Devotionals

MEMORISE:
The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. Ezekiel 18:20

READ: Ezekiel 18:1-4.
1 The word of the Lord came unto me again, saying,

2 What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge?

3 As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.

4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

MESSAGE:
The righteousness of God demands that the soul that commits sin would die as we see in our memory verse today. John 10:10 however gives us an alternative to sin and death:
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, He saves us from the life of sin, and ultimately eternal death, blessing us with abundant life instead.

Another truth I want to share with us is that the righteousness of God does not allow an offender to be punished twice for one offense. Since Jesus Christ our Redeemer has suffered for our sins, we are discharged and acquitted. As long as you do not commit that sin again, once Jesus has forgiven you, your forgiveness is absolute.
“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:4-5

Beloved, I am using this medium to appeal to you to come to Jesus Christ today and He will relieve you of your burden of sin. As a matter of fact, the cross He carried before His crucifixion was for you and me. All you need to do is confess your sins and accept Jesus as your Savior and Lord. The Bible says if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and there is no truth is us (1 John 1:8). We deny ourselves the privilege of the great Burden-Bearer if we refuse to come to Him and make Him the Lord of our lives. He must be your Lord and Savior.

I pray that the Almighty God will relieve you of every burden of sin and sorrow, in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, I bring my burden to You today in genuine repentance. Please forgive me and lift my burden today, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: EZEKIEL 43-48.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 28: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS.

What a friend we have in Jesus
All our sins and griefs to bear
And what a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer

Oh, what peace we often forfeit
Oh, what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged
Take it to the Lord in prayer

• Can we find a friend so faithful
  Who will all our sorrows share?
  Jesus knows our every weakness
  Take it to the Lord in prayer

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MEMORISE:
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63

READ: Proverbs 3:1-4.
1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:

2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

MESSAGE:
There are many people who could have succeeded in life if they had the privilege of being guided aright. Favor and other good things of life have eluded some ‘believers’ all through their lives and they wonder why. They do not know that the key to unlocking our desires is hidden in God’s word. Proverbs 4:20-22 says:
“My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.”

The power in the word of God cannot be overemphasized. John 1:1,3 captures it beautifully. It says:
“ In the beginning was the Word, …All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

In other words, everything, man inclusive, was made by the Word of God. Our Lord Jesus, in today’s memory verse corroborates the Scripture above by assuring us that His words are spirit and life-giving. If we would abide in them. Thus, if anyone wants favor and long life, the fellow must be “Word compliant” – he or she must be complaint with the Word of God (Jesus). Anyone who deviates from the Word that created him would lose divine favor and long life. Adam deviated and although he lived for nine hundred and thirty years, we see that in reality, because he lived for less that a thousand years, he lived for less than a day in the eyes of the Lord (2 Peter 3:8).

Beloved, no witch or wizard can kill you if you abide by the wonder-working Word of the Living God. Some people have been deceived: they now believe that the law of God is of no importance anymore because we are in the dispensation of grace. Paul had seen this and warned against people taking grace for granted. Apart from divine prosperity and long life on earth, eternal life is guaranteed when we abide by the Word of God, as we see in John 17:8, 14-15.

Beloved, I encourage you to surrender your life to Jesus Christ- the Word and Wisdom of God, today, if you haven’t done so. If you have, constantly renew your mind through the Word of God and your life will be filled with miracles. God bless you!

ACTION POINT:
Father, help me to be ‘Word complaint’ so Your word will perform wonders in my life, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: EZEKIEL 37-42.

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:
But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil. Proverbs 1:33

READ: Proverbs 1:20-29.
20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:

21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,

22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

MESSAGE:
The true and original Wisdom is a personality; hence He speaks, calls, warns and counsels. Jesus Christ is that original Wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24). He is the One speaking in our Bible reading for today. He is the One calling us personally in Matthew 11:28-30. Only those who are wise would answer the call and thus, have their houses built on the rock (Luke 6:47-48).

