WED 26th FEB 2014 THEME: JESUS IN YOUR BOAT

MEMORISE: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. 

Psalm 50:15

READ: MARK 4:35-41.

35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.

36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.

37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JEREMIAH 10-12; PSALM 46

No doubt, life in a sense is like the sea. A characteristic of the sea is that storms of varying degrees arise, putting the lives of those sailing on it in jeopardy of being drowned. In Jesus’ Name, the storms of life will not be able to drown you, your family and your business. While literal storms are natural phenomena, the storms of life are often generated and directed to an individual by enemies. Whether it is by enemies in the flesh or in the spirit realm, every situation that would constitute a storm in your life shall be disappointed in Jesus’ Name.

Jesus was in the boat with His disciples on a mission across the Sea of Galilee. His Father’s business that should bring deliverance to the mad man in Gadara, who the devil had been afflicting with chronic insanity, beaconed. The devil had an idea of this and decided to thwart it, but he is never a match for our God, and He will never be. This is why I command whatever storm you may be experiencing now to be calm in Jesus’ Name. As you sail on the sea of life to fulfil your destiny, the devil and his allies are not happy because your success is also going to result in the blessing and deliverance of others. This is because you will use it for God’s service, to build up the work of God and to bring souls to the Kingdom of God. Nevertheless, the devil and his agents will fail.

At the onset of the storm, while Jesus was taking time off to relax, the disciples embarked on a rescue operation of the boat. The situation however did not get better. They could not cope. It was then they remembered to wake Jesus up. 1 Samuel 2 : 9c says : “……..for by strength shall no man prevail.”

You should not make this mistake; your role is to notify Jesus of the storm. In any case, Jesus woke up unperturbed. The Author and Controller of Peace himself rebuked the winds behind the storm, and there was calm. You shall begin to experience calmness in your marriage, in your finances, in your education, in your business and in your health from now on in Jesus’ Name. Stop running helter-skelter to dubious men all over the place; they will only compound your problems. Look up to Jesus; let Him handle your storm.

ACTION POINT:

Repent of being too quick to seek out man’s solution instead of God’s at times of difficulty. Praise God, the all-powerful One and tell Him of any storm in your life.

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE

TUE 25th FEB. 2014. THEME: BE FULL OF PRAISE

MEMORISE: I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1

READ: PSALM 18: 1-3.

1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said, I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.

2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JEREMIAH 7: 30-9: 26; PSALM 45

The incident that led to the fall of man in the Garden of Eden was a complete loss of all that is beautiful. Prior to the fall, man wasn’t fearful of his environment or of the presence of God. But after the fall, for the first time, Adam was terrified by the presence of God which he previously used to anticipate. With this came the universal culture of complaining, murmuring and grumbling. The awesome glory of God over his life and destiny was destroyed. Glory to God that Jesus as the second Adam has come to undo the evil the devil subtly brought on man.

David in our Bible reading for today reveals the importance of eulogising God. He was confessing who God is to him: his rock, his fortress, his deliverer, his strength, his buckler, the horn of his salvation and his high tower. In his praise of God, David was also expressing his confidence and trust in God. God enjoys our praise. He says in Psalm 50 : 23 that he who offers praise glorifies Him. Are you a child of God? You must know that there is no place for those that murmur and grumblers in heaven; it is an eternity of ecstatic adoration of our great King ( Revelation 4 : 5 – 11 ). David, even in those days caught the revelation of this truth; hence he resolved to banish murmuring from his life. This caused him to proclaim in Psalm 34 : 1 that :

“I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

This is the secret of the greatness of this man who was once a nobody. From a human perspective, David had no prospect of becoming anything. Usually in families, it is expected that the youngest in the family would enjoy some pampering and ease, but not so with David. His older siblings remained at home enjoying themselves with the milk from the flock of sheep that David kept in the bush all by himself. However, every labour has its rewards. David became the greatest king of Israel and became an ancestor of our Lord Jesus. Because he was full of praise, God could not help but lavish His favour on him. Mind you, a great man always likes his greatness to be acknowledged. He would like that those around him do not embarrass or disgrace him by diminishing his status in any way. I once had an uncle who would refuse financial assistance to anyone who requested a meagre amount, because he felt such a request was demeaning to him. God is greater than the greatest of all men. Whatever your condition, He has the final say. It’s not over until it is over, therefore don’t let the challenges of your life reduce your God to a grasshopper in your eyes.

