MEMORISE:
As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed. Proverbs 26:14

READ: Hebrews 4:8-11

8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.

9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

MESSAGE

Life is a call to service. At the end of it, God has set a day of reckoning, when everyone must appear before the judgment seat of Christ to receive the reward of their stewardship, according to what they have done on earth, whether good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10). When God created the world, He ordained work as a means of rendering service, in order for man to find fulfillment and obtain reward or praise. He also introduced regular periods of rest for man, just as He rested after creating the world. However, many people are over-stretching the need for rest by misusing and wasting away precious time. Such people forget that time measures life, and so time-wasting is a deadly shortcoming.

“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” Genesis 1:28

God’s mandate to mankind in this scripture shows that we are called to a life of service. The Holy Spirit further tells us that we only have one opportunity to make good use of the gift that life is. In Hebrews 9:27 He says:

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”

Knowing then that we have only one life to live, let us live our lives maximally for the glory of God. The story of David, the shepherd boy who later became king of Israel, serves as a perfect example in this case. As a little boy, David was in the wilderness, busy managing his family’s wealth. He was putting his life at risk while his brothers enjoyed the protective environment of the town with its fun and entertainment. Nevertheless, David carried out his duty without complaining, and he used the opportunity of his time in the wilderness to polish his musical talent and shooting skills. Down the line, his proficiency in music singled him out to play for the king, while his skill with the catapult was harnessed in the destruction of Goliath the blasphemer and enemy of God. Your diligence will single you out for honor in Jesus’ Name. on the other hand, excessive rest leads to idleness, laziness, boredom and a multitude of other sins that rush in to fill the vacuum created by idleness. Quite obviously, it was excessive rest and idleness that paved the way for David’s fall into adultery and murder (2 Samuel 11:1-5). Furthermore, Ezekiel 16:49 confirms that the “abundance of idleness” played a major role in the sins and eventual destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. How busy are you with the work God has placed in your hands?

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please help me to discharge my duties well and finish strong, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 31
Jeremiah 25:1-16

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

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MEMORISE:

If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? 1 Corinthians 9:11

READ: 1 Corinthians 9:6-14

6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?

9 For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?

10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

MESSAGE

The word “shepherd” is commonly used by Christians to describe pastors, evangelist, missionaries and others who play leadership roles in the body of Christ. God expects members of the body of Christ to provide all that is necessary for the health and welfare of church leaders, as they labor to see to the spiritual wellbeing of the flock of Jesus Christ. Caring for the shepherd can take the form of gifts or voluntary service from individuals or organized groups. Care can also come in the form of wages from the ministry church through which the shepherd serves God. In this sense, wages can be defined as any form of economic compensation received in exchange for labor or service rendered. This may also include accommodation, provisions and additional benefits in cash or kind. The Holy Spirit revealed God’s mind on the matter, saying in 1 Corinthians 9:13-14:

“Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.”

The Bible clearly teaches the right of pastors and spiritual leaders to receive care and wages in any form considered appropriate b members of the Body of Christ they are serving. Galatians 6:6 says:

“Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.”

Also, in 1 Timothy 5:17-18, the Bible instructed that the elder who rules well and labors in teaching the word and doctrine should not only be appropriately compensated but should also be counted worthy of double honor. Above all, our Lord Jesus Christ repeatedly hammered on the fact that the workman in God’s vineyard deserves whatever care or wages he or she receives (Matthew 10:10, Luke 10:7).

Moreover, caring for shepherds ordained by God is a route to irreversible blessings. Some ignorantly see this as a means to making pastors rich, but the Bible and life experiences speak for themselves: the widow of Zarephath, the woman of Shunem, the words of Jesus in Mark 9:41, and testimonies too numerous to mention all serve as examples to follow in this regard.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, grant me grace to consistently take care of Your shepherds in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 29-30
Jeremiah 23:33-24:10

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.

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MEMORISE:
My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. Proverbs 6:1-2

READ: Genesis 43:1-10

1And the famine was sore in the land.

2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.

