Devotionals

MEMORISE:
If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 1 Corinthians 3:15

READ: 1 Corinthians 3:1-15

1And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.

10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

MESSAGE
Our God is great and mighty, the supreme ruler and final authority in heaven and on earth. He deserves the best of all things; He does not accept service that is substandard from anyone, neither does He reward anyone that offers halfhearted service to Him. Romans 12:11 reveals God’s hatred for slothful attitude to life and His service. It also shows a clear preference for people who are fervent in spirit and committed to His work.
Romans 12:1 says:
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

While God is concerned about the quality of our service, He is even more concerned about our character and way of life. If the lifestyle of a person is not acceptable to God, then whatever service the fellow renders may not have real value to Him. The Bible in Ephesians 6:6-7 lays emphasis on rendering acceptable service not as men pleasers, but doing the will of God from the heart, as unto Him and not to men. 2 Timothy 2:21 speaks about the personality God will use: “ If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”

From the scripture above, it is very clear that God will not accept service of those not in right standing with Him.

1 Corinthians 3:13 also makes it clear that God will critically examine the works and service we render to Him and reward each person accordingly. Substandard service shall be consumed by fire, making such efforts a loss to the concerned persons. I pray that your service shall be acceptable to God and be rewarded accordingly, in the mighty name of Jesus.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please let my works pass the test of fire on the last day, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 19-21

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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MEMORISE:

And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 13:42

READ: Revelation 21:8

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

MESSAGE

Eternal death is the same as damnation to hell. It describes the condition of living in eternal without God. Eternal death is for those who die physically and depart this world without repentance from sin and acceptance of Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. This is also known as the second death, which is the final banishment of unbelievers from God’s presence. To this effect, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 says:

“And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:”

The agony of eternal death may be described in two major ways: (1) The loss of eternal peace of joy with God. (2) The hardship of eternal damnation in hell fire.
Romans 6:23 categorically states that eternal life is a gift from God. Romans 1:16 further tells us that this precious gift is available to those who believe in the saving power of the name of Jesus. Eternal life provides humanity with rest from the troubles of life and grants the pleasure of being in God’s presence forever. Thus, missing out on eternal life will be a major agony of eternal death. The second major agony of eternal death comes from the suffering, pain and anguish of hell itself. The Bible describes hell as an everlasting fire that is prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). Dwelling with the devil and his angels will be such a horrific experience. I pray that you will not partake in the agony of eternal death in the mighty name of Jesus.

To escape this agony, simply accept Christ as your Lord and Savior. If you are saved already, congratulations! Please guard your salvation diligently to the end (1 Corinthians 10:12). Acts 4:12 says “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

KEY POINT:

Father, please don’t let me partake in the agony of eternal death, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 16-18

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 30: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD.

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.

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 nor 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 nor a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blest 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, and 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 will 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:
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Genesis 2:17

READ: 1 Samuel 3:1-15

1And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.

2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;

3 And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;

4 That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.

5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.

6 And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.

7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.

8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.

9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

11 And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.

12 In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.

13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.

14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.

15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.

MESSAGE

Spiritual death, described in the Bible as separation from God is a consequence of sin. It ultimately leads to eternal death if there is no repentance before physical death or the second coming of Christ. People who are spiritually dead are often ignorant of their status because when a person die spiritually, he or she may continue to live a normal life physically. Such people may be intelligent and successful in their chosen professions; they may even be morally upright and committed to ‘good works.’ Spiritual death is characterized primarily by a lack of communication between God and man. It is a state of complete severance of communion with God.

The Bible in Matthew 4:16, tells us categorically that the two major symptoms of spiritual death are darkness and the shadow of death. A man/woman that has been separated from God is living in darkness and totally unaware of the imminent dangers surrounding him/her. Often, calamities suddenly envelop such a man with neither warning nor remedy. Unless such a person retraces his or her steps to God in genuine repentance, the agony of spiritual death becomes a real experience. I pray for anyone that may be experiencing this: The Lord will deliver you today in the mighty name of Jesus.

To be spiritually dead is to live without God’s counsel and guidance. The Bible further hinted at the symptoms of spiritual death in Ephesians 4:18 by saying:

“ Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:”

Most human beings have come to accept a life of “suffering and smiling” as normal. However, John 10:10 tells us that Jesus came for us to have life in abundance. Therefore, you can confess your sins to God in true repentance and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. Backsliders should also retrace their steps to God. Jesus in His love and mercy will reconnect with you and your life will never be the same again.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please deliver me and my family from the agony of spiritual death, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 13-15

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 20: MY GOD TO THEE.

1. Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.

o Refrain:
Nearer to Thee!

2. Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
Darkness be over me, my rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I’d be nearer, my God, to Thee.

3. There let the way appear, steps unto Heav’n;
All that Thou sendest me, in mercy giv’n;
Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee.

4. Then, with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise;
So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee.

5. Or, if on joyful wing cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I’ll fly,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.

6. There in my Father’s home, safe and at rest,
There in my Savior’s love, perfectly blest;
Age after age to be nearer, my God, to Thee.

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MEMORISE:
And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. Revelation 14:13

READ: 2 Kings 13:14-21

14 Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.

15 And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows.

16 And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hands.

17 And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD’s deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.

18 And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed.

19 And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.

20 And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.

21 And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.

MESSAGE

The Bible mentions two kind of death: physical and temporal, which is the termination of life on earth and then eternal death. The latter is the final complete separation from God. When temporal death occurs, it opens the way to eternal life for children of God, but leads to eternal death for those who did not accept Jesus Christ during their physical existence.

Life is full of challenges that bring stress to the body and tension to the soul. The Bible presents this dilemma in Job 14:1 by saying “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.” As a result, the aging process takes its toll on everyone to the point that many aged persons become totally dependent on the society and are unable to help themselves. 2 Kings 13:14 says:

“ Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face…..”

The Bible records Elisha’s sickness as a natural occurrence and not a result of punishment. Great Bible characters like Isaac, Jacob and King David had almost identical experiences in old age, and a similar fate awaits all human beings. However, temporal death enables the body to escape the agony of sickness, particularly that which comes as a result of old age. But for death, my Father-in-the-Lord, Pa Josiah Akindayomi would still be enduring a body weakened by age. Thanks be to God; he is now at rest. Revelation 14:13 and Revelation 21:4 tells us sweet and wonderful thing that God reserves for His children after they experience temporal death. The saints will enter into rest from earthly labors and begin to reap the fruits of righteousness. They will not experience eternal death, sorrow, crying and pain.

I pray that as you close your eyes in physical death, you will rise to eternal life of Joy and peace with the Lord, in the mighty name of Jesus.

KEY POINT:

Temporal death marks the end of physical life but not the end of existence. Seek eternal life to escape eternal death.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 10-12

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 27: 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:
The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Mark 1:3

READ: I Kings 18:30-39

30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.

31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:

32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.

33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.

34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.

35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.

36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.

MESSAGE
Fire represents the potent and unlimited power of the Almighty God and also symbolizes His manifest presence. From the stories of the burning bush in Exodus 3:2-5, to the appearance of a pillar of fire in Exodus 13:21, fire often accompanies appearances of God in the Bible. Fire also signifies the acceptance of sacrifices made unto God as evident in Leviticus 9:24. Likewise, it also depicts divine intervention. The contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal is a classic example of God’s intervention in a situation with fire.

“Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.” 1 Kings 18:38-39

Whenever the fire of God falls, works of darkness are exposed and destroyed. Supernatural laws become activated, leading to unprecedented miracles, signs and wonders. I therefore call the fire of God to fall on you right now and destroy every work of darkness around you in the mighty name of Jesus. However, according to our Bible reading today, some activities must precede the manifestation of divine fire.

Firstly, one must be born again. This make you a bona fide member of the family of God. Secondly, we have to keep the altar of God in our lives pure and deal with sin decisively. Thirdly, we must obey all His instructions promptly and completely. These three steps will bring down the fire of God into your situation.

Are you standing at the crossroads seeking divine guidance? God requires absolute devotion from you. Jeremiah 29:13 says “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” Seek God with all your heart and He will visit your situation with His fire in the mighty name of Jesus.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, help me to do everything necessary to bring down Your fire in my life, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 8-9

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 25: 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:

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. Proverbs 11:24

READ: 2 Corinthians 9:6-8

6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

MESSAGE

Stagnant water stinks- not necessarily because it is dirty, but because it does not share itself with others. A stream with flowing water on the other hand remains fresh and fragrant. If you are the kind of person who loves to hoard the good things you have, then you are a stagnant water. It may seem like a good idea to hoard your possessions so that you alone can enjoy them, but soon you will discover that you are stinking to everyone else around.

