Memorise: Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. Philippians 3:13
 
Read: Philippians 3:7-14
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Bible in one year: Judges 7-8, 2 Timothy 1
 

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1 In several portions of Scripture, the Holy Spirit admonishes us not to forget several things, especially things that relate to God’s commandments (Proverbs 3:1, Hebrews 13:16). In fact, one of the mandates of the Holy Spirit in our lives is to bring to our remembrance all things the Master has told us, so that we don’t forget them (John 14:26). However, in today’s Bible reading, the same Holy Spirit encourages us to forget the things that are behind us.
2. Why does He want us to forget those things? The reason is that if we don’t forget some things of the past, they may prevent us from reaching forth to those things ahead of us.
3. Someone once said that ‘good’ is the enemy of ‘better’. When you hold tenaciously to the good, something better may elude you.
4. Furthermore, when you refuse to forget the days of your terrible past, you may never be able to live in the reality of the new beginning God has given to you. This is another danger of not forgetting the past.
5. Many people still hold themselves hostage to their past life. They fail to recognise the terms of the New Testament they are operating under.
6. Here is part of what the Holy Spirit says about the new covenant in the Blood of Jesus: “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” Hebrews 8:12
7. An elderly man was brought to us years ago; he was terribly sick. We witnessed to him about Jesus Christ who forgives sins and be forgiven. Surprisingly, he felt that the magnitude of his sins was too big for pardon. We assured him that this was not the case, and thanks be to God, the Holy Spirit eventually convinced him of what we were saying. His problem was tied to his refusal to forget his terrible past.
8. When an old friend of mine came face to face with me after I had become born again and a pastor, she could not believe that God could use me to heal her ailing child. I assured her that if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away and all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). She believed, and her sick child was healed.
9. Today, many people find it difficult to forgive others because they refuse to forget the past misdeeds done to them. This is even more dangerous than refusing to forget your own past misdeeds (Mark 11:25-26).
10. Beloved, keeping record of your ugly past or that of others may rob you of the joy of forgiveness and the peace that emanates from forgetting the past.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

Anyone that says yes to God is a new creature and everything of the past is gone. Devil tries to bring the past as often as possible and this is to bring us to a position of guilt where Christ brought us out from. We can fight this tool of the devil by saying it out loud that I am new creature. I am unblamable because Christ paid the price for me. Shalom! God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye and strengthen him in Jesus name.

Prayer Point:
Father, teach my heart to forgive and forget in Jesus’ Name.
Hymn
Nearer, my God, to Thee;
Nearer to Thee;
E’en though it be a cross
That raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.
Though, like a wanderer,
The sun gone down,
Darkness comes over me,
My rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I’d be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.
There let me see the sight,
An open heaven;
All that Thou sendest me,
In mercy given;
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.
Then, with my waking thoughts
Bright with thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs
Bethel I’ll raise,
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.

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20

Memorise: And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. Genesis 17:1
Read: Hebrews 12:1-8
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Bible in one year: Judges 5-6, 1st Timothy 6

1. “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof:”  Ecclesiastes 7:8a
2. The devil is not bothered about how well we start our Christians journey, but he is concerned about how we end it. His ultimate desire is for us to end badly.
3. From the above passage of scripture, we can see that it is important to ensure that we have a better ending in life. I pray that you will end well and strong in Jesus’ Name. 
4. The secrets to ending well in life are contained in today’s memory verse and Bible reading. The first secret is to live a perfect life as demanded by the God of Abraham in Genesis 17:1.
5. To live a perfect life is very simple if we can study those who have successfully gone ahead of us.
6. Father Abraham is a typical example of someone who obeyed God. Beginning from leaving his comfort zone in his father’s house to the point of sacrificing his only son, Isaac, Abraham obeyed God all the way (Genesis 12:1; 22:1-14).
7. In other words, simple childlike obedience to God and His word is a secret for finishing well.
8. This was what enabled my father-in-the-Lord, the founder of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, to finish well. Even when he was grievously wronged by the head of another church, God commanded him to make peace and he obeyed.
9. Another secret for finishing well is to look up to no one else but the Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrew 12:2). The Almighty God has given Him to us as a better example than father Abraham. He is the Sinless One who suffered shame for the sinful.
10. Some people try to justify themselves on some wrong actions they take by using the wickedness of other men around them as an excuse.
11. Today’s Bible reading is saying that we should follow the perfect example of Jesus Christ, who was falsely accused and subjected to shame but did not retaliate, because He believed that vengeance belonged to His Father. He did not try to defend Himself in order to fulfil His destiny as our Redeemer. 
12. The Holy Spirit encourages us to consider him who endured such opposition of sinners against Himself, lest we become weary and give up (Hebrews 12:3).
13. In addition, we are encouraged to resist the opposition of sin and strive against it to the point of death.
14. May the good Lord strengthen us in this regard in Jesus’ Name. Beloved, the key to living a perfect life for the successful ending of your Christian journey lies in your obedience to the word of God (Psalm 119:9).
15. The devil is trying to derail the Christian faith by faulting the word of God, describing it as a moribund treatise of the Jewish religion. Beware of this if you want to finish well and strong.

