MEMORISE:

But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Romans 8:11

READ: Ephesians 1:11-14

11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

MESSAGE

When our Lord Jesus Christ was leaving the earth, He promised that He would send us a comforter who would teach us all things (John 14:26). That Comforter, who is the Holy Spirit, came on a certain day of Pentecost, and He has been with the Body of Christ ever since then (Acts 2). The Lord sent Him to serve as His representative in our lives, and His ministry in us is so invaluable. His presence in man’s life is transformative and empowering, so much so that those who don’t have Him or who are not full of His presence do not know what they are missing. He is such a precious partner in accomplishing the will of God for our lives in this world.

When a person becomes born again, the fellow suddenly begins to feel an unusual peace within. That is the effect of the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is that person also begins to sound an alarm whenever he or she is about to commit a sin. Such a fellow has a choice to either ignore this warning or take heed. If you are a child of God, I am sure you experience this whenever you are about to commit a sin. My advice is that you yield to His warning, because the Holy Spirit can be displaced from a person’s heart. If you often ignore His voice, you will soon realize that you cannot hear Him anymore. If you continue living in sin, He will leave and other spirits will take His place (Matthew 12:43-45). May you never experience this in Jesus’ Name.

Not only does the Holy Spirit help us to live a holy life, He also teaches and helps us to pray (Romans 8:26). Prayer is a way of communicating with our heavenly Father. If you don’t communicate often with your Father, your relationship with Him will become strained, and you will soon find yourself doing things that are contrary to His will. Hence, it is important to pray regularly. However, many Christians would rather talk about prayer than pray. The Holy Spirit always nudge us to pray. Whenever you feel this nudge, please go to a separate place and pray. Sometimes, it’s not that you don’t want to pray, you just don’t know what to say when you start. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you in such moments. Lastly, what distinguishes our lives as Christians is the fruit of our character. The Holy Spirit influences our character through the manifestation of His fruit in our lives (Galatians 5:22-23). He helps us to live a life filled with love, joy faith, patience, peace, gentleness, meekness and temperance. Consciously cultivate a relationship with Him and He will manifest more of His precious works in your life.

ACTION POINT:

In this festive season, let the Holy Spirit guide your steps speech, actions and motives.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 23-25
Zechariah 11:15-12:9

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 11: WHEN THE POWER OF GOD DESCENDED.

1. When the power of God descended
On the day of Pentecost,
All the days of waiting ended,
They received the Holy Ghost.
O Lord, send the power just now,
O Lord, send the power just now,
O Lord, send the power just now,
And baptize, everyone.

2. Tongues of flame came down upon them,
And they preached the word in power,
Listening multitudes awakened
Turned to God that very hour.

3. We are waiting Holy Spirit
We are all of one accord,
Lord fulfil just now the promise
That is given in Thy Word

4. Fill and thrill us with thy presence,
Grant the blessing that we need
Flood our souls with wondrous glory,
While the prayer of faith we plead.

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MEMORISE:
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 1 John 3:1

READ: Romans 8:14-17

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

MESSAGE

The word “Heritage” refers to a cherished property or inheritance, having special architectural, historical or natural qualities and values. It reveals the sense of history, personality, importance, authority and worth of a people or Nation. It is therefore not surprising that God commanded the Israelites to document historical events, Covenants, laws and Commandments that formed their heritage in order to preserve them forever (Exodus 17:14, Exodus 34:27, Deuteronomy 11:20). God and His kingdom also have heritage. The people of God in all generation are the heritage of God (Psalm 94:5). The Bible therefore refers to the Israelites, the Church of Christ, and little children as God’s heritage (Joel 3:2, 1 Peter 5:3, Psalm 127:3). Since a heritage refers to assets of monumental value, the Lord’s heritage is therefore something very precious to be protected and watched over with all diligence. This should give you an idea of your worth to God as a Christian.

In the beginning God created us in his own image and for His pleasure, but man later fell from grace and became a slave to sin. In His mercy, God to approached the slave market and repurchased us by offering the precious blood of Son, Jesus, as ransom for us. By this heavy investment, God has secured a double claim of ownership over us: as the beautiful work of His hands, and as His adopted children, bought with the precious Blood of Jesus. Little wonder the Holy Spirit in 1 Peter 2:9 describes those in Christ in these terms:

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;”

All of mankind have the opportunity of becoming God’s children through faith in Jesus Christ, who came into this world to redeem us from sin and Satan over two thousand years ago. As you celebrate His birth this season, remember what He came to do and do not let it go to waste in your life. Jesus came to manifest the nature of God and demonstrate His character to us, so that through His example we can imitate the ways of our heavenly Father in our daily lives. Those who live their lives in this manner, under the saving grace and lordship of Jesus Christ, are those considered to be God’s Heritage. Just as human beings spare no expense to preserve their heritage, God can go to any length to preserve those that are His heritage. Are you part of God’s heritage?

