MEMORISE:

Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. Psalm 119:6

READ: Psalm 119:1-8

1Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.

2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

3 They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.

4 Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.

5 O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!

6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

8 I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

MESSAGE

The original purpose of a devil’s deceit is to humiliate man and subject him to eternal fear and ridicule. He succeeded in this ploy in the Garden of Eden, causing shame and fear to cover our first parents like the waters cover the sea. What brought about this shame upon the first man? Disobedience to the word of God was the cause. The Lord had earlier warned Adam against eating the forbidden fruit to avoid grave consequences, but the devil came and lied to his wife that nothing would happen. After Eve was deceived and Adam succumbed to the sin of disobeying God, they discovered shame and fear that they never knew before, because the glory of God departed from them (Genesis 2:25, Genesis 3:10). Just as he did with Eve the devil is still deceiving people today that severe consequence will not follow the act of sin in the life of sinners. Unfortunately, when you look around the world today, you will discover great men and women whom the devil had brought to shame and ridicule by lying to them that there will be no consequences for their evil actions or that their secret sinful act will never be found out. Such people would have avoided public ridicule and shame If only they had known and given heed to God’s word in Numbers 32:23, which says:

“But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.”

Are you involved in any secret sin and the devil is deceiving you that there will be no consequences? The word of God is coming to you today that your sin will find you out. Are you having an extra-marital affair? Are you stealing public funds at your disposal? Are you oppressing those whom God has placed under your leadership? Are you short-changing your place of work in shady deals to your own benefits? Are you visiting pornographic sites in the secret confines of your room? If you are involved in any form of sin, God is saying to you today, “Be sure your sin will find you out.”

Disobedience to God’s word brings untold shame and agony. To avoid or remove the shame that sin brings, we must go back to the word of God and do what it says. As seen in today’s memory verse, complete obedience to the word of God is the antidote for shame. In today’s Bible reading, those who walk in the law of the Lord are described as blessed. They are blessed because those iniquities that bring shame are far away from them due to the adherence to God’s commandment. Shame is the portion of those who do not consider God’s omnipresent nature before committing “hidden” acts. Before traveling to that far-away secluded location for your illicit tryst, remember that God is there. I pray that sin will not put you in shame in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, help me keep to Your commandments, and keep me far away from shame.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Hebrews 9-10

Jeremiah 11:9-23

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: HAVE YOU BEEN TO JESUS FOR THE CLEANSING POWER?

1. Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Refrain
Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

2. Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Refrain

3. When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white!
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Will your soul be ready for His presence bright,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Refrain

4. Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
O be washed in the blood of the Lamb.

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MEMORISE:

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

READ: 1 Kings 18:21-39

21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:

24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.

25 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.

26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.

27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.

29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.

31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:

32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.

33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.

34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.
35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.

36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

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

MESSAGE

By the standards of the world, the majority votes or opinion is the acceptable way of measuring the correctness or wrongness of any idea or way of life. For example, at a point in history, some societies saw homosexuality and other sexual immorality as aberrations, but with the majority of their population now in support of such lifestyle, these acts are now being celebrated, so much so that even some who ought to be God’s mouthpiece in these societies are afraid of criticizing them, in order not to lose their appeal before the world. How sad! Irrespective of the prevailing opinion in such societies, God’s position remains steadfast forever, and it is clearly stated in the words of 1 Corinthians 6:9:

“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,”

The doctrine of the world says the minority may have their say but the majority will have their way. Thank God that we are not of the world, and so we are not bound by the ideology or way of life (John 17:14-16). We are citizens of a kingdom, and God is our King (Ephesians 2:9).

As citizens of Heaven, let us not be terrified into surrendering to the world’s beliefs. Do not let their militant way of enforcing their agenda move you. Don’t be like Aaron who conceded to the evil idea of making a god of gold for the Israelites because that was the popular opinion of the majority (Exodus 32:1- 6). Remember the words of Exodus 23:2a which says to you:

“Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil;”

Also, don’t forget the words of your heavenly Father, saying in Proverbs 1:10:

“My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.”

