MEMORISE:

Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. John 16:24

READ: John 16:24-27.

24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.

26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:

27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

MESSAGE:
Every child of God must cultivate the habit of praying without ceasing, according to 1 Thessalonians 5:17. The importance of prayer cannot be overemphasized when we consider what those who took time to pray gained by so doing. James 5:17-18 says:
“ Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.”

I remember when I was asking God for a small apartment in the suburbs of Lagos shortly after becoming the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. The Lord forbade me to ask for just an apartment house because He was preparing a city for me. In other words, the Lord was saying that I should not ask for peanuts. Today, the city is in the making. As a matter of fact, what is already on ground is comparable to the modest city and I am still trusting Him for the full actualization of His promise. Praise the Lord!

All we need is to keep on asking Him so our joy may be full. The prayer of Elijah that brough about the rain was not just a five-minute one. He prayed and prayed again before the rain fell. When a man of God prays for a few minutes in public and miracles begin to happen, one should not be deceived to imagine that all we need too are brief prayers. The fact is that the man of God would have actually prayed long hours before the public show of God’s miraculous deeds.

Our Lord Jesus Christ in today’s memory verse says “……ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full”. In other words, we must not stop asking until we receive answers to our prayers so our joy may be full.

Hannah prayed until something happened in her life to confirm that she would get her blessing, according to 1 Samuel 1:13-18. Jabez also prayed and God granted him his request (1 Chronicles 4:10). David said that when he cried to the Lord, He healed him (Psalm 30:2). Cry unto the Lord today, and He will answer you as He answered Hannah, Jabez and Elijah, to mention just a few, in Jesus’ name.

ACTION POINT:
Make out time to pray earnestly today and you will receive unprecedented answers to your requests, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 40-44.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 18: PASS ME NOT, O GENTLE SAVIOR.
1. Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.

o Refrain:
Savior, Savior,
Hear my humble cry,
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.

2. Let me at Thy throne of mercy
Find a sweet relief;
Kneeling there in deep contrition,
Help my unbelief.

3. Trusting only in Thy merit,
Would I seek Thy face;
Heal my wounded, broken spirit,
Save me by Thy grace.

4. Thou the spring of all my comfort,
More than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside Thee,
Whom in Heav’n but Thee.

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20

MEMORISE:

The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.
Exodus 15:3

READ: Exodus 15:1-11.
1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

2 The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.

4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.

5 The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.

6 Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.

8 And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.

9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.

10 Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.

11 Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

MESSAGE:
Children of God shake and bow in fear to the enemy only when they fail to recognize that their Heavenly Father is the Mighty Warrior who has never lost and will never lose a war. The Lord of hosts is our Banner. He is the only one that can protect and lead us into victory.

Bowing in fear will displease God, to say the least, because He has commanded that “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3). This is the reason Jesus Christ our Lord came to deliver those who, for the fear of death, subject themselves to everlasting bondage according to Hebrews 2:14-15:
“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

I have experienced the mighty deeds of God in my life over and over again and I have come to the conclusion that there is no god as mighty as my Daddy in heaven – the Lord of hosts. For example, I recall a time I was travelling with my driver and we got to the middle of the narrow bridge that could take only one vehicle at a time. We then suddenly discovered that a truck was also coming from the opposite direction on the same bridge. Only the intervention of the Almighty God could have made that bridge expand for my car and the truck to pass through without colliding with each other.

The Almighty God is the Greatest Warrior. The children of Israel experienced the mighty deeds of God and they composed a song as we read in today’s Bible text. I pray that the mighty deeds of God will produce your desired miracle today, in Jesus’ name. You however, have to become a child of God to enjoy His mighty deeds. The Israelites were regular witnesses to the mighty deeds of God because they belonged to Him- they were His children.

In order to experience the mighty deeds of God, you need to be born again. This is the first mighty work the Lord does in the lives of His children- the salvation of their souls (1 John 1:7-9). I pray that the might deeds of God will become a daily occurrence in your life, in the name of Jesus.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please make me experience Your mighty deeds this season and always, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 34-39.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 14: JESUS MY LORD, MY GOD, MY ALL.