One way to finish well is by working out our salvation with fear and trembling. We must obey every word and instruction from God to the last letter. It is easy to do this only when we run to God for help. May we never stop our journey half way or end up in hell in Jesus name. We are grateful to God for blessing our generation with Pastor E.A Adeboye. May God continually uphold him in Jesus name.

Prayer Point:
Father, help me to finish well by giving me the grace to uphold Your word in its rightful place in my life.
Hymn
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.

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20

Memorise: For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Romans 8:15
Read: Romans 8:14-17
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Bible in one year: Judges 3-4, 1st Timothy 5

1. There are many names used to describe God in the Holy Scriptures.
2. While all His names are important in many ways, the name “Abba” is one of the most significant names of God in understanding how He relates with mankind.
3. The word Abba is an Aramaic word that means “Daddy” in common parlance. It is a loving name that young children use to address their father.
4. This name shows the intimate relationship that exists between father and child, and it conveys the absolute trust children have in their fathers.
5. It is important to recognise that although all those who believe in the Almighty can call Him God, not all of them can call Him Abba.
7. Who then can refer to the Almighty as Abba? Only those who have the boldness to call Him “Daddy”. These are people who believe in Jesus, the Son of the Living God, and in the work of atonement He has accomplished for all mankind (John 1:12-13). Galatians 4:6 says, “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”
8. Furthermore, only those who honour God as a child honours his or her daddy can call the Almighty Abba. Malachi 1:6a says, “A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour?”
9. Your attitude towards God as a Father will determine whether you can call Him Abba, because Abba is an appellation that confirms your intimate relationship with the Almighty.
10. You may want to ask: How can I honour God as Abba? You honour Him by keeping His commandments.
11. Some so-called children of God erroneously believe that grace means lawlessness. They couldn’t be further from the truth (Romans 6:1-2)! There are many blessings we receive when we are true children of the Great Abba. In Genesis 17:1, Abba Father declared Himself as the Almighty God. 
12. Because He is almighty, He grants His children their requests and daily loads them with blessings (Psalm 3:4, Psalm 68:19).
13. Beloved, do you belong to this loving Daddy? I congratulate you if indeed the Almighty God is also your Abba. However, if your attitude towards Him is that of total disregard for His person or blatant disobedience to His commandments, then you need to change your ways today.
14. You stand to lose a whole lot if you don’t have God as your Father.

Everyone who cannot boldly call God father has a lot to do. The paramount of these things is to surrender your all to Him. The father-son relationship is far better than any other relationship because access is without barrier. The good news is that there is room in Christ for all. Find your root in Him today. May God empower and strengthen Pastor E.A Adeboye for greater works in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Abba, Father, transform my attitude towards You and draw me close to You in Jesus’ Name.
HYMN
Nearer, my God, to Thee;
Nearer to Thee;
E’en though it be a cross
That raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.
Though, like a wanderer,
The sun gone down,
Darkness comes over me,
My rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I’d be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.
There let me see the sight,
An open heaven;
All that Thou sendest me,
In mercy given;
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.
Then, with my waking thoughts
Bright with thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs
Bethel I’ll raise,
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.