You need to understand that one with our God is majority (Romans 8:31). Always stand for the truth, even in the face of a hostile majority with the full understanding that with God, you are in the majority. 1 John 4:4 declares that you have overcome the world because the presence of God in you makes you greater than the world. I therefore encourage you to soar on the victory won by Christ Jesus to confidently stand for the truth and speak out against all forms of sin and unrighteousness (John 16:33). Let the whole world know that one with God is majority and resist the lie which says that because you are outnumbered, you have to join the world to perpetrate evil, especially those identified as being socially acceptable or politically correct.

ACTION POINT:

Pray for Christians in societies which are hostile to the message of the gospel, that God will uphold them to stand strong for Him in the face of hostility against their faith.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Hebrews 5-8
Jeremiah 10:17-11:8

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 10: I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

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

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

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

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

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

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MEMORISE:

It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. Lamentations 3:26

READ: Isaiah 7:1-7

1And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it.

2 And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.

3 Then said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller’s field;

4 And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah.

5 Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying,

6 Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal:

7 Thus saith the Lord GOD, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.

MESSAGE

A calm, peaceful and restrained attitude to life, especially in the face of adverse circumstance, is God’s desire for His people. He revealed His thoughts on this to us in Isaiah 32:17-18, saying:

“And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;”

One proof that we have received the gift of righteousness from Jesus after we are saved is the presence of peace in our heart, and the effect of this peace is quietness even in the midst of adversity. As God’s own special people, He does not want us to panic or be troubled in our hearts like the people of the world are whenever the enemy blows the wind of adversity (John 14:1). In today’s Bible reading, we see a king who’s heart melted when he was told of his enemies’ conspiracy against him. In response to this, God send Prophet Isaiah to deliver his word to him saying in Isaiah 7:4a:

“………Take heed, and be quiet”

As kings and priests to our God, He says to us the same words He sent to King Ahaz – be quiet (Revelations 1:6). Are you surrounded by the dark clouds of life, with the winds of adversity blowing strongly against you? God is saying to you today “Be quiet”. You may ask why should I be quiet? It is because in your quiet submission to God, He will arise on your behalf, and your enemies shall be scattered. No Wonder Isaiah 30:15 says:

“For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength:”

Jesus, Our perfect example, was presented as a man of quiet temperament (Matthew 12:14-20). He did not go around making noise or panicking over situations rather, He ruled over circumstances around Him by decree (Mark 4 35-39). In order to be like our Master, we are to be peaceful and quiet when in distress, when the enemy rises against us like a flood, and in the face of destructive criticism or rebellion. In these circumstances, one can only be quiet as a result of faith in God and to totally trust in his ability to work things out in our favor. In reality, whenever a child of God goes into quiet mode, God takes it as an invitation to step in on behalf of the fellow. You must realize that you are limited in all aspects of life, and stop fighting your battles all by yourself. Switch to quiet mode today and let Jesus take over your case He will give you the rest that you need, as He promised in Matthew 11:28.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, let Your righteousness continually manifest as quietness and confidence in my spirit in Jesus Name.

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:

Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 1 Corinthians 15:33

READ: 1 Kings 22:29-33

29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.

30 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.

31 But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.

32 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.

33 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.

MESSAGE

Many have argued that the company a person keeps does not necessarily have much impact on his or her character or destiny. They say that many people have become great and successful in spite of their warped lifestyles and bad behavior. The One who molded us disagrees with these notions. He declared in His word that evil communication corrupts good manners (1 Corinthians 15:33). Irrespective of a person’s background or lifestyle, the company you keep and the kind of information you consume determines the predominant thoughts that rules your hearts, and these go a long way to establish who you are and the kind of future that awaits you (Proverbs 23:7, Psalm 1:1- 4).

It would be a great error for you to think of the turn “evil association” only with respect to interaction with unbelievers; it can also apply to interpersonal relationships among Christians. God wants us to shun the evil activities of the ungodly just as much as He wants us to avoid every appearance of evil among the Christians. The Holy Spirit teaches us that those who perpetrate backbiting, disobedience, rebellion and false doctrine among the Brethren should be identified and avoided (2 Thessalonians 3:6). He explicitly says in Romans 16:17:

“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.”