Many people like to hoard knowledge. The moment they know something that can impact others positively, they hide it and refuse to pass it on. Any teacher will tell you that you understand a subject better the more you teach it. This means that the more knowledge you hoard, the duller you become. If you are a student, make a point of duty to always teach your colleagues any subject that you understand and they don’t. This way, you get a better understanding of the subject and stand a better chance of exceling in it.

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to be number one always. My love to be number one has spurred me to always share whatever knowledge I have. The more knowledge I share, the more I receive. This is also applicable in your office; teach others how to get things done. That is what Jesus Christ would have done if He were in your shoes. Do not think that teaching others would make them better than you. Jesus said in John 13:16:

“ Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.”

As long as you don’t relax and stop learning, the people you teach cannot know more than you. As long as you are their teacher, you will keep rising higher. Every true leader long for the growth of others. If you try to inhibit the growth of those around you, they will end up rising above you and leading you, but if you actively pursue their growth, you will realize that God will raise you higher and continue to make you their leader.

REFLECTION:

Do I hoard knowledge from others? Am I a pool of stagnant water?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 6-7

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 19: MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS.

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus name

Refrain:
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand

When darkness veils His lovely face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath His covenant His blood
Supports me in the ‘whelming flood
When all around my soul gives way
He then is all my hope and stay

When He shall come with trumpet sound
O may I then in Him be found
Dressed in His righteousness alone
Faultless to stand before the throne.

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MEMORISE:

He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. Proverbs 29:1

READ: Revelation 22:11-12

11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

MESSAGE

God is merciful. In fact, He is the Father of mercies (2 Corinthians 1:3). Romans 9:15 however tells us His mercy will not always be accessible to everyone.

This means that even though God is merciful, He still reserves the right to withhold His mercy when He wants. Don’t take His mercy for granted. If God has overlooked your wrongdoing a number of times, then I think you should know that the more He overlooks, the less time you have until your cup is full.

A woman- very sick and at the point of death, was brought to me for prayers some years ago. As I laid my hands on her, I felt the anointing flow through my hands like warm oil and when it got to her head, it bounced back. I enquired the cause of this from God and He said He had warned her several times to repent but she had refused; now it was His own turn to refuse to heal her. I ran to the altar and cried for mercy on her behalf; there was hardly any scripture on mercy that I did not quote. Then I ran back and laid hands on her head the second time; the anointing bounced back again. I ran to God pleading for mercy again, laid my hands on her the third time, yet the anointing bounced back. I tried to lay my hand on her head again but it was too late as she had given up the ghost.

In another incident, an elderly man who was the head of the occult in his village led some other cultist into a church where I was preaching. I seized the opportunity to preach the gospel to them with all my heart. When I made the altar call, the leader- the elderly man – was the first to give his life to Jesus. A few weeks later, he passed on.

The woman did not stop when she had the chance to, despite several warnings from God, and she faced the consequences. The elderly man on the other hand was wise enough to stop when he received a warning from God and he must have made it to heaven. Are you still committing one sin or the other? If you are wise, you will heed this warning now and stop it. Don’t wait until He withholds His mercy.

KEY POINT:

If you take mercy of God fror granted, a day will come when He will withhold it.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 3-5

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 2: ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER.

1. All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.
o Refrain:
I surrender all,
I surrender all;
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

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

3. All to Jesus I surrender,
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.

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

5. All to Jesus I surrender,
Now I feel the sacred flame;
Oh, the joy of full salvation!
Glory, glory, to His Name!

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MEMORISE:
Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. Acts 6:3

READ: Acts 6:1-7

1And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.

3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:

6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

MESSAGE

Before any organization recruits employees, the criteria for qualification would have been determined. Similarly, there are qualifications God expects all workers in His vineyard to meet up with. In Acts 6:1-3, when the first sets of Church workers were to be selected. It was mandatory that they had an honest report filled with the Holy Ghost. This is how the work of God can grow. After Spirit-filled workers had been chosen in Acts 6, verse 7 says:

“And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.”

It is wonderful to work for God but God is not seeking just anyone to work for Him, He is seeking spirit-filled workers. It is pathetic when someone comes to Church for the first time, willing to surrender to Christ and then he sights his girlfriend or someone who asked him for a bribe in the course of the week amongst the workers. He then says to himself “If these are the kind of people serving God, then I am not interested.”