1. Jesus, my Lord, my God, my All,
How can I love thee as I ought?
And how revere this wondrous gift,
So far surpassing hope or thought?
Sweet Sacrament, we thee adore;
Oh, make us love thee more and more.
Oh, make us love thee more and more.

2. Had I but Mary’s sinless heart
To love thee with, my dearest King,
Oh, with what bursts of fervant praise
Thy goodness, Jesus, would I sing.
Sweet Sacrament, we thee adore;
Oh, make us love thee more and more.
Oh, make us love thee more and more.

3. 3 Thy Body, Soul, and Godhead, all,
O mystery of love divine.
I cannot compass all I have,
For all thou hast and art are mine.
Sweet Sacrament, we thee adore;
Oh, make us love thee more and more.
Oh, make us love thee more and more.

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20

MEMORISE:
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Ecclesiastes 5:5

READ: Psalm 15:1-4.
1 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.

4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

MESSAGE:
One common and deadly habit of many 21st century Christians is making vows and not fulfilling it. This is foolishness of the highest order. When funds are being raised for the work of God, careless children of God make very big vows ‘in faith’, that they are not able to fulfil. They justify themselves by saying “God understands!”

Ecclesiastes 5:5-6 says:
“Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?”

One of the most sensitive and delicate vows is that of the marriage covenant. People no longer accept the fact that marriage vows remain valid until death separates both the husband and the wife. They give all sorts of excuses for divorcing their spouse. One of my children normally asks such people “when you were saying ‘for better for worse’, did you put a limit to the extent of the worse you were talking about?”

Whosoever decides to end a marriage is a covenant-breaker and has failed to fulfil the wedding vow! This is why some of Jesus’ disciples exclaimed, after He explained the sanctity of the marriage vow to them “….If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.” (Matthew 19:10). Jesus replied “….All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given…. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.” (Matthew 19:11-12).

Beloved, do not be a covenant-breaker, because no such person will enter into the Kingdom of God.

Have you made any vow before the Almighty God that you have broken? Repent now, seek His forgiveness and see to it that you take the necessary steps towards amending your ways and fulfilling such vows.

The Bible says:
“But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.” Ezekiel 33:19

Beloved, fulfil your vows.

ACTION POINT:
Think of all the unfulfilled vows you have made and make amends without further delay.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 29-33.

HYMN 20: PRAISE TO THE LORD THE ALMIGHTY.
1. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.

2. Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires e’er have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

3. Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee;
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

4. Praise to the Lord, who, when tempests their warfare are waging,
Who, when the elements madly around thee are raging,
Biddeth them cease, turneth their fury to peace,
Whirlwinds and waters assuaging.

5. Praise to the Lord, who, when darkness of sin is abounding,
Who, when the godless do triumph, all virtue confounding,
Sheddeth His light, chaseth the horrors of night,
Saints with His mercy surrounding.

6. Praise to the Lord, oh, let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him;
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

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20

MEMORISE:
Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD. Isaiah 52:11

READ: 1 Timothy 3:1-7
1This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

MESSAGE:
One thing a man or woman that God would use should bear in mind is that he or she must be blameless. This is the prerequisite for a child of God who wants to serve God as a worker or minister, at any level. The Bible says:
“This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless…..” 1 Timothy 3:1-2

When a person volunteers to serve the Lord, it is dangerous if the fellow is not clean in and out because the holiness of God could kill such a person. The Bible says that Isaiah admitted his sinful state and God purified and cleansed him of his iniquity so that he could qualify as a true prophet. After this, the angel of the Lord came and touched him with a live coal from heaven and he was purged of his iniquity (Isaiah 6:5-7). Here we see the mercy of God upon the vessel He decided to use for His glory. However, there is a lesson we must learn from this Scripture. The prophet admitted his sinful state and God came to his aid for cleansing. How often do we seek the Lord for cleansing?

In addition, for a fellow to be used by God, the life of such a person must glorify the Lord. God must be honored in the life of such a fellow. The Lord will show off such a fellow among His holy angels, then ultimately prosper and protect him or her eternally.
“And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?” Job 1:8

Though Job suffered many trials, the later part of his life was much better than the former. Job 42:12 says “So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning:…..” Job had exactly double of the possessions he had lost to the attack of the devil. God also gave him seven sons and three daughters, as before, but this time, his daughters were the most beautiful women in the land (Job 42:15). Job experienced this promotion because he remained blameless before God (Job 1:22).