3 And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:

5 But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

6 And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?

7 And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?

8 And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.

9 I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:

10 For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.

MESSAGE

A guarantor is someone who voluntarily becomes the legal Surety for another person’s debts or responsibilities. He or she is a person who undertakes to ensure that an agreed future event takes place. A guarantor also comes to the aid of someone else to meet a need at a cost which involves a great deal of personal risk. In Proverbs 17:18 and proverbs 22-26, the Bible teaches against standing as Surety for friends and acquaintances. These passages indicate that anyone who offers himself or herself as Surety for debts is a foolish person without understanding. Following common occurrences around the world today, it is only advisable to stand as guarantor for members of your immediate family. Based on God’s understanding of human nature, the Bible views the role of a guarantor as a form of deadly generosity. God knows that the guarantor will always be left in a vulnerable position and is bound to suffer loss in the long run. God did not take this position only because of his knowledge of human nature, but also because of Christ’s first-hand experience as the ultimate guarantor of Mankind’s salvation. Hebrews 4:15 says:

“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

Having suffered so much to obtain our Salvation, Jesus knows that it will be difficult for any human being to survive the disappointments and pain that comes with being a surety.

The Old Testament records one incident relating to someone standing Surety for another. In it, Judah stood as a guarantor for Benjamin, to save Jacob’s family from starvation (Genesis 43:9, Genesis 44:32). Similarly, Jesus is the only person in the New Testament who stands as a guarantor. Hebrews 7:22 says:

“By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.”

Jesus is the mediator of the Covenant between God and His people, and He is also its guarantor God’s promise are all guaranteed in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20). Knowing the consequences of standing as Surety for anyone, Jesus willingly chose to stand for us because of the love he has for us. He paid the price of His life and today he sits in heaven as the one who guarantees the term of the New Covenant that Grant’s us access to the family of God. How generous He is! Jesus is still offering His extravagant generosity to all today, and it is an offer of love. Accept it today and your life will never be the same again!

ACTION POINT:

Give God thanks for His extravagant generosity in making you a partaker of His new covenant.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 27-28
Jeremiah 23:16-32

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 9: IN CHRIST ALONE

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.

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MEMORISE:

I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Psalms 2:7

READ: Isaiah 49:22-26

22 Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.

23 And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.

24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?

25 But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.

26 And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

MESSAGE

God’s promise to His children are great, and their scope cannot be fathomed with the human mind. This is because our God is the Almighty, the Begining and the End of all things, the All-knowing and the heaven and earth were made by Him: visible and invisible, thrones and dominions, principalities and powers. All these were created by Him. Heaven and earth adore Him, and angels bow before Him. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. he is the final authority, and His word is settled in Heaven. In 1 Corinthians 2:9, this great God said concerning His promises:

“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.”

Anyone who has walked with this great God and has tasted of His goodness will testify that the words of this verse are true. A cursory look at the stories of Abraham, Moses, Esther, Rehab, David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Nehemiah, Daniel, Samuel, the nation of Israel, Mary the mother of Jesus, and many others too numerous to mention also confirms this truth. Indeed, God is in the business of doing new things of great proportions in the lives of His children from generation to generation. Just as He did for this in ages past, He will visit you with a record-breaking blessing today in Jesus’s Name.

By the grace of God, I can also testify that I have experienced in my own life and ministry blessings of the proportion that eyes have not seen and ears have not heard; they are far beyond human imagination. The manifestation of God’s glory being experienced by the Church of Christ in all the nations of the world simultaneously is indeed beyond human comprehension. Therefore, I can boldly say that God’s promise in today’s Bible reading, which says that great leaders and kings shall serve children of God, is not an empty promise. It is part of our heritage as beneficiaries of God’s mercy and unmerited favor. Hallelujah! As God used great kings and powerful leaders to favor Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Daniel, Esther, Nehemiah, David and Ezra. He will do the same for you today in Jesus’ Name. Isaiah 60:5, 14 & 16 reiterated that the abundance of the sea shall be converted to you, and the strength of unbelievers shall be at your disposal. Those verses also say unbelievers will labor for your sustenance, kings will become the source of your livelihood, the children of your oppressors shall bow before you, and those who despised you shall be humbled in your presence. So shall it be in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please bring Your wonderful promises to pass in my life in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 25-26
Jeremiah 23:1-15

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 7: MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

Refrain:
On Christ the solid rock I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
On Christ the solid rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to veil His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath His covenant and blood
Support me in the ‘whelming flood:
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

When the last trumpet’s voice shall sound,
O may I then in him be found.
Clothed in his righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before his throne.