How will the word of God increase when even the workers are not living by it?

Every worker in the Ushering, Media, Choir, Sanitation, Prayer team, Follow-up, Protocol, Evangelism, traffic control, and all other departments must be Spirit-filled. Deuteronomy 34:9 says Joshua was filled with the Spirit of wisdom. He was the Personal Assistant to Moses. Everyone assisting a Pastor to do the work of God must be filled with the Holy Spirit; otherwise they will get him/her into trouble. In 2 Kings 5:20-27, but for the intervention of the Holy Spirit, Gehazi, the Personal Assistant of Elisha could have put him in trouble. There are Church workers who collect money on behalf of their Pastors without informing them. It is dangerous to be unfaithful in your service to God. Just ask Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, as recorded in Leviticus 10:1-3.

REFLECTION:

God is seeking spirit-filled workers, do you qualify?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 1-2

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: HAVE YOU BEEN TO JESUS.
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:
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. John 15:4

READ: John 15:1-5

1I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

MESSAGE

“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”

Since Jesus is the Vine and we are the branches, what then is our duty as a branch? The primary duty of the branch is to bear fruit, to win souls. He said if you don’t bear fruit, then you are no longer qualified to be a branch (John 15:2). How many souls have you won for God since the beginning of this year? Are you sure you are still His branch? In Genesis 1:28, the first commandment to human beings was to be fruitful and multiply. It was a blessing, more importantly, a commandment.

To carry out your duties appropriately as a branch, you must abide- stay connected to the vine. Any branch that disconnects from the Vine will die fruitless. If you don’t abide in Him, how can you bear fruits? You abide in Him by fellowshipping with Him regularly and staying away from sin. He hates sin. So the moment you begin to dip your hands into it, He will disconnect you from Himself. When you abide in Him, He passes spiritual nutrients to you on a regular basis. In other words, in those times of fellowshipping with Him by studying your Bible and praying, you begin to blossom spiritually and the same works that He did during His earthly ministry, you too will begin to do and even more according to John 14:12.

When you start performing the kind of miracles that He performed while on earth, it will be easy to win souls. In fact, the souls will be the ones coming to ask you to let them meet with your God. Abiding in Him is the most important duty of a branch. If you can abide in Him, you will be fruitful and everything else will fall in place.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, give me the grace to win more souls to Your kingdom.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 22-24

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 9: HOLD THE FORTH.

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:
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18

READ: John 15:3-7

3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

MESSAGE

When you ask someone to introduce him or herself, you want the surname, first name and so on. In the above passage, Jesus introduced Himself as the Vine and His Father is the Husbandman. He went on to say in verse two that His children are the branches. At other times, Jesus introduced Himself as the Door, Lamb, Way, Truth, Life, Resurrection, Alpha, Omega and so on. As strange as these illustrations may seem, they carry the true picture of who He is.

He is the Vine and we are His branches; therefore, we are an extension of Him. If you open up a vine and you open up a branch, you would find the same thing in both of the; one is only bigger. That is why Jesus said in John 9:5 that He is the light of the world and then said in Matthew 5:14 that we are the light of the of the world; this simply means that we bear the light of Jesus. 1 John 4:17 tells us that as He is, so are we in this world. In Romans 8:16-17, we are called join heirs with Christ. This means that we are His brothers, this the same genes that are in Him are in us also. Ephesians 2:6 says we are seated together in heavenly places. In Acts 4:13, people saw Peter and John speak and they recognize Jesus in them. All these scriptures make one thing clear; as long as you are a child of God, you are to resemble your Father.

But then, how come we have so many ‘Christians’ who don’t resemble Christ? The answer is in our memory verse for today- they do not behold His glory. If you immerse yourself in God’s presence everyday- studying your Bible and praying, you will begin to resemble Him as the days go by. When a man and a woman have been married a few years, they begin to look, sound and even think alike. That is because they have been spending time together for long. Who you spend time with determine who you become. You want to truly resemble Jesus? Spend time with Him daily.

REFLECTION:

Can anyone take a look at you and say you resemble Jesus Christ in your words and actions?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 19-21

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 13: I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS.

1. I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

2. Tho’ none go with me, I still will follow,
Tho’ none go with me I still will follow,
Tho’ none go with me, I still will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

3. My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry till I see Jesus,
My cross I’ll carry till I see Jesus;
No turning back, No turning back.

4. The world behind me, the cross before me,
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.

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