In today’s Bible reading, the original Wisdom of God is pleading with His audience- you and me, to listen to His words of reason. He asks why anyone would choose foolishness over wisdom. He wonders why men hate knowledge, the correct application of which brings wisdom that saves from both temporal and eternal damnation. Jesus Christ, the wisdom of God assures us in today’s memory verse that whoever pays close attention to Him in order to do His bidding shall live in safety and the fellow shall be free from all evils. Proverbs 2:6-7 says:
“For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.”

Have you responded in the affirmative to the Lord’s call in Matthew 11:28-30? Answering positively that call is the best decision you can make in life. In this one call is salvation, prosperity, rest of mind and total freedom from evil. Jesus is calling on you today if you are yet to be born again or have backslidden.

The burden of sin is unbearable for mankind. This is why it is only reasonable to respond to the call of Someone who is ready to take away the burden from us. Answering the call of Jesus unto salvation is the beginning of wisdom and failure to do so is the foundation of all forms of calamity. Little wonder God says in today’s Scripture reading that, for those who refuse to listen to him, He would laugh them to scorn in the time of their calamity. May this not be your portion, in the mighty name of Jesus. the ‘Amen’ to that prayer is in your obedience to hearken to the voice of Wisdom.

Prayer Point:
Oh Lord, please give me listening ears to hear Your counsel and a willing heart to obey You always, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: EZEKIEL 31-36.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 28: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS.

1. What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

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

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

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

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MEMORISE:
How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a strange land? Psalm 137:4

READ: Psalm 137:1-9.
1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.

3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.

4 How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a strange land?

5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.

6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

7 Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.

8 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.

9 Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.

MESSAGE:
You cannot win the battle of life, especially spiritual one, if you do not know who you are in the Lord. One great thing about the children of Israel is that to date, they are still identified as God’s own people. Many people who have fallen into sin have written themselves off, even when God is waiting to receive them with excitement, like the father of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-24. Beloved, as long as you are born again, you must always be conscious of your position in the Lord. 1 John 3:1 says:
“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.”

When the children of Israel were taken into captivity at Babylon, their captors wanted to mock them by asking them to sing of the goodness of their God, even as they were in distress. The children of Israel knew the motive of the Babylonians and thus, declined to sing. This humbled their captors in a way, because the children of Israel did not cheapen their songs of praise before the Babylonians, who could have corrupted the songs. Sadly, many gospel songs have now been corrupted by secular artistes, and many ‘believers’ are responsible for this prevalent culture. This is why some unbelievers can naively argue that there is indeed no gospel music. They cannot be farther from the truth. There is music that contains the true gospel of Jesus Christ, and this should be what God’s children listen to.

Rather than sing song of praise in Babylon, the Israelites sang of God’s vengeance (Psalm 137:8-9). If it appears that the enemy is gaining the upper hand in your life, you must know that it is not over until God says it is over. Perhaps you are being afflicted by the enemy because of sin in your life; turn to Jesus today, He is our advocate with the Father and has paid for our sins (1 John 2:1-2). Never lose faith in God’s mercy; do not take Him for granted by remaining in sin and thinking grace would abound. May you never suffer losses again, in the mighty name of Jesus.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me not to lose my confidence in You. Help me Lord, not to take Your grace for granted, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: EZEKIEL 19-24.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 22: STAND UP, STAND UP FOR JESUS.
1. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! ye soldiers of the cross;
Lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss:
From vict’ry unto vict’ry, His army shall He lead,
Till every foe is vanquished, and Christ is Lord indeed.

2. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! The trumpet call obey:
Forth to the mighty conflict, in this His glorious day;
Ye that are men now serve Him against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger, and strength to strength oppose.

3. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! Stand in His strength alone,
The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own;
Put on the gospel armor, and watching unto prayer,
Where calls the voice of duty, be never wanting there.

4. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! the strife will not be long;
This day the noise of battle, the next the victor’s song;
To him that overcometh a crown of life shall be;
He with the King of glory shall reign eternally.
————————
Remember: ‘There Is No Problem Without Solution; Jesus Is The Solution To All Problems.
————————

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MEMORISE:
For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 1 John 3:11

READ: Psalm 133:1-3.
1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;

3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

MESSAGE:
In our devotional today, we will consider the blessings of unity, which have been identified in the Scriptures to include joy, peace, and progress.

When you go through the Bible reading of today, you will observe the Psalmist lamenting, almost in despair. Perhaps this was so because he had seen how elusive unity was among the brethren, even in his time.

Today, despite the fact that we say “united we stand; divided we fall” in words, sing it in songs and rehearse it in poems, there are still divisions among us. Sadly, this is also the case among believers who should be the leading lights for this dark world. This is the reason joy, peace and progress have eluded so many believers today. This is why, as a Church, we have not been able to accomplish the Great Commission as effectively as we desire. How can two missionaries commissioned by the same organization to the same field of operation not be united? Sadly, this is the state of the Body of Christ in many places today. Believers now fall prey to the enemy, becoming casualties of this disunity. If the Body of Christ can work together in unity, today’s Bible reading says our blessing are guaranteed. The subject of unity is so important that our Lord Jesus Christ spent time praying about it in John’s gospel. John 17:21,26:
“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me….And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

The absence of love is a major cause of disunity. Jesus however, has prayed about this too. We see that in today’s memory verse. Beloved, let us begin to work towards the fulfilment of our Lord’s prayer, so that the Church can make headway in our missionary and evangelistic endeavors. Let us love- not in words alone, but also in deed. This way, we will maintain unity.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please let love- Your love, fill the hearts of all Your children and unite us all, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: EZEKIEL 13-18.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 12: IN CHRIST ALONE.

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.

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.

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.

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:
Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. Psalm 128:1

READ: Psalm 128:1-6.
1 Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.

2 For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

3 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

4 Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD.

5 The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.

6 Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon Israel.

MESSAGE:
The lack of the fear of the Lord has brought untold hardship to many people since the fall of man. However, those who have exercised the fear of the Lord in the past have fulfilled their destinies. Thus, every wise person must exhibit the fear of the Lord.

Joseph could have had his destiny cut short had he succumbed to the temptation of sexual immorality- an age- old sin. You would recall that God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of this. Reuben also was cursed because of his sexual immorality with his father’s wife (Genesis 49:4). Despite how inviting the temptation was, Joseph feared the Lord and refused to take up the offer of sleeping with Potiphar’s wife. With fear and trembling, he declined in Genesis 39:9 thus:
“There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

You may be wondering how Joseph knew that sleeping with another man’s wife is a sin against her husband and God, considering the fact that the commandment to refrain from adultery was given much later in Exodus 20:14. The truth is that God has written His laws on the heart of man (Hebrews 8:10, Romans 2:14-15. This is what puts His fear in us if we have not been given over to reprobate minds as seen in Romans 1:28.

Joseph prospered because he feared the Lord. Do you fear the Lord? Do you question the spiritual authority of your Pastor? Do you still hide under the clock of a ‘clear conscience’ even as you engage in sexual immorality? Today’s memory verse says:
“Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways; that walketh in his way.”

The practical way of showing that you fear the Lord is by trembling at His word. Isaiah 66:2 says:
“For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.”

