MEMORISE:

And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. Numbers 14:1

READ: 1 Samuel 30:1-6

1And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire;

2 And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.

3 So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.

4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

5 And David’s two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

MESSAGE

Weeping is an expression of deep emotions that move one to shed tears. It is a means of expressing sorrow, sadness, disappointment, misfortune or overwhelming joy. While it is not wrong to weep after experiencing an unpleasant situation, we should realize that such emotions can sometimes block our minds from seeing the door of opportunity that the Lord opens in every situation. There are some adverse circumstances the enemy orchestrates, where the Lord would want us to take action instead of allowing ourselves to be overrun by sorrow and weeping. In such situations, weeping will not do us any good. It might even rob us of the victory that God has prepared for us. If you continue weeping before God when He expects you to act, your weeping will not move Him to act on your behalf. We see an example of this in 1 Samuel 30:3-4, which says:

“So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.”

Is it not amazing that David and his men wept until they had no more strength to weep, and yet their situation remained as hopeless as ever? Their weeping did nothing to improve their situation. Things remained stagnant until David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. Only after doing this did things begin to brighten up for him and his people.

While weeping is a very good way of attracting the sympathy of others, it often presents us as weak and helpless, which we are not. We have the All-powerful God as our help and strength, and in His word, He repeatedly told people in distress to weep not (Luke 8:52). Like David, we must stop seeking sympathy and begin to apply rugged faith. if you will ever overcome adversity and achieve anything tangible in life, you need to apply faith that persistently holds on to God, believing that He can make impossible possible against all odds. Hold onto the assurance that there is no situation or circumstance beyond God’s control. Our miracle-working God is able to reverse every irreversible situation. He can bring hope to a person’s life irrespective of the presence of long-running problems. In john 5:1-8, we read the story of the man at the pool of Bethesda who was at the same spot for 38 years. He claimed that the reason he had not been made whole for so long was because he had no one to assist him, but by the time Jesus came on the scene, his problems ceased without the help of any man. No matter how seemingly difficult your problem is, God will terminate it today in Jesus’ Name.

KEY POINT:

If you continue weeping before God when He expects you to act, your weeping will not move Him to act on your behalf.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 8-10

Jeremiah 18:1-18

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:

Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. Malachi 3:16

READ: Esther 6:1-13

1On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.

2 And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.

3 And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.

4 And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king’s house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.

5 And the king’s servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.

6 So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?

7 And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour,

8 Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head:

9 And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour.

10 Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king’s gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken.

11 Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour.

12 And Mordecai came again to the king’s gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered.

13 And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him.

MESSAGE

The book of remembrance is a divine record of those who fear God and obey His commands. Kept before the throne of God, it documents their righteous deeds. In today’s memory verse, some godly people were discussing among themselves the challenges they faced in an environment where the ungodly seemed to be prospering while they were not. The Lord took note of their conversation and immediately opened a book of remembrance on their behalf. This tells us that God listens in on their heartfelt discussions, and His attention is always drawn to our good deeds and challenges, so much so that He even documents them. In times of uncertainty and when faced with challenges, you can draw on this truth to call God to remembrance and cause Him to move on your behalf. Nehemiah knew this, and so when he was faced with the challenge of building the walls of Jerusalem in times of uncertainty and adversity, he prayed this prayer in Nehemiah 13:14, saying:

“Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.”

I pray that God will bring your righteous deeds into remembrance for due reward today in Jesus’ Name.

Indeed, God rewards the righteous deeds of those who persistently hold on to Him. I am a living testimony of this. The Holy Spirit says in Galatians 6:9:

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

This suggests that God can never forget our contributions to the progress of His kingdom. He will ensure that we receive proper recognition and reward for our righteous deeds. Speaking in Hebrews 6:10, the Holy Spirit further says:

“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.”

Any attempt to deny anyone the reward of their labour is an act of unrighteousness before God, and because God cannot be unrighteous, it is part of His nature to call a person’s deeds into remembrance for adequate recompense. He did this with Abraham, Noah, Cornelius, Rachael, Hannah and the nation of Israel. God will therefore remember your contributions to the growth of His kingdom and adequately compensate you in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please remember my labor of love in Your vineyard today, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 5-7
Jeremiah 17:14-27

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE
1. 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!