KEY POINT:

Abiding in an environment of accountability prevents character erosion.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 20-22
Zechariah 11:1-14

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 9: 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:
Till 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.

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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MEMORISE:
Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. Psalm 127:1

READ: Psalm 91:1-16
1He 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.

9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

MESSAGE
A Refuge is a secured shelter or a place of protection from danger and distress. It is a good stronghold that is commonly used for retreat, healing and renewal. It is therefore comforting that the Bible refers to God as our refuge 2 Samuel 22:3 says:

“ The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.”

In effect, God is our Fortress, Strong Tower, Rock of Defense, our shield, our shade of protection and our shelter in the time of storms. Indeed, He is a mighty God with incredible capabilities. As the Lord of hosts and our Mighty man in battle, He is mighty to deliver and mighty to save.

A father’s capability and actions go a long way in affecting the life of his child. Our heavenly Father does not only neutralize weapons designed against His children; He also protect them from harm. I have experienced His goodness in this regard several times, and I would like to share one of these with you today. At a time when I was still very young in the 50’s, we had mining activities going on in my village and our roads were very narrow. Nigeria was still under colonial rule back then. Usually, white men came in a jeep to collect the gold that the miners got. The white men were so powerful in those days that the villagers believed that if a white man killed person’s child, that person would still have to say “thankyou” to them, to avoid being sent to prison. For this reason, they were very much dreaded. One day, my sister and I were returning from the farm when we suddenly heard the sound of a jeep moving towards us at top speed, my sister immediately grabbed my hand and we both jumped out of the way, landing in an empty mine pit. We barely escaped the jeep, but before we could have a sigh of relief, we found ourselves before a deadly snake. However, because our heavenly Father can preserve lives, I lived to tell the story. In Luke 10:19, God empowered all believers in Christ to have authority over snakes, scorpions and over demonic agents and all their activities. I therefore prophesy in the Name that is above all other names: God will protect you and defend everything that is yours this season. I testify that God’s word is trustworthy, reliable and dependable, and this word says in Psalm 20:7-8:

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.”

Irrespective of what you may be passing through right now, trust God and call upon His Name today, and He will give you all-round peace.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, that You for being my hiding place and my refuge; please keep me secure to fulfil my assignment in life, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 16-19
Zechariah 10

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 12: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE.
1. My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!

2. May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!

3. While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside.

4. When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold, sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll;
Blest Savior, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!

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MEMORISE:
Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. Deuteronomy 13:4

READ: Job 23:10-12

10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

11 My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

MESSAGE
From my encounters with people all around the world, I make bold to say that so many people want to live their lives as true Christians. However even though they really want to live holy Christ-like lives, they somehow find themselves falling into sin again and again. Some have even concluded that it is not possible to live a holy life, but nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus said in Matthew 5:48:

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

Only a bully would ask a person to do something he or she knows cannot be done just to oppress that person. In some Nigerian Secondary Schools, a bully would give a junior student N10 and ask the fellow to buy food worth N100. Our God is not like that; if he says you should be perfect it means he has given you the ability to be perfect the only problem is that most people fail to realize that they have all that it takes to live a life of holiness.

God gave us the Bible to help us live a holy life. Everyone who studies the Bible regularly will tell you that the more you study God’s word the less attractive sin becomes to them. This is the point of sanctification where a person begins to love righteousness and hated iniquity. In order for the His disciples to remain holy after His departure, Jesus prayed to God thus:

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” John 17:17

If you don’t study your Bible daily it will be impossible for you to live holy.

You should not stop at studying God’s word daily; you must also memorize it. This is why we have a memory verse per day in this devotional. When you memorize scriptures everyday it will be difficult for you to commit sin. David said in Psalm 119:11:

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

What you meditate on and for how long you meditate on it has an effect on your lifestyle. This is why God advised Joshua to meditate on His word day and night. If you continuously do this you will begin to live like Christ and succeed as He did

KEY POINT:
Fall in love with God’s word and it will be easy to live a holy life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 9-12
Zechariah 8:9- 23

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: TRUST AND OBEY.
1. 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.
o Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

3. 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 blessed if we trust and obey.

4. 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.

5. 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.

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MEMORISE:

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:20

READ: Matthew 7:15-20

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

MESSAGE

It is common knowledge that a tree is known by its fruit. Incidentally, man also possesses the capacity to bear fruit. Are you bearing fruit? What kind of fruit are you bearing? For a sinner, he or she is expected to bear fruits meet for repentance (Matthew 3:8), while believers must bear the fruit of souls won into the kingdom (Matthew 28:18-20), as well as the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

The fruits emanating from a person’s life can be used in identifying that person’s nature. Our Lord Himself recommended this as a way of differentiating his true messengers from imposters. In these last days, there are imposters among believers and ministers of the gospel. The only way we can identify them is by examining their fruits. For example, when you see so-called believer drinking beer, patronizing brothels or living a lifestyle of sin, you do not need to be Prophet Elijah to tell that such a person is not a genuine disciple of Christ, why? The Holy Spirit already clearly revealed the kind of lifestyle fruit that those who are in Christ will produce. He said in 1 John 3:9-10:

“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.”

