MEMORISE:
Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; Psalm 30:11

READ: Isaiah 61:1-3

1The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

MESSAGE

One tactic the devil uses to gain access into the lives of God’s children is portraying our loving heavenly Father in bad light. His end game here is to make us fail from grace and glory into shame and pity. He successfully used this ploy against Eve in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:4-5 documents his approach:

“ And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”

The devil portrayed himself here as being more loving and caring than God! Hope deceitful! We see this character being manifested by his agents in the world today. When a man, who is actually ravenous wolf, begins to show exceptional care for a young girl beyond what her parents can afford, he is actually seeking to devour a precious part of the innocent girl’s life. A housewife who shows more care to a domestic male servant or driver than her husband may be walking in the same spirit as Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 39:7-20). If you find yourself in such a situation, please run for your dear life. The Holy Spirit already warned us about this, saying in Proverbs 6:26:

“ For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adultress will hunt for the precious life.”

Contrary to what the devil and his agents would have us believe; God loves us. He proved His love for us by giving us the gift of Himself in His Son (John 3:16). The Son said in John 15:13:

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Did you notice that He called us His friends in this verse? It is a foolish thing to think that anyone can love us like God the Father and His only begotten Son do. It is because of this love that he promises you beauty for ashes in today’s Bible reading, beloved, do not listen to the negative comments of the devil about the Lover of your soul, who is specifically sending this message to you today so that you may know He has not forgotten you. He sent me to tell you that He is processing your prayers for the appointed time. So, don’t be weary in your heart, because you are next in line for a testimony. The God who did wonderous things in David’s life, so much so that He penned the words of today’s memory verse after overcoming all his foes, will do the same for you this season in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please fulfil your pleasant promises and purpose for my life speedily this season in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ecclesiastes 1-3
Zechariah 14:10-21

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: 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:

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. John 14:27

READ: Isaiah 48:17-19

17 Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.

18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:

19 Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.

MESSAGE

One of the reasons why Jesus was born is to give us peace like a river (Luke 2:14). It is a great thing to the peace of God inside. If you have God’s peace, you will experience peace in the totality of your man, because this peace applies the balm of serenity to our minds and hearts. Without mincing words, it is not a good thing to lack inner peace. The devil uses turbulent storms to generate crisis in people’s lives, leading to worry and anxiety. This is one method he uses to steal God’s peace away from us, but God will not allow his evil ventures to succeed in your life in Jesus’ Name. many people whose peace the devil has stolen seek peace through the use of tranquilizers and depressants, while some others turn to illicit drugs or alcohol. Some even dabble in mystic pseudo-religious movements to find solutions to their lack of peace. All of these sources do not possess peace, and so they cannot give peace to anyone. God is the only source of peace, and He has appointed His Son as the prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Speaking through the Holy Spirit, He describes His remedy against any raging storm of the devil that wants to steal our inner peace, saying in Philippians 4:6-7:

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

From this verse, we understand that prayer holds the key to walking in God’s peace. Through prayer, we are able to beat back the devil’s evil arrows of anxiety and worry. Spending time alone with God to thank Him and present our petitions is the most effective tranquilizer. There is no solution to inner disquiet as effective as prayer, and it always, works.

The peace of God transcends all understanding. In other words, it is above and beyond what we understand. The next time you sense a great inner shaking or even just a slight inner disquiet, try prayer. Shut yourself away to be alone with God, and pray God’s word back to Him. Thank Him for who He is and for all His grace and goodness; then tell Him about your anxieties and concerns, and He will intervene to change things for you. When you finish praying, you will discover that the peace of God has filled your inner man. A quiet inner serenity and calm will reign I you, even if the storm is still raging around you. I know this to be true from experience and from what God’s word says. God’s word is practical and its promises work in every circumstance of life. Have you ever considered that your lack of inner peace might be God’s way of calling you to prayer? God may be calling you to have fellowship with Hm, and in the process He will restore His peace that transcends all understanding to your life.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please let your angel be on guard over all my family members in this festive period, and let Your peace that passes all human understanding rule our hearts in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 29-31
Zechariah 13:7-14:9

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: 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:
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Colossians 2:9

READ: Luke 2:8-20

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

MESSAGE

The greatest gift a person can give is the gift of himself. If Abraham understood this, he would not have complained to God about not having a child after God had offered Himself to him as a gift, saying in Genesis 15:1b:

“Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.”

In like manner, God has offered Himself a gift to all of mankind in the person of Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 3:16). As you celebrate His birth today, you need to understand the magnitude of what God has done in sending Him into the world for the salvation of mankind. No wonder He said to the Samaritan woman in John 4:10:

“If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.”

If you catch the revelation that Jesus is God Himself wrapped up as a gift just for you, your perspective will change from asking for petty things to desiring more of Him in your life. Having Him in your life is more than enough for you. This is why Colossians 2:10 says:

“And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:”

Those who know who He is and have received Him into their lives know that they need nothing more. Having Jesus in your life grants you access to all the resources of heaven, so what more do you need beyond Him (John 16:15)? To give us a better understanding of this mystery, the Holy Spirit asks us a question we should ponder on in Romans 8:32, saying:

“He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”

It is one thing to be offered a gift, and it is another thing to accept this gift. It is one thing to accept an offered gift, and it is another thing to know the worth and capabilities of that gift. Ultimately, for a person to benefit from the benevolence of a gift, its content has to be unpacked and deployed to meet the needs of its recipient. Have you accepted the Greatest Gift that God can give into your life? Today is a great day to do so if you haven’t. he is standing at the door of your heart waiting to enter in, if only you acknowledge that He loves and cares for you, and that He shed His Blood on the cross of Calvary to cleanse your sins. After acknowledging this, you need to declare it with your mouth and also confess your sins to him. Ask Him to come into your life and reign over you as your personal Lord and Savior. If you have done this, congratulations! You will begin to discover so many things about this Greatest Gift of God as you begin to study about Him through a Bible, and these will propel your life to the zenith. Hallelujah!

PRAYER POINT:

Father, I thank You for giving me the gift of Yourself in Jesus, and I thank You that I am complete in Him; I therefore confess that lack, sickness and failure have no place in my life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 26-28
Zechariah 12:10-13:6

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: HAVE YOU BEEN TO JESUS FOR THE CLEANSING POWER.

1. Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
o Refrain:
Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

2. Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

3. When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Will your soul be ready for the mansions bright,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?

4. Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
Oh, be washed in the blood of the Lamb!

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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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