2. 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!

3. 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.

4. 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:

For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after. Jeremiah 30:17

READ: 2 Samuel 9:1-7

1And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?

2 And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he.

3 And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.

4 And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.

5 Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar.

6 Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!

7 And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.

MESSAGE

God is sovereign over all things. He holds supreme power and authority over all creation, yet He is a merciful God. Most importantly, He is love personified. The story of Adam and Eve in genesis chapter3 shows that whenever His children go astray, this loving and merciful Father immediately sets plans in motion to achieve their complete restoration. In spite of mankind’s fall into sin through disobedience, the Father manifested His love by arranging their restoration through the ultimate sacrifice of His only begotten Son. He also provided coats of skin to cover their nakedness and protect them from the effects of contrary weather (Genesis 3:15&21). These acts reveal the true character of the God of complete restoration. What a merciful and loving Father He is!

Restoration is the power of God that returns something or someone to a state that had previously existed, through the redeeming work of Jesus Christ. Restoration is said to be complete when the recipient is returned to perfect condition, like the healing of a wound without leaving a scar. Many people erroneously consider faith and prayer to be the secret of complete restoration. Without a doubt, faith and prayers can lead to restoration; thanksgiving is the secret of complete restoration (Luke 17:12-19). Giving testimonies of what God has done and witnessing about Jesus Christ and His works are powerful ways of appreciating God, and they are forms of thanksgiving. Why is thanksgiving so important to complete restoration? It is because complete restoration is a result of undeserved and unmerited favor from God. In the Name that is above every other name, as you begin to praise and worship God today, you will experience complete restoration in your health, finance and marriage, and you will also experience it spiritually in the area of worship, prayer, Bible study and anointing.

In Joel 2:25-27, God showcased His power to do the impossible by declaring to the children of Israel complete restoration of the years lost to fruitlessness, wasted efforts and captivity. This led them into a new era of joy, peace and prosperity that did not come by their labor. Rather, God had blocked every source of losses in their lives. Most importantly, God is a restorer of lost souls, and He does this with so much compassion and completeness for anyone who calls upon His Name. one of the thieves crucified with Jesus received last-minute grace and assured a place in paradise, despite his sordid past (Luke 23:39-43). This can be your own story too. Receive complete restoration now in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please wipe away errors of my past and completely restore me in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 3-4

Jeremiah 16:14-17:13

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE
1. 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!

2. 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!

3. 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.

4. 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 the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelations 21:8

READ: Isaiah 51:9-13

9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?

10 Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?

11 Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

12 I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;

13 And forgettest the LORD thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?

Job 3:25

For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.

MESSAGE

Fear expresses itself as an attitude of anxiety or distress caused by concern over threat to a person’s well-being while speaking about fear the lord said in Matthew 10:28

“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

This verse of scripture contains some truth about fear which we should all recognize. One important lesson to learn here is that the emotion expressed as fear is not in itself evil; rather, it’s the direction this emotion is channelled to that can make it an evil thing. When Jacob was told that his brother, Esau, was coming to meet him with four hundred men, the Bible says he was greatly afraid and distressed, prompting him to make some critical decisions and to seek the face of God (Genesis 32:7). This is an example of fear being channelled in the right direction. From Matthew 10:28, we understand that God alone is to be feared, and moments of fear should be viewed as opportunities for developing a closer and deeper relationship with him. What exactly is a snare, and how does fear become snare? The word “snare” is used in the Bible to describe a trap. In relation to mankind, it is a situation in which someone lies in wait to lunch a surprise attack against a person, or a trick by which a person he’s misled into acting against his own interest.