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MEMORISE:
For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! 1Corinthians 9:16

READ: Mark 16:15-18

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

MESSAGE

Preaching the gospel is not an optional exercise for Christians; rather, it is a necessity. This is the reason why both the vision and mission statements of the Redeemed Christian Church of God are centred on soul-winning. Winning souls is the heartbeat of God and the preoccupation of Jesus Christ. The Names of Jesus such as Messiah, Savior, Redeemer and Deliverer all connote salvation or soul winning. Every action Jesus performed during His ministry here on earth was geared towards salvation. His last wishes before ascending into heaven also focused on the propagation of the good news of His gospel of every part of the world. His desire is that even people in the remotest parts of the world will hear about Him and recieve the salvation He paid for with His precious Blood.

Soul-winning is the objective of the Lord’s commandment in Matthew 28:19-20, which says:

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

This commandment is such a cardinal aspect of what it means to be a Christian. In Luke 6:46, the Lord also said:

“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”

The evidence that Jesus is indeed your Lord is doing whatever he commands you to do. In 1 Samuel 15:22, Prophet Samuel told King saul that to obey is better than sacrifice in the sight of God. All that God requires from you is obedience to His commandments- not partially but totally. We cannot claim to be living holy lives if we are not preaching the gospel. You cannot claim to be holy if you are not evangelising to win souls to God’s kingdom. This is so because when Mark 16:15 tells us to go and preach the gospel, it is a command, not a suggestion. A fellow who is not walking in total obedience to God’s commandments cannot claim to be living a holy life. Preaching the gospel must therefore be a daily affair for us.

Effective soul-winning includes evangelism, follow-up and welfare. You cannot evangelise, win one or two souls and assume that you are ready for heaven; you must also follow-up the souls you have won. This is why our Lord Jesus Christ said to us in John 15:16:

“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain:”

Soul winning is a necessity, please take it seriously.

ACTION POINT:

Think of ingenious ways through which you can propagate the message of the gospel daily.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 24 and Jeremiah 22:13-30

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.

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MEMORISE:

It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me. Psalm 18:47

READ: Luke 18:1-8

1And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:

3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.

4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;

5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

MESSAGE

“Avenge”, “retribution” and “recompense” are words commonly used in the Bible to mean inflicting deserved or justified purnishment on a wrongdoer, either by God himself or by an authority ordained by Him. In contrast to these, vengance (i.e to revenge) is malicious retaliation against a percieved or real offence commited by someone or a group of people. It involves the reciprocation of and injury or insult by an aggrieved person. Whenever evil is delibrately committed against someone, the immediate human instinct is to take revenge, especially if the victim is capable of inflicting a corresponding injury on the offender. However, the lifestyle of God’s kingdom teaches that it is wrong to strike back or return evil for evil, whether by immediate retaliation or deffered actionof vengeance. As citizens of heaven, we must learn to leave such matters in the hands of the Great Avenger, because the Bible insist that revenge is unacceptable to God (Proverbs 24:29, Romans 12:19).

God’s word offers us some definite ways of dealing with the carnal desires for vengeance. First of all, we are advised to be slow to anger, because anger is the root of every drive for revenge. We are to thoughtfully respond to situations that can lead to anger after hearing from the Holy Spirit, who resides in us (Ecclesiastes 7:9). We should also desist from plotting revenge in response to any wrongdoing committed against us. the Almighty God wants us to see vengeance as His exclusive responsibility (Romans 12:19). He also wants us to renounce anger and put it away from our minds completely (Psalm 37:8, Ephesians 4:31). May the Prince of peace send His peace like a river into your life to quence every fire of anger before ir graduates into vengeance in Jesus’ Name.

Leaving matters in the hands of God and waiting for His judgment are acts of faith that demonstrates trust in God rather than human ability. That’s why children of God must not consider taking revenge or repaying evil with evil; rather, we must wait for the Lord in all situations. Persecuted and oppressed Christians must never rely on what human strength can do for them. Instead, they must pray earnestly with total reliance on the word of God, as seen in Psalm 94:1-2 and Lamentations 3:64-66. I decree that the Great Avenger will rise on your behalf today and render recompense to those who have oppressed you. God will judge your persecutors according to the work of their hands, and He will give them sorrow of heart untill they are completely destroyed in Jesus’ Name. God will not rest until He has avenged you of all your enemies in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, according to Your word in 2 Thessalonians 1:6, please reward my enemies with tribulation in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 21-23
Jeremiah 21:11-22:12

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:For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. Hebrews 6:10

READ: Leviticus 26:42-46

42 Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.

43 The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes.

44 And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the Lord their God.

45 But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the Lord.

46 These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the Lord made between him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses.