I encourage you today to fear the Lord and abstain from all evil. As you do, God Himself will prosper you in all your ways, in the mighty name of Jesus.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please instill Your fear in me and prosper me the way only You can, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: EZEKIEL 7-12.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 9: HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, LORD GOD ALMIGHTY.
Holy, holy, holy
Lord God almighty
Early in the morning my song shall rise to thee
Holy. holy, holy
Merciful and mighty
God in three persons, blessed Trinity

Holy, holy, holy
All the saints adore Thee
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea
All the cherubim and seraphim are falling down before Thee
Which wert and art and evermore shalt be

Holy, holy, holy
Though the darkness hide Thee
Though the eyes of sinful man Thy glory may not see
Lord, only Thou art holy and there is none beside Thee
Perfect in power, in love and purity

Holy, holy, holy
Lord God almighty
All Thy works shall praise Thy name in earth and sky and sea
Holy, holy, holy
Merciful and mighty
You are God in three persons, blessed Trinity
You are God in three persons, blessed Trinity
Oh, God in three persons, blessed Trinity

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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 127:1-2.
1 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.

2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

MESSAGE:
Every creature needs some form of assistance. I is only God- our creator that does not need assistance at all. Of all kinds of assistance men may get however, the one from God is the greatest. Whenever God asks someone to partner with Him on any of His projects, He is setting up the fellow for blessings. When Jesus asked Peter’s boat to preach at the lake of Gennesaret, he did so because He wanted to make Peter a famous fisher of men, not because He wouldn’t have been able to preach without it (Luke 5:1-11). Jesus who walked on the sea could have done the same thing to preach if He had needed to (Matthew 14:26-27).
Anyone looking up to himself, herself or another person for assistance will definitely be disappointed. 1 Samuel 2:9 says “…for by strength shall no man prevail”. As great a prophet as Elijah was, he still needed divine assistance. 1 Kings 17:8-9 says:
“And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath….and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.”

Neither the prophet nor the widow had anything to do with the arrangement; it was divinely orchestrated, yet they both cooperated with God to obtain His divine will. Children of God can learn something from this. When God wants to bless your ministry, you do not need to preach long sermons to persuade people to give. God can use humans to help you. When He wants to do that, the fellow loses his or her peace as long as he or she does not act in your favor in accordance with the nudging of the Holy Spirit.

Sometime ago, God used someone to provide for the completion of a structure in the Redemption Camp. The Lord put such a sense of urgency in the fellow that he could not even eat breakfast before rushing down to drop the money we needed.

Beloved, put all your trust in God and seek Him alone for help today. He is a faithful God and will never disappoint those who seek Him sincerely. I am a living witness to this truth.

God will send help your way today as you go before Him in prayers, in the mighty name of Jesus.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, send help to me today- urgent help, Lord!

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: EZEKIEL 1-6.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 24: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE.

1. Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
*Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in 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:

When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Psalm 126:1

READ: Ezra 9:5-9
5 And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God,

6 And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.

7 Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.

8 And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.

9 For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.

MESSAGE:

Restoration presupposes that something is missing or a loss has occurred, usually that of something good – whether spiritual or physical. There are some people in the Church today who have backslidden and need divine restoration. The danger in backsliding is that the fellow, more often than not, may be reluctant to leave his sinful ways (Proverbs 14:14) and might have been given over to a reprobate mind (Romans 1:28), if you have backslidden. I pray that you would retrace your steps today, in Jesus’ name.

When a fellow loses his salvation, so many unpleasant things happen. As in the case of Ezra and his people in today’s Bible reading, there was a corruption of virtues.

What then should a spiritually backslidden fellow or nation do to be restored? Like Ezra prayed penitently on behalf of his nation in our Bible reading today, a backslider too must be penitent and humble before God. Psalm 51:17 says:
“…contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”

Paul also said in 2 Corinthians 7:10:

“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”

In other words, when you are so sorrowful about your sins that you confess and forsake them, you experience restoration (Proverbs 28:13). When you repent, you are making a complete ‘U-turn’ from your trespasses. Ezra warned the people in captivity never to return to the sins that brought them into that state in the first place. He instructed them to stop the pollution of inter-faith marriage too (Ezra 9:12). This is a very important lesson to this world (Romans 12:1-2), but rather we must come out of the sinful environment, be steadfast, and separated unto God (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).