Read: You need divine assistance

In today’s Bible reading, the Holy Spirit speaks on how fear can become a snare. Fear becomes snare when it comes in response to anything but God. Job waa ensnared by the fear of losing all he had, and that was exactly what happened to him. Whatever you fear has a way of controlling you, and that is why the Holy Spirit says that God is displeased whenever we exhibit fear for mere and mortals and creatures created by Him. God infers from such an attitude that we have forgotten His awesomeness and the greatness of His works. God wonders why His children, who acknowledge Him as the creator of Heaven and Earth, entertain the fear of mere mortals irrespective of their status or position! The fear of man is a snare that enslaves a person into living by the dictates of a fellow human, contrary to the will of God. No one. Proverbs 29:25 says:

Those who fear and honor God will never have to fear anything again. If you fear God you need not fear anything else, because God is supreme over all. Hallelujah!

PRAYER POINT:

Father, help me to fear you alone for the rest of my life, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 1-2

Jeremiah 16:1-13

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 13: I AM A VICTOR

1. 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

2. 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

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

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

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

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

7. 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

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

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

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MEMORISE:

Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. Psalm 127:1

READ: Psalm 127:1-2

Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

MESSAGE

For anyone to succeed in life, he or she needs the assistance of others. No one succeeds in life by being an island. If the assistance of fellow human beings can make a difference in a person’s life, how much more can divine assistance from the unlimited God. Divine assistance is the greatest form of support you can receive to help you fulfill your destiny and reach your goal. Only the Almighty God, who alone is self-sufficient, does not need assistance from anyone. Whenever God asks us to partner with him on any projects, He is only trying to give us an opportunity to be blessed. We see this demonstrated when the Lord asked to use peter’s boat in Luke 5:1-10. One might think that without Peter’s boat, the Lord would have been unable to preach on the lake. This cannot be true, because the one who walked on the sea would have done the same thing in order to preach. The Lord asked for Peter’s boat only because he wanted to make him a famous fisher of men! Just as it happened to Peter, Divine assistance is available for everyone for whoever has been struggling to make it in life with no results to show for it.

Elijah is one man who experienced divine assistance in no small measure. It is therefore unsurprising that he was able to do great exploits for God. During a time of great famine, God sends him divine assistance for his sustenance. God said to him in 1 King 17:9:

“Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.”

Here we see that the prophet and the widow had nothing to do with the arrangement: it was divinely ordained. However the best thing about the story is that the two of them cooperated with God to fulfill His divine will. As a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I have come to realize one thing: when God wants to bless the minister or his ministry, he or she does not need to collect offerings with long sermons. Moses made a simple pronouncement when the tabernacle was to be built in the wilderness, and the people brought so much that he had to make another pronouncement for them to stop (Exodus 35:4 – Exodus 36:7). Through divine assistance, Moses received more than enough for his assignment, even in the wilderness. Beloved, seek divine help today and you will be settled. When you meditate on today’s memory verse, you will realize the futility of human efforts without divine assistance. May God grant you understanding of this truth in Jesus’ Name.

ACTION POINT:

Ask for divine assistance in every project and assignment you are involved in.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 John 5- Jude 1

Jeremiah 15:10-21

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 let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. 1 Peter 4:15

READ: Daniel 6:1-24

1It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;

2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.

3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.

7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.

8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.

10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.

12 Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.

14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.

15 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.

16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.

17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.

18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.

19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.

20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?

21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.

22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

23 Then was the king exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.

MESSAGE
In today’s memory verse, the Holy Spirit specifically admonishes us to ensure that we do not suffer as evildoers.This implies that God has ordained evildoers to suffer some form of repercussion in this world before ultimately facing His judgment in eternity. Who are those the Holy Spirit refers to as evildoers in 1 Peter 4:15? Simply put, evildoers are people whose works are evil. The Holy Spirit helps us narrow this broad classification down by revealing to us the fountain of all evil works in James 3:16, which says:

“ For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.”

We therefore understand from this verse that evildoers are those whose works are born out of envy and strife. Such people are generally schemers who operate by mischief. Their soul is eaten up by jealousy borne out of envy and strife, and this keeps them awake at night devising schemes to entrap their victims. No wonder the Holy Spirit further says of them in Micah 2:1:

“Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.”

