Devotionals

MEMORISE:
Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1

READ: 1 Corinthians 11:1-2
1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.

MESSAGE:
While it is true that there are spiritual pacesetters in the body of Christ today, it is however most unfortunate that such people are quite few. 1 Thessalonians 1:6-7 says:
“And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost. So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.”

One thing we can learn from the apostles of old is that they received the word of God with joy. Modern day Christians however, have a habit of selecting what part of the word of God to obey. Nowadays, preachers carefully select messages that would not be considered ‘offensive’ by their congregations. Let every minister of God take heed to the following words:
“Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit dultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?” Romans 2:21-22

Apart from warning evildoers and sinners against wickedness, a spiritual pacesetter must live by what he or she preaches. A Christian must shine brightly as light in this world (Matthew 5:14), living by the word of God. Acts 1:1 says:
“…. of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,”

Jesus practiced His teachings. The early disciples also preached the gospel and lived their lives according to the word of God. They preached the gospel with both their words and their lifestyles.

Christian should set the pace for unbelievers in holiness. We are called to be examples to our generation. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 5:16:
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

God expects Christians, as ambassadors of Christ in this world, to live by example. May you not disappoint God in your daily living, in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please make me a spiritual pacesetter so that millions may come to Your kingdom through me, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Kings 6-10.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: HO, MY COMRADES! SEE THE SIGNAL.

1. Ho, my comrades, see the signal, waving in the sky!
Reinforcements now appearing, victory is nigh.

o Refrain:
“Hold the fort, for I am coming,” Jesus signals still;
Wave the answer back to Heaven, “By Thy grace we will.”

2. See the mighty host advancing, Satan leading on;
Mighty ones around us falling, courage almost gone!

3. See the glorious banner waving! Hear the trumpet blow!
In our Leader’s Name we triumph over every foe.

4. Fierce and long the battle rages, but our help is near;
Onward comes our great Commander, cheer, my comrades, cheer!

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MEMORISE:
Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. Proverbs 14:34

READ: Daniel 6:19-23
19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.

20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?

21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.

22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

23 Then was the king exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

MESSAGE:
There is victory in holiness. When the eyes of a child of God are open to this revelation, he or she would begin to live righteously. Today’s memory verse presents a two-edge sword of the truth: while righteousness exalts a nation, sin or unrighteousness brings reproach that comes in the form of defeat to the people.

In today’s Bible reading, Danie said:
“My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.”

Here is victory in holy living, confirmed by the testimony of the prophet.

The Bible says in Hebrews 1:9:
“Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.”

Heaven and earth shall pass away but the word of God shall remain, according to our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 24:35. Some Christian claim that it is impossible to live holy. Like I always tell my children in the Redeemed Christian Church o God, the fact that you are not living holy does not mean it is impossible to do so. The Bible says:
“Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:7-8

A person is either holy or sinful- there is no midpoint. No sinner will make it to heaven. For this reason, Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil in our live. You are righteous by grace. This grace is what removes boasting because it is not you but Christ in you. This however, does not make us deny that God helps people to live holy. Pray earnestly for the grace to live holy because of the blessing that come with it. Daniel triumphed over all his enemies; they perished in his place because of his life of holiness! I pray that the grace to live holy will come upon you today and you will live every day in victory from now, in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to live a life that is holy unto You, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Kings 1-5.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: CONQUERORS AND OVERCOMERS NOW ARE WE.
Conquerors and overcomers now are we,
Thro’ the precious blood of Christ we’ve victory,
If the Lord be for us, we can never fail;
Nothing ‘gainst his mighty pow’r can e’er prevail.

Refrain:
Conquerors are we, thro’ the blood, thro’ the blood;
God will give us victory, thro’ the blood, thro’ the blood,
Thro’ the Lamb for sinners slain,
Yet who lives and reigns again,
More than conquerors are we,
More than conquerors are we.

In the name of Israel’s God we’ll onward press,
Overcoming sin and all unrighteousness;
Not to us, but unto him the praise shall be,
For salvation and for blood-bought victory.

Unto him that overcometh shall be giv’n
Here to eat of hidden manna sent from heav’n;
Over yonder he the victor’s palm shall bear,
And a robe of white, and golden crown shall wear.

