MEMORISE:

Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 1 Timothy 3:7

READ: Romans 2:17-25

17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,

18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;

19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,

20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.

21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?

24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

MESSAGE

An old adage says, “One example is better than precepts.” Today’s memory verse tells us why a preacher must live an exemplary Christian life. When a preacher fails to live up to what he or she preaches, such a preacher will suffer reproach and open the door for the devil to have foothold in his or her life. The seven sons of Sceva are a good case in point (Acts 19:12-17). A preacher must have a good report, even among unbelievers. Our Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 5:16:

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Romans 2:20 says those who preach by words alone and not by good deeds are instructors of the foolish. In order words, only a fool would listen to someone who does not practice what he or she preaches. The same Bible verse also describes such people as teachers of babes. Only babes would take a teacher who leads a double-life seriously. However, by the time such babes in Christ grow to a level of considerable spiritual maturity, they will abandon such teachers. This accounts for why some churches remain a nursery for Christians who later move on to higher levels in other churches.

There is no way our preaching can be effective if we do the direct opposite of what we preach. We strip God’s word of its power in the lives of our hearers when we are neck deep in those same vices we preach against. It is better not to be a preacher than to be one who does not do what he or she preaches, because the Name of the Lord is reviled in the process and the word of God is made of none effect. Romans 2:23-24 says:

“Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.”

The choice is yours to make on not being numbered among those who drag the Name of the Lord through the mud. Today, some preachers have become the object of mockery because they have refused to live like Jesus Christ, who embodied all that He taught (Acts 1:1). It is time for preachers to begin to preach and live God’s word, and not their own ideas. Jesus is the Word of God, and preachers must draw the attention of their audience to Him alone. It is when we lift Jesus up in our messages that men will be drawn to Him (John 12:32).

PRAYER POINT:

Father, anoint my tongue with Your fire and make me an effective preacher of Your word.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 9-10
Jeremiah 32:1-15

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:

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. 2Timothy 4:2

READ: 2 Timothy 4:1-5

1I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

MESSAGE

Preaching is a divine instruction to be obeyed, not only by evangelist and pastors, but by all born again children of God. It is simply telling people about the saving power of Jesus and persuading them to embrace the spiritual gifts He freely gives. Committing this great work into our hands and declaring us to be Christ’s ambassadors, the Holy Spirit says in 2 Corinthians 5:19-20:

“To witness,
that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”

In today’s Bible reading, He instructs us to preach the word in season and out of season. In other words, we are expected to preach the word when it is convenient and when it is not convenient. He also tells us how to preach, saying our message should rebuke, reprove and exhort. Although the gospel is a message of love, it is not devoid of correction for those on the path of destruction, as some people erroneously believe. Any gospel that does not reprove its hearer is incomplete. The good news is supposed to convict those on the part of perdition to make a U-turn onto the path of life and righteousness. This gospel is also not devoid of rebuke for all men. Indeed, our God is love, but some people forget that He is also a Consuming Fire to the ungodly. John the Baptist did not mince words in his preaching about the kingdom of God. In Matthew 3:1-8, he rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees of their hypocrisy and asked them to repent. The message of our Lord Jesus Christ also contained rebuke. In Luke 13:2b-3, He said to His audience:

“Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”

He also rebuked His church at Ephesus, warning them that they had neglected their first love and exhorting them to repent (Revelation 2:1-5). Lastly, the message of our preaching should also exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. We must exhort in doctrine in order to raise mature Christians who are grounded in the ways of God. Some preachers claim to have been called to preach and not to teach doctrine. One wonders where they got their theology from. Any sermon that is void of doctrine is a lifeless oration.

People cannot do the will of God they don’t know, and they only get to know the will of God through exhortation in doctrine (John 7:17). Beloved, you must go out there to preach, so that sinners can embrace the love of God and repent.

ACTION POINT:

Make it a point of duty to present the full gospel of Jesus Christ whenever you preach the word.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 7-8
Jeremiah 31:31-40

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 15: MUST I GO, AND EMPTY-HANDED

1. “Must I go, and empty-handed,”
Thus my dear Redeemer meet?
Not one day of service give Him,
Lay no trophy at His feet?