ACTION POINT:

No matter your current condition, right now look to God. Praise Him by calling Him beautiful names. Tell Him you will praise Him at all times and that He should help you.

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE.

MON. 24th FEB. 2014. THEME: GLORIOUS EXPECTATION.

MEMORISE: But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 1 Peter 5:10

READ: 2KINGS 7:1-10.

1 Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.

2 Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

3 And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?

4 If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.

5 And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there.

6 For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.

7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.

8 And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.

9 Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king’s household.

10 So they came and called unto the porter of the city: and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they were.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JEREMIAH 5: 14-7: 29 ; PSALM 44: 17-26.

A child of God has every right to expect a glorious tomorrow, even if the present situation does not in any way make such optimism look realistic. In the face of uncertainty and the total economic collapse of a country, the believer who knows his God will still rightly expect a change for the better, because he knows he serves a God who specialises in giving pleasant surprises to His children. The story of 2 Kings 6 & 7 is not fictional, though it may look incredible. The famine that resulted from the siege of Samaria by its enemies became so devastating that mothers were surviving on their own children. What a terrible thing! Have you ever thought about it: even Elisha the great man of God was in the midst of the situation as others? One thing you can be sure of is that God would have taken care of him for as long as the famine lasted; though that aspect of the story is not revealed in the Bible. In the same way, the Lord is able to take care of you in the midst of any crises, only make sure you trust in Him and obey Him in all things. Pay your tithes, win souls and live holy.

We should not cease trusting God in the place of prayer for desirable changes in the state of affairs of our country as we seek to do His will in all things. In the case of Samaria, God brought about a change within 24 hours at the peak of their national predicament of insecurity that resulted in acute want. By the mouth of His servant, God pronounced great abundance upon the land. This pronouncement brought to an end both the insecurity and the famine of the land ( 2 Kings 7 : 1 & 18 ). So will Boko Haram and its activities be brought to a sudden end in Nigeria in Jesus’ Name. On the other hand, being expectant does not imply sitting down and doing nothing; in the case of Samaria, it took the rising up of four lepers, who decided to go to the camp of the Syrians, only to discover that the Syrians had fled their camp, leaving all their supplies behind. There is always a place of action to your faith, just as the Bible in James 2 : 17 says:

“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”

Are you in need of a good job? You have got to take the right step of action. Do you want your business to be more competitive? Diligently get to know what action to take and take it.

ACTION POINT:

Praise God for His mercy over Nigeria. Pray for the forgiveness of sins for Nigeria and that God will grant her political leaders the fear of God and the wisdom to run the country.

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE.

FRI. 21st FEB. 2014 THEME: LIFE IN ABUNDANCE II

MEMORISE: Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him -1 John 3:6

READ: 1 JOHN 3:5-8.

5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

8 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.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ISAIAH 63 : 15 – 66 : 24; PSALM 43.

Truly, the genuineness of God’s concern and His interest in the well being of man is established in the giving of His Son to die, thereby making provision for their redemption. According to the word of God, such individuals that therefore surrender their lives to Jesus Christ are now children of God. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

John 1: 12-13.

If believers in Christ are children of God as the Bible clearly reveals, then it means that they possess some measure of divinity, a divine DNA. It implies further that divine abilities are at their disposal, just as the passage above indicates that these people are given power to become sons. On this note, it is therefore expected that such people would live to take full advantage of this life in accordance with the divine purpose. We should then ask ourselves this question: “Is it every child of God that is on top of their situation, and are they living life to the fullness of what Jesus has on offer in John 10:10b?” The answer to this question is NO! Why is this so? Definitely the fault is not with God, it can only be with us His children. Some of us are not sincere; some want what God has to offer but at the same time what the sinful world offers. In the first instance, sin was the undoing of man; it then follows that if after we have received pardon from Jesus, we still think we are free to continue in sin, we are taking God for a fool.