Do you want divine promotion? Do you want to be used for the glory of God? Begin to walk blameless before Him (Genesis 17:1) from today and He will not only use you for His glory, He will also promote you beyond your expectations.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to live a life of complete obedience to Your word, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 18-22

HYMN 18: PASS ME NOT, O GENTLE SAVIOR.

1. Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.

o Refrain:
Savior, Savior,
Hear my humble cry,
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.

2. Let me at Thy throne of mercy
Find a sweet relief;
Kneeling there in deep contrition,
Help my unbelief.

3. Trusting only in Thy merit,
Would I seek Thy face;
Heal my wounded, broken spirit,
Save me by Thy grace.

4. Thou the spring of all my comfort,
More than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside Thee,
Whom in Heav’n but Thee.

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20

MEMORISE:
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1

READ: 1 Samuel 17:45-50
45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hands.

48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came, and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.

49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.

50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.

MESSAGE:
We have an enemy- the devil, who is more dangerous that the likes of Goliath; however, the good news is that we also have Jehovah Nissi (the Lord our Banner) who would always give His children victory. The Bible says that the devil, as a roaring lion walks about, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). This was exactly what Goliath did. He roared at the children of Israel and they trembled before him.

The children of Israel however, overcame their enemy through David- God’s anointed. The enemy came, cursing David by the name of his god and David countered him by declaring the Almightiness of Jehovah Nissi.
“This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.” 1 Samuel 17:46

The story in Exodus 17:8-16 also shows us clearly that battles of life are beyond the physical. The Israelites prevailed against the Amalekites as long as Moses’ hands were raised in prayers and worship to the Almighty God. When Moses’ hands became heavy, God provide help through Aaron and Hur to hold his hands up until the Amalekites were completely conquered. Moses returned all the glory of the victory to God by raising an altar and naming it “Jehovah Nissi” to acknowledge that the Lord is the Banner over Israel.

We need God to be the Banner over us if we are to overcome in the battles of life, for we wrestle against unseen forces (Ephesians 6:12). We must therefore, put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-18) as we cannot win the battles of life with our sense or physical weapons. When King Saul wanted to introduce a physical weapon to David, he rejected it because he knew the battle was the Lord’s. David went instead in the name of the Lord with an ordinary sling in his hands because the name of the Lord is a strong tower (Proverbs 18:10).

I encourage you to take hold of the name of the Lord as from today and you will subdue every giant that comes against you. However, you must have a cordial relationship with Jehovah Nissi by submitting to His lordship and living holy (Matthew 5:48).

PRAYER POINT:
Father, I come against all the giants threatening my destiny and destroy them completely, in Jesus mighty name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 7-11.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 21: ROCK OF AGES CLEFT FOR ME.

1. Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.

2. Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

3. Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

4. While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyes shall close in death,
When I rise to worlds unknown,
And behold Thee on Thy throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

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20

MEMORISE:
And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah Jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen. Genesis 22:14

READ: 1 Kings 17:12-16
12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.

14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.

15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.

16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

MESSAGE:
The name Jehovah Nissi means ‘The Lord will provide’. This means God’s provision is guaranteed. David described this truth in Psalm 23:1:
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

My prayer is that this will be your experience too, in Jesus’ name. our God is more than able to meet all our needs. Even today, the Lord will miraculously meet those needs that may be about to put you to shame, in Jesus’ name. David had multiple experiences of God’s provision and they reflect in his numerous Psalms. For example, he described the Lord God as:
“……God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1

God is always on time. If the Present Help in trouble had not shown up on time for the widow of Zarephath, as seen in our Bible text today, the story would have been like that of the woman who killed her child for food in 2 Kings 6:25-29. However, for Jehovah Jireh to come to your aid, you need to have the same spiritual conviction exhibited by the widow. One of her virtues is that she believed in the God of Prophet Elijah. She knew the God Elijah served is alive. She knew what He could do. She trusted in Him completely and was thus able to obey Elijah’s instructions. Her obedience led to her receiving the blessing of multiplication. The Bible says in 2 Chronicles 20:20:
“And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.”

