MEMORISE:
And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. Matthew 19:29

READ: Luke 5:1-7

1And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,

2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

MESSAGE

How great our joy will be when we realize the blessings that come from serving the Lord God our Maker! The fact remains, God created man in order to bless him. Only few parents, if any at all, would want to have children so that those children can feed them. As a matter of fact, good parents prepare treasures for their children to inherit. It earthly parents can do this; how much more would the Almighty God prepare treasures for His children? We see this character of God in Genesis 1, where He created all the good things of life before creating man. In addition, God created mankind in order to walk in partnership with him. He created Adam and gave him a garden to dress. This garden served as a place where they fellowshipped together as partners.

In the encounter between Jesus Christ and Peter recorded in today’s Bible reading, God further demonstrates His desire for partnership. Jesus engaged Peter’s services as He preached to the multitude at the lake of Gennesaret, and when He was done, He rewarded him with an unprecedented catch of fish. This is what our Lord can do for whoever chooses to serve Him. When the Lord called me into His service on full-time basis, little did I know how much He would bless me for answering His call. Today, if anyone ask me how I feel about working for God, I will simply tell the fellow, “It pays to serve the Lord.” Beloved, are you in doubt as to whether or not you should serve God? Perhaps you don’t even know how to serve Him. To serve the Lord you must first believe in Jesus Christ (John 6:28-29). Those who choose to serve God must come to Jesus by answering the call He made to all mankind in Matthew 11:28-30, and begin to learn of Him. You cannot render service to God anyhow because He has an acceptable way of serving Him. His word says in Romans 12:1:

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

Jesus served God acceptably when He was here on earth, and that is why you should learn of Him. When you follow the example of His service, you can be sure you are serving God acceptably. In today’s memory verse, the Lord gives a mouth-watering assurance of our reward when we serve Him diligently. This reward cuts across both the temporal and the eternal. It is indeed rewarding to serve the Lord. I am a living testimony of this, and you can be also.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please help me to serve You acceptably, and help me not to miss my reward here and hereafter.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 29-30 Jeremiah 37

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 10: I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

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

• The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.

• Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though- none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

• My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

• Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.

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MEMORISE:
Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. Psalm 110:3

READ: Isaiah 2:1-4

1The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

MESSAGE

In the spiritual sense, ‘revival’ refers to a period of unusual outpouring of God’s power brought about by an unprecedented manifestation of His presence. It is a time of refreshing for God’s people (Acts 3:19). The story of Elijah’s conquest on Mount Camel is a reference point on what revival looks like (1 Kings 18:17-40). The prophets of Baal had boasted of the power of their god and had been calling on him in vain, but after the power of God came upon the mountain and consumed the sacrifice of His prophet, the people began to chant “Elijah, Elijah” – meaning “Elohim is Jah” or “The Lord, he is the God.” 1 Kings 18:39 says:

“And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.”

How true the word of God is! As today’s memory verse says, the people were indeed willing to bow to God and declare His Lordship after witnessing the demonstration of His power. In the day of God’s power that revival brings, people will acknowledge the Leadership of Christ and they will be willing to live out His righteousness.

In today’s Bible reading, the Holy Spirit reveals to us what happens when revival comes. In the day of God’s power, of their own accord, people will flock to God’s alter to confess their sins and leave them there, never to pick them up again. They will eagerly seek the Lord and do His will, summoning each other to come and worship the Lord. Moreover, people in political power will submit to the priests of the Lord, like in the days of Elisha when the king called the prophet “My father” (2 Kings 13:14). When revival comes, instruments of mass destruction shall turn into instruments of mass construction and implements for production of food for people to eat and enjoy. The revival from heaven will affect all spheres of human endeavor. I pray that God sends that day quickly so that evil legislations can be replaced with divine laws that promote the dignity of mankind. I pray for a time when people will willingly relinquish acts like bestiality, homosexuality, incest and other forms of sexual perversion; humanity will then be freed from the horrible consequences that come with such acts. May the Lord send His power more than ever before, so that His people, particularly the Church, can be His true ambassadors, influencing their world towards righteousness.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please send Your revival into every corner of the world so that men may willingly submit to Your Lordship, and let it begin within my spirit, soul and body.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 28
Jeremiah 36:20-32

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 11: WHEN THE POWER OF GOD DESCENDED

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

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

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

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

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

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MEMORISE:

Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: Proverbs 3:9

READ: Genesis 22:10-18

10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.