MESSAGE

And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. Genesis 2:15

From this verse of scripture, we see that God ordained work to be the normal routine of life for mankind from the very begining. Therefore, every legitimate human task has fundamental value, and is a potential means of glorifying God, irrespective of how demanding it may seem. This is why working in the service of God’s kingdom is one of the requirements of divine elevation. in addition to being born again, walking in humility and being an addicted worshipper of God, anyone who wishes to receive divine elevation must enlist in the service of God’s kingdom. For example, you can becoome a soul winner, a teacher of the word or an intercessor. You can also join the counselling, sanitation, ushering, choir or welfare departmens of your church. Wherever you find yourself, just get busy doing something useful for God. You are sure to receive divine elevation as a gift from Him in return, for He never forgets His people’s labo of love. Joseph, Moses, Ruth, Daniel, Rahab and David are examples of those who buried themselves in God’s work, and they were all rewarded greatly.

Rememberance means bringing to mind an awareness of someone or something from the past, and it is the opposite of forgetfulness. Though it is not in the nature of God to forgetanything as humans do (because He is all-knowing), the word “remember” and “not forget” are used in relation to God in several passages of the Bible. When God remembers someone for good, the person’s situation immediately changes for the better. More importantly, God considers it an act of unrighteousness to forget someone’s labor of love in His vineyard. I pray that irrespective of what is happening at the moment, your labor of love and contributions to the kingdom of God will be brought to remebrance speedily, and you will be gloriously rewarded in Jesus’ Name. 1 Corinthians 15:58 says:

“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.”

Through the immutablility of God’s word, be assured that God can never forget your contributions to the progress of His kingdom here on earth. In due season, He will turn things around in your favor and reward your righteous deeds. However, you must not relent or be weary in doing good, because good works and righteous deeds works and righteous living must continually be our lifestyle.

ACTION POINT:

Pray for the families of missionaries all over the world. Ask God to supply their needs and take care of their children. Also, also reachout to any such families you know.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 19-20 & Jeremiah 21:1-10

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE
My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!

May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!

While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside.

When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold, sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll;
Blest Savior, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!

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MEMORISE:
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18

READ: 2 Corinthians 9:8-14

8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)

11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;

13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;

14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.

MESSAGE
Growth and progressive has been central to God’s purpose and and agenda for mankind from the begining of creation. through His declarations in Genensis 1:22 & 2, God coded growth and increase into the fabric of everything He created at the elemental level, such that the propagation and future development of all created things occurs naturally through the process of growth and progressive multiplication. as a vital ingredient nacessary for actualizing God’s purpose and agenda in man’s life, God’s grace also has the capacity to grow and multiply. God’s grace is His unmerrited favor made known through Jesus Christ, and it is expressed in the redemption and full forgiveness of sinners through faith in Him (Titus 2:11-12). at its basic stage, God’s grace offers to all human beings forgiveness, redemption from sin and adoption into God’s family. after enjoying the benefits of this basic stage of grace, God expects every converted person to grow in grace from one level of glory to another. the spiritual development of believers is a growth of grace that can be likened to the growth of infants into adults. Just as every father wants his baby to grow into the full stature of a man or woman, so does our heavenly Father want us to grow into the full stature of Christ (Ephesians 4:13).

In 2 Peter 3:18, the holy Spirit admonishes us to grow in grace and in the knowledege of our Lord Jesus Christ. This establishes the growth of Gods grace in the life of every believe as a rule of Christians living. in Ephesians 4:13, Holy Spirit further tells us that Christian growth must continue until we become perfect in faith and in the knowledge of God, to the measure of the fullness of Christ. Contrary to this expectation, many individuals in the Body of Christ are like sickly plants with very feeble growth, because they are not ready to put in the work or make the sacrifices that are needed to help them grow at the pace that God desires (James 1:25). Lack of spiritual growth in the Body of Christ is also caused by the reduced emphasis on the teaching ministry in churches and a clear departure from the principles and practice of satisfication by Church leaders. The Christian life is not meant to be stagnant; rather, it must be a progressive experience of encounters with God. Through constant Bible study and emphasis on growth in grace, let us daily aim to perfect in our Christian character (2 Peter 1:5-8). Our love for Christ should was stronger and stronger, even as our will becomes subordinate to the will and purpose of God (Acts 21:14).

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please don’t let me remain stagnant; help me to grow daily in You in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 17-18 and Jeremiah 20:7-18

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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MEMORISE:

Matthew 24:11

And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

Read : Deuteronomy 18:18-22

Deuteronomy 18:18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

Deuteronomy 18:19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

Deuteronomy 18:20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.

Deuteronomy 18:21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?

