MEMORISE: And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30

READ: Jude 1:21 -24

21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:

23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

MESSAGE

Our memory verse of today reveals another very important role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer – preserving us unto the day of redemption. ‘The day of redemption’ in the memory verse is talking of the ultimate redemption when we safely arrive in the Kingdom of God. The reason is that there is no eternal assurance that once you are saved, you are forever saved. There are examples of people who started well but ended up badly. For instance, after King Saul was ordained by Samuel, he prophesied and the people asked: “Is Saul also among the prophets?” (1 Samuel 10:11). Unfortunately, after King Saul got into trouble for disobeying divine instructions, he went after a familiar spirit. 1 Samuel 28:7 says:

Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that l may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.

King Saul did this despite the fact that the Bible says in Isaiah 65:24:

And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

In John 16:7-14, we see that the Holy Spirit guides us into all – not some – truth. Many things we ought to know about God, our Saviour, ourselves, the written word of God, the devil, the world in which we live and so on are explained to us by the Holy Spirit. We cannot gain an understanding of God without the Holy Spirit. The word of God would be ordinary literature without the Holy Spirit’s illumination.

The Bible says in John 16:13 that the Holy Spirit will show us things to come

The spiritual decadence in the end- time Church has been foretold by the Holy Spirit (1 Timothy 4:12). It is a pity, however, that some children of God are not taking advantage of the Holy Spirit’s guidance to keep us from falling. May you not fall, in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER POINT

Holy Spirit Divine, please keep me to the uttermost end . Help me to finish well and strong, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 4-8

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR

1 I need Thee ev’ry hour,

Most gracious Lord;

No tender voice like Thine

Can peace afford.

Refrain:

I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;

Ev’ry hour I need Thee;

Oh, bless me now, my Savior,

I come to Thee.

2 I need Thee ev’ry hour,

Stay Thou nearby;

Temptations lose their pow’r

When Thou art nigh. [Refrain]

3 I need Thee ev’ry hour,

In joy or pain;

Come quickly and abide,

Or life is vain. [Refrain]

4 I need Thee ev’ry hour,

Teach me Thy will;

And Thy rich promises

In me fulfill. [Refrain]

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MEMORISE: Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. John 16: 13

READ: John 16:7 -14

7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;

10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

MESSAGE

For the next three days, we shall be looking at the role of Holy Spirit in the life of believers. Today we will consider His role as a Witness to Jesus Christ our Redeemer.

A very important role of the Holy Spirit is the conviction of sin, as we saw in today’s Bible text. It reads in part:

And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and righteousness, and of judgment.
John 16:8

Unfortunately, many people choose to be just spectators and merely watch the Holy Spirit in action – doing what only He can do, but are never partakers of it. Such people seldom allow the Holy Spirit to play His primary role of bringing them to repentance as they refuse to be remorseful for their sins. When people refuse to be convicted of their sins, they demonstrate a lack of faith in God’s word, which says all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). Such people rationalize sin and call it all sorts of nice names. This is why the Bible encourages us to confess our sins, even to one another, that we may be healed (James 5:16).

The first thing Jesus takes care of in the life of whoever He want to heal is the issue of sin, according to Mark 2:5-12. Even after Jesus had healed an individual and found him in the temple some days later, His admonition was “…sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee” (John 5:14).

Beloved, if you have not yet confessed and forsaken your sins, allow Holy Spirit to convict you of them. Begin to pay close attention to the details of God’s requirements for holy living and you would see the Holy Spirit transforming your life far beyond all expectations.

PRAYER POINT

Father, please empower me to live holy, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Songs of Solomon 7-14

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 14: O WHAT A WONDERFUL WONDERFUL DAY

1 Oh What A Wonderful Wonderful Day
Day I Will Never Forget
After I’d Wandered In Darkness Away
Jesus My Saviour I Met
Oh What A Tender Compassionate Friend
He Met The Need Of My Heart
Shadows Dispelling With Joy I Am Telling
He Made All The Darkness Depart

Chorus

Heaven Came Down And Glory Filled My Soul
When At The Cross The Saviour Made Me Whole
My Sins Were Washed Away
And My Night Was Turned To Day
Heaven Came Down And Glory Filled My Soul