Chorus:
“Must I go, and empty-handed?”
Must I meet my Savior so?
Not one soul with which to greet Him:
Must I empty-handed go?

2. Not at death I shrink nor falter,
For my Savior saves me now;
But to meet Him empty-handed,
Thought of that now clouds my brow.

Chorus:

3. O the years in sinning wasted;
Could I but recall them now,
I would give them to my Savior,
To His will I’d gladly bow.

Chorus:

4. O ye saints, arouse, be earnest,
Up and work while yet ’tis day;
Ere the night of death o’ertake thee,
Strive for souls while still you may. We

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:

The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. Proverbs 11:25

READ: Hebrews 11:17-19

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

Malachi 3:8-12

8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.

12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.

MESSAGE

Our God is a God of principles, and He runs the universe by the principles He has established. Understanding these principles is key to living a blessed life. One of God’s principle is the principle of obtaining a harvest after a period of sowing, while another is that whatsoever a man sows is what he will reap (Genesis 8:22, Galatians 6:7). Based on these two principles, whenever God wants to bless a fellow, He creates an opportunity for the fellow to give up something precious as a seed into the fertile soil of His kingdom. Such divinely organized investment opportunities must be grabbed with both hands. When God wanted to bless Abraham and make him a mighty nation, He asked him to sacrifice his only son to Him. After Abraham passed the tests, he received an everlasting promise of greatness (Genesis 22 16-17).

Those who want to get the results that Abraham got must be ready to do the works that Abraham did. It is ironic to hear people sing “Abraham’s blessings are mine” or claim to be Abraham’s children, and yet refuse to do the works of Abraham. The Lord said in John 8:39b:

“If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.”

Malachi 3:8-12 contains a divine investment opportunity which Abraham himself embraced. He and his descendants did this by faith, even before the Law of Moses was given in (Genesis 14:18-20, Genesis 28:22). Today, this same investment opportunity is still open to all of God’s obedient children who desire to receive great blessings from Him. When I was confronted with the principle of tithing as I was growing in faith, I found it difficult to understand it as a divine investment opportunity, until I eventually learnt my lesson in a painstaking way. I discovered that my financial problems persisted even though I was not paying tithes, to the extent that I used to borrow money from my driver to buy fuel into my car before my next salary was paid. However, immediately I realized that God was only setting His children up for blessings through tithing, I threw myself headlong into it. Before long, I stopped borrowing money and eventually had enough to build my first house. When God says “Give”, it is because He wants to us to receive (Luke 6:38). Years ago, when we were preparing for our annual church convention, there were multiple building projects going on within our camp grounds, of which the major one was the roofing of our main auditorium. As I was wondering how to get enough funds for this project, one of my senior pastors came asking for financial assistance for his church’s project. I initially refused because I still needed funds to complete the national project, but God prevailed on me to give him all I had on me. Shortly afterwards, the Lord laid it upon someone’s heart to give me the exact amount needed for the project on hand. I then knew that God was setting me up for supernatural financial breakthrough when He asked me to give all I had to assist this pastor. It was an investment that yielded high dividends. Beloved, I encourage you to invest in the business of God’s kingdom, and your business will not run dry.

KEY POINT:

If you are a child of Abraham, you will do the works of Abraham in the area of tithing.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 4-6
Jeremiah 31:15-30

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:
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Daniel 1:8

READ: Genesis 39:7-12

7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

8 But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;

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?

10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.

11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.

12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

MESSAGE

People often cite their environment as the reason why the live sinful lifestyle, but this is untenable before God. A good number of people who found themselves in ungodly environments still maintain their loyalty to the Holy God, and they will testify against such people on the last day. Indeed, living holy among ungodly people is possible. Joseph is one example of someone who lived a righteous life in the midst of the ungodly. As seen in today’s Bible reading, he lived under the same roof with an ungodly person who happened to be his boss, and yet he kept his integrity. Nowadays, some people who profess to be born again easily give in when pressured by their superiors to do ungodly things at work. They do this either to gain a promotion or because they fear losing their job, forgetting that the Holy spirit said those who will live godly lives in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). They also ignored His admonition in 1 Timothy 6:6 which says:
“But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

Sadly, in spite of what the Lord said in Mark10:29-30, many people believe that to be born again is to escape a life that will experience persecutions. For such people, living a holy life is not a possibility.