15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,

16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:

17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

MESSAGE

Many of us desire the blessing of Abraham and this is a good thing. However, how many of us are ready to do the things Abraham did? Abraham gave gifts that honored God, so much that God swore by Himself to bless Him. After Abraham gave his very best on the altar of sacrifice, God said to him in Genesis 22:16-17:

“16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;”

Our God is not a respecter of persons. If you can also honor Him with your giving, He is ready to give you a blessing that has everlasting value in return.

The most precious thing you can give to honor God is your life. Just as God demanded the son of promise as a burnt sacrifice from Abraham, so does He demand your life. He says to you today:

My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
Proverbs 23:26

The devil is also struggling to have your heart so that he can thwart the great plans of God for your life. When you choose to give your heart to God, you have done Him a great honor, and you will find favor in His sight and in the sight of men (Proverbs 3:4). Another form of giving which honors God is found in today’s memory verse. Giving God the first fruit of your increase is an act of faith that brings delight to His heart. There is no ambiguity as to what we stand to gain from this. In Proverbs 3:10, He clearly says:

“So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.”

Unfortunately, many Christians still argue against the doctrine of first fruits. Some say that it belongs to the Old Testament, and I ask them whether the Old testament is not part of God’s word to us. There are some pleasant promises of God we love which are only found in the Old Testament. We do not say we will not key into them because they are only in the Old Testament, so why ignore the doctrine of first fruit? Beloved, give God your best today. Honor Him by offering your spirit, soul and body to Him as a living sacrifice in holiness and acceptable service (Romans 12:1-2). I pray that the Lord will grant you grace to completely obey His command like Abraham the father of faith, did.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please give me a heart of flesh that is receptive to keeping Your precepts.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 26-26
Jeremiah 36:4-19

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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MEMORISE:
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Matthew 5:15

READ: 1 Samuel 17:22-31

22 And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren.

23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.

24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.

25 And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father’s house free in Israel.

26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?

27 And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.

28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.

29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

30 And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.

31 And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.

MESSAGE

In Colossians 2:18, the Holy spirit warns us to beware of those who will try to intimidate us against doing what God has laid on our hearts to do in furtherance of the gospel. Using accusations and eye-service, some people resorted to emotional blackmail to deter zealous children of God from their passion. Unfortunately, such behavior is usually rooted in envy and jealousy, and it exist even among children of God. For example, when a child of God chooses to bless his or her pastor, or decides to single-handedly execute Church projects, some people would accuse them of bribing their way into the pastor’s heart for undue advantage. In the face of such accusations, unless such a child of God is well rooted in God, he or she may chicken out of doing the good work the Lord has ordained him or her to do. Beloved, beware of doing things to discourage other believers from putting their God-given gifts to use in advancing the cause of God’s Kingdom. I suffered this when my wife and I newly became born again and were zealously working to redeem the time we had wasted before knowing Jesus Christ. It seems to me that the “brethren” who engage in acts as this are not aware of what the Lord said in today’s memory verse.

Before David triumphed over Goliath, he also faced discouraging accusations from his brethren. By God’s divine arrangement, David was sent by his father to his brothers on the battlefield. When he got there, he heard Goliath insulting the host of the Lord’s army, and he could not take it because of the Spirit and anointing of God upon his life. God had actually prepared him to give Israel victory against the Philistines. He therefore began to make enquiries as to how he could enlist in the army to fight on behalf of the God of Israel. Amazingly, his eldest brother, Eliab, became very angry with him for this! David’s response to his anger shows the mind of someone who knew his life had a purpose (1 Samuel 17:29). Children of destiny should learn from this and also from the fact that David turned away from his brother’s envy-driven anger and talked with someone else, until news about him got to king Saul. Beloved, do you know the God that you serve? Do you know why he made you who you are? Do you allow people to deter you from your God-given assignment? Remember, everyone will give account of the talent given to them by the Master (Matthew 25:14-30, Romans 14:12). Therefore, use your all to advance the cause of God’s kingdom on earth, and you will receive commendation and reward when the Master returns.