Chorus

2 Born Of The Spirit With Life From Above
Into God’s Family Divine
Justified Fully Thru Calvary’s Love
Oh What A Standing Is Mine
And The Transaction So Quickly Was Made
When As A Sinner I Came
Took Of The Offer Of Grace
He Did Proffer He Saved Me
Oh Praise His Dear Name

Chorus

3 Now I’ve A Hope That Will Surely Endure
After The Passing Of Time
I Have A Future In Heaven For Sure
There In Those Mansions Sublime
And It’s Because Of That Wonderful Day
When At The Cross I Believed
Riches Eternal And Blessings Supernal
From His Precious Hand I Received

Chorus

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MEMORISE: Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. Exodus 3:10

READ: 2 Chronicles 20:21 -24

21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.

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.

MESSAGE

The accounts of Genesis reveal that at a point in time, the world was formless and chaotic, however, the reason for this is not our concern in today’s devotion. Rather, we want to see why divine intervention is necessary in the affairs of men. For example, when the children of Israel found themselves in slavery, they cried to the God of their fathers.

Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and l have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
Exodus 3:9

In response to their cry, there was a divine intervention which delivered them from slavery to King Pharaoh (Exodus 6:6). This type of situation is not peculiar to the children of Israel alone; people have been subjected to serious attacks, frustration and untold hardship from generation to generation. The reason is found in the book of Revelation – how the devil came to the world in great fury to wreak havoc on earth’s inhabitant (Revelation 12:12). Unless God intervenes as He did in Genesis, human life can be extremely miserable.

In today’s text, three king ganged up against the tribe of Judah. Jehoshaphat – the King of Judah, however, cried to the Lord for divine intervention, knowing that there was no way he could win the battle against just one of the three kings, not to mention the joint forces of all three. The Lord responded and said:

Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.
2 Chronicles 20:17

The Lord intervened and the battle was decided in favour of King Jehoshaphat and his people. The Lord will intervene in your situation today, in Jesus’ name. However, be ready to align yourself with God Almighty through Jesus Christ His Son. Be ready to worship God in holiness and make this your lifestyle.

PRAYER POINT

Father, please intervene in my situation today as You did for Jehoshaphat and the children of Judah.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ecclesiastes 9-12

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 14: O WHAT A WONDERFUL WONDERFUL DAY

1 Oh What A Wonderful Wonderful Day
Day I Will Never Forget
After I’d Wandered In Darkness Away
Jesus My Saviour I Met
Oh What A Tender Compassionate Friend
He Met The Need Of My Heart
Shadows Dispelling With Joy I Am Telling
He Made All The Darkness Depart

Chorus

Heaven Came Down And Glory Filled My Soul
When At The Cross The Saviour Made Me Whole
My Sins Were Washed Away
And My Night Was Turned To Day
Heaven Came Down And Glory Filled My Soul

2 Born Of The Spirit With Life From Above
Into God’s Family Divine
Justified Fully Thru Calvary’s Love
Oh What A Standing Is Mine
And The Transaction So Quickly Was Made
When As A Sinner I Came
Took Of The Offer Of Grace
He Did Proffer He Saved Me
Oh Praise His Dear Name

Chorus

3 Now I’ve A Hope That Will Surely Endure
After The Passing Of Time
I Have A Future In Heaven For Sure
There In Those Mansions Sublime
And It’s Because Of That Wonderful Day
When At The Cross I Believed
Riches Eternal And Blessings Supernal
From His Precious Hand I Received

Chorus

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MEMORISE: But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

READ: Ephesians 3:20 -21

20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

MESSAGE

We started examining ‘Exceeding Expectations’ yesterday and found out that the Almighty God is the only One who can truly exceed your greatest expectations.

My Daddy is All-Sufficient and limitless. He has so much that after He has blessed someone, the fellow’s cup would run over (Psalm 23:5). Today, we shall continue to look at the Almighty God exceeding our expectations beyond our human imagination. The Bible says:

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Philippics 4:19

The above Scripture reveal one fact: that divine supplies are based on our relationship with Jesus Christ. The reason is that Jesus paid the price of blessing those who,put their trust in Him. The Bible says:

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
2 Corinthians 8:9

In our text for today, we are assured that the Almighty God is more than able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we may ask or think. Hence, we must give Him the glory all the time.