We see an example of such people in today’s Bible reading. Out of envy, these evildoers came up with a scheme to entrap Daniel and destroy him completely to their own benefits. Evildoers usually perpetrate their evil works by cleverly disguised their schemes as harmless. Everyone else within the system is usually ignorant of the real purpose and objectives of their actions, except by the help of the Spirit of discernment.

As a child of God, don’t be worried by the activities of evildoers or envious of their accomplishments, because the face of the Almighty is against them. Psalm 37:1-2 to say:

“Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.”

Indeed, evildoers May sometimes rise to the top in the family, community, nation or even in the Church of God, but they shall be suddenly cut off, as it happened to Daniel’s adversaries. God’s word in Micah 2:1 makes us understand that such people are operating under curse of God. Their wickedness will therefore be returned upon their own head ( 1 Samuel 25:39). I decree that the Judgment of God will begin to pursue every evildoer troubling your life, family, nation, and the Church of God today in Jesus’ Name. However, examine yourself to ensure you are not suffering under the Judgment of God as an evildoer.

ACTION POINT:

Repent of every evil scheme you are involved in today and perform the needed restitutions.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 John 1-4

Jeremiah 15:1-9

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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MEMORISE:Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19

READ: Ezra 9:1-9

1Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

2 For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.

3 And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.

4 Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice.

5 And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God,

6 And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.

7 Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.

8 And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.

9 For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.

MESSAGE

Restoration presupposes the loss of something good and valuable. Today’s Bible reading tells the story of God’s people who were in need of restoration after returning from the land of captivity. I believe their example contains valuable lessons for those seeking the face of God for restoration in one form or the other. When a people are carried away into a strange land as captives, there is the tendency for them to lose their identity and character has their virtues get influenced by the environment they find themselves in. The Israelites experience this. After God caused the king of Persia to permit the restoration of God’s worship in Jerusalem through the hand of Ezra, it was discovered that the Priests and Levites who were supposed to lead the people in worship could not minister because they had corrupted themselves by marrying Idol worshippers. To ignite the fire revival and initiate the restoration of God’s people to His worship, Ezra 9:5-6 lists some key things Ezra did which cannot be overlooked by anyone seeking restoration. It says:

“And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God,And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.”

Ezra realized that God’s people needed a spiritual restoration first, before they could experience any other form of restoration. He therefore went before God in penitence and humility to seek for His forgiveness and restoration. This example shows that spiritual restoration is obtained only when we are repentant and humble before God. Psalm 51:17 says:

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”

In other words, a remorseful heart is the foundation of genuine repentance, and through genuine repentance, spiritual restoration is received (Acts 3:19). Repentance means making a U-turn away from one’s trespasses. Those who repented of their sins in Ezra’s time did not continue in them; they completely relinquished their former lifestyles (Ezra 10-2:17). It is therefore strange that some people claim to have repented of their sins and yet they do not relinquish this sinful lifestyle. Such people are only deceiving themselves (Romans 6:1-2). Beloved, what type of loss have you suffered – spiritual, physical or otherwise? You can be restored if only you continue you genuinely repent of your sins today and come back to your first love for God.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please restore to me all that I have lost, especially the joy of salvation and the hope of eternity with you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Peter 5- 2 Peter 3

Jeremiah 14:13-22

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 2 : OH JESUS I HAVE PROMISED

1. O Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my Guide.

2. Oh, let me feel Thee near me;
The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
The tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me,
Around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer,
And shield my soul from sin.

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MEMORISE:

A Merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. Proverbs 15:13

Read: Nehemiah 8:8-12 (KJV)

8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.

10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.

12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.

Message:

Sorrow is feeling of deep distress caused by loss, disappointment or misfortune suffered by a person directly or by loved ones.

It is the human response to painful and heartbreaking life situations involving loss or other tragic circumstances. Sorrow is characterized by weeping, mourning, bitterness, depression, disappointment, failure, sadness, regret and discouragement. It is indeed an arrow in quiver of Satan and his agents, and their aim is to use it to break men’s spirit and determination to move forward in life. In God’s original plan, sorrow and its attendant problems were not meant to be part of the human experience, and that is why there will be no more sorrow in the new heaven and new earth that God is preparing for His people. Speaking on this truth, Revelation 21:4 says:

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

Sorrow became part and parcel of the human experience because of our descent into sin and the pronouncement of God’s judgement that subsequently followed (Genesis 3:16-20). The consequence of this is laid bare in Ecclesiastes 2:22-23, which is:

“For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.”