In Acts 8:18-23, we read about fake disciple in the early Church, Simon by name, who was identified as an imposter through his fruit. He had been a sorcerer for a good number of years, but he joined the Church, pretending to be converted. The leadership of the Church was able to discover his deception by his quest to procure spiritual power with money. In other words, he was only in church to make money, contrary to the purpose of the Head of the Church. When his sin found him out. Peter sternly reprimanded him, saying in Acts8:20-21:

“Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.”

There are some people who crave position, title and ordination in church today so that they can make merchandise of the gospel, while some are even in church to cause confusion. What is the motive driving your service in the house of God today? The Lord expects your zeal for him to be grounded in love for Him to be grounded in love for Him and commitment to the expansion of His kingdom. Is it so with you?

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please help me to bear fruit that is acceptable to You.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 5-8
Zechariah 7:1- 8:8

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 5: LET OTHERS SEE JESUS IN YOU.

1. While passing thro’ this world of sin,
and others your life shall view,
Be clean and pure without, within;
Let others see Jesus in you.

Refrain:
Let others see Jesus in you,
Let others see Jesus in you.
Keep telling the story, be faithful and true;
Let others see Jesus in you.

2. Your life’s a book before their eyes,
They’re reading it thro’ and thro’
Say, does it point them to the skis,
Do others see Jesus in you?

Refrain

3. Then live for Christ both day and night,
Be faithful, be brave and true,
and lead the lost to life and Christ.
Let others see Jesus in you.

Refrain

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MEMORISE:
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. Romans 12:2

READ: 1 John 2:15-29

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.

25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.

27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

MESSAGE

In this perverse world, there are many standards by which people live. Different cultures on earth all define standards they expect people to live by and try to impose this on anyone that lives under their influence. However, when Jesus came to earth preaching the kingdom of God, He dismissed these worldly standards, replacing them with the standards of God’s kingdom. For example, the world believes that a leader should be lord over his or her followers, but Jesus said it should not be so amongst us Christians. Heaven’s standard of leadership establishes that a leader should serve his or her followers (Luke 22:25-27). Also, the world tells us that it is foolish to receive an insult from someone and keep quite; the expectation is that you should reply with even more insults. Contrary to this, Jesus said when someone slaps you on one cheek, you should offer the other cheek also (Luke 6:29). The standard you live by indicate the kingdom you belong to. Speaking to God concerning His disciples, Jesus said in John 17:16:

“They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

If you live by the world’s standard, then you are of the world. What standards do you apply in your business dealings? By what standards do you relate with your wife or husband? What standards influence your behavior in your workplace? If you don’t live by Christ’s standards, don’t deceive yourself claiming that you are not of this world.

Many times, people live by the standards of the world because they are afraid of being rejected by the world. You must quickly understand that as a disciple of Jesus Christ that you cannot expect the world to love you. Jesus explained this to His disciples in John 15:19, saying:

“If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

If you are after the love of the world, then you have missed it completely. The one whose love you should be after is Jesus. His approval should be all that you seek. The world can hail you today for giving them bread and fish, then turn around to scream “Crucify Him!” tomorrow. The world is no one’s friend. The only true friend you can have is Jesus Christ. Guard your relationship with Him jealously, and live by His standards rather than those of the world.

KEY POINT:

The standards you live by show the kingdom you belong to.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 1-4
Zechariah 5:5-6:15

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE.
1. Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
*Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless 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.

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.

4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r 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.

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.

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MEMORISE:
Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: Proverbs 24:3

READ: Proverbs 6:6-11

6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

MESSAGE

Knowledge is considered to be powerful, because it is a major factor that controls the decision-making process and therefore ultimately determines the course of a person’s life. How much you know determines your ability to make the right decisions about a subject matter. Based on this, Proverbs 1:29-31 says that those who despise or detest knowledge do so to their own peril. To this end, Hosea 4:6 says:

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”

The wisdom you need in taking those crucial decisions is available to you in the written and spoken word of God. If you know more about God and His word, it will help you to make error-proof choices and decisions. God can choose to speak to you on the way to go through the Bible or through prophetic utterance of genuine men and women of God. How much time do you set aside for studying the Bible? Some think it is a waste of time to undertake personal Bible studies at night while others are sleeping. This is not so; you are actually gaining time by doing this. When you give priority to God’s word, you will realize that you spend far less time and effort in reaching your goal compared to those who don’t. that is why God told Joshua not to allow the knowledge of His word elude him, so that he would achieve good success (Joshua 1:8).