Our Lord offers us a classic example of the blessing we receive when we give Him all the glory, honour and thanksgiving, through what He did before five loaves and two,pieces of fish became more than enough to feed five thousand people – He gave thanks (John 6:11-14). It was indeed a clear case of exceeding the expectations of the disciples and everyone present there. This is why Moses admonished the children of Israel to always remember the God who gave them the power to become exceedingly wealthy (Deuteronomy 8:18).

Remembering God is remembering to do according to His commandments. Beloved, if you truly believe Him, He will exceed all your expectations in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER POINT

Thank God for what seems not to be enough and He will make it exceedingly more than enough.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ecclesiastes 5-8

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 27: 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!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O 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 your friends despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he’ll take and shield you;
you will find a solace there.
Worship and Rejoice, 2003

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MEMORISE: And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. 1 Kings 3:13

READ: 1 Kings 3:4 -15

4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.

5 In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.

6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.

7 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.

8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.

9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;

12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.

15 And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.

MESSAGE

An expectation is a strong belief that something will happen, especially when all other things are equal. For example, all other things being equal, a worker will be paid his salary at the end of the month. In other words, this expectation will not be realised if that worker suddenly quits his or her job before the end of the month. The good news is that any expectation based on the promises of the Almighty God to you shall come to pass, provided you remain steadfast in following and obeying Him.

In our memory verse today, the Lord exceeded Solomon’s expectations. Solomon had asked for wisdom to be able to rule God’s people excellently, but to his amazement, God added some things to his expectation of wisdom.

And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the king like unto thee all thy days.
I Kings 3:13

I remember expecting God to give me a modest apartment to live in after l became the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, but He exceeded my expectations by promising me a city. Currently, the Redemption Camp, though still expanding now, is comparable to a city. To experience something exceeding your expectations, to get more than you hoped for, you must excel in your commitment to the Almighty God – the only One who can exceed your greatest expectations.

You must set yourself apart in holiness if you want to experience blessings that will exceed your expectations. For example, you may be asking for the position of a High Chief whereas God may want to make you a King. You may be seeking to be elected as a senator and end up becoming the President of your country. What can God not do? Absolutely nothing. God can easily exceed your expectations as long as you are on His side in holiness and righteousness.

KEY POINT

Only God can exceed your greatest expectations.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ecclesiastes 1-4

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 21: STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF GOD

1 Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

2 Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

3 Standing on the promises I now can see
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God.

4 Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.

5 Standing on the promises I shall not fall,
List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call.
Resting in my Savior as my All in all,
Standing on the promises of God.

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MEMORISE: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:2

READ: Romans 5:1 -5

1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

MESSAGE

To whom God would made known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Colossians 1:27

The Bible says in Hebrews 11:6 that one cannot please God without faith, for anyone to have hope of glory, the fellow must choose correctly whom he or she mound serve (Joshua 24::15). It takes faith to choose rightly, according to our memory verse for today.

Through faith in the Living God, we are justified as the redeemed of the Lord – Jesus being the Author and Finisher of,our faith. He came to save us through His death, by the washing away of our sins with His blood. This is why the Bible says:

But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen. And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. But now is Christ from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.
1 Corinthians 15::13-14, 20

The Scripture above is the basis for our hope of glory. The Scripture further says, ‘ lf in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (1 Corinthians 15:19. This is why as Christians, we should not despair even in tribulation because of the assurance to of glory we have in Christ.

Our hope of glory is not an empty hope, according to Revelation 21:1-7, which assures us of a new heaven and a new earth where there shall be no more pain, sorrow, lack, sickness or death. Death shall be swallowed in victory (1 Corinthians 15:34).

Therefore, beloved, to have this hope in you, accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour today. If you have accepted Christ, ensure you do not look back because Jesus said: ,No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back is fit for the Kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).