What is holiness? It is simply obedience to the word of God. When you are obedient to God’s word, you demonstrate faith in Him, and your life will be pleasing in His sight. That is what holiness is all about. It was disobedience that took Adam from a position of glory to laboring under a curse. Take a cue from Joseph who in the face of deadly pressure said in Genesis 39:9:

“………how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

Daniel is another person whose life showed that living a godly life in the midst of ungodliness is possible. His actions in today’s memory verse demonstrates that living a holy life is a matter of personal decision. Some people would not want to join the police force because they believe policemen are corrupt. This is not true! You can be a police office and decide not to be corrupt. Some run away from being accountants so that they are not tempted to falsify figures. How wrong they are! You don’t need to be an accountant before you steal the funds of an organization. A governor who purposes in his heart not to embezzle public funds will maintain his integrity, whereas a messenger could end up stealing cans of coffee in his or her custody. Irrespective of your location, with Christ in you, you can live a holy life and enjoy the promotion that it brings, just like Joseph and David did.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, grant me grace to live in obedience to your word even in the midst of ungodliness.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 1-3
Jeremiah 31:1-14

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.

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:

Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. Hebrews 12:16

READ: 1 John 3:1-3

1Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

MESSAGE

When Apostle John caught the revelation of who we are in Christ, he was so excited about it. You can feel his excitement in these words he penned in 1 John 3:1:

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”

We learn from these words that the children of this world will never understand our ways. They cannot understand us, no matter how hard they try, until they come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Therefore, trying to make the children of this world appreciate or accept our lifestyle is an exercise in futility. Some Christians have compromised their faith in an attempt to impress the world. In spite of the miracles the Master performed- healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing lepers and other signs and wonders – the children of this world still cried “Crucify Him!” They even preferred the notorious robber, Barabbas, to the Author of life (John 18:39-40). Since they rejected our Master, don’t be shocked that they will also reject our way of life.

As sons of God, we have a birthright which our adoption accords us. Although our minds cannot fully comprehend presently the scope of what this birthright gives, we have the assurance that when we see the Lord in glory, we will understand it all, because we will be exactly like Him (1 Corinthians 2:9, 1 Corinthians 13:12, 1 John 3:2). Why is the Lord giving us this assurance? The reason is that He knowns we will face challenges in life which can make us doubt the reality of our heritage as peculiar people chosen by God to be favored above others in the world, having God as our Father. Our Lord also faced this challenge in the wilderness of temptation and on the cross of Calvary (Luke 4:3-12, Mark 15:34). In the wilderness, the devil tried to make Him doubt His status as the Son of the Living God. The devil knew that God would not answer prayers inspired by satanic suggestions or borne out of the desire to satisfy a lust (James 4:3). He also knew that God would not grant a request against His perfect will (Matthew 6:10, Luke 22:42). He was therefore setting Jesus up to have His prayers unanswered when he asked Him to turn a stone into bread to approve His birthright. If Jesus’ prayers were unanswered the devil would have succeeded in making His identity. Beloved, beware of doing things that would amount to selling your birthright as a child of God. The best way to avoid this is to consciously keep yourself away from worldly corruption and anything that defiles. Never live your life to impress anybody but your Father who is in heaven.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, grant me grace not to sell my eternal birthright for temporary gain in this world.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 48-50
Jeremiah 30:10-24

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.

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

READ: Mark 12:41-44

41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.