The Bible says: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Romans 6: 1-2 

It is required therefore that we live holy lives otherwise we will short-change ourselves. Living holy implies total obedience to God and His word.

ACTION POINT:

Earnestly pray for consecration, ask God for grace to live above the vanities of the world, and to be obedient to Him completely.

AUTHOR: Pst. E . A ADEBOYE.

THUR. 20th FEB. 2014 THEME: LIFE IN ABUNDANCE I

MEMORISE: 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. John 10: 10

READ: 2 PETER 1: 1- 4.

1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 60: 1-63 : 14; PSALM 42.

Under normal circumstances, no human being desires to be a nonentity. The various forces in the world however, are responsible for many people spending their entire life amounting to nothing and dwelling in the valley of not-well-to-do persons. The Almighty God Himself in making man did not intend for him to be a scourge of His creation, but rather the master piece of His creativity.

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Genesis 1:26-27

This passage clearly reveals love and goodwill par excellence on the part of God toward man. Where then did the negative turn of events come from? It is sin in the camp of man. He rebelled against his Maker; he rejected His authority over him by choosing to obey the archenemy of God – Satan, rather than God.

“And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.” Genesis 3:11-13.

Since this incident in the Garden of Eden, things have not been the same with man; until the same God who was sinned against sent His Son to make atonement for the sin of man (Hebrews 9:22, John 3:16). Whosoever now is in Christ is in a position to regain all that man had lost through sin (Romans 5:17). If you are already in Christ, I want to let you know that you are positioned to live a fulfilled life. If you have not truly surrendered to Jesus however, even if you seem to be making it, know that something very vital is still missing. Besides, where it matters most in the hereafter, you will be disappointed; so repent and turn over your life to Jesus today.

ACTION POINT:

Make sure you are truly in Christ, to be able to reclaim all your lost ground and make heaven.

AUTHOR: Pst. E . A ADEBOYE

WED. 19 FEB. 2014 THEME: FIT FOR DIVINE FAVOUR

MEMORISE: Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4: 16

READ: ECCLESIASTES 9:11

11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 56: 9-59: 21; PSALM 41

Do you know that even the African elders have a saying that they have seen princes become slaves and slaves become landlords? This saying of the elders is philosophically aligned with the Bible (Ecclesiastes 10: 7). Many times, the fact that a person is very energetic and hardworking is not necessarily an indication that the person will be successful and great in life. If human prowess and efforts were really the automatic yardsticks to great heights, then many of those people still struggling up the ladder of achievements would already be on the mountain top of success. The Bible spells this out in Ecclesiastes 9:1 “I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.” 

Favour is that currency by which you do little and obtain great results; it is that factor by which what others are struggling and sweating to accomplish, gets done by you almost effortlessly. It is favour that causes someone to be singled out of a multitude for special and pleasant treatment. Divine favour makes you someone that others would be willing to sacrifice their convenience to make comfortable. This was what happened to me years back on my first trip to Canada for a conference. On the long queue for registration on a very cold night with the ground wet, the registration officials came to me at the back of the line, collected my particulars and went on with my registration. Not only that, I was offered a cup of tea and an old man pulled off his jacket, laid it on the wet and cold field for me to sit on. What else made this happen, if not the God of the whole universe at work, moving these people to treat this first time visitor from Nigeria like a king. Jesus of course, has made believers kings and priests to his Father (Revelation 1:6).

All children of God are entitled to this favour, however, it has to be accessed by each one individually. You as a child of God should make yourself a favourite of God to enjoy His divine favour at the highest level. How? Through praise, worship, complete obedience, witnessing Jesus, holy living and being full of faith. For instance, Mary the espoused wife of Joseph did not just become favoured to be the mother of the Jesus; she was a virgin. Today, many of our young women have defiled themselves with men, even among those who say they are children of God.

PRAYER POINT:

Pray that God will qualify you by Himself for divine favour through a life of praise, fear of God, faith and total obedience like Mary.

