MEMORISE:
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”
(Hebrews 12:1)

READ: Matthew 4:1-4 (KJV)

1. Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

2. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

3. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

4. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

MESSAGE:
A common weak point in the lives of many believers is impatience.

Unfortunately, the devil exploits this. This is why the devil tempts believers to turn ‘stone to bread’ meaning that he tries to get them to rush ahead in life without waiting for God’s time and provision.

When this happens, the believer must react like Jesus in Matthew 4:4 by saying “…Man shall not live by bread alone…”

Sadly, not many believers are able to do this. We have seen married people go out of their way in search of the fruit of the womb, despite the numerous Bible passages that enjoin us to patiently run the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1).

Joseph waited patiently for the fulfilment of his dream and was rewarded. Two years after he interpreted the butler’s dream, he was still waiting.

At the fullness of time, Genesis 41:1 says:

And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed…

The Scripture above speaks volumes and our understanding of its depth will go a long way to cure us of the spiritual disease of impatience.

“And it came pass…” It does not matter how terrible the situation a child of God is passing through is, the promise of God is that it shall not last forever; rather the breakthrough shall come to pass!
Psalm 30:5 confirms this.

On this subject of patience, Jesus said in John 16:20,22:

Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy…ye now …have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

Jesus knows what we would encounter in our walk with God, that was why He already prayed for us in John 17:15-16:

I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Beloved, you must keep on looking unto Jesus, who though tempted, endured everything for our sake.

As He was victorious, so shall you also be in the mighty name of Jesus. We are more than conquerors! (Romans 8:37).

PRAYER POINT:
Lord, please see me through the challenges of life. Help me arrive safely at the bosom of the Lord Jesus, on the last day.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Psalms 36-39

HYMN 17: WHAT A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL DAY, DAY I WILL NEVER FORGET.

What a wonderful, wonderful day,
Day I will never forget;
After I’d wandered in darkness away,
Jesus my Saviour I met.
O 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!

REFRAIN:
Heaven came down and glory fill my soul, (filled my soul)
When at the cross the Saviour made me whole; (made me whole)
My sins were washed away
And my night was tuned to day,
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul! (filled my soul)

Born of the Spirit with life from above
Into God’s family divine,
Justified fully thru Calvary’s love,
O 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, O praise His dear name!

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.

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MEMORISE:
“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
(John 4:24)

READ: John 4:21-24 (KJV)

21. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

22. Ye worship ye know not what; we know what we worship; for salvation is of the Jews.

23. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

24. God is a Spirit; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

MESSAGE:
It is sad that today, many people pretend to worship God all in the name of religion. They worship in the flesh but not in spirit and truth.

This is why Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:5:

…Verily, verify, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

The message of Jesus in the Scripture above was to the religious people of His days and the founding fathers of the Church.

The message however still applies today. We cannot be in sin and claim that we are worshippers of the Holy God.

(1 John 1:6-9) says:

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Sadly, many “Christian worshippers’ today do not admit sin to be sin; they explain sin away and see it as ‘mistakes’ and mere social misbehaviour.

Hence, they neither confess it nor strive to live above it by the power of the Holy Ghost.

Paul, in Galatians 5:19-23, wrote extensively about the works of the flesh which include adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred and so on. If we would worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), we must not entangle ourselves with sin.

Ponder on Romans 12:1-2 below and get the message the Lord is sending to you today;

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.

You cannot be a true worshipper without the Holy Spirit and a sound knowledge of the word. Seek the Holy Spirit; also make time to study and meditate on the word of God.

ACTION POINT:
Commit to spending time in the presence of the Lord just worshipping Him, as led by the Holy Spirit.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Psalms 31-35

HYMN 24:TAKE MY LIFE, AND LET IT BE

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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MEMORISE:
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12

READ: Luke 12:3
Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

MESSAGE:
When a teenager or a child is forced to do ungodly things, its a form of abuse. In the past, only material things were misused but these days, Satan has captured the heart of many who are not doing the will of God to abuse children. This abuse comes in the form of molestation, sexual and physical abuse, giving out underage girls in marriage, prostitution, human trafficking et cetera.
My dear child, if you’re in a place where you’re being molested in any way, please speak to a trusted Christian elder today, so that you can be liberated and protected. The perpetrators are instruments in the hand of the devil to destroy your glorious future. They will promise you heaven and earth only to lead you to hell if you keep quiet and continue in that abuse. Many nongovernmental agencies are springing up to fight for the rights of abused teenagers all over the world. Please speak out and be saved.

KEY POINT:
Don’t keep quiet, speak out!