ACTION POINT:

Use every gift and opportunity God has given you in life to advance the cause of His Kingdom.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 24-25
Jeremiah 35:12-36:3

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 13: I AM A VICTOR

• Yes, I know I am a victor
For the Bible tells me so
God made me more than a conqueror
Much stronger than all my foes

CHORUS
Jesus loves me and I love Him
Together we rule the world
Christ with me I will overcome
By His Blood, His Name, His Word

• Yes, I know I am a victor
Stronger than demons I am
To Satan I am a terror
I am free, o yes, I am

• Yes, I know I am a victor
Stronger than lack, poverty
All my needs Jesus provides for
I have life abundantly

• Yes, I know I am a victor
Barrenness no more indeed
Fruitful is the God I live for
All my dreams shall be fulfilled

• Yes, I know I am a victor
By His strength I shall succeed
No more loss and no more failure
Glory to glory proceed

• Yes, I know I am a victor
No more sorrow, no despair
Jesus Christ is my own Succour
Tomorrow is joy and cheer

• Yes, I know I am a victor
Very soon I’ll reign with Him
His promise is my sure anchor
He’s coming to take me home

• Jesus loves me and I love Him
We rule this world together
As He is so right now I am
Hear me shout Halleluyah

• Jesus loves me Halleluyah
Hear me shout Halleluyah
Halleluyah, Halleluyah
Glory be to God on high

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MEMORISE: And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1:6

READ: 1 Samuel 16:1-13

1And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

2 And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.

3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.

4 And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?

5 And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

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

Irrespective of what your current state is, if you belong to God through Jesus Christ, you are a king. You might not feel like it, but the truth is, in the spirit realm you are royalty. You need to be conscious of this great privilege that Christ has bestowed on you and walk in it. Continuously doing this by faith will make your spiritual reality manifest in the physical world, such that you will begin to reign in all situations. Christ has restored us to the rightful position God created us to occupy- a position that was lost to sin and the devil in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1:26). As the original Kingmaker, Jesus alone has the power to make and unmake kings. In today’s Bible reading, we see how He deposed King Saul because of the careless disobedience, and how He made David king in his place. You will notice that these moves took place in the spirit realm before manifesting in the physical world. Although Saul had lost his crown, He still sat on the throne, and even though David was anointed king, he still dwelt in caves and took care of sheep.

As a king unto God, what are you doing to protect your thrown and crown so that you do not lose your status like Adam and King Saul did? The surest way to protect your thrown and crown is through absolute obedience to the word of God (1 Samuel 15:23). You must continuously recognize and honor the One who made you king, because all power and authority belong to Him and He gives it to whoever He pleases (Romans 13:1). This is why He is called the Kings of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelations 19:16). Furthermore, your allegiance to Jesus Christ must be unwavering if you will not lose your status as king unto God. Are you unstable in your walk with God? Do you have a place in your heart still reserved for the world? What the Lord said to the Church at Ephesus in Revelation 2:5 He says to you now:

“Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”

It is it is important for you to know that dominion and power can be stolen from a king. David lost his throne for a while after his son, Absalom, stole the hearts of his subjects away from him (2 Samuel 15:6). David did not regain his throne without a fight. Sin is the “Absalom” we must fight to a standstill. Hebrew 12:4 says:

“Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.”

As a king unto God, I encourage you to always stand your ground in Christ from today and let nothing take away your throne and crown.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, help me to continually reign on Your behalf on earth until I see you in glory.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 22-23
Jeremiah 34:17-35:11

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: TRUST AND OBEY.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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MEMORISE:

Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. Psalm 128:1

READ: Psalm 128:1-6

1Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.