Deuteronomy 18:22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

MESSAGE

While God operates in the invisible realm of the Spirit, man operates in the realm of the physical world. Faith is therefore required for man to interact with God (Hebrews 11:6). Without Faith, it is absolutely impossible to acknowledge the existence of God or connect with Him in anyway. In Romans 10:17, the Holy Spirit declares that faith comes by hearing the word of God. In other words, faith can only come through God’s word. God essentially designed His word to be the perfect tool that enables us to connect with Him through the stirring up of faith in our spirit man.

“And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

2 Timothy 3:15-17

Daily interaction with the word of God develops the kind of faith that is focused on salvation and eternity, and it produces character that is thoroughly equipped to yield the fruits of righteousness to the glory of God. Consequently, the word of God should be desired more than our daily food (Job 23:12). Jesus said man shall not live by bread alone but by every word of God (Luke 4:4). He also commanded His disciples to go and teach all nations of the world to do the things in His word, so that everyone can be saved and spend eternity in heaven. In this wise, we must not only listen to God’s word but also put it into practice.

Knowing the importance and power behind God’s word, Satan has set out a grand scheme to counterfeit and adulterate it through so called “higher knowledge”. Children of God should therefore be careful of new revelations and information from extra-biblical sources. Stop listening to false prophets and ungodly suggestions from people of questionable character who have no solid spiritual background (Deuteronomy 13:1-3). Our Lord said we would easily recognize such peopleby theirfruit (Matthew 7:20). After identifying them, I admonish you to discountenance their claim, avoid getting carried away by what tgey say, and ignore their “prophetic” and “miraculous” propaganda (1 John 4:1). Completely reject anyone who brings any philosophy or teaching that is not found in the Bible (2 John 1:10). Remember they will not stand for you before God on tge day of judgement.

Prayer Point

Father, please destroy anything tgat is competing with your word in my life, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Genesis 14-16 and Jeremiah 19:10-20:6

AUTHOR: Pastor E A ADEBOYE

Hymn 7: MY HOPE IS BUILT IN NOTHINGNESS

1: 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

Chorus

On Christ the solid Rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand

2: When darkness hides His lovely face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil

3: His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood
When all around my soul gives way
He then is all my hope and stay

4: When He shall come with trumpet sound
Oh may I then in Him be found
Dressed in His righteousness alone
Faultless to stand before the throne

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MEMORISE:Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. Luke 18:41

READ: John 5:1-9

1After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

MESSAGE

One important thing about God that we must quickly learn as His children is the great power, authority and significance attached to His word. Psalm 138:2 tells us that God even magnifies His word above His Name. The enormity of this statement is amplified when you realise that His Name is above all names in heaven and on earth. And that at the mention of His Name every knee must bow (Philippians 2:9-11). It is therefore not surprising that God only speaks whenever it is absolutely necessarily, and His words are usually few and straight to the point. When God speaks to you, it better you pay close attention to every minute detail of His words. As partakers of His divine nature, God expects us to be like Him by going straight to the point whenever we have the opportunity of communicating with Him. Jesus manifested this desire in His interaction with people when He was with us here on earth. In today’s Bible reading, when Jesus asked the paralyzed man, who had been suffering for thirty-eight years, if he wanted to be healed, He expected an answer that was straight to the point, but what He got was a rambling speech. However, Jesus mercifully healed him.

Our lord Jesus Christ teaches us in Matthew 6:7 that prayers are not necessarily answered because of the multitude of words. God answers prayers based on His love foe His children. Because of His grace, He gives us things we do not deserve, and He shields us from harmful desires through His mercy. When David was confronted with one of the most distressful situation of His life at Ziglag, he went straight to the point in his prayer to god in 1 Samuel 30:8, which says:

“And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.”

After his conversation with God, David and his men went ahead to recover all that the enemy had carried away from them. There was not a single thing that was lost. Prophesy into your life that before the end of this year, there shall be a recovery of everything you have lost in Jesus’ name. Is your health being invaded by sickness? Is your source of income under such terrible attacks that it has become difficult to make ends meet? Is the ocean of life threatening the survival of your marriage? Are you struggling to maintain your relationship with God because of sinful demands at your place of work? Are you agitated because of the fear of the future? I decree the immediate release of the power of God to deal with all your problems and to give you all-round peace in Jesus’ Name.

ACTION POINT:

Ask for unprecedented outpouring of God’s spirit and power on His Church today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 11-13

Jeremiah 18:19-19:9

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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