HYMN: ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER
1. All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

CHORUS
I surrender all, I surrender all;
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

2. All to Jesus I surrender,
Humbly at His feet I bow;
Worldly pleasures all forsaken,
Take me, Jesus, take me now.

3. All to Jesus I surrender,
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power,
Let Thy blessing fall on me.

4. All to Jesus I surrender,
Now I feel the sacred flame;
O the joy of full salvation!
Glory, glory to His name!

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Job 4-6, Acts 7:20-60

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MEMORISE:
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

READ: John 14:27
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

MESSAGE:
Nothing tangible can be achieved in a chaotic atmosphere, organization, family or mind. This is why peace is very important. There are factors that can guarantee peace in the life of an individual, particularly a child of God. The first is genuine salvation. Sin brought about the trouble that man encountered right from the Garden of Eden. Proverbs 28:1 says:
“The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.”

Thus, whoever desires peace must seek the Author of salvation, Jesus Christ. We see this in our memory verse for today, as well as in Matthew 11:28, in which Jesus says:
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Apart from being born again (John 3:3,5), we must learn the ways of the Lord. He said that we should take His yoke of meekness XXupon ourselves and learn it through Him. Another thing we must learn is contentment, 1Timothy 6:6 says godliness with contentment is great gain. Many people lack peace because they are not content with what they have. It is unfortunate that many so-called children of God are guilty of this; they dabble in some ungodly acts just to gain the material things of this world. Believers must beware! As good as wealth is, it does not satisfy.
Ecclesiastes 5:10 says:
“He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.”

We can obtain contentment by simply enjoying the blessings of God as they come and giving glory to Him for them (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20; Psalm 103:1-5). Philippians 4:5-6 cautions believers thus:
“Let your moderation be known unto all men…. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

In this Scripture, we see other factors necessary to obtain peace. You have to be moderate in your lifestyle, without being anxious for anything. You must also learn to cast your cares upon God because He is more than able to take them up for you.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, let Your peace that passes all understanding rule my heart from today, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 23-30.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 27: WE ARE NEVER NEVER WEARY OF THE GRAND OLD SONG.

1. We are never, never weary of the grand old song;
Glory to God, Hallelujah;
We can sing it loud as ever, with our faith more strong;
Glory to God, Hallelujah!

Refrain:
O, the children of the Lord have a right to shout and sing,
For the way is growing bright, and our souls are on the wing;
We are going by and by to the palace of the King!
Glory to God, Hallelujah!

2. We are lost amid the rapture of redeeming love
Glory to God, Hallelujah!
We are rising on its pinions to the hills above;
Glory to God, Hallelujah!

3. We are going to a palace that is built of gold;
Glory to God, Hallelujah!
Where the King in all His splendour we shall soon behold;
Glory to God, Hallelujah!

4. There we’ll shout redeeming mercy in a glad, new song,
Glory to God, Hallelujah!
There we’ll sing the praise of Jesus with the blood-washed throng,
Glory to God, Hallelujah!

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MEMORISE:
Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 124:8

READ: Philippians 2:9-11
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

MESSAGE:
When we call on the name of the Lord, we remind Him of what He has done in the past, which He is capable of doing over and over again. At such when we call Him by the name that is associated with some specific wonderous deed of His, He is moved to repeat what He did initially and in a greater dimension. Each name of the Lord describes some of His attributes and what He is capable of doing among the children of men. For example, the Lord’s name-Jehovah-Nissi- meaning the Lord is my banner (as in a war) speaks to the words “hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation” (Exodus 17:16). When you are confronted with a need that only God can meet and you call Him by His name- Jehovah-Jireh, you are reminding Him of His miraculous provision of a ram according to Genesis 22:13-14.

When you call on the name of Jesus Christ in faith, you get miracles. This is because the name of Jesus Christ has been highly exalted, according to today’s text.

For example, the Almighty God sent an angel to announce to Joseph what name the miraculous child should bear- that is, Jesus, and gave the reason for it.
“…….for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

The greatest thing the name of the Lord Jesus Christ does to humanity is the work of salvation. The Bible says:
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

The name of the Lord is a strong tower, it is a shield and a sure defense against demonic attack. When someone is genuinely associated with the name of the Lord, the fellow will live a victorious life without limitation. The Bible also says:
“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;” Mark 16:17

Every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus is Lord (Romans 14:11). This is the reason those who are genuinely saved cannot be attacked successfully by demons. My prayer is that as many as are reading this devotional today are delivered from all forms of demonic oppression in the name of Jesus Christ. However, whoever wants that name to work for him or her must surrender to the Lordship of the Owner of the name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, let every evil knee and tongue bow to the Lordship of Jesus Christ concerning my life, home, work and business in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 18-22.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 1: ALL HAIL 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:
Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 124:8

READ: Philippians 2:9-11
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

MESSAGE:
When we call on the name of the Lord, we remind Him of what He has done in the past, which He is capable of doing over and over again. At such when we call Him by the name that is associated with some specific wonderous deed of His, He is moved to repeat what He did initially and in a greater dimension. Each name of the Lord describes some of His attributes and what He is capable of doing among the children of men. For example, the Lord’s name-Jehovah-Nissi- meaning the Lord is my banner (as in a war) speaks to the words “hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation” (Exodus 17:16). When you are confronted with a need that only God can meet and you call Him by His name- Jehovah-Jireh, you are reminding Him of His miraculous provision of a ram according to Genesis 22:13-14.