2 For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

3 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

4 Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD.

5 The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.

6 Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon Israel.

MESSAGE

There is one fear which every wise person must possess, and this is the fear of the Lord. While the absence of the fear of the Lord has bought untold hardship upon many people’s lives, those who walked in it in the past all fulfilled their destinies. One example of someone who fulfilled his destiny by walking in the fear of the Lord is Joseph. From his experience, we are left with no doubt that sexual immorality is not an invention of the 21st century. As a matter of fact, it was this sin, among others, that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. Besides, in the household of Joseph’s father, Jacob, sexual immortality was noticeable- we read of Reuben’s escapade with his father’s wife in Genesis 35:22, which earned him a curse in Genesis 49:4. In spite of the sexual immorality around him, Joseph feared the Lord, and this kept him from sleeping with his master’s wife. With fear and trembling, he said in Genesis 39:9:

“There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

Where did Joseph find it written that sleeping with another man’s wife is sin, not only against her husband but also against God? Considering that at the time he lived the Law of Moses was not yet given, it must have been the law of God written in his heart that constrained him (Romans 2:14-15). This law says in Exodus 20:14:

“Thou shalt not commit adultery.”

Joseph prospered because he feared the Lord. Do you fear the Lord? What is your character in your closet? How do you conduct yourself in hidden places? When you are corrected of wrongdoing by the spiritual leadership God has placed over you, do you question them on where it is written in Scriptures? Even after showing you where it is written, do you still argue? On account of being chastised, have you not changed your church or parish three or four time? Do you really fear the Lord? If you really fear the Lord, you will not be dating a married man or woman. If you really want to prosper, always remember that Psalm 128:1-2 says:

“1Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.
For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.”

Beloved, fear the Lord and abstain from all evil.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, I come to You as a child, asking you to instill Your fear in my heart to help me always do the right thing, no matter where I am, from now onward.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 20-21
Jeremiah 34:1-16

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 10: I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

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

• The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.

• Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though- none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

• My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

• Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.

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MEMORISE:

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 1 Thessalonians 4:16

READ: 1 Corinthians 15:51-58

51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

MESSAGE

Going by the Lord’s revelations to His church and comparing these to the events happening around the world today, many Christians believe as I do, that the rapture is heaven’s next big agenda (Matthews 24, Luke 21:5-36). The rapture is an event that forms part of the Lord’s Second Coming, in which the bride of Christ which is the Church, will be caught up to meet Him in the air, and they will be transported from earth to heaven. Only those who are saved and ready for the Lord’s coming will partake of this event, which will happen shortly before the beginning of the great tribulation. The great tribulation is a time of great distress on earth which will be supervised by the antichrist himself. Although no man knows the exact time that the rapture will occur, the Bible gives us signs through which we will know that the time is near (Matthew 24:36, Mark 13:28-29). These signs include suffering, war and destruction on an unprecedented scale (Matthew 24:6-8), as well as moral decadence and high-level of corruption (Matthew 24:12, 2 Timothy 3:1-6).

Why is the rapture important? It is because this event will reveal those who really belong to Christ. It is an event in which the wheat in God’s kingdom will be separated from the tares (Matthew 13:36-43). Those who will be raptured are blessed because they will not partake of the events which the Lord describes in Matthew 24:21 as “great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be”. (1 Thessalonians 5:9). At that time, they will be in heaven celebrating the marriage supper of the lamb (Revelation 19:5-9). Who are those qualified to partake in the rapture? The Holy Spirit answer this question in Ephesians 5:27, which says:

“That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

Christ is coming for a Church that is holy and without blemish. The reason why He washed us with His Precious Blood and cleanses us with His word is so that we can meet standard (Ephesians 5:27, John 15:3). In other words, only those who are made pure by being washed in the Blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, can be raptured. If you are not yet washed in His Blood, today is the day of your cleansing. Confess your sins to Him, accept the work of redemption He did on your behalf, and ask Him to cleanse you with His purifying blood. You will then become as white as snow, ready for the rapture (Isaiah 1:18-19). May the Lord count you worthy to partake in the rapture in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please grant me grace to continually live a life that meets the standard of the Church Your Son is coming for in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 17-19
Jeremiah 33:12-26

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 16: HOLD THE FORT
1. Ho, my comrades, see the signal, waving in the sky!
Reinforcements now appearing, victory is nigh.