Every Christian needs to know that dependence on worldly knowledge can lead to failure, but godly knowledge guarantees success. Biblical knowledge is a combination of scientific, philosophical, psychological and spiritual knowledge, and it is superior to any other kind of knowledge. However, the knowledge of God’s word is not enough; doing what it says is much more important. James 1:25 says:

“But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

Today’s Bible reading establishes another principle of success that says there is wisdom in hard work and saving for the raining day. Those who are lazy cannot amount to anything. Also, those who are hardworking but eat both their food and seed, especially their tithes and offering, cannot walk in the realm of God’s covenant blessings. Apart from sowing seeds, you to invest in the rainy day. Ants should not be wiser than men, but God in His wisdom directs us to them today to obtain knowledge on the principles of success. May the Lord help us to be wise in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please endow me with wisdom from Your Spirit-illuminated word, so that I may gain wisdom for a successful life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 144-150
Zechariah 4:1- 5:4

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: TRUST AND OBEY.
1. 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.
o Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

3. 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 blessed if we trust and obey.

4. 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.

5. 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.

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MEMORISE:
And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: Hebrews 6:11

READ: Revelation 21:1-9

1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.

MESSAGE
It is a thing of joy that the truth about our Christian race and the rewards awaiting us at the finish line are not hidden from us. Speaking in today’s memory verse, the Holy Ghost admonishes us to diligently endure till the end of our Christian race, hearing at the back of our minds the assurance of an eternal life of abundance. Our Lord Jesus Christ also shed light on the honors reserved for us, saying in Revelation 2:25-26:

“But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:”

It is not an overstatement to say that the Christian race is a difficult task to undertake. Our Lord Jesus Christ did not hide this from us; rather, He said in John 15:20:

“Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.”

The early Church endured the persecution of both the Jewish religious leaders and the Roman government. At that time, being a follower of Jesus Christ was enough of crime to earn a person the death penalty. In spite of this, like the Hebrew boys of old (Daniel 3:14-18), they did not deny their faith in the Master. Unfortunately, what we have in some Christians these days is a shadow of the deep commitment demonstrated by our forerunners. Unfortunately, what we have in some Christians these days is a shadow of the deep commitment demonstrated by our forerunners. Today, the treat of being penalized for preaching the gospel to a work colleague sends fear down the spine of Christians in organizations, and they retreat into the shell pf passive Christianity, to the delight of the antichrist spirit who orchestrates such attacks in contrast, when the Jewish leaders warned the apostles of old against preaching the gospel of Christ, they responded in Acts 4:19b-20, saying:

“Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

After they were released from detention and interrogation the apostles returned to their company and kept firing on all cylinders. Raising their voices to God in prayer, they received even greater boldness (Acts 4:31). Are you facing hardship and persecution because of your faith? I encourage you to remain steadfast, because our Master will soon return to take all our pain away. Be encouraged by God’s word in Revelation 21:4, saying to you:

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

May you not miss heaven in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please strengthen me as I journey through this life to the heavenly Jerusalem.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 139-143
Zechariah 3

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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MEMORISE:
Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper. Psalm 30:10

READ: Psalm 30:10-12

10 Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper.

11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;

12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

MESSAGE
At one point or the other in life, everyone requires a form of help from another person. Whether this help is received or not depends on the direction it is sought from. David was a man who needed great help to actualize his dream in life. It is therefore not surprising that he often sort for help, as seen in today’s memory verse. In Psalm 3:2-3, he also confesses God as his helper, saying:

“Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.”

No wonder he achieved great things in life. Do you want God to be your helper like He was to David? If you do, you must make certain that you belong to His kingdom and have the assurance of His salvation, which is obtainable only in Jesus Christ. Jesus is ready to help you, and He will help you as you cry unto Him today. He understands everything you are passing through because He has felt what you feel. One of the reasons why He became a man was to experience what we go through as mortals, so that He can help us in every area of life as our High Priest. Speaking of this, Hebrews 4:15-16 says:
“ For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Beloved, intimacy with God is one factor that yields accelerated help from Him. What does it take to be intimate with God? To guide us on this, the Holy Spirit says in Psalm 24:3-5:

“Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.”

Divine help requires a perfect walk with God, such as God demanded from Abraham in Genesis 17:1 and reinforced by Jesus Christ in Matthew 5:48. In order to develop intimate fellowship with God, after becoming born again, we must walk before Him in perfection by paying close attention to His word (Psalm 119:105). Above all, it is the mercy of God that grants us access to His divine help (Psalm 109:26, Hebrews 4:16). Therefore, if I were you, I would call on His mercy whenever I need help in my life. Are you doing this or running from pillar to post?

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please send Your help to me speedily today, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 120-131
Zechariah 1:1-17

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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