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MEMORISE:
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Ephesians 5:18

READ: Proverbs 23:29-35

29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

34 Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.

35 They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

MESSAGE:
There are many avenues through which demons can possess an individual. One of them is alcoholism. The consumption of alcohol is a subtle habit that opens the door to various types of sins, all directed by one demon or the other. These includes violence, sexual immorality, pride, evil imaginations, folly and so on. It is unfortunate that some believers are beginning to consider ‘moderation’ in the consumption of alcohol, quoting today’s memory verse out of context by insisting that the Bible does not caution us against drinking alcohol, but rather against getting drunk. Sadly, it is this liberal approach to the handling of the issue of alcohol consumption that is increasing demonic operations in the lives that are supposed to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

How does alcoholism invite demons? One of the symptoms of demonic possession is sorrow and in today’s Bible reading, a question was asked “Who hath sorrow?” and the answer was also provided straightaway “…they that go to seek mix wine.” The Scripture goes ahead to warn “Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.” (Proverbs 23:31).

The demon of sorrow is given access through the consumption of alcohol. In addition, our Bible text says “Thine eyes shall behold strange women…” Here, the demon of sexual immorality is set in motion by alcohol. A married person does not remember his or her marriage vows when put under the influence of alcohol. Alcohol has been known to promote all sort of sexual immorality including incest.

Genesis 19:31-38 tells the story of how two sisters got their father drunk and took turns to sleep with him. The products of these incestuous acts were the Moabites and Ammonites- two nations that later became enemies of the Israelites.

The word of God is forever settled; turn your back completely on alcohol. Alcohol creates an avenue for the devil to operate freely in the life of a person.

I enjoin you to stop creating an avenue for demons to possess you; rather, seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit and the Lord will do wonderous things through you.

I pray that you will be delivered from every demonic activity in your life today, in the mighty name of Jesus.

ACTION POINT:
Flee the consumption of alcohol from today and counsel everyone around you to do same.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 20-22.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 29: WHAT CAN WASH AWAY MY STAIN?

1. What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

o Refrain:
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

2. For my pardon, this I see,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my cleansing this my plea,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

3. Nothing can for sin atone,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

4. This is all my hope and peace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

5. Now by this I’ll overcome—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Now by this I’ll reach my home—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

6. Glory! Glory! This I sing—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
All my praise for this I bring—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

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MEMORISE:
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Acts 1:8

READ: John 7:37-39
37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

MESSAGE:
The Holy Spirit baptism is very important to every heaven-bound Christian for many reasons. The first is personality of the Baptizer- the Holy Spirit Himself. The Holy Spirt, being the third person in the Trinity, plays the role of the preservation of the believer after salvation. The Bible says “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30).

There are lots of virtues the Holy Spirit imparts on believers when they receive His baptism. For example, in our text today, we read of the flow of the rivers of living water- symbolizing the Holy Spirit. Just as water is very important for the survival of the physical wellbeing of man, so also the ‘living water’ or ‘water of life’ is very important for spiritual wellbeing. The spirit of a Christian can get dehydrated and ultimately become dormant due to the lack of this living water.

Another fundamental blessing from the Holy Spirt baptism is what we find in the instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ in today’s memory verse- power. The disciples of old would not have been able to face the Jewish elders had they not received power from the Holy Ghost. Without the baptism of the Holy Spirit there can be no power or boldness for Christians to evangelize and witness to the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says in Acts 4:31:
“And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.”

The Holy Spirit also enable a believer to pray without ceasing when he or she speaks in tongues. This is the promise of our Lord in the Great Commission- that we shall speak with new tongues (Mark 16:17).

Beloved, do you lack boldness as a Christian? Are you hesitant about sharing your conviction on the Lordship of Jesus? Are you rising and falling into sin because you think it is impossible to withstand the wiles of the devil? Are demonic forces tormenting you? Pray earnestly for the baptism of the Holy Spirt today and you will receive power and boldness for the victorious Christian living, in the mighty name of Jesus.

PRAYER POINT:
Lord, please send Your Holy Spirit to empower and embolden me now and always in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 15-19.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 9: HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, LORD GOD ALMIGHTY.

1. Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee:
Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty!
God in three persons, blessed Trinity.

2. Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.

3. Holy, holy, holy! though the darkness hide thee,
Though the eye made blind by sin thy glory may not see,
Only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
Perfect in power, in love, and purity.

4. 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!
God in three persons, blessed Trinity.

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MEMORISE:
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16:16

READ: Mark 16:15-18
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

MESSAGE:
Some Bible Scholars have classified damnation into three major categories- temporary, long-term and eternal. Temporary damnation may come as a result of an error in judgement after which the victim is vindicated. Long-term damnation could be for life here on earth, whereas eternal damnation- which is the worst, is forever. Our Lord Jesus Christ said in Luke 12:4-5:
“And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.”

Many people choose eternal damnation indirectly by escaping the temporary one that godly living may pose to them. In the midst of trials and tribulations, some children of God deny their Lord. We should never bow to the enticement of the devil. Rather, we should heed the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, although this may expose us to some temporary challenges. This is the reason Jesus said to His disciples:
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

In order to escape eternal damnation, we must accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is unfortunate that there are many churchgoer today who do not really believe the gospel. Some think the gospel is no longer relevant. They believe that Christ came to redeem man from eternal damnation yet refuse to live by His standards, according to our Scripture reading of today. Accepting the gospel requires our submission to the lordship of Jesus Christ over our lives.

A true believer cannot do anything merely because he or she feels like. Everything a believer does must be in the name of the Lord (Colossians 3:17). We cannot afford to follow the world; rather, we must learn and follow God’s will at all times (1 John2:15-17). May the Lord give us hearing ears and obedient hearts to live according to His perfect will, in the mighty name of Jesus.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, help me follow and walk before You with a perfect heart, that I may escape eternal damnation, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 10-14.

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,
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,
swift and beautiful for thee.

3. Take my voice and let me sing
always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from thee,
filled with messages from thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
every power as thou shalt choose,
every power as thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne,
it shall be thy royal throne.

6. Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee,
ever, only, all for thee.

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MEMORISE:
And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou. 1 Samuel 15:28

READ: Acts 1:15-26
15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)
16 Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.
17 For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.
18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.
19 And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.
20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.
21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,
25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

MESSAGE:
Many people do not know that God always has replacement for the people He appoints for one task or the other. God cannot be held ransom on any issue or event. This is the reason He always provides alternatives.

When a child of God becomes swollen-headed and he or she begins to disobey Him in matters like soulwinning, tithing, offering, payment of first fruit and so on, such a fellow is on the way to being replaced. I pray that you will successfully complete the assignments God has given you. He will not have cause to replace you with another person in Jesus’ name.

The betrayal of Jesus Christ by Judas Iscariot was predicted in Psalm 41:9 which says:
“Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.”

Thus, before Judas Iscariot chose to be a betrayer, God had already seen it. Acts 1:16-26 says also that Mathias was chosen to replace Judas. My you never be replaced by God in kingdom projects, in Jesus’ name.

Another lesson we can learn from this as children of God is that whenever a way seems blocked, God has more than a thousand alternative ways to replace it. Romans 8:28 says
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Beloved, learning from the experience of King Saul and Judas Iscariot, we must be very careful about the way we lead our lives so that what happened to them may not happen to us. The Bible says “Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.” (1 Corinthian s 10:6).

God has alternatives for any child of His who would not be law-abiding. Let us therefore be wary of doing what would make God replace us with someone else. There are many examples of people who lost their enviable positions and by implication, their relevance in the society due to deliberate or careless mistakes.

Beware of divine replacement; serve the Lord diligently.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please never allow me to do anything that will cause You to replace me, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 5-9.

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.

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MEMORISE:
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: John 3:14

READ: Hebrews 12:1-2
1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

MESSAGE:
Human beings have been in search of the way back to their Maker since the fall of the first man. Man was sent out of the Garden of Eden and he became a wanderer, without the peace he once had when he had access to his Maker. This is the primary reason man invented various types of religions, hoping to access God through them.