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

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

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

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

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MEMORISE:

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.Matthew 6:10

READ: Acts 14:5-11

5 And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them,

6 They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:

7 And there they preached the gospel.

8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:

9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,

10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.

11 And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.

MESSAGE

When you have revelation of what heaven looks like, you will realize that no other experience can be more pleasant. The Holy Spirit makes it clear that it is indeed possible for us to experience the days of heaven on earth (Deuteronomy 11:21). When Jesus was here on earth, the disciples were actually experiencing heaven on earth. No wonder the Lord said to them in Luke 17:22b:

“The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.”

If you therefore want to understand what heaven on earth looks like, take a look at the life of Jesus here on earth and the experiences His disciples had at that time.

Heaven is a place where God is enthroned supremely and His will is done completely (Acts 7:49, Matthew 6:10). Experiencing heaven on earth therefore implies enthroning God’s kingdom here on earth and establishing His will over all situations. What is God’s will for man and how can it be established? According to Genesis 1:26, the will of God for man is dominion. The devil stole man’s dominion and became the prince of this world after he lured man into sin. This why he claims ownership of the kingdom of this world (John 14:30, Luke 4:6). The devil held sway until Jesus came to overthrow his illegitimate rule (Luke 4:18-19). For this reason, our Lord instructs us to pray that the kingdom of God should come. When God’s kingdom comes upon an individual’s life, there will be restoration of dominion and prosperity in the body, soul and spirit. There cannot be sickness in any body that exists in the kingdom of Jehovah-Rapha. There cannot be death in the kingdom of the Immortal God. Where the kingdom of Jehovah-Nissi holds sway, there can be no defeat or loss of power. Poverty cannot arise where Jehovah-Jireh, the El-Shaddai, reigns.

In today’s Bible reading, the people of Lystra, who did not know God, experienced heaven on earth. They even though Paul and Barnabas were gods! When you experience heaven on earth in your life, you will also become a wonder. You can experience heaven on the earth if you enthrone God a king over your life by becoming born again. When you do this, Jesus will put an end to the kingdom of the devil that has hitherto dominated your life. When He reigns in your life, sin and all forms of calamity will be overthrown. As a child of God, to what extent have you allowed the principles of God’s kingdom to rule your life? Are there some “reversed area” you would not want to cede over to God? Give God everything today, and let Him rule over your life completely.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please let Your kingdom come in my life. Overthrow the rule of self and of the devil over any aspect  of my life, and begin to reign supreme in me from now onward.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 15-16
Jeremiah 33:1-11

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: TRUST AND OBEY.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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MEMORISE:

Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. Proverbs 11:14

READ: Genesis 41:33-40

. 33 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.

34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.

35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.

36 And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.

37 And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.

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

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

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

MESSAGE

In our daily lives, we need godly counsel. More importantly, people in power need to realize that they need godly counsel in order to rule well. Godly counsel is vital for the success of any human endeavor. I pray that you will never suffer the famine of godly counsel all the days of your life in Jesus Name.

In today’s Bible reading, Pharaoh demonstrated the character of a wise king. He dreamt a dream which he could not interpret, and he sort counsel to get its interpretation. Amazingly, it was Pharaoh’s cupbearer that offered him counsel that led to his problem being solved. The counsel offered by the cupbearer was the result of his encounter with an oracle of God in prison. There are many lessons we can learn from this story, first of which is not to despise those whom God has placed around us, and not to ignore their counsel. Pharaoh could have dismissed the cupbearer’s counsel as coming from a uneducated person taking undue advantage of his access to the king. Furthermore, who would have expected to find a genuine and accurate interpreter of dreams in the prison yard? It was indeed the “God factor” that made the king seek after Joseph, for all odds were against him. The most interesting thing in the story is Pharaoh’s decision to put Joseph charge of the massive project that resulted from the dream’s interpretation. How unsearchable are the ways of God!