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20

Memorise: But I say unto you, that every idle word, that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement. Matthew 12:36
Memorise: But I say unto you, that every idle word, that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement. Matthew 12:36
Read: Numbers 12:1-15
1 And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.
2 And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it.
3 (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)
4 And the Lord spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.
5 And the Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.
6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
9 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed.
10 And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.
11 And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned.
12 Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother’s womb.
13 And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.
14 And the Lord said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again.
15 And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.
Bible in one year: Judges 1-2 1 Timothy 2-4
 

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. It is confounding that most children of God see it as an obligation to speak out against different forms of abuse in the society, but do not deem it necessary to raise their voices against anyone blaspheming the Lord of the universe or His anointed representatives on earth.
2. The Lord did not mince words in I Chronicles 16:22 when He commanded “Touch not My anointed!”
3. As it is today, so it was in the time of the Lord Jesus Christ. Several people spoke out against Him, and some even accused Him of casting out demons by Beelzebub, the prince of demons! See the Lord’s response to this outrageous allegation in Matthew 12:36: “But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.”
4. Speaking against the Lord’s ministers and their spirit-motivated deeds is a typical way of touching the Lord’s anointed.
5. Beloved, it is idle talk when you attribute an act of the Holy Spirit in a man of God to the power of familiar spirits or charms and rituals of the occult, and this is punishable on the Day of Judgment.
6. Can you imagine the sin of idle talk waylaying you on the Day of Judgment? If you are guilty of this, you must repent and restitute your ways before it is too late.
7. Never join a multitude to say terrible things against a minister of God when you are not very sure that what they are saying about him or her is true.
8. Take heed to these instructions of God in Exodus 23:2: “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:”
9. Today’s bible reading narrates how Moses’ two siblings, Miriam and Aaron, spoke out against him because of the Ethiopian woman he married. Even though Moses actually married an Ethiopian woman, what did that have to do with the assignment or role God asked him to play? The truth of the matter is that Miriam and Aaron were just being jealous and mischievous. God saw through their motives, and He decided to put them in their place and punish them. Miriam became leprous!
10. Beloved, it is not until you cast a man of God into prison before you touch him or her in an evil way.
11. Watch your tongue and stop any move that is detrimental to the assignment given to an anointed man or woman of God.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Matthew 12:36‭-‬37  Speaking against God anointed is now very common all around the world regardless of God’s warning against such. I believe every reader of today’s devotional who is guilty of this will adjust. And God will help us all in Jesus name. We pray that God will refresh and strengthen Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Prayer Point:
Father, please forgive me in any way I have touched Your anointed with my words, actions or inaction.
Hymn
Stand up! Stand up for Jesus!
Ye soldiers of the cross;
Lift high His royal banner,
It must not suffer loss:
From vict’ry unto vict’ry
His army shall He lead,
Till every foe is vanquished
And Christ is Lord indeed.
Stand up! Stand up for Jesus!
The rumpet call obey;
Forth to the mighty conflict
In this His glorious day.
Ye that are men, now serve Him
Against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger.
And strength to strength oppose.
Stand up! Stand up for Jesus!
Stand in His strength alone;
The arm of flesh will fail you;
Ye dare not trust your won
Put on the Gospel armor,
And, watching unto prayer,
Where duty calls, or danger,
Be never wanting there.
Stand up! Stand up for Jesus!
The strife will not be long:
This day the noise of battle,
The next the victor’s song;
To him that overcometh
A crown of life shall be;
He, with the King of glory,
Shall reign eternally.

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20

Memorise: And if any man ask you, why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him. Luke 19:31
Read: Luke 19:29-35
29 And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,
30 Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither.
31 And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.
32 And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them.
33 And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt?
34 And they said, The Lord hath need of him.
35 And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon.
Bible in one year: Joshua 23-24 1 Timothy 2-3

