MEMORISE: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Ephesians 1:4

READ: Jeremiah 1:5

5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

MESSAGE

Destiny simply means the plan of God for a person’s life. In other words, it is the purpose of God for a person’s life. In Jeremiah 1:5, God said:

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

God is a builder (Psalm 127:1). Like every builder, He works according to a plan. He doesn’t begin to build until the plan is ready. Thus before He formed you, before your father met your mother, God had a plan for your life. The good news is that the plan is a good one (Jeremiah 29:11).

Now you may think, “If God has a good plan for all human beings, then why do some end up badly?” This happens because no matter how good God’s plan for you is, if you say you don’t want it, He will not force it on you.

Romans 8:31 says

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

The question wasn’t answered in the Bible; however, the clear answer is “You”. Even if God is for you, you can be against yourself. How can you be against yourself? Proverbs 22:29 says it is only the diligent that will stand before kings. Deuteronomy 28:1-14 tells us that it is only those who are obedient that will be blessed by God.

If you decide to look into the Scriptures at all the people who fulfilled their destiny, you would see that they have these things in common. Joseph was a very hard-working boy – so hard-working that it wasn’t long after he got to Potiphar’s house that his master put him in charge of all his possessions. The boy also lived holy. When Potiphar’s wife made advances at him, he said he could not sleep with her and sin against his God. Diligence and holiness. Believe me honestly, if you live holy and refuse to be lazy, you will fulfill your destiny.

KEY POINT

God’s plan for your life will only be fulfilled if you cooperate with Him.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Acts 27- Romans 1

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 28: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD

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.

Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2 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 blest if we trust and obey. [Refrain]

3 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. [Refrain]

4 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. [Refrain]

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MEMORISE: But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 1 Corinthians 5:11

READ: Genesis 13:8 -15

8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.

9 Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.

10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.

11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.

12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.

13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

14 And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:

15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

MESSAGE

Covetousness is so dangerous that the Bible says you should beware of it to such an extent that when you see it in the life of someone, you are to stay away from the fellow.

But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
I Corinthians 5:11

Abraham kept company with Lot his nephew – a covetous fellow , as we saw in yesterday’s study. Little did he know that Lot was hindering him from hearing the voice of God and for the promise of the Lord being fulfilled in his life. Immediately Lot left him, God spoke.

And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
Genesis 13:14-15

If you have a friend who is always talking about how he or she wants money, cars and worldly possessions, yet never talks about impacting his or her world or doing whatever assignments the Lord would have him or her do, part ways with such a fellow. If he or she is never content and always wants what others have, so desperately as to be willing to do anything to get it, such a fellow is too dangerous to be called your friend. If any such friend refuses to change, respectfully part ways with the person, the same way Abraham parted from Lot. You have to take this step so that the person would not hinder you from getting what God has in store for you.

There is a difference between being a big dreamer and being covetous. The big dreamer talks about impacting his or her world, with the resultant effect of riches following, while the covetous is not interested in making the world better – only in the riches. Understand this and lookout for how your friends see riches. If you discover that they are covetous and will not change, part ways with them.

KEY POINT

Don’t keep company with the covetous.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Acts 24-26

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 14: NEARER MY GOD TO THEE

1. 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!

2. Though like the wanderer,
The sun gone down,
Darkness be 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!

3. There let the way appear,
Steps unto heav’n;
All that thou sendest me,
In mercy giv’n;
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!

4. 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!

5. Or if, on joyful wing
Cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot,
Upward I fly,
Still all my song shall be
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee

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MEMORISE: And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. 2 Chronicles 20:22

READ: 2 Chronicles 20:22 -27

22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.

26 And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day.

27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies.

MESSAGE

A Pastor in The Redeemed Christian Church of God shared the testimony of a miracle God performed during a wedding in one of our parishes. Just as the bridegroom was about to sign the register, he heard someone call his name and as he answered, he fell and died. All the pastors in the vestry immediately gathered and began to pray for him, but the longer they prayed, the colder he became. The most senior amongst them then remembered that l had thought them often to try praise whenever prayer seems to be failing. Within a short time of praising God, the bridegroom came back to life.

The people of Judah had only started to praise God when He set an ambush against their enemies. The enemies that were coming to trouble King Jehoshaphat and his people were numerous in number, but the Bible says in 2 Chronicles 20:22:

And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

The people of Judah had been praying, but nothing had happened. Now, instead of going against the enemy with physical weapons of war like swords, spears and shields, they came against them with weapon of praise. If l stand before the gates of heaven and the Angels refuse to open them to me (God forbid), l will start to praise God. I know that before l have called God all the beautiful names l know Him to have, He would tell one of His angels to open the gate for me. Praise opens doors that even prayer may not have been able to open.

If you have been praying about something and you are yet to receive your request, try praise today. When you praise God, He will surely respond.

Joshua and the army of Israel used praise to pull down the walls of Jericho in Joshua 6:20. If you have been praying for so long about a matter, try praise now and you would be surprised at the wonderful results God Almighty will give you. Try praise .

ACTION POINT

What is that matter you have been struggling with? Start praising God over it now.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Acts 19-20

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 11: Let us with a gladsome mind

Let us with a gladsome mind
Praise the Lord, for He is kind ;
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

2 He, with all commanding might,
Filled the new-made world with light :
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

3 All things living He doth feed,
His full hand supplies their need :
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

4 He His chosen race did bless
In the wasteful wilderness :
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

5 He hath with a piteous eye
Looked upon our misery :
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

6 Let us, then, with gladsome mind,
Praise the Lord, for He is kind ;
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

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MEMORISE: A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin. Proverbs 26:28

READ: Acts 12:20 -23

20 And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country.

21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.