I pray the Almighty God keeps us all in Him to the end in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER POINT

Thank the Lord for the hope of glory and ask Him to help you remain steadfast in Him to the end.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 27-29

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: I AM SO GLAD THAT OUR FATHER IN HEAV’N

1 I am so glad that our Father in heav’n
Tells of His love in the Book He has giv’n;
Wonderful things in the Bible I see:
This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.

I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me;
I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves even me.

2 Though I forget Him and wander away,
Still He doth love me whenever I stray;
Back to His dear loving arms would I flee,
When I remember that Jesus loves me.

3 Oh, if there’s only one song I can sing,
When in His beauty I see the great King,
This shall my song in eternity be:
“Oh, what a wonder that Jesus loves me.”

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MEMORISE: Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. John 15:8

READ: Luke 13:6 -9

6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?

8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:

9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

MESSAGE

Many divine blessings are conditional. This is why there are many “ifs” in God’s covenants with mankind. For instance, in Deuteronomy 28:1

God promised the children of Israel that He would bless them so much so that they would be above all nations of the earth, if they would hearken diligently to His voice and keep His commandments.

The primary purpose of divine blessings is to make the blessed fellow fruitful and a blessing to others. Fruitfulness however, is also one of the conditional blessings of God. The primary condition for fruitfulness is found in John 15:4:

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

The question then is, “How can l abide in the Vine?” The answer is not far-fetched. You must first become a part of the Vine by responding positively to Jesus’ call in Matthew 11:28-30. When you confess Him as your Lord and Saviour, you become grafted into the Vine – the Lord Jesus Christ.

The next phase is to abide in Jesus. Abiding in Jesus means living according to His will. Jesus said in John 8:31,” …if he continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.” He also said in John 15:10, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as l have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love”.

You can be fruitful spiritually, like Peter who preached one sermon and 3000 souls were won into the kingdom of God (Acts 2:38-41) or Paul, who God healed many sick people through his apron and handkerchiefs (Acts 19:11-12). You can also be fruitful materially, as in the case of Isaac, who became wealthy that a whole nation began to envy him (Genesis 26:14-17). Furthermore, you can also be fruitful physically such that in your old age, you would remain strong, as in the case of Moses (Deuteronomy 34:7).

Beloved, as we read in our Bible text today, it is dangerous to be unfruitful. You will experience all-round fruitfulness if you surrender your life to Jesus and live according to His will for the rest is of your life.

PRAYER POINT

Father, please cause me to experience all-round fruitfulness, in Jesus name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 24-26

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 30: 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: Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1

READ: John 5:5 -14

5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.

11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.

12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?

13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.

14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

MESSAGE

It is one thing to receive divine blessings and quite another to keep them. I always teach my children in the faith that the grace needed to receive a miracle is not as great as the one needed to keep it. God has no problem blessing His people, but keeping the blessing is a responsibility many people fail to live up to. Today we will be looking at how to retain divine blessings.

The first thing one must do is to start connected to the source of divine blessings – God. A branch will remain fruitful as long as it remain connected to the vine, and of course will become fruitless the moment it disconnects from the source of fruitfulness. Jesus is the vine and we His disciples are His branches. Without Him we can do nothing (John 15:5).

Secondly, to stay connected to the source of divine blessings, you must be holy. Sin causes a separation between the sinner and God (Isaiah 59:2). If God will not listen to a sinner, how then will such a fellow receive and retain divine blessings? The Almighty told Abraham this secret in Genesis 17:1-2:

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, l am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And l will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

According to our Bible reading the of today, after Jesus had healed a man of thirty-eight-year old sickness, He warned him to stay away from sin so he would not experience something even worse.

Finally, you must acknowledge that all you have is from God and always return all the glory to Him with thanksgiving. For example, Nebuchadnezzar failed to acknowledge that God was his source and he lost all he had. God however, restored all Nebuchadnezzar lost when he later realised thatHe was nothing without God (Daniel 4:30-37).

I pray you will never lose your God-given blessings, in Jesus’name.

PRAYER POINT

Father, thank You for being my source. Please, never let me disconnect from You, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 21-23

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 7: I AM THINE O LORD

1 I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith,
And be closer drawn to Thee.

Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.

2 Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the pow’r of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.