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

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1. A salient truth that everyone, particularly children of God, should not be ignorant of is that God created everything for a purpose. This is why we call the Almighty God the God of plan and purpose.
2. For example, in Genesis 1:26, when man was to be created, God first declared his purpose before creating him, saying: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”
3. God will not create what He does not need.
4. Whatever you find on earth has a reason for existing.
5. Not knowing the usefulness of an entity in God’s creation does not negate the reason why God created it. It is just unfortunate that more often than not, we abuse, misuse or completely neglect the use of many things created for one divine purpose or the other.
6. In today’s Bible reading, even the owner of the donkey did not know the eternal purpose God had for his donkey until the Lord’s message got to him, asking him to release it to fulfill the prophecy concerning it (Zechariah 9:9). This donkey looked ordinary to its owner, but to its Maker it was a unique donkey. You therefore need to look at things through the eyes of the Creator to understand their purpose.
7. Many years ago, I told some ministers who had just answered the divine call into full-time ministry that whatever skills they have acquired should be kept because all of such skills would be needed in the running of the church.
8. These days, there is a tendency for an architect to drop his or her skill set when going into ministry. Such people fail to realise that the Church needs architects to design her buildings. Who would do a better job of this than a Spirit-filled architect?
9. In Exodus 36:1-2, God purposely raised Bezaleed and Aholiab for the purpose of the building of His tabernacle. Indeed, every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of lights (James 1:17).
10. Beloved, the Lord needs that skill, that gift, that money and that position you have.
11. I appeal to you to use your talents primarily for God and secondarily as your meal ticket.
12. May the Lord bless you as you bless Him with your divine endowments in Jesus’ Name.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

Proverbs 19:21 says “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” Allowing God’s purpose prevail in everything we do is important. We automatically walk in His will for us. May we fulfil our purpose in life in Jesus name. God be praised for Pastor E.A Adeboye and may he wax stronger in Jesus name.

Prayer Point:
Father, please open my eyes to see the divine purpose for my existence. Grant me grace to use the gifts, skills, position and wealth You have endowed me with for Your glory and pleasure
Hymn 12

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20

Memorise: it is better to go to the house of mourning, than to fo to the house of feasting: for that isthe end of all men; and the living will lay it to heart. Ecclesiastes 7:2
Read: Matthew 14:6-11
6 But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.
7 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.
8 And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger.
9 And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.
10 And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.
11 And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.
Bible in one year: Joshua 22 1 Timothy 1
 

1. Today’s Bible reading narrates the sad story of how unbridled merriment can propel a man to do what he would otherwise not have done.
2. The devil is a cunning old serpent.
3. He knows too well that his chances of success are slim whenever he attacks a child of God directly. He therefore deploys tricks to attack people when they are in vulnerable state, such as when the heart is merry and full of happiness.
4. When you are light-hearted, be watchful so that it does not end in sorrow and regret. This is why the wisdom of God in Proverb 14:13 teaches us that “Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.”
5. A quick lesson we should learn from the story in today’s bible reading is that merriment outside of God will always end up in crisis.
6. King Herod was very sorry for making the promise he had made to his daughter, probably under the influence of alcohol, but it was too late for him to take back the oath he had committed himself to in his light-hearted mood.
7. Another lesson we should learn here is that the enemy looks out for moments when you let your guard down, and then he strikes. Example of such moments are times when you just won a victory and when you are in high spirits.
8. Happiness often has the same effects as alcohol on the reasoning faculties of man, and so you need to watch it.
9. There is a type of laughter that is derived from pleasureable but sinful acts. The Bible refers to such laughter as the crackling of thorns under a pot (Ecclesiastes 7:6).
10. The Israelites manifested such laughter and merriment when they made a golden calf for themselves as their god. Exodus 32:6 says: ‘And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.” But for Moses’ intercessory prayers, they would have been wiped off the face of the earth by this foolish act. It is commonly said that “He who laughs last, laughs best.” The last and best laughter is the laughter in eternity with out Maker. Speaking about this laughter, Jesus Christ in Luke 6:21 says: “Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.”
11. When the Messiah shall return the second time, He shall put an end to all suffering, and there shall be everlasting laughter(Revelation 21:7). Ensure you don’t miss it!