Today, the devil is still shooting the arrow of sorrow all over the world through sickness, poverty, childlessness, terrorism, natural disaster, calamities of epic proportions, separation and divorce, untimely death, and a much more. However, we thank God that the compassionate Jesus became a “man of sorrows and acquainted with grief”, so that we can experience the joy of the Lord right here on earth (Isaiah 53:3-4). I therefore decree that sorrow will cease in your life from today in Jesus’ Name.

God provides comfort for the sorrowful and promises eternal deliverance from sorrow (Isaiah 35:10). He is mindful of our fame, and that is why He sent us the Holy Spirit to continually comfort and strengthen us (Psalm 103:14, John 15:26).

Through His work in our life, Satan’s evil arrow of sorrow is rendered powerless over us. Have you recently suffered any form of loss, disappointment or pain? I encourage you today to yield to the comfort of the Holy Spirit, pick yourself up from the ashes of discouragement and face life with renewed vigour. The devil’s aim is to break your spirit and make you give up on life. Please don’t give in to him, neither should you contemplate suicide. The joy of the Lord is your strengthen. Hallelujah!

Action Point :

Reach out to anyone you know is discouraged or grieving today with the words of hope and encouragement.

Bible in one year: 1st Peter 1-4, Jeremiah 13:15-14:12,

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

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MEMORISE:

For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Psalm 30:5

READ: Exodus 14:19-24

19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:

20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.

24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,

MESSAGE

Night is generally identified as the period of darkness between evening and morning. It is a time of rest or cessation from daily activities, which is a good thing. However, because darkness also provides cover for evil activities the devil and his demons come out in collaboration with their human agents; usually commit all manner of evil works against people at night. Exposing their mode of operation, the Lord reveals in Matthew 13:25 that while men slept at night, the enemy came, corrupted their destinies with evil seeds and escaped unnoticed. The night is therefore recognized as the time of peak activity for the powers of darkness, and as the period when evil is easily planned and executed. Indeed, evil flourishes at night, so much so that the night life of most cities brims over with alcohol, drugs, prostitution, gambling, gangsterism and other terrible vices. This situation is especially Rife in places where the spiritual atmosphere is under the control of the rulers of the darkness of this world (Ephesians 6:12). It is this reality that has given the night the sinister image it has. I decreed that every problem that entered your life under the cover of darkness be neutralized today in Jesus’ Name.

Notwithstanding the evil characteristics of the night, because God originally created the night to be good, good things can still come out of it. Among other things, the night time provides an ideal opportunity for praise, worship, prayer and in-depth Bible study. More importantly, multiple examples from the Bible and from our life experiences show that God is in the business of carrying out powerful deliverance is at night. I therefore pray that your insurmountable problems will pass away with the night, and you will wake up to Joy and celebration in Jesus’ Name. in Exodus 14:24, as morning approach, God troubled the camp of the Egyptians so much that they knew God’s hand was against them. All their soldiers perished before dawn, and the Israelites woke up to Joy and celebration. This type of testimony will be your portion in Jesus’ Name. In Acts 16:25-26, Paul and Silas went to bed as prisoners, but God visited the prison after midnight to deliver them with a foundation-shaking at earthquake, and they woke up as free men in the morning. I pray that your problems will disappear with the night, and you will wake up to celebration in Jesus’ Name. Lastly, in Acts 12:6-10, Peter was kept in a maximum-security prison, but an angel of God visited the prison that night. Peter’s chains were broken and the prison gate opened to him by itself. He walked out of the prison a free man and joined the people of God to celebrate and praise God in the morning. God will give you such a testimony in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please visit my adversaries tonight and cause me to celebrate in Jesus’ Name.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 13: I AM A VICTOR

1. 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

2. 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

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

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

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

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

7. 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

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

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

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