AUTHOR: Pst. E . A ADEBOYE

TUE. 18th FEB. 2014 THEME: DIVINE CHAMPION III

MEMORISE: Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Psalm 51: 6

READ: DANIEL 2: 20-21.

20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:

21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 52: 1-56: 8; PSALM 40: 11-17

The divine champion is one that is made wise by God (Daniel 2: 20-21). Wisdom can be defined as having the fear of God. As a matter of fact, the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Also, it is the correct application of knowledge. This knowledge itself must be the right and pure knowledge. In this context therefore, wisdom is the substance by which a solution is proffered to problems and unpleasant situations or experiences of men, individuals, institutions, organisations and nations. Wisdom makes way for progress and success.

Daniel as a divine champion largely gained stardom by presenting solutions to the puzzles of kings. These came by God revealing to him the meaning of mysterious dreams and the strange handwriting on the wall during the reign of one of these kings. As you become a divine champion, God would graciously reveal to you the cause of people’s problems so that you may help them out in Jesus’ Name. As a professional in your area of specialisation, the Lord will show you secrets of outstanding breakthroughs for new products, ideas and principles for alleviating people’s sufferings, hardships and sorrows in Jesus’ Name. As a leader, a judge, magistrate, king, community head, governor or president, the God that gave Solomon wisdom and deep insights will honour you with the same for right adjudication and administration in your domain in Jesus’ Name.

Remember however that the divine champion is God’s representative; hence the special abilities he has are meant to bless men and honour God. It is in this light that God backed Samuel and Elijah up ( 1 Samuel 3 : 19, 2 Kings 1 : 9 – 12 ). The divine champion is also one that is loved and sustained by God, as was the case with Elijah. Supernaturally, Elijah was provided with food at the Brook Cherith and was fed by God through a widow at Zarephath during a period of famine in the land ( 1 Kings 17 : 3 – 9 ). God sees to it that the divine champion’s needs are met, whatever it takes. Get occupied with God and His business, please Him like Elijah and your needs will become His needs and you can be sure that you would not have to struggle like others do to make ends meet. Even blessings you do not crave for would come around you.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, make me a solution provider in my generation.

AUTHOR: Pst. E . A ADEBOYE

MON. 17 FEB. 2014 THEME: DIVINE CHAMPION II

MEMORISE: 

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint - Isaiah 40 : 31

READ: ISAIAH 40: 28-31.

Isa 40 : 28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

Isa 40 : 29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

Isa 40 : 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

Isa 40 : 31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 49 – 51; PSALM 40: 1-10.

Yesterday we discovered that our Lord Jesus Christ is the number one champion and that He makes His people champions. We saw also that a divine champion is a person raised up and supported by God.

One attribute of a champion is strength. The divine champion is one who receives divine strengthening. 1 Samuel 2 : 9 says by strength (i.e. human ability) shall no man prevail. The required divine strength for success, achievement, getting to the top etc is supplied to the divine champion by God. Hannah, who by inspiration of the Holy Spirit proclaimed those words in prayers, had that experience. She became a champion by divine strengthening. She received strength to put an end to her barrenness, thus her shame and reproach were taken away. Every barren child of God using this devotional right now, today marks that turning point in the story of your life; the strength for conception comes into you right now in Jesus’ Name. Having delivered our first three children by caesarean section, by this same divine strengthening, my wife safely delivered our fourth child by herself contrary to the expert’s opinion. The Lord who did it for us will do it for you.

By the time divine strength came upon Elijah the divine champion, He ran on foot ahead of the king’s chariot to the city of Jezreel (1 Kings 18:46). Thus, the divine champion is always physically strong in his body – no room for sickness at all. Though it was by divine ability that David tore both the lion and the bear while shepherding his father’s flock, he would not have been a sickly fellow to be in the wilderness looking after the animals. Likewise, though God was the one behind his killing of the giant Goliath with a catapult, he would no doubt have been healthy in his body to be strong enough to pull the catapult string. Jesus our Master is the number one divine champion; we can only be divine champions because He is. There is no one occasion recorded where he was having a simple headache. Therefore, we His champions have no business being sick. Rather, what Jesus was doing is what we are meant to be doing also, i.e. giving health to the sick (Acts 10:38).

