuse our body, we are actually trampling under our feet a precious pearl the Lord gave to us, not only because we are created in His own image but also because He paid a high price to redeem us from the curse of sin and death. We are even much more precious than the first Adam, for we are bought with a price that cannot be valued.

Our Lord has called us out from darkness into the marvelous light of holiness, prosperity and great deliverance from the power of sin and Satan. We must therefore glorify God in our body and in our spirit man. We are like the beloved wife of a king. The queen does not comport herself in ways that would bring ridicule to the royal family, her husband particularly. Moreover, a queen does not tell lies because she has integrity. Sleeping around is a ridiculous thing to do as a Christian. Even if you are not married to any person, you are joined to Jesus Christ, who is the Husband of the Church. Beloved, do you know you are more valuable to God than angels? The Bible says you will even judge angels (1 Corinthians 6:3)! The fact that God has given you His Precious Holy Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing you of things to come should tell you how precious you are to Him (2 Corinthians 5:5). Even the angels are mystified by this great benevolence of God to us and by the fact that He has set us over the world to come (1 peter 1:12, Hebrews 2:5-8). Armed with this knowledge, if I were you, I would jealously guard my salvation, lest I lost my worth and become a castaway 91 Corinthians 9:27).

PRAYER POINT:

Father, open the eyes of my heart to always see that everything the devil and the world dangle at me pales in comparison to my value, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 13
Jeremiah 44:24-45:5

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE, AND LET IT BE

1.Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise,
Let them flow in endless praise.

2.Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3.Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose,
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:

Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Ephesians 4:28

READ: Genesis 26:12-14

12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.

13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:

14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.

MESSAGE

Unemployment and poverty are some of the reasons people give for engaging in acts of stealing and fraudulent practices involving obtaining false pretense. However, such people are not being sincere with themselves or with God. There is only one legitimate cure for lack, and its name is hard work. When people say there are no employment opportunities, I beg to differ. What people to as unemployment is the lack of the type of job they want. Such people fail to diversify the scope of labor they are willing to engage in, and so they keep looking for white color jobs when there are other available jobs that can provide for their needs. Unfortunately, they consider such jobs to be beneath their status as graduates or professionals and hence choose to remain unemployed. Today’s Bible reading records how Isaac worked hard by sowing in a time of famine, notwithstanding the abundant blessings that were his by covenant! Those who steal to survive should learn from his example that there is an acceptable alternative to stealing which is hard work centered on God. Furthermore, in today’s memory verse, the Holy Spirit expressly commands those who steal under the excuse of poverty and joblessness to find something good to do so that they can even have more than enough to give to others.

The story of Obalola serves to illustrate today’s topic. One day, he and his friend went to the seer to know what the future had in store for them. To Obalola, the seer said “You will be king, if……”, but before the seer could finish, Obalola jumped up in excitement and sprinted away. In Obalola’s absence, the seer proceeded to deliver a prophesy to his friend. He had just begun saying “You will die poor, unless….”, when Obalola’s friend also stormed off, annoyed at what he was hearing. Having heard from the seer, Obalola began to play around, boasting that he would be king someday. His friend on the other hand decided that he would not die poor. This man went into the jungle with his farming implements and started farming. He worked the jungle until he turned it into a pleasant farm with crops being taken to the town for good money. In the course of time, the king of the town died and there was a famine in the land. Obalola’s friend with his great farm was the only source of survival for the town. Desperate for survival, the town’s people came to him and begged him to become their king. Meanwhile, Obalola had wasted his life boasting and waiting to become king; he died a pauper. Beloved, laziness in any form is not a Christian virtue. It makes people vulnerable to poverty, and poverty leads to desperate acts which erode integrity (Proverbs 24:30-34, Proverbs 30:7-9).

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please give me the health and strength to work and be productive in life

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 10-12
Jeremiah 44:11-23

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: TRUST AND OBEY.

1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

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

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

3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

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

5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and he hath set the world upon them. 1 Samuel 2:8

READ: Genesis 41:39-46

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

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

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

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

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

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

45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.