God however, decided to reveal Himself to people like Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses among others who sincerely loved Him. This category of people received divine help to impact their generations by pointing them in the way to the Almighty God. Jesus said it plainly:
“…..I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.” John 14:6-7

When one of Jesus’ disciples asked Him to reveal God the Father to them, Jesus responded by saying “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9)

Jesus Christ is the perfect revelation of God the Father. It is through His teaching that we know that God is a Spirit and whoever wants to worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). He told us that unless we are born again, we cannot see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3). Religious activities are exercises in futility without this new birth experience. Until Jesus came, even scholars of the Jewish religious laws were ignorant of these principles of God’s Kingdom. Therefore, we must always look unto Him for direction if we want to make it back to the One who created us in His own image. Part of our Bible reading today says “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…..” (Hebrews 12:2).

Also, Jesus Christ Himself said in John 3:14-15:
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

I encourage you to look unto Jesus for salvation, deliverance, healing, breakthroughs and eternal life. You will experience abundant life here on earth and in eternity with God, in the mighty name of Jesus.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, as I look unto You, perfect everything concerning me now and forever, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 1-4.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 13: I HAVE A MESSAGE FROM THE LORD HALLELUYAH.

1. I’ve a message from the Lord, hallelujah!
This message unto you I’ll give,
’Tis recorded in His word, hallelujah!
It is only that you “look and live.”

o Refrain:
“Look and live,” my brother, live,
Look to Jesus now, and live;
’Tis recorded in His word, hallelujah!
It is only that you “look and live.”

2. I’ve a message full of love, hallelujah!
A message, O my friend, for you,
’Tis a message from above, hallelujah!
Jesus said it, and I know ’tis true.

3. Life is offered unto you, hallelujah!
Eternal life thy soul shall have,
If you’ll only look to Him, hallelujah!
Look to Jesus who alone can save.

4. I will tell you how I came, hallelujah!
To Jesus when He made me whole—
’Twas believing on His name, hallelujah!
I trusted and He saved my soul.

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MEMORISE:
And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD. 2 Samuel 6:21

READ: 2 Samuel 6:14-22
14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.

15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

16 And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

18 And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts.

19 And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house.

20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!

21 And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD.

22 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.

MESSAGE:
We must consider practical ways of saying ‘Thank you’ to the Lord. When you are truly grateful to someone. It will be difficult to hide it. Your gratitude will be evident in everything you do and this truth is confirmed in today’s Bible reading. When David considered how he had been surviving both seen and unseen battles of life, he could not help dancing and leaping for his God.

The Almighty God has kept us alive to date, and like David, we must practically demonstrate our gratitude through dancing and offering of heartfelt praises to Him. For the preservation of our lives alone, we must bless the Lord. In Psalm 144:1, the Psalmist blesses the Lord for teaching his hands to war and directing his fingers to fight right. We must realize that not all fighters win the battles of life. This is what made David write:
“Bless the LORD, O my soul… Who redeemeth thy life from destruction…” Psalm 103:4

Considering the numerous battles David fought in His lifetime, particularly against King Saul and his own son- Absalom who staged a coup against him, one should know that but for God, David would have died a premature death. This why he described God’s benevolence as “lovingkindness” and “tender mercies”. Oh, how I wish we all would appreciate God’s kindness as much as David did. Moreover, David recognized that the mercies of God to him were of tender types- not one but many. Little wonder that in our Bible reading of today, he literally praised the Lord to the consternation of his wife who despised him for dancing passionately for the Lord.

Apparently, Michal had never seen her father- the former king praise God in that manner before so it was strange to her. Little wonder God replaced him with David, who would genuinely praise and worship Him.

A practical application of a heart of gratitude brings to mind the manifold blessings of God, it leads to genuine thanksgiving and appreciation of all the miracles and wonders of God that we receive daily. Let somebody shout Hallelujah!

ACTION POINT:
Take a minimum of fifteen minutes to thank God for His goodness and mercies over your life and those of your loved ones.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 20-24.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 20: PRAISE TO THE LORD ALMIGHTY.

1. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.

2. Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires e’er have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

3. Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee;
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

4. Praise to the Lord, who, when tempests their warfare are waging,
Who, when the elements madly around thee are raging,
Biddeth them cease, turneth their fury to peace,
Whirlwinds and waters assuaging.

5. Praise to the Lord, who, when darkness of sin is abounding,
Who, when the godless do triumph, all virtue confounding,
Sheddeth His light, chaseth the horrors of night,
Saints with His mercy surrounding.