PRAYER POINT:

Father, make me a divine champion full of the anointing, and give me a strong sickness-free body for your service.

AUTHOR: Pst. E . A ADEBOYE

FRI. 14th FEB. 2014 THEME: BE STRONG

MEMORISE: Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Ephesians 6:10

READ: EPHESIANS 6:10-13.

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 40: 9-42: 25; PSALM 37:33-40.

You don’t charge someone to be strong if there is no task to be performed or if pressure is not required, either for motion or putting up resistance against an opposing force. In the physical realm, mere movement requires strength. This explains why a sick person or a person just recovering from an ailment finds it difficult to walk. Spiritually you need to be strong. In today’s Bible reading, the Lord commands us to be strong, and He gives two reasons why we should be:

1. That ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

2. That ye may be able to withstand in the evil day.

There are evil forces that want to short – change a child of God’s life regarding the good things that God has in store for him or her. These spiritual forces are listed in Ephesians 6 : 12 as : principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world and spiritual wickedness in high places. These spiritual entities attack either directly or through their human agents namely: witches, wizards, and people with familiar spirits etc. They cause harm, sorrow and calamities, including abortion of pregnancies and barrenness. They give spirit husbands, spirit wives and abort prospective contract deals; they are responsible for a myriads of misfortunes. As you know, the Bible says that the thief’s (Satan) mission is to steal — stealing joy, peace etc; to kill —- through sickness, diseases, calamities, tragedies, business failures etc, and to destroy — i .e the complete and ultimate devastation of a man’s destiny in Hell. In the Name of Jesus, you will not become a victim of Satan’s mission in any of these areas. What Jesus has for those that belong to Him is life in great abundance.

Some years ago, a young lady who for the second time had failed her Ordinary Level exams refused to eat for days, grieving over her failure. Within this period, a fight ensued between her and another young girl. Though this grieving lady ordinarily should have dealt decisively with her adversary, the reverse turned out to be the case. Why? Because the strength she needed was not there, having not eaten for days. Spiritually, the food for our spirit man is the word of God. One of the basic things necessary for a child of God to be strong is the word of God. It serves as spiritual food for the supply of the needed spiritual calories ( 1Peter 2 : 2, Colossians 3 : 16 ). The word sanctifies and purifies us. We are to study it, meditate on it, memorise it and of course, obey it.

ACTION POINT:

Take a definite steps to improve your level of interaction with the word – study, meditate on and memorise striking passages. Also appoint an accountability partner to help you.

AUTHOR: Pst. E . A ADEBOYE

THURS. 13th FEB. 2014 THEME: GOD SEES YOU

MEMORISE: Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Psalm 139: 2

READ: PSALM 139: 1-3

1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ISAIAH 37: 14 – 40: 8; PSALM 37: 21-33.

As a child of God, the fact that God knows all about you should give you assurance and confidence, especially in the time of crises. While God sees and knows in detail what is going on around and inside of you, the devil does not have such ability. The Psalmist says: “Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.” Psalm 139 : 2, God knows all that you are passing through now and He knows the history of your life. Sometimes, what you consider to be the origin of your problem is not. There was this young boy whose father had stolen the Raleigh bicycle of another man before he was born. So painful was this experience to the man who lost his bicycle that he placed a curse on the generations of the person that stole his bicycle. The man who stole the bicycle had died and his young boy had gone to school and successfully completed his national youth service program. However, the young man just discovered that anytime he ate rice, it turned out to be a serious life threatening meal for him. He was completely oblivious of the evil his father had committed and the curse that was placed on his generations, that they would die eating rice. The all-knowing God however revealed this to His servant, who counselled the young man to find the exact amount the bicycle cost and give it to the owner of the bicycle. This he did and his predicament stopped.