43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:

44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

MESSAGE

Many children of God are losing a lot, either because they do not know the Scriptures enough or fail to apply what they know from it. Like Abraham the father of faith, some of them who are millionaires today would have graduated to the level of being billionaire, but they have not moved to that level because they feel they are already doing enough in the area of giving when compared to what others are giving. They do not know that God’s assessment of giving is different from the way people see it. Although today’s memory verse encourages us to be cheerful givers, we should also be conscious of the fact that God is the one who gives commendation for our offerings, and His how much remains after giving! This is clearly seen in today’s Bible reading. Many well-to-do folks among the brethren would be amazed to discover that in spite of the millions they are giving, through commendable, many brethren who are less endowed are actually out-giving them in the sight of God!

Contrary to the misguided opinion of some people, God is actually interested in what we give. In Mark 12:41, Jesus Christ personally observed the offertory in the synagogue, so much so that He knew how many mites the widow dropped in the offering box! I would like to point out here that not all widows are poor. There are actually multi-millionaire widows in our society. However, we are very sure that the widow referenced in today’s Bible reading was poor. We need to get this distinction right because there are certain widows in the Church today who are not supposed to queue up for charity whenever it is being distributed, but they do so. Such charity is meant for the poor among widows. Another lesson we should learn in today’s Bible reading is that in spite of all those who gave fat offerings, heaven commended the poor widow’s giving as being the most sacrificial of all. Let those who specialize in taking offering beware of making uncomplimentary remarks against those who give “tattered notes”, because that might be all that they have!

Beloved, the amount you have left in your storehouse after you have given to God determines your score card in His presence. I pray that you will not only give cheerfully from today but you will also begin to give bountifully, and you will not miss your reward in Jesus’s Name.

ACTION POINT:

Whenever you are giving to God, always consider what you are holding back to determine how sacrificial your giving is to the Almighty God, who gives power to make wealth.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 46-47
Jeremiah 29:24-30:9

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:
He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live. Proverbs 15:27

READ: Proverbs 1:17-19

17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.

18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.

19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

MESSAGE

Psalm 35:27

“Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.”

While it is an incontrovertible truth that God wants the righteous to prosper, He does not want them to prosper by unrighteous means. Unfortunately, in the world today, many people want to get rich quick with minimal effort, and more often than not, they resort to stealing in one form or the other to achieve this. Being a thief himself, the devil aids such people in their enterprise, and some of them become very “prosperous”. When some children of God see this “prosperity”, they are tempted to apply the devil’s methods. This is a slippery slope every child of God must avoid because it leads to destruction (Psalm 73:1-3, Psalm 73:17-18).

Exodus 22:2-3 reveals what God thinks about the thieves and one of His cardinal commandment says, Thou shalt not steal” (Exodus 20:15). God is not only against stealing, He is also against those who support and encourage stealing, Proverbs 29:24 says that whosoever is a partner of thieves hates his own soul. In other words, if you want to prosper in the real sense of the word, don’t be a friend to thieves. There are many thieves in the world today, stealing from their place of work and even from God. I urge you to not align with such people. Jeremiah 17:11 reveals what happens to the prosperity gotten through fraudulent means, saying:

“As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.”

Prosperity is not meant for liars; nor is it for those who use fake measures or doctored invoices (Proverbs11:1). Some contractors would be asked to buy 20 bags of cement for a project, and thy would either buy 10 or use 10 out of the 20 purchased for their personal project. In the same vein, prosperity is not for the greedy. According to today’s Bible reading, the greedy can even kill for money, but they do not know that they are troubling their own lives by their greed. Just as declared in today’s memory verse, we see several families in the world today devastated by greed. Furthermore, prosperity is not for the lazy (Proverbs 6:6-11). Laziness is an act of unrighteousness, and it makes a person susceptible to sins like stealing (Romans 12:11, Ephesians 4:28). Lastly, prosperity is not for drunkards and gluttons neither is it for those who are given to a life of seeking pleasure (Proverbs 23:21, Proverbs 21:17). Beloved, although God wants you to prosper, He wants you to go about it in the right way so that your prosperity does not become a curse to you and your household. Are you seeking prosperity through just means?

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please prosper the labor of my hands so that I can have enough to give to others.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 44-45
Jeremiah 29:10-23

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.