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

There are two very important points to take note of and in our mind as watch word. These points are  that merriment outside of God will always end up in crisis and enemy looks out for moments when you let your guard down, and then he strikes. May crisis and defeat never be our portion in Jesus name. God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Prayer Point:
Father, help me not to indulge in any act that would give me temporary happiness and produce eternal sorrow.
Hymn 5

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20

Memorise: But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Acts 1:8
Read: Jonah 3:1-10
1 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time:
2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”
3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. 4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”
5 The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.
6 When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust.
7 This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. 8 But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence.
9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”
10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.
Bible in one year: Joshua 20 – 21, 2 Thessalonians 3

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

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1. The Lord’s decision to make us His witnesses is a divine set up for blessings, just like when He asks us to give Him, in spite of the fact that He owns everything (Psalm 50:9-11). In the same vein, the Lord does not need our publicity, just as the sun does not need to be announced. When the sun rises in the east, it is seen as far away as the west, and we know Jesus is the Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2).
2. It is an honour to be a witness of the Sun of Righteousness, because by virtue of this status, the world will see the grace of God upon our lives.
3. When Elisha agreed to abandon his farming business to become Yahweh’s prophet, little did he know that the king would later refer to him as “my father” (I Kings 19:21, 2 Kings 13:14).
4. What are the characteristics and responsibilities of Christ’s witnesses? The Lord hints us on some of these in Mark 16:15-18: “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”
5. The primary character of the Lord’s witnesses is that they follow Him sincerely, and their primary responsibility is preaching the gospel. This responsibility is even more serious than what was committed to Jonah, because a very high price has now been paid for the redemption of mankind, which must not be allowed to go to waste.
6. Another responsibility is to cast out devils. If we will take territories for the kingdom of our God, we must be ready to cast out demons that currently reign over such territories.
7. Speaking in tongues enables every witness of Jesus Christ to be an effective mouthpiece of God with man and mouthpiece of man with God in place of intercessory prayer.
8. Taking up serpents as referenced in Mark 16:18 could mean dealing with serpents that come in human clothing, deceiving people just like the old serpent did. The Lord’s witnesses must challenge such lies with the Master’s true message.
9. When we do all these as witnesses of Jesus, souls shall be rescued from eternal damnation. This is our joy and goal.
10. Are you an effective witness of Jesus?

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

The ministry of reconciliation has been left in our care and we should not abandon I f any reason whatsoever. We were saved and groomed so that we can also save others and groom them in the things of God. Witnessing Christ and his love has become very difficult for many due to fear, ignorance or. Selfishness. There is a purpose for our being and thi must be fulfilled by us. God will rekindle the fire within us for us to carry out our mission as His true ambassadors in Jesus name. We are daily refreshed as we study the Open Heavens devotional. May God continually uphold and increase Pastor E.A Adeboye on every side in Jesus name.
 

Prayer Point:
Father, please make me an effective witness of Your Son from now onward in Jesus’ Name
HYMN
WONDERFUL STORY OF LOVE
1. Wonderful story of love;
Tell it to me again;
Wonderful;
Wonderful story of love;
Wake the immortal of love;
Wake te immortal strain!
Angels with rapture announce it,
Shepherds with wonder receive it;
Sinner, oh, won’t you believe it?
Wonderful story of love.
Chorus:
Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful, wonderful story of love.
2. Wonderful story of love;
Though you are far away;
Wonderful story of love;
Still He doth call today;
Calling from Calvary’s mountain,
Down from the crystal-bright fountain,
E’en from the dawn of creation,
Wonderful story of love.
3. Wonderful story of love
Jesus provides a rest;
Wonderful story of love;
For all the pure and blest,
Rest in those mansions above us, with those who’ve gone on before us,
Singing the rapturous chorus,
Wonderful story of love.

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Memorise: Who art thou, o great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and the shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. Zechariah 4:7
Read: Matthew 21: 19-22
19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.
20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.
21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
Bible in one year: Joshua 18 – 19, 2 Thessalonians 1 – 2
 