When we obey God’s word, our restoration shall be complete and permanent. Have you suffered spiritual, physical, material, or any other kind of loss? You can experience divine restoration if only you would repent today and return to the Lord.

I pray that the Almighty God will restore unto you everything you have lost, in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please restore to me all that I have lost, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ZECHARIAH 8-14.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 11: I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR.

1. I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.

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

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

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

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

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

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MEMORISE:

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

READ: Mark 11:12-14, 20-24
12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:

13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.

14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.

22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

MESSAGE:

At the opening of the story in today’s Bible reading, the Lord Jesus saw a fig tree that, though blossoming, had no fruit. The Lord therefore decided to teach His disciple two major lessons from it. The first is the danger of fruitlessness even when the grace of God is upon our lives. The fig was leavy and green- a sign that it had potential to bear fruit, though it was not bearing any. Thus, Jesus delivered judgment upon it immediately. The second lesson Jesus taught His disciples on that day is on faith, because He decreed that the fig tree should dry up and it came to pass immediately. Jesus’ words in Mark 11:22 provide the foundation for our major lesson today. He said to His disciples “Have faith in God”

Whatever we desire as children of God, we should put it forward to the Lord in prayer and we shall receive it. You may wonder then why He asked in Luke 18:8:
“…Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”

The above is where the challenge lies for many believers who are yet to receive answers to their requests from God. The only way such people can get what they want is by exercising faith in God. Beloved, take note of the words of Jesus Christ in today’s reading which says “…and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”

It is one thing to pray, it is another thing to actually believe that God will do what we have asked for. The story is told of a priest who called for prayers because there had been drought in the land. After the congregation had gathered for prayers, the priest looked around and asked “Brethren, are you not ready to pray?” the parishioner replied “How do you mean? That is what we have come to do.” He asked again “What have you come to do?” And they chorused” To pray for rain.” Then he asked “Where are your umbrellas and raincoats if indeed you believe God will answer your prayers?” The parishioners’ faith was stirred up so they went to fetch their umbrellas and raincoats. God honored their faith and gave them rain. What a lesson! Beloved, you must have faith in God for Him to bless you.

PRAYER POINT:

Increase my faith today, Lord I pray, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ZECHARIAH 1-7.

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:

They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. Psalm 34:5

READ: Psalm 121
1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

MESSAGE:

Imagine how a wealthy man who is willing to do anything for his wife would feel if she were to go to one of the tenant- a bachelor well-known for his philandering ways, to beg for bread. This analogy, as apt as it may seem, does not even come close to describing how horrible it is when Christians seek help from sources other than God.

When humans look away from God and begin to consider lesser beings, including the devil, for help, that is idolatry. Sadly, what many people do not know is that lasting help can only come from God and not from such beings (Zechariah 10:1-2). Our only true source of help is the Almighty God, with whom there is no impossibility (Luke 1:37). No wonder the Psalmist says in 121:1-2:
“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.”
In 2 Kings 6:27, a woman had sought help from the king during a siege against Samaria. Thank God the king was wise enough to know he could do nothing of himself. His sincere statement shows the true vanity in seeking help from any source other than God. God, on the other hand, promised His children in Isaiah 41:9-10:
“…..Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Beloved, examine yourself: from whom are you seeking help? You are making a great mistake if it is not the Almighty God. I am encouraging you to have complete faith in God for that help you urgently need; He will not fail you. Our memory verse today gives us this assurance. You too will testify today, in the mighty name of Jesus. All you need is to be sure you have a Father-child relationship with the Almighty God and leave the rest to Him.
The Lord is your only true source of help. Cry to Him today. If you are yet to be born again, repent of your sins and confess them to the Lord. Surrender your life to Jesus Christ and then cry to Him for whatever help you need. He will surely help you.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please send Your help to me today, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ESTHER 6-10.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 23: STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF CHRIST MY KNIG.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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