When you call on the name of Jesus Christ in faith, you get miracles. This is because the name of Jesus Christ has been highly exalted, according to today’s text.

For example, the Almighty God sent an angel to announce to Joseph what name the miraculous child should bear- that is, Jesus, and gave the reason for it.
“…….for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

The greatest thing the name of the Lord Jesus Christ does to humanity is the work of salvation. The Bible says:
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

The name of the Lord is a strong tower, it is a shield and a sure defense against demonic attack. When someone is genuinely associated with the name of the Lord, the fellow will live a victorious life without limitation. The Bible also says:
“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;” Mark 16:17

Every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus is Lord (Romans 14:11). This is the reason those who are genuinely saved cannot be attacked successfully by demons. My prayer is that as many as are reading this devotional today are delivered from all forms of demonic oppression in the name of Jesus Christ. However, whoever wants that name to work for him or her must surrender to the Lordship of the Owner of the name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, let every evil knee and tongue bow to the Lordship of Jesus Christ concerning my life, home, work and business in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 18-22.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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MEMORISE:
And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. Genesis 30:22

READ: 1 Samuel 1:17-19
17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.

19 And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.

MESSAGE:
When we say God always remembers, we do not mean that He forgets things or people. ‘God remembers’ means that He has decided to do something. Our Bible reading for today says God remembered Hannah. God could not have forgotten her because she and her family went to Shiloh every year to worship Him (1 Samuel 1:3). When God remembers an individual in need, his or her problems will become history. Rachel in today’s memory verse had been barren for years. When God remembered her however, she gave birth to the choice son of Jacob- Joseph. When God flooded the earth, Genesis 8:1 says:
“And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged;”

Beloved, like Noah and his family came to understand, there are conditions for God’s remembrance. One, you must be godly even among the perverse generations of men. It is said that now, many ‘Christians’ have become ungodly with the excuse that the world is perverted. At the end of time, Noah will be a witness against such people (Matthew 24:37-39). Despite the immoral state of his world, Noah remained godly. No wonder he founded grace with God, and was described as a just and perfect man (Genesis 6:8,9). Two, God must see in you the intent to worship Him before He can remember you for good. Our God is a prudent investor (Genesis 8:20-22).

Hannah, in spite of her state of barrenness, was a devout woman who followed her husband in the worship of Jehovah. It was on one of such occasions that God remembered her and gave her a prophetic proclamation through His priest, which came to pass before the next Shiloh programme. For God to remember you, you must be consistent in His worship. The bible says that it is good to worship the Lord (Psalm 92:1).

As you worship the Lord this year, the Almighty will remember you for good in Jesus’ name. as long as you live in holiness you will experience divine remembrance, in the mighty name of Jesus.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, remember me today. Lord, please bring to manifestation all Your promises concerning me, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 10-17.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 16: O GOD OUR HELP IN AGES PAST.

1. O 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 defense 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. Thy Word commands our flesh to dust,
“Return, ye sons of men”:
All nations rose from earth at first,
And turn to earth again.

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

6. The busy tribes of flesh and blood,
With all their lives and cares,
Are carried downwards by the flood,
And lost in foll’wing years.

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

8. Like flow’ry fields the nations stand
Pleased with the morning light;
The flow’rs beneath the mower’s hand
Lie with’ring ere ’tis night.

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

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MEMORISE:
For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant. Psalm 105:42

READ: Nehemiah 13:13-14
13 And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were counted faithful, and their office was to distribute unto their brethren.

14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.

MESSAGE:
When God remembers a positive promise He has made concerning an individual, the fellow is in for a pleasant surprise. Luke 1:73-75 confirms this. In Genesis 8:1, the Lord remembered Noah and every living thing with him in the ark. When God remembers His mercy, He abandons judgement, provided the fellow has genuinely repented (Ezekiel 33:13-16).

Another good thing about this divine remembrance for salvation is that the process is simple. You only need to genuinely turn away from wickedness to godliness. In other words, repent. In Luke 19:8, Zacchaeus demonstrated this, by saying:
“…Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.”

Immediately after, Jesus said salvation had come to him and his household. How pleasant would it be, if every unsaved soul reading this devotional today, would cry to Jesus now and say “Lord remember me for Your salvation”.