3 O the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,
I commune as friend with friend!

4 There are depths of love that I yet may know
Ere Thee face to face I see;
There are heights of joy that I yet may reach
Ere I rest in peace with Thee.

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MEMORISE: The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. Proverbs 10:22

READ: Genesis 26:12 -17

12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.

13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:

14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.

15 For all the wells which his father’s servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth.

16 And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we.

17 And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.

MESSAGE

Divine blessing can be described as a command from God that will make all the forces in heaven, on earth and under the earth favour an individual or group of people. A divinely blessed person or group of people will succeed where others are failing. For example, in our Bible reading today; Isaac sowed during famine and he reaped a hundredfold. In other words, he succeeded where others were failing. We can trace this remarkable result to God’s blessing over Abraham, Isaac’s father Gen 22:17:

That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

God has promised to bless Abraham and multiply his seed after he passed the test in Genesis 22. Little wonder why Isaac would sow and reap a hundredfold during a famine.

Isaac however, also had a part to play in obtaining and enforcing the fulfilment of the divine blessing on his life. Firstly, he was obedient to his father even to the point of death. Isaac could have escaped easily from Abraham when the latter laid him on the altar, but he did not. That must have really pleased God. Secondly, he obeyed God’s instruction to stay at Gerar even when humanly speaking it did not appear to be the right thing to do at the time, considering the famine in the land.

Only those who are obedient to divine instructions will experience divine blessings. Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus Christ, told the maidens that whatever Jesus asked them to do, they should do it and their obedience led to the divine provision of much better wine for the guests at the wedding (John 2:5-10).

Beloved, divine blessing is sweet, pleasant and without sorrow. Surrender your life to Jesus Christ. Live in complete obedience to God and you will experience divine blessings in every area of your life, in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER POINT

Father, please bless me indeed and take evil far away from me, in Jesus name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 18-20

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 26: THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS

1 There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.

Refrain

Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need;
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.

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

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

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

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

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MEMORISE:  And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. 1 Kings 19:5

READ: 1 Kings 19:1 -8

1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.

2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.

3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.

4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

5  And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.

6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.

7 And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.

8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

MESSAGE

Thou art worthy,,O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Revelation 4:11

The verse above clearly states that the  Creator made all things for His pleasure. For example, in our Bible reading for today, we see God feeding Elijah so that he would have the required strength to fulfil divine mission set before him. The angel of the Lord said to him, ‘Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.” That meal gave him the strength he needed for forty days and forty nights as he travelled to Horeb. The mountain of God (I Kings 19:7-8).

Many people however, want divine help for selfish reasons. Some of them are not even born again; yet they are asking for miracles. Such people fail to realize that the Almighty God is a prudent investor and He will not invest in a project that will not promote His Kingdom. For example, God needed a prophet so when Hannah asked for a son and promised to give him back to God, the Lord granted her request (1 Samuel 1).

Jesus said in Matthew 7:6:

Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

The verse above implies that God will not give that which is holy to someone who is still living in sin. You cannot remain in the kingdom of darkness or be toying with sin as a Christian and expect God to help you.

Beloved, if you desire divine help, surrender your life to Jesus Christ, and be determined to do only things that will give Him pleasure. Be committed to showing forth the praises of He who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9) and He will help you.

ACTION POINT

Begin to do things that will give God glory, honour and pleasure from now on and you will receive divine help.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 15-17

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 23: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

1 Take my life, and let it be

Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;

Take my moments and my days,

Let them flow in ceaseless praise,

Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

2 Take my hands, and let them move

At the impulse of Thy love;

Take my feet and let them be

Swift and beautiful for Thee,

Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3 Take my voice, and let me sing

Always, only, for my King;

Take my lips, and let them be

Filled with messages from Thee,

Filled with messages from Thee.

4 Take my silver and my gold;

Not a mite would I withhold;

Take my intellect, and use

Every power as Thou shalt choose,

Every power as Thou shalt choose.

5 Take my will, and make it Thine;

It shall be no longer mine.

Take my heart; it is Thine own;

It shall be Thy royal throne,

It shall be Thy royal throne.

6 Take my love; my Lord, I pour

At Thy feet its treasure-store.

Take myself, and I will be

Ever, only, all for Thee,

Ever, only, all for Thee.

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