22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.

23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

MESSAGE

Flatterers are dangerous people. They come like friends, but they are really enemies, even though some of them don’t know it. In the Bible reading for today, Herod was destroyed not because he said any proud words, but because he was being flattered and did not run from the flatterer or tell them to stop. These were people who hailed him because of what they could get from him, not because they really felt he was a great orator. Proverbs 26:28 says:
A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.

Flatterers will ruin you if you don’t run away from them. If you are being flattered and it feels good, you had better check yourself because the people flattering you are not your friends; they are trap-setters sent by the devil to you. Proverbs 29:5 says:
A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.

Someone who only tells you that you are perfect and never tells you that you did anything wrong is not your friend. When you bring those who flatter you closer to you, that is like bushmeat going to play in front of the hunter’s house, destruction is near. Psalm 5:9 says:

For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.

Their inward part is not ‘ordinary wickedness’ but described as “very wickedness”. Their throat – from where the flattery comes, is an open grave. You are to run from such people. When they advise you, take their advice with a pinch of salt because they don’t mean well for you at all. Psalm 62:4 says they advise you so as to bring you down from your exalted position.

Sweet as their tongue may be, don’t take the advice of flatterers; run from them!

KEY POINT

If there is someone who is always praising you excessively, stay away from that fellow henceforth.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Acts 16-18

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 13: MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS

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

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

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

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

4 When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
In Him, my righteousness, alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

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MEMORISE: The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: Psalms 12:3

READ: Psalms 12:1-4

1 Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

2 They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.

3 The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:

4 Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?

MESSAGE

To flatter someone is to give excessive and insincere praise to the person, especially to further your own interests. Flattery is one of the weapons with which the devil destroy’s people. This means that the fellow who flatters is one of the agents of the devil in destroying people. Every time you flatter someone, you are working for the devil’s interest to bring down the fellow. Thus if you want to be an agent of the devil, you can go on flattering people. God however, does not tolerate agents of darkness. Psalm 12:3 says:
The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:

If you keep flattering, you are inviting the Lord to cut off your lips. Job32:22 also says that God will take away any one who flatters another.

For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away.
Job 32:22

When a person does good, tell them without exaggerating. When they do something bad, tell them with wisdom for them to change for the better. When you flatter people, you are making them think that they are perfect. You are fanning the flame of pride that may have been in them before and when it rises, the Lord will then resist them. That would lead to destruction.

People often know when they are being flattered. Though the flattery may work in your favour for a while, the fellow will soon realise that you are only around them for what you can get and they will soon start staying away from you. They know that the other fellow who does not flatter but tells them pathetic truth always is their real friend. In the long run, the flatterer could lose the relationship. If a fellow is always flattering you, he or she is not your real friend. The word of God says in Proverbs 28:23 “He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue”.

If you truly want the favour of a great person, tell them the truth and stop flattering them.

ACTION POINT

Touch your lips and profess; These lips will never flatter anybody in Jesus name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Acts 14-15

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 16: O GOD OUR HELP IN AGES PAST

God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.

2 Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defence is sure.

3 Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.

4 A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

5 Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.

6 O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while life shall last,
And our eternal home.

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MEMORISE: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

READ: Daniel 6:25 -27

25 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.

27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

MESSAGE

God Himself is a wonder. Isaiah 9:6 says His name shall be called Wonderful. Wonderful means full of wonders. It is a wonder for a virgin to conceive. It is a wonder for the King of kings to be born in a manger. It is a wonder for the One who controls the armies of heaven to allow Himself to be crucified. It is a wonder for someone to rise from death. Not only is God a wonder, He does wonders. In our Bible reading for today, even a heathen king proclaimed that our God is the living God who works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth. He is a wonder; He can do wonders for you. In John 9:32, the blind man whose eyes were opened said:

“Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.”

The Almighty can heal any sickness you are experiencing: He can solve any problem. Jeremiah 32:27 says:
Behold, l am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

Nothing is too hard for God to do. If you live holy and ask Him , there is nothing He cannot do for you.

Beyond doing wonders for you, God can turn you into a wonder. In Mark 2:1-12, a paralyzed man was brought to Jesus through the roof and with just a word from the Lord, the man got up, completely whole. The Bible says in verse 12 that the people were amazed. He turned him into a wonder and He can do the same for you.

My story is proof that this God can turn anyone to.a wonder. For a poor boy from a tiny village in Nigeria to be interacting with great leaders around the world, that is a wonder. If you want God to make you a wonder, you need to first and foremost surrender your life to Jesus Christ, begin to live a holy lifestyle and consistently seek His face for mercy.

PRAYER POINT

Father, please have mercy on me and make me a wonder in my generation.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Acts 5–7

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 23: THAT WONDERFUL NAME JESUS

1. Bless that wonderful name of Jesus,
Bless that wonderful name of Jesus,
Bless that wonderful name of Jesus,
No other name I know.

2. Sing that wonderful name of Jesus,
Sing that wonderful name of Jesus,
Sing that wonderful name of Jesus,
No other name I know.

3. Preach that wonderful name of Jesus,
Preach that wonderful name of Jesus,
Preach that wonderful name of Jesus,
No other name I know.

4. Praise that wonderful name of Jesus,
Praise that wonderful name of Jesus,
Praise that wonderful name of Jesus,
No other name I know.

5. Share that wonderful name of Jesus,
Share that wonderful name of Jesus,
Share that wonderful name of Jesus,
No other name I know.

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