Another thing about this attribute of God in relation to how we comport ourselves is that we should not be deluded into thinking that we can cover up any misdeed. Remember David smartly got his evil deed with Bathsheba kept from being known to everybody. He thought he could cover up his act of adultery with Bathsheba and the subsequent murder of her husband, but he was foolish not to consider that God saw him. God sees all you are doing. Beyond that, He knows every thought you are thinking, even while the thought is still far away from you ( Psalm 139 : 2 ). He knows it. Won’t you rather fear this God and rightly comport yourself? Are you a brother, minister or pastor, indulging in fornication or adultery with your members? He sees you, and except you repent, you will pay dearly for it. Repent today, and you shall obtain mercy, and it shall be well with you.

ACTION POINT:

Pray that the all-seeing and all-knowing God will reveal to you any pending restitution you ought to make. Prayerfully go ahead and perform it.

AUTHOR: Pst. E . A ADEBOYE.

WED 12th FEB. 2014 THEME: WHAT KIND OF VESSEL?

MEMORISE: 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. 2Timothy 2: 21

READ: 2 TIMOTHY 2:19-22
19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
21 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.
22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 34: 1-37:13; PSALM 37:1-20

Vessels are simply containers. God identified His children as vessels in order to bring up one crucial fact about His dealings and workings on earth. The Bible in Psalm 115 : 16 says: “The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.” Because God has given the earth to men, in order to carry out His works on earth, He does not get it done without involving men, particularly His own children. The reason is, those in Christ are co-workers with the Father (Romans 8:16-17, 1Corinthians 3:9). The heavenly resources by which the work will be accomplished will need to be carried or contained in us as vessels, not only as vessels but also as pipes or conduits. The purity of these resources, virtue, power and gifts of the Holy Spirit are highly essential if results as desired by God will be obtained.

Though we are God’s children as believers, a component part of us is still flesh and blood. For this reason, we are called earthen vessels. The onus therefore is on us to make sure we keep this vessel pure, hence, the need to purify ourselves from all contaminants that could make us dirty. Our Bible reading for today reveals also that as vessels, the type of use we are put to will differ one from another. The interesting thing is that you are the one that determines the type of vessel you would be in the hand of God. What a great opportunity to become distinguished! It means I can become the most valuable vessel to God with all the honour that goes with such. Consider that for a mere slave who was sick, a centurion was ready to go all out to secure his healing. He had to plead with the Jewish leaders to appeal to Jesus to come and heal this servant. He did all this because this one servant was of immense value to him (Luke 7: 1-10). Herein is the secret of what could make a difference between a child of God in whose life Mark 16 : 17 is a reality and another for whom it is not. Are you still meddling with sin, rationalising smoking, alcohol drinking, enjoying immoral thoughts and generally living in disobedience, and yet you wonder why you cannot pray to heal a headache? Mind you, if you do not desire to change, it means that God may consider using your life to send a message that teaches others why it is not good to live the way you live while claiming you are a child of God.

ACTION POINT:
Prayerfully list out all the bad habits you know about yourself and determine to break them as you engage in serious prayers. Avoid factors that make you susceptible to them.

AUTHOR: Pst. E . A ADEBOYE

TUESDAY 11th FEB. 2014 THEME: GOD OF PURPOSE.

MEMORISE: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: Ephesians 1:11

READ: PROVERBS 3: 5-7

5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 30: 18-33: 24; PSALM 36

Our God is a God of purpose. He created man for a purpose. He declared His purpose for man even before creating him in His own image. The Bible in Genesis 1 : 26 says, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” Therefore, know that you were born for a purpose; you are not an accident, even if your parents were no longer expecting children at the point they had you, just like it happened in my own case. It could even be that you’re a child out of wedlock. Notwithstanding all these, the fact that you came and you survived despite all the forces against you, and that you became exposed to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, shows that God has you uppermost in His heart. You got this far because He was behind the scene working out His purpose for your life. So don’t let the devil deceive and rob you of your glorious destiny. Remember, Solomon was a product of a relationship founded on adultery and intrigue that resulted in the murder of his mother’s husband.