46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

MESSAGE

As observed by the Preacher in Ecclesiastes 1:9, some life events are capable of repeating themselves in history. One of these is the rags-to-riches story described in today’s Bible reading. Joseph had been sold into slavery in Egypt by his brothers, and as if that was not enough, he was also framed and cast into prison, where he remained for some years until God’s favor rose over his destiny and took him to the throne as second-in-command of the largest empire on earth, even though he was a stranger there. The familiar story has some hidden lessons we can learn. First of all, God will do whatever He has purposed in His heart to do, regardless of any obstacles on the way. Although Joseph was destined to be great, his brothers thought they could abort God’s plan for his life by selling him into slavery. They could never have imagined that they were actually sending him to the place where his dreams of greatness would be fulfilled. Likewise, when Potiphar’s wife framed him, little did she know she was only acting as an instrument to bring about the fulfilment of God’s plan for him. In fact, Pharaoh’s butler could have been reinstated without him dreaming about it. God however made him dream about it so that Joseph could be known, and his gift of interpreting dreams could be used to save lives (Genesis 50:18-20).

Beloved, are you passing through the furnace of envy and jealousy of those you consider to be your brethren? Joseph’s experience can be repeated in your life. All you need to do is keep your focus on where God id taking you to. Joseph was focused and that was why he achieved his purpose in life. Some people give up on their dreams in the face of adversity. This is not right, because Proverbs 24:10 says:

“If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.”

Are you in the prison of despondency and uncertainty? I prophesy into your life today that you will ascend from that prison to the throne of joy and glory in Jesus’ name. those looking down on you shall begin to look up to you, and you will fulfil your destiny in Jesus’ Name. for you to fulfil your destiny gloriously, you need to align yourself with the Author of your destiny: Jesus Christ is His Name. that destiny which Satan, sin and the wicked people of this world have battered shall be restored, and today shall be your day of coronation in Jesus’ Name. congratulations!

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please take me to the place where Your purpose for my life will be fulfilled in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 8-9
Jeremiah 44:1-10

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 1: THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS

• There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.
• Refrain:
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.

• There shall be showers of blessing,
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.

• There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing,
Come, and now honor Thy Word.

• There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!

• There shall be showers of blessing,
If we but trust and obey;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
If we let God have His way.

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Romans 6:12

READ: Galatians 5:19-21

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

MESSAGE

The flesh is Adamic nature that everyone is born with. This nature is subject to sin and is under its bondage. However, when a person becomes born again, he or she dies to this nature as it is nailed to the cross of Jesus and so sin no longer has dominion over such a person (Romans 6:6, Galatians 5:24). To live in this dominion, we must continually stand our ground in faith against the works of the flesh whenever suggestions to do them arise in our mind. Allowing the works of the flesh to manifest in your life after becoming born again implies choosing to be dominated by the flesh again (Romans 6:16). The Holy Spirit lists some works of the flesh in today’s Bible reading, and He makes it clear that those who engage in them cannot inherit the kingdom of God. It’s true that after becoming born again, we are still susceptible to the works of the flesh because of the mortal body we live in (Romans 6:12). However, when Jesus returns to transform us, this mortal body will be done away with and we will have a new body that is no longer susceptible to sin (1 Corinthians 15:35-54). For this reason, the Holy Spirit admonishes us to subdue the need and desires of our present body through self-denial and discipline so that the works of the flesh do not find expression through any of its parts. He says in Colossians 3:5:

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

He also says in Romans 8:13:

“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”

Please take note of the terms the Holy Spirit uses in these verses. As Christians, we are to mortify our bodies and not the flesh because our flesh, which is the old Adamic nature, is crucified already. The mortification of our body must be done consciously and deliberately. Sharing his personal experience on this, Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:27:

“But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

Beloved, no matter the spiritual height you have attained, you have to keep subduing your body through self-denial and discipline so that it does not mess you up. This is the reason why I always say that one cannot be too careful when it comes to the issue of sin. May the Lord help us to finish well and strong in Jesus’ Name.

ACTION POINT:

Abstain from anything that triggers sinful desires in your body such as going to night clubs, unnecessary body contact with the opposite sex, pornography and ungodly jokes.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 6-7
Jeremiah 43

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 12: DEEPER, DEEPER IN THE LOVE OF JESUS

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

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

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

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

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

Please follow and like us:

20