When I was much younger in Ministry, I met a man of God who I looked up to. I admired him because of what I thought was the grace of God upon his life, until I accidentally discovered that he was doing things by diabolical means. I quickly moved away from him from that day, and I made sure our paths never crossed again. Don’t be deceived, no matter how wise or careful you are, continued association with anyone leaving contrary to the word of God will eventually spell doom for you. I pray that you will not share in the punishment or retribution of evil people in Jesus’ Name.

The word of God in Psalm 1:3- 4 says clearly that obedient children of God are like a tree planted by the rivers of water that produces fruit in its season, and whatsoever they do prospers. However, the same passage also say that unbelievers and ungodly “Christians” are like chaff that the wind blows away. Sinners can never have lasting peace as they are bound to perish suddenly (Psalm 73:17-18). Therefore, come out from among them, separate yourself and stay away from evil associations that can corrupt your godly nature.

KEY POINT:

Whatever you permit around you will end up influencing you.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 10: I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

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

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

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

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

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

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MEMORISE:

And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age. Genesis 21:7

READ: Joshua 14:6-14

6 Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea.

7 Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart.

8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God.

9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children’s for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God.

10 And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.

11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.

12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.

13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.

14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.

MESSAGE

Delayed promises and unfulfilled desires are common life occurrences, bringing about anxiety, disappointment, and hopelessness and, in some cases untimely death. Often, the devil uses delay as a deadly weapon to cause children of God to lose faith in Him and His promises, leading to the despair. So deadly is this weapon that even Abraham, the father of Faith, was caught in its crosshair. Even after God had gone to Great Lengths to reassure him that He would fulfill His promise of Sarah birthing him a son, his attitude and response to God was still that of hopelessness. Genesis 17:17 -18 says:

“Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!”

In Genesis 18:12, Sarah also manifested a similar attitude of unbelief to God’s promises that she would bear a son in less than a year. Elijah was so troubled with uncertainty that he asked God to take his life (1 King 19:4). Zachariah also showed his state of discouragement and hopelessness in his response to the message of the Angel sent by God to announce to him that he would have a son in his old age (Luke 1:18). Even John the Baptist, because of his incarceration, sent a message to Jesus that conveyed his feeling of confusion and despair (Matthew 11:2-3). These examples show people who had concluded that their cases were closed and it was all over for them. However, in spite of the hopelessness, God still proved himself a faithful keeper of His promises to them. In truth, what we often see as delayed promises, unfulfilled desires or closed cases are nothing but a misunderstanding of God’s timetable and divine principles. God never closes the chapter of an issue he has committed himself to until it is resolved. Therefore, no matter what you are passing through right now, I am assuring you today that God is not done with you yet!

God is the Alpha and Omega who knows the end from the beginning, and he has the power to do all things. It is not in his character to abandon a project. He reconnected Moses to his Destiny at the age of 80. He destroyed the giant occupants of Canaan to fulfill his promise to Israel. He sent Jesus the Messiah as the Savior of mankind, and He gives the Holy Spirit to all believers in Christ. God has promised that He will not leave or forsake you, so you can be assured that He will not leave or forsake you. He is not done with you yet (Hebrew 13:5). He will surely bring His word to pass in your life, and He will see you through to the very end, to the glory of His Name. Praise the Lord!

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please let Your will be done by bringing Your word to pass in my life in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Timothy 1-4

Jeremiah 8:18-9:11

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! Please

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MEMORISE:

Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. Jeremiah 6:16

READ: Isaiah 30:18-21

18 And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.

19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.

20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers:

21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

MESSAGE

At a point in everyone’s life, we all come face to face with crossroads. Many people don’t know what to do when they find themselves at crossroads, and so they take steps in the wrong direction, leading to setbacks or destruction. This will not be your portion in Jesus’ Name. However, for this not to be your lot, you need to know what to do when at crossroads in life. The Holy Spirit offers an excellent solution in today’s memory verse. From His recommendations, the first thing you need to do is to pause and consider the options before you. He said “Stand ye in the ways, and see.” Some people are always in a hurry to make decisions at such moments, but this is not a wise thing to do. Do not allow your emotions or anyone rush you into making a decision when at crossroads. You need to learn to wait for the Lord, especially at such moments. Wait to hear expressly from God for Him to give you a sign on the right thing to do. In today’s Bible reading, when Paul and his company faced a dilemma on where next to take the message of the gospel, they waited until God gave them a sign through a night vision. Mind you, they were obeying the commandments of the Lord “to go ye into the world and preach the gospel”, and yet the Holy Spirit forbade them from preaching in two places. The Holy Spirit who forbade them from preaching in two places. The Holy Spirit who forbade them from preaching in those places did not expressly tell them where they would preach next. They had to wait for the Lord until He showed them the path to toe. How marvelous are the ways of our God! No wonder Isaiah 30:18b from our Bible reading says:

“ for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.”

After pausing to see, the next step the holy Spirit recommends in Jeremiah 6:16 is to ask for the old paths. There is s Nigerian adage that says “He who asks questions will not miss his way”. You need to ask questions on how the issue you are facing was handled by those who have gone ahead of you and what their results were. It is unfortunate that today’s men and women tend not to see anything good in the old paths, and yet these sometimes hold the key to their future. However, take careful note of the words used by the Holy Spirit in Jeremiah 6:16. He did not say you should ask for the old paths and walk in them; He said you should ask for the old paths and walk in them; He said you should ask for the old paths and make further enquiries on where the good way is. The old paths are not necessarily the good way, but they can point you in the direction of where the good way is. Don’t be fixated on doing things the way they have always been done, except that is seen to be the good way. You need to have a relationship with the One who declared Himself to be The way, in order for you to discover where the good way is in all situations (John 14:6). When you are His sheep, you will hear His voice behind you, telling you which way to go. When you yield to His voice, you will surely find rest for your soul.

ACTION POINT:

Apply the principles of Jeremiah 6:16 to any crossroads you are facing today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Timothy 1-6

Jeremiah 8:4-17

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:
And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. Luke 24:36

READ: Luke 24:13-36

13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.

14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?

18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?

19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:

20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.

21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;
23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.

24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.

25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:

26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.

29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.

30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.

31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,

34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.

35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.

36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

MESSAGE
Surprises come in different sizes and categories. Some surprises fall within our day to day activities, like receiving visitors you least expect. These are aptly described as surprise visits, and an example of this is Mary’s visit to cousin Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-44). There are pleasant surprises, such as when Abraham and Sarah were told at a very old age that their child of promise was about to come (Genesis 18:9-14). This announcement was so great and seemingly impossible that Sarah laughed in disbelief; yet, it was a pleasant surprise when God gave her the son He had promised (Genesis 21:6-7). There are also unpleasant surprises, such as when you are betrayed by someone very close to you, like Absalom did to David, his loving father (2 Samuel 15:6-14).

The disciples of Jesus Christ experienced pleasant surprises at a time when they thought all hope was lost for them. This is evident from the encounter two of them had on the road to Emmaus. As they journeyed, they spent their time lamenting their shattered hope about Jesus. In Luke 24:21 they said:

“But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.”

Meanwhile, a great and pleasant surprise had taken place in Jerusalem where they were coming from, which they could not believe. Though they had been told of Christ resurrection before they embarked on the trip to Emmaus, they were still full of unbelief. The story seemed too good to be true! This is one of the characteristics of pleasant surprises occasioned by miracles. When the early visitors to the tomb of Jesus Christ were greeted with the news of His resurrection, they experienced this type of pleasant surprise. Matthew 28:8 captures their emotions in these words:

“And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.”

As if that was not enough, those who took the news of the resurrection to the others had not finished speaking when the Master Himself appeared to them all to confirm the news (Luke 24:36)! In the same way, there is no adjective to qualify the type of surprise that result from the miracle of a baby being born by a woman without a womb. It is indeed pleasant to experience the impossible becoming possible in one’s life. Your pleasant surprises are coming your way this season in Jesus’ Name. All you need to do is to identify with the Great Miracle Worker, and He will work things out that will give you pleasant surprises in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, do a new thing that will bring pleasant surprises to my life today in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Thessalonians 1-4

Jeremiah 7:8-26

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 1: THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS

1. There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.
o Refrain:
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.