A lot of godly counsel has been dismissed by people in leadership, leading to their downfall. This has also had destructive effects on the people the lead. Godly counsel can lead to wise decisions that will bring prosperity to communities, cities, nations and organizations. Leaders in all spheres of life should also learn from how Pharaoh placed a round peg in a round hole to achieve good governance. Pharaoh could have insisted on appointing an indigenous Egyptian to be in charge of the enormous project to be undertaken. He could also have appointed his own child or relative, and that would have bastardized the divine arrangement that God had put in place to save the whole of his empire. Beloved, where do you seek counsel from? Do you go to God and his servant or to the devil and his soothsayers? Remember, only godly counsel can produce wise decisions in your life’s endeavor regardless of the vessel God uses to deliver it. The Lord has on several occasions used my children in the Lord to give counsel that has taken our ministry to the level where it is today. This is why I cherish all the children that the Lord has given to me in the faith, and why I endeavor to train them in the ways of the Lord, so that they in tur can be channels of godly counsel to me and those I set them over. This has worked and is still working for us.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, help me to recognize and accept the godly counsel You send my way, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 13-14
Jeremiah 32:26-44

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: TRUST AND OBEY.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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MEMORISE:

The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish. Proverbs 14:11

READ: Proverbs 1:24-33

24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
.
MESSAGE

Today, the Holy Spirit is asking you if your prosperity is built on wickedness. As today’s memory verse says, it is dangerous to prosper through wickedness. One of my sons was delivered from being hooked by evil prosperity when he was offered a huge amount of money to defraud his organization. He refused to be part of the deal because he knew the spiritual implication of being unequally yoked with the wicked (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). The love of wealth makes a lot of people ignore God’s counsel, with devastating consequences. Such wealth will eventually grow wings and fly away. Proverbs 13:22 says that a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous. In other words, if you manage to gather wealth by stealing, lying or other acts of wickedness, the Lord is saying that He will take that wealth from you and give it to the righteous. Are you tempted to gather wealth through acts of wickedness or enjoying wealth obtained through sin? God is saying to you today that He is willing to prosper you, but you have to repent from your life of sin.

There was once a famous surgeon who was very wicked. He used to charge his patients very high fees and was living off the misfortune of others. He eventually became very rich with many houses all over the place. However, he himself fell sick, and all the money he made through wickedness was spent to help him, but to no avail. He eventually died. Years ago, I went to the University of Ibadan, and after my ministration, my car won’t start. It was discovered that water had mixed with fuel in my car. The fuel tank had to be removed in order to separate this water from the fuel. After this was done, the car started working again. Likewise, for you to prosper, you must get rid of all ungodly elements in your business and work. Zacchaeus was wise enough to know that all the ill-gone wealth at his disposal must be gotten rid of. He said to the Lord in Luke 19:8b:

“Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.”

There was a very wealthy man in a city in South-western Nigeria who had a lot of houses but could not sleep well in any of them. He came for prayers, offering to give us all his houses if only he could begin to sleep well. Of course, we rejected his gift. Beloved, it is indeed foolhardy to “prosper” through wickedness. If you have accumulated riches through fraudulent and bloody means, repent today. Jesus Christ will forgive you and give you grace to restitute your ways like he did for Zacchaeus. If you know these things and do them, it shall be well with you.

ACTION POINT:

Prayerfully restitute any wealth you acquired through falsehood immediately.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 11-12
Jeremiah 32:16-25

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 5: LET OTHERS SEE JESUS IN YOU.

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

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

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

Refrain

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

Refrain

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