6. Praise to the Lord, oh, let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him;
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

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MEMORISE:

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23

READ: Proverb 4:20-23.

20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

MESSAGE:
The heart is one the most vital organs required for man’s continued existence both physically and spiritually. Physically, the heart is required to sustain human existence and spiritually, it is also required to stay alive in the Lord. A popular adage says “The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart”, meaning that the core issues of life are matters of the heart. This is exactly what our memory verse is saying.

The things that mould life come from the heart. The Bible says the heart is evil – deceitful, desperately wicked and who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9). At conversion-when a person becomes born again, the heart is impacted and made receptive to the word of God. It therefore becomes a dwelling place for the word of God, so that it can be transformed to bring forth virtues, victories and so on. For this to occur however, God’s children must work constantly on their minds through studying, meditating on and memorizing the word of God.

Basically, a heart will be found in one of these states: (a) the roadside state (b) the stony state (c) the thorny state (d) the good-soil sate (Matthew 13:1-23). The state of an individual’s heart is determined by the fellow. The heart is the seat of knowledge but until knowledge is stored in it, the owner (of the heart) cannot benefit from it. Please ask yourself “What kind of knowledge do I receive and retain in my heart?”

It is also important to note that the mouth is the outlet to the heart (Matthew 12:34). Hence, a good relationship between the heart and the mouth determines the course of a man’s life- whether good or bad. In other words, the issues that mould a life stem from the heart through the mouth. Indeed, the state of the heart presents the true identity of a person. It is the first place God looks at before relating with man. We see this clearly in 1 Samuel 16:7 where God said:
“…….the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”

What would God see if He were to look into your heart today?

ACTION POINT:
Examine your heart diligently today through the lens of Philippians 4:8 and pray for God’s help.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 10-14.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 21: ROCK OF AGES, CLEFT FOR ME.
1. Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.

2. Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

3. Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

4. While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyes shall close in death,
When I rise to worlds unknown,
And behold Thee on Thy throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

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MEMORISE:

Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Hebrews 13:4

READ: Ephesians 4:14-15.

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

MESSAGE:
It is one thing to choose the right partner in marriage and it is another to choose the right approach to courtship. A wrong approach to Christian courtship can still lead to problems or failure even when the right choice has been made. Therefore, believers in courtship must be holy through if they would eat the good of the land of marriage (Isaiah 1:19).

Sister, you must know that a man will typically be at his best during courtship. He would call you by different pet names, please you and make you feel secure. However, once the wedding ceremony is over and you begin to live together, his shortcomings will be more exposed to you. The saying that ‘love is blind’ may appear true but the one that also says ‘marriage is an eye opener’ has equally been proven to be true now and again.

Men are however not the only ones guilty of this. Brother, you will also discover a lot more about the personality of your wife after the wedding ceremony. This is why the world recommends that couples should cohabit during courtship but should this be found among children of God? The simple answer is “No!”
Ephesians 4:14 says:
“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;”

The fact that you are in courtship does not give you the license to begin to cohabit. ‘Trial marriage’ has no place in Christianity; it is whoredom. Some so-called sisters also try to seduce naïve brothers to get them pregnant and the result is what the world calls a ‘shotgun marriage’- one not properly prepared for. God abhors this seriously (Hebrews 13:4).

Christian courtship must be characterized with sincerity. You must be able to share your past and present experiences with your would-be spouse. You both should also lay your future bare in the hands of Jesus Christ. While there may be sincere disagreements during courtship, you would have to prayerfully re-evaluated it if the relationship is rift with troubles from the sinful demands of your partners. A broken courtship is better than a broken marriage. Be warned!

PRAYER POINT:
Ask the Almighty God to guide our youths such that Christians courtships will culminate in holy wedlock and glorious marriages.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 5-9.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 11: I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR.
1. I need Thee ev’ry hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine
Can peace afford.
Refrain:
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Ev’ry hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.

2. I need Thee ev’ry hour,
Stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their pow’r
When Thou art nigh.

3. I need Thee ev’ry hour,
In joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide,
Or life is vain.

4. I need Thee ev’ry hour,
Teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises
In me fulfill.

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