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. There are several ways of dealing with mountains , and today we will be considering seven of these.
2. The first option we will consider is to turn back. You can say you will no longer move forward. This was the negative attitude of the children of Israel in Numbers 14:1-4.
3. The second way is to walk around the mountain, thereby wasting time and effort. For those who are born of God, going round a mountain is not an option. Our Father’s desire for us is to always move forward, in spite of what lies ahead of us. This is why He commanded Moses to charge the children of Israel to move forward, in spite of the Red Sea in front of them (Exodus 14:15). You will move forward today in Jesus’ Name.
4. The third way of dealing with mountains is to climb them. This may require a lot of effort but it is still better than going round in circles, and it is far better than going back.
5. The fourth way you can deal with a mountain is to bore through the mountain or dig a tunnel through it. When Moses lifted up his hands before the Red Sea, God caused the east wind to blow all through the night, and this created a way in the sea for the children of Israel to pass through (Exodus 14:21). Just as the east wind blew to create a road for the children of Israel through the sea, creating a tunnel through a mountain will require the assistance of the Holy Spirit.
6. The fifth way to deal with a mountain is to blast it out of the way. In Joshua 6:20, when the children of Israel came face-to-face with the wall of Jericho, the Lord instructed them to shout. They did, and not only did the wall fall, it was shattered and reduced to nothing. Indeed, God sent dynamite from heaven to blast the whole wall down.
7. The sixth way we can deal with mountains is to relocate them. In Mark 11:22-23, the Lord says that if you have faith in God, you can command a mountain to change its position or get out of your way, and it will obey you.
8. The seventh way of dealing with mountains is to fly over them. In this scenario, although is still there, you don’t want to turn back, neither do you want to walk around it, struggle to climb it or dig through it. Maybe you don’t want to blast it because you want to use it as a reference point in future, and you don’t even want to bother relocating it; all you want to do is to fly over it.
9. According to Isaiah 40:31, he condition you need to fulfill for you to experience this great feat is to wait upon the Lord.
10. Are you ready to wait upon the Lord? The good news is that this is the easiest way for you to deal with mountains, and it is at your disposal if only you can wait upon the Lord.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

Whoever allows God to reign in his or her life will be a victor on every side. May victory be ours in Jesus name. May God bless and uphold Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Action Point:
To deal with any moutain before you, consider the seven ways of dealing with mountains we have discussed: choose an effective method from them and do what is required of you.
HYMN
MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE
1. My faith look 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: Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: Isaiah 40:4
Read: Acts 8:1-8
1 And Saul approved of their killing him. ‎The Church Persecuted and Scattered
On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 
2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 
3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.‎
4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 
5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 
6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 
7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.
Bible in one year: Joshua 15 – 17, I Thessalonians
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AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. Whenever we talk about mountains, the first thing that comes to mind is a big problem.  
2. Do you realise that mountains can be God’s own way of advertising you? For example, the people of Israel didn’t know who David was until Goliath came on the scene and propelled him into limelight.
3. Mountains, in the form of a big problem, can also be God’s own way of asking you to come closer to Him.  A good example of this is found in Acts 12.  When king Herod killed James, the Church didn’t do anything about it, but when he grabbed Peter, the Church suddenly realised that if they did not do something about the opposition from the powers that be, they would all be dead soon. As a result, they prayed to God without ceasing until He did something about the situation (Acts 12:5).
4. A mountain can help you discover your potential. You may never discover your calling or the substance of your character until you are faced with big problems.
5. Phillip didn’t know he was to be an evangelist; he thought he was doing just fine as a deacon. However, he discovered his calling as an evangelist after the devil moved Saul of Tarsus to begin to throw Christians into prison and his friend, Stephen, was killed.  He fled to Samaria where he served as an evangelist, and he brought great joy to the whole city.  
6. You may never know what is in you until you come face to face with a big problem.  
7. The most important thing about mountains is that the size of your mountain determines the size of your destiny: the bigger the mountain, the bigger your destiny.
8. Whenever the annual convention of our church is very close, our parishes send volunteers to clean up the Redemption Camp.  One day, I was going round inspecting different parts of the cam from morning till evening.  When it was evening, I was very tired and so I called my family together for prayer so that i could retire to bed.  I prayed a very short prayer, went to bed and fell asleep immediately.  As soon as I fell asleep, my wife came and woke me up. I said to her, ‘Oh woman, leave me alone; I’m tired!” She replied, “one of the volunteers that came from your village is dead!” Hearing this, all my tiredness disappeared and I got up in a hurry. I quickly gathered the prayer warriors for a serious prayer session. After about an hour God said to me, “I thought you said you were tired?” He then instructed me to dismiss the prayer warriors, because I was the one He wanted to speak with.  I released the prayer warriors and continued to pray.  As I prayed, the one who was dead came back to life.  Hallelujah!
9. Your mountains will bring you to great destiny, in Jesus’ name.

