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

READ: 2 Samuel 11:2-4

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

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

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

MESSAGE

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

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

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

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

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:

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

READ: Proverbs 5:15-21

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MESSAGE

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

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

PRAYER POINT:

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

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

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 16: GOD GIVE US CHRISTIAN HOMES

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

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

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

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

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:

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

READ: Matthew 18:23-35 (KJV)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MESSAGE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ACTION POINT

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

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

AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 5 : LET OTHERS SEE JESUS IN YOU

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

Please follow and like us:

20

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