2. There shall be showers of blessing,
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.

3. There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing,
Come, and now honor Thy Word.

4. There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!

5. There shall be showers of blessing,
If we but trust and obey;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
If we let God have His way.

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MEMORISE:

And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Matthew 3:17

READ: 1 John 3:7-10

7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

MESSAGE

We live in times when most people are ruled by their senses. Therefore, for us to effectively reach the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ, the message of the gospel must be manifested for them to see. In other words, we must live out the message as delivered to us by the Lord and His early apostles. The most effective way to win this generation is to demonstrate the power of God practically for them to see, hear and touch. No wonder Apostle John wrote in 1 John 1:1&3:

“ That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; ….That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”

The God of heaven must confirm our claims that we belong to Him and that we are His ambassadors on earth, both in holiness and prosperity, just as He testified to the truth of our Lord Jesus Christ by speaking from heaven and demonstrating His power through Him (Matthew 3:17). What the father did for Jesus, He can do for us, because as the Father has loved Him, so does He love us (John 15:9).

When a person becomes born again, he or she takes on the divine nature of God that does not accommodate sin. In other words, a born again person is now triumphant over sin, and sin has no compelling power over him or her. 1 John 3:9 says:

“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his”

If this is true, how come we hear about some Christians being caught in terrible sins that even some unbelievers naturally abhor? The reason is simple: even though God has transformed your spirit to have the capacity to sin no more, you still have the right of freewill which God gave to man in the beginning. Just like Adam misused his freewill, a child of God can misuse his freewill and walk voluntarily into sin. However, the truth remains that when a man is born again, he becomes a new creature; old things have passed away and the fellow begins to live an acceptable and godly life that is practically impossible for those who have not tasted God’s gift of salvation. From that time onward, the seed of God that is in that fellow begins to produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit that would not allow the works of the flesh to manifest in such a life (Galatians 5:19-25). When we begin to live by the pattern that Jesus placed before us, the world will realize that we have something that they do not have, and they will come seeking to learn from us about Jesus that has made a difference in our lives.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, rant me the grace to live the life that will make the world see Jesus in me.

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.

Refrained

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MEMORISE:

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

READ: Matthew 26:37-41

37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

MESSAGE

Journeying through this world as a Christian in this end times without the help of the Holy Spirit is such an impossible task. Unfortunately, many Christian lack knowledge of the important roles He pays in ensuring that we make it to heaven. Some do not even believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit. One cannot run the Christian race without having a relationship with God in the place of prayer. The question is, how much prayer is needed to enable us successfully reach the finish line of our heavenly race? From today’s memory verse, the answer is that we ought to pray without ceasing! How is this possible? We do not have the capacity to pray for long periods, nor do we even know how to pray as we ought, so how do we pray without ceasing? Well, it is possible only with the help of our tireless ally, the Holy Spirit. Revealing this truth, Romans 8:26 says:

“ Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”

With the realization that the Holy Spirit is needed to make our journey to heaven successful, if I were you, I would desire to have Him on my side at all times. Moreover, you need to be conscious of the fact that the Holy Spirit is a person and not a force. He therefore has emotions! Some things make Him happy, while some things can grieve Him (Isaiah 63:7-14). When He is grieved, He withdraws Himself. For this reason, Ephesians 4:30says:

“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

The Holy spirit is grieved when we live contrary to the life and principles of Jesus Christ, who made Him His representative in us till he returns (John 13:14).

Today, as the Lord said to peter in Matthew 26:41, He also says to you:

“ Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Without the Holy spirit, you cannot watch and pray effectively, leaving you prone to be overcome by temptations in the face of adversities. God forbid that you fall away from the faith in Jesus’ Name. The antidote to this is effective prayer aided by the Holy spirit. Today, if you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, I encourage you to spend some time praying in the Spirit. If you have not partaken of this experience, I encourage you to tarry in God’s presence today and ask the Lord to baptize you in the Holy Spirit. You can also seek the help of a true and trusted member of the Body of Christ to lead you into this free gift of God.

PRAYER POINT:

Holy Spirit Divine, fill me afresh today and strengthen my prayer life like never before

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 12: DEEPER, DEEPER IN THE LOVE OF JESUS

1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
o Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.

2. Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.

3. Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.

4. Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.

5. Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.

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