When God remembers the good deeds of an individual, the fellow is in for a celebration. Nehemiah knew this and leveraged on it. He asked God to remember his good deeds of building the broken wall of Jerusalem and repairing the gate that was burnt by the enemies of God’s people. It was the good deeds of Abraham, according to our memory verse of today, that earned his descendants the mercies of the Almighty God. God always remembers the good deeds of His people. (Hebrews 6:10).

Beloved, since God cannot forget the good deeds of His people, it is only wise to start and continue doing good. Nehemiah could only be bold to ask God to remember him for his labor because he had done good deeds concerning the house of God. What will God remember you for: good deeds or acts of wickedness?

ACTION POINT:
Begin to perform random acts of kindness to people around you. This would please God and cause Him to remember you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 1-9.

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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MEMORISE:
The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren. Genesis 49:26

READ: Genesis 27:22-29
22 And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.

23 And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau’s hands: so he blessed him.

24 And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.

25 And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine and he drank.

26 And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.

27 And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed:

28 Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:

29 Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.

MESSAGE:
God is the Ultimate Father. In fact, He prefers the title of Father to God. No wonder when Jesus was teaching His disciples to pray in Matthew 6:9, He said they should start with “Our Father”. As a Father, God likes to bless His children. The first thing He did when He created man and woman was to bless them (Genesis 1:27-28). He has also transferred some of that power to fathers on earth. This means that when your earthly father blesses you, it is as though God Himself is blessing you; it is irreversible. We see this in Genesis 27:33:
“And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed.”

Your father’s blessing will propel you to tremendous greatness. In Genesis 27:38-40, Esau only got a remnant of the blessing from Isaac, yet in Genesis 32:6, we see that he had four hundred bodyguards. The first time a president attended one of our programmes at the Redemption Camp in Nigeria, he came along with two hundred and fifty bodyguards, Esau went to meet Jacob with four hundred bodyguards. That is what only a remnant of the blessing can do. In Genesis 27-29, we see that it can also make nations run helter-skelter to help you.

Nothing good comes cheap however, the father’s blessing is costly too, especially when it is from the heart. When Isaac wanted to bless Esau, he asked for something he loved. When you make your father happy, he will bless you from his heart. I had just arrived at the airport in Heathrow and I was carrying two big bags. There were two of my children-in-the-Lord there. One of them just greeted me while the other one ran to take my bags. I told the latter “God bless you”. The other one then said “Daddy, you did not say “God bless you” to me”. I asked. “What did you do to warrant me blessing you?” when you make your father happy, he will bless you from his heart.

Now, what can you gift your father-whether biological or spiritual. That could provoke him to bless you from his heart such that heaven would back it up? Present it to him in such a way that he would be happy with you; then ask him to bless you.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, guide me to do something that will provoke my fathers (biological and/or spiritual) to bless me.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 28-31.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS.

1. Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

o Refrain:
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see:
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

2. Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.

3. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow—
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

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MEMORISE:
He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. John 15:2

READ: Luke 13:6-7.
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?

MESSAGE:
Jesus told a parable about an unproductive, but well nurtured fig tree in today’s Bible reading. The reaction of the person tending this tree, in Luke 13:7, is our concern in today’s devotional. The farmer in this parable had been expecting pleasant fruits based on his efforts; unfortunately, he got nothing. Like this farmer in Luke 3:9, John the Baptist told the Jewish religious leaders of his days:
“And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”

Beloved, according to 1 Corinthians 3:9, we are God’s husbandry. In other words, God is the husbandman, we are the lively trees, nurtured since the day of our birth and particularly since we gave our lives to Christ. There is no doubt that we have been nourished graciously by the Almighty through His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The fact that you are alive to see this day is a pointer to how we have received both physical an spiritual nourishment. The question now is: Are you bearing fruits? The husbandman in our study today ordered that the unproductive fig tree be cut down. This is serious. May we not be cut down in Jesus’ name. The practical “Amen” to this prayer is to simply turn away from a life of fruitlessness.

If you are yet to be born again, Matthew 3:8 says you must first bring forth fruits meet for repentance, if you are already God’s child by His grace, Jesus is saying to you 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.”

You must give yourself completely to the Lordship of Jesus. you must go the ‘extra mile’ for Him and you will surely get your reward.

Apart from not being cut down and thrown into fire, Jesus promised in John 15:16 that the Father will grant all the requests you make in His name. Once you begin to bear fruit, the Lord will also continue to purge you from all impurities so that you may bear even more. Please mediate on Galatians 5:22-26.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, guide me to do something that will provoke my fathers (biological and/or spiritual) to bless me.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 28-31.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS.
1. Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

o Refrain:
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see:
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

2. Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.

3. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow—
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Please follow and like us:

20