Beloved, if we believe in the Great Provider, it will show in how we lead our lives. We would not doubt His promises and so would respond in faith to His directives. We would not be cutting corners in order to achieve things in life because the Bible says “….Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” (Romans 10:11).

The God who provided for Abraham shall always be there for us. The widow in our story was a woman of faith who believed in the God of Israel. She demonstrated this clearly through her respect for the man of God. Do you hold God in high esteem? If you do, it will show in how you treat your pastor and the words of his mouth. May Jehovah Jireh be there for you always, in Jesus name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, You are the only One who can provide for all my needs. Please send help to me today, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 1-6

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 12: IN CHRIST ALONE.

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

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

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

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

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20

MEMORISE:
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

READ: Psalm 118:1-5
1O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.

2 Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

3 Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

4 Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

5 I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place.

PRAYERS:
1. Father, thank You for Your faithfulness and kindness towards me.

2. Thank You Father, for the miracle of sleeping and waking up. Thank You for keeping me and my family. Thank You, Lord Jesus.

3. Thank you for answered prayers. It is a privilege that You always hear us when we call. Thank You Lord.

4. Thank You, Lord, for every member of the body of Christ. Thank You for the great work You are doing in Your church. We are very grateful, Daddy.

5. Thank You for divine provision. You know all our needs and You meet them all free of charge. Thank You, Jehovah Nissi.

6. Thank You for the grace to do Your work. It is You who works in us to will and do Your good pleasure. We are grateful to You for making us vessels unto honor.

7. Thank You because we know our tomorrow will be glorious. Thank you for giving us a glorious future beyond what any man can do for us. Thank You, Lord.

8. Thank You Father, for protecting us from the pestilence and all the evil in this world. We see with our eyes and hear about it, yet You do not let it come near us. Thank You, Jesus.

9. Father, I cannot thank You enough for my salvation. It is the best gift a person can ever receive, thank You for saving me from sin.

10. Thank You for all Your blessings in my life – they are so many I cannot count them all. Thank You, Father.

11. Thank You Jesus, for fighting all my battles and giving me victory on all sides. Thank You for healing and helping me always. I am deeply grateful.

12. Your personal thanksgiving prayer.

ACTION POINT:
Give thanks to God always.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Lamentation

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 26: TO GOD BE THE GLORY GREAT THINGS HE HATH DONE.
1. To God be the glory, great things he hath done:
so loved he the world that he gave us his son,
who yielded his life an atonement for sin,
and opened the lifegate that all may go in.

Refrain:
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
and give him the glory, great things he hath done.

2. Oh, perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
to ev’ry believer the promise of God.
The vilest offender who truly believes,
that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

3. Great things he hath taught us, great things he hath done,
and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son,
but purer, and higher, and greater will be
our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

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MEMORISE:
And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; 2 Samuel 22:2

READ: Psalm 91:1-8
1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

MESSAGE:
The Psalmist says in Psalm 125:1:
“They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.”

One point to be quickly noted about this Scripture is that it is only for those who put their trust in the Lord, not those who have alternatives to the Almighty God. Those who put their trust in God are immovable. This was David’s experience.

In the Bible text of today we see another dimension of divine protection over God’s people. This is food for thought for those who are still in doubt of God’s ability to protect to the very end. Some people are even afraid of prosperity because they feel they would be prone to enemy attacks when they prosper. They refuse to believe David’s assurance in Psalm 23:5 which says:
“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”

Not only did God prepare a sumptuous table for David. He filled his cup to the point of overflow just to show that He had more than enough to give to His beloved, as if that were not enough, it was done in the presence of David’s enemies and they could do nothing against it. The Almighty God who prospers us is also the One who protects and He has assured us that He will keep us at all times (Psalm 91:3.5).

David’s experiences- first with the lion, then the bear (1 Samuel 17:34-37) and later with Goliath (1 Samuel 17:49-51) are testimonies that should make any doubter believe that our God is Jehovah Nissi. This means He is the Banner that our covers and goes ahead of us to guarantee victory in every battle we face (Exodus 17:15).