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SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

Glory to God for another dimension of insight to mountains from today’s devotional. No wonder Apostles like Paul always rejoice in confrontation of situations that seems like mountains because of the confidence and assurance of victory. Jesus gave His troubled disciples assurance “But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But not a hair of your head shall be lost.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭21:12-18‬. May God bless and strengthen Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Father, please turn the mountains confronting me into stepping stones to my promotion today.
Hymn
(Tune: There shall be showers of blessing)
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Sinners will soon be forgiven
Prodigals will come home soon.
Chorus:
Shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Rivers in desert now flowing
Halleluyah to our king.
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Sickness and sorrow will be gone
Bondage will be forgotten.
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
The barren will be fruitful soon
Failure will be forgotten.
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Poverty will be forgotten
Stagnancy will soon be gone.
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
To all miracles are given
There shall be celebrations
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Many will have testimonies
Of prayers answered fully
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
One of us will chase a thousand
Two will conquer ten thousands.
We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Songs of praises we will sing
Halleluyah to our King.

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Memorise: Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Psalm 32:1
Read: Luke 7:37-48
37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume.
38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”
40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said.
41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[a] and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
Bible in one year: Joshua 12 – 14, Thessalonians 4

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. The greatest of all wonders of divine blessings comes from the blessing of salvation. What does it means to be saved? How can one be saved? What are the blessings that accrue from salvation? All these are pertinent questions that we will be considering today. To be saved is to escape eternal damnation which comes as a result of sin. The Righteous God of heaven has declared every man born of a woman guilty of sin. He made His verdict known in Romans 3:23 which says ‘For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
2. Not only has mankind been declared guilty of sin, the punishment that awaits him due to this verdict has also been revealed in Revelation 21:8: “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.”
3. To be delivered from this declared eternal damnation is nothing short of a wonder of divine blessings. Luke 7:37-48 tells the story of the wonder of divine blessings in the life of a forgiven sinner. A woman considered to be a sinner came to acknowledge the saving grace of Jesus Christ, and she did all she could humanly do to express her gratitude to the Saviour of the world, who came to pay the supreme price. The Pharisees were full of indignation because of the act of woman.
4. They could not understand what it means to be forgiven or what it means to escape eternal damnation. They could not see through what prompted David to pen Psalm 32. The Lord Jesus Christ tried to open their blind eyes of understanding by giving a voice to the actions of this woman. Luke 7:47 says,
“Wherefore I say unto thee, her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.”
5. Beloved, if you desire the wonders of divine blessings, the most profound of them all comes through the blessing of forgiveness. When you give your life to Christ, what the Lord said to the woman in today’s Bible reading, He will say to you: “thy sins are forgiven”. Luke 7:48b Whoever wants to enjoy the wonders of divine blessings that last forever, must plug himself or herself into the blessedness of forgiveness through Jesus Christ our Lord.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

The bible talks about the blessing of the Lord in the book of Proverb 10:22 “The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. The greatest desire of every believer should always be the divine blessing from above because that is the only blessing that guarantee success without struggle. God be praised for His abundance Grace over Pastor E.A Adeboye.

Prayer Point
Father, I thank You for the forgiveness I received when I confessed my sins and gave my life to Your Son, Jesus Christ. Please don’t let me be like a dog that returns to its vomit.
Hymn
(Tune: There shall be showers of blessing)
1. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Sinners will soon be forgiven
Prodigals will come home soon.
Chorus:
Shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Rivers in desert now flowing
Halleluyah to our king.
2. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Sickness and sorrow will be gone
Bondage will be forgotten.
3. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
The barren will be fruitful soon
Failure will be forgotten.
4. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Poverty will be forgotten
Stagnancy will soon be gone.
5. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
To all miracles are given
There shall be celebrations
6. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Many will have testimonies
Of prayers answered fully
7. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
One of us will chase a thousand
Two will conquer ten thousands.
8. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Songs of praises we will sing
Halleluyah to our King.

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