Please follow and like us:

20

MEMORISE:

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14:3

READ: Acts 1:9-11

9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

MESSAGE

For various reasons such as worldliness, the pursuit of pleasure, and the desire for power, wealth, and fame, many Christians all over the world today no longer keep the second coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in focus. His nonchalant attitude coupled with unbelief, is largely responsible for the widespread spiritual decadence in the world and even among Christians today. Jesus knew this would happen when he give us the parable of the king who went to a far country, leaving his servants in charge of his kingdom to occupy till His return (Luke 19:11 27). Although we have waited for so long for His return, I can assure you by the infallibility of God’s word that our King is coming soon as He promise. He is coming to judge both the living and the dead. Don’t be deceived lies of the Devil or by current developments around the world to conclude that Jesus Christ will not come again. Do not fall for the deceit of those who suggest that he has already come in the Spirit. These are all lies of the Devil. The angels who addressed the early disciples after the ascension of the Lord declared in Acts 1:11:

“Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

Regardless of whatever anyone has to say about the rapture or the second coming, the truth remains that our Lord Jesus Christ is coming again to put the devil where he belongs. First in the bottomless pit and finally, in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:1, Revelation 20:10). The angel who fell with the Devil after his Rebellion, now known as demons, will also share in his Destiny (Matthew 25:41). Moreover, our King is coming to give reward to do those who belonged to Him according to their works. He said in Revelation 22:12:

“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”

He also declared in Luke 19:27:

“But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.”

Beloved, this will not be your portion in Jesus’ Name. However, you must always remember that the King of kings is coming soon. You must also be mindful of what he is coming to do so that you can fully prepare yourself in readiness for His return. Are you ready?

ACTION POINT:

Weigh yourself on the scale of the Word to determine how prepared you are for the Lord’s return

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 38-39

Jeremiah 27:1-15

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:
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. Ecclesiastes 4:9

READ: Mark 3:13-19

13 And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him.

14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,

15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:

16 And Simon he surnamed Peter;

17 And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:

18 And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite,

19 And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house.

MESSAGE

In Genesis 1:27, soon after God created man, He gave a precise description of him as a unique being created in the image of God, with the male and female species embodied in a single entity named Adam. Genesis 2:20 further reveals that after God had searched for a suitable partner for Adam without success, He went ahead to perform an operation on him which produced the woman, whom Adam named Eve. When Adam saw Eve, He immediately recognized her as being the perfect complement to himself. This is why he referred to her as the “bone of my bones and the flesh of my flesh” (Genesis 2:23). It is therefore obvious that from the beginning of creation, God had carefully coded companionship and fellowship into the human DNA. Reading through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, coupled with our day to day experiences, we are left with no doubt that God actually created human beings for companionship and fellowship. This is especially true of those who have become a part of God’s family through adoption.

Fellowship is a common enterprise or association based on shared values. Speaking on the nature of our fellowship as children of God, the Holy Spirit says in 1 john 1:7:

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

As children of God, the basis of our fellowship with one another is our fellowship with God, our shared access to the blessings of the gospel, and our common mission and objectives. The fellowship is demonstrated through our concern for one another and our practical commitment to the body of Christ. Furthermore, God’s people are called to work together, especially in the task of evangelism and missions. We are also called to recognize one another’s gifts and to support one another’s ministries. God’s ultimate purpose is to bring the whole of creation together and reconcile us to Himself. This desire for unity reflects the unity that exists within the Godhead, and it is expressed in the institution of marriage, which God established, and demonstrated in the oneness of the Church of Jesus Christ. God’s desire for fellowship with humanity is made known through His continuous call to all who are willing to come to Him and become His own. If the Self-Sufficient One desires fellowship, it is therefore strange to find a human being who thrives as a lone ranger, because this is contrary to God’s overall purpose. Today’s memory verse says two are better than one. Any attempt to operate alone therefore leads to isolation, loneliness, low productivity, lack of assistance, limited ideas and poor results. In conclusion, it is practically impossible to fulfil God’s purpose as a lone ranger. Therefore, appreciate God for you companions and the fellowship you have with others.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, help me to have productive fellowships with the companions You have blessed me with, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 38-39
Jeremiah 27:1-15

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