Beloved, I am assuring you that if you put your trust in the Lord, your protection will be guaranteed, because our God never fails. He watches over His elect so that His name may not be blasphemed. The Lord fights on behalf of His elect and always ensures they are victorious over evil. Hence, your victory over evil is guaranteed, so long as you remain on God’s side and away from sin.

ACTION POINT:
Examine your life carefully to see where and how you may have exposed yourself to temptations, ask for God’s forgiveness and commit to living a sin-free life from now.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Song of Solomon 5-8.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 1: ALL HALL THE POWER OF JESUS NAME.

1. All hail the pow’r of Jesus’ Name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all!

2. Ye chosen seed of Israel’s race,
Ye ransomed from the fall,
Hail Him Who saves you by His grace,
And crown Him Lord of all!

3. Let every kindred, every tribe,
On this terrestrial ball,
To Him all majesty ascribe,
And crown Him Lord of all!

4. Oh, that with yonder sacred throng
We at His feet may fall!
We’ll join the everlasting song,
And crown Him Lord of all!

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MEMORISE:
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

READ: James 4:7-10
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

MESSAGE:
Submission to the perfect will of God is a great weapon against trials and temptations. It is wisdom for us to submit to our Present Help in the time of trouble, according to Psalm 46:1. Our closest ally in the battle of life is Jesus Christ. The Bible says:
“ For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” 1 John 5:4-5

For us to overcome, we must submit ourselves to God, resist the devil and then he will flee from us (James 4:7). The Bibles says that pride goes before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). Many people fall into temptation because of pride. Romans 13:3 says:
“For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:”

While pride makes people think they can survive this life without God, humility and sobriety are great instruments of defense in the face of temptations. We are encouraged to humble ourselves in the sight of God so that He can lift us. However, people easily fall into trials and temptations because of their failure to live soberly in this perverse generation. James 1:14-15 says “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished bringeth forth death”. The Bibles goes further in 1 Timothy 6:9-19 says:
“But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil…..”

Beloved, to overcome trials and temptations, you must run to Jesus today with a sober heart, humility and the fear of the Lord. He will surely come to your aid, in the name Jesus.

ACTION POINT:
Examine your life carefully to see where and how you may have exposed yourself to temptations, ask for God’s forgiveness and commit to living a sin-free life from now.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Song of Solomon 1-4.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 28: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS.
1. What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

2. Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

3. Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

4. Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
There will be no need for prayer—
Rapture, praise, and endless worship
Will be our sweet portion there.

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MEMORISE:
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James 1:12

READ: Proverbs 1:11-15
11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:

12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:

14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:

15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:

MESSAGE:
The irony of life in the spiritual realm is that the devil is prosecutor. The Bible says in Revelation 12 :9 -10:
“ And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”

Despite the scripture above, there are blessings attached to overcoming temptations. Revelation 2:26 says “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:”

It takes genuine love for God to be able to overcome temptations. Joseph in Egypt was able to overcome the temptation of sleeping with his master’s wife because of the love he had for God (Genesis 39:9).

Today’s text gives us some insight as to how we can overcome temptations- we are to avoid the company of sinners and reject their ways. There would always be temptations as long as we are alive. Temptation in itself is not a sin, but falling into it is the sin. The sinful thoughts that the devil flashes at you do not become sins until you begin to entertain and act on them. It is our resistance that makes us overcomers. Hebrews 12:4 says:
“Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.”

We must also avoid doing anything that could bring about temptations. For example, why would you carry a member of the opposite sex that is not your spouse in your lap? Remember: you are still flesh and blood. Let us learn from Joseph who fled Potiphar’s wife’s seduction so as not to sin against God (Genesis 39:7-12).

God has promised to always provide for us a way of escape from every temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). Joseph used the escape route God provided and the enemy was unable to destroy the glory ahead of him.

I pray you will always overcome every temptation from now, in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, “…..lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil….” (Matthew 6:13).

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2Ecclesiates 10-12.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 11: I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR.
1. I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.

o Refrain:
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.

2. I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou art nigh.

3. I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide, or life is vain.

4. I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises in me fulfill.

5. I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;
Oh, make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son.

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