The true children of God were chosen from the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1: 4-5). He chose us for different purposes. We should seek out His purpose and rest in Him while He brings it to pass. Moses, who was chosen for a great purpose by God, jumped ahead in his own self-counsel to begin the deliverance of his people. The result was a forty year wait in the wilderness. Do not jump ahead of God, stay close to His heartbeat in the place of meditation. Hear what He will have you do per time. Knowing and walking in God’s purpose for your life brings a level of confidence that makes you exude calmness in the midst of the storm. This was the case with Paul in Acts 27:23 – 25: “For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.“ Know that there is a purpose for you, discover what that purpose is and pursue it with all your might. God will help you in Jesus’ Name.

ACTION POINT:

Praise God for who He has made you to be; you are fearfully and wonderfully made with a purpose to fulfil.

AUTHOR : Pst. E . A ADEBOYE

MEET ME ON THE MOUNTAIN - Monday 10th Feb. 2014

MEMORISE: For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Isaiah 57:15.

READ: 1 KINGS 18:17–19

17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?

18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.

19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 28: 1 – 30: 17; PSALM 35.

Though mountains are usually regarded as symbols of problems, obstacles and obstructions to progress, they can also be a place for great achievements. Elijah set the stage for an explosive encounter with top agents of the devil on Mount Carmel. He brought down revival and God was glorified on this mountain. A mountain can have good or positive uses. In Exodus 17:10–13, Moses demonstrated that a mountain can be a suitable place to direct battles. As you get on the mountain with God, every battle of life confronting you shall be crushed just as the Amalekites were routed and crushed before Israel while Moses was on the mountain. The mountain top is a place of loneliness, because when you really want to be intimate with God, it can only be you and God alone. The glory that accompanies being with God however makes it worth the price. With glory from the mountain top, your next contact with men in troubling situations is bound to deliver a solution. The episode described in Matthew 14:22 –32 clearly reveals that Jesus Christ was able to bring respite to the disciples’ nasty experience of being tossed about by a terrible storm on the Sea of Galilee after spending some time with His father on the mountain.

The most important thing about the mountain top is that it is a place of answered prayers. Miracles happen there, as well as incredible things that would build the faith of unbelievers and bring down revival among the people of God. The unrepentant enemies of God meet their waterloo on the mountain, just like it happened in the case of Elijah (1Kings18:36–40). It should be realised however, that before these wonderful experiences can occur, there must be preparation in terms of separation, and a decision to serve God and Him alone is a necessity. Getting to the mountain top is by divine selection; Jesus took only three out of twelve disciples along with Him to the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1– 2). Jesus led the three of them, thus showing that God would lead anyone up there who is meek, humble, gentle and peaceful (Psalm 25:9, Isaiah 57:15). Note also that He led them; He did not carry them, meaning that such individuals must be willing to pay the price, because climbing requires effort. As you desire the mountain top experience, may the grace to pay the price be given to you in Jesus’ Name. Finally, remember that you must have clean hands and a pure heart to access the mountain top of God (Psalm 24:3 – 4). There is no room for fraudulent and dishonest imaginations at the mountain top.

PRAYER POINT:

Pray that God will grant you the essential qualities required for mountain top experiences.

AUTHOR: Pst. E . A ADEBOYE.

ACCEPTED TIME I

MEMORISE: To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: ECCLESIASTES 3:1

READ: ECCLESIASTES 3: 1 – 8.

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 14: 28 – 19:15; PSALM 33:12 – 22.

God in His perfection has His own ways of doing things. One of such ways is that He has a timetable by which He works, and He follows it strictly. This is demonstrated in the way He handled the case of Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha ( John 11 : 1 – 8 ). The Bible says He loved this man and his two sisters. Because of this love, the sisters of Lazarus were in no panicky state at all when he fell sick because they knew that all they needed was for Jesus to hear that His friend was sick and He would rush to the scene and heal him immediately. How mistaken they were. However, God knew of the condition of Lazarus even before it happened. The Bible says: “Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.” Acts 15 : 18. 

Lazarus’ sisters waited for Jesus to come till the time they concluded it was all over. They were not disappointed at the end because when it was time for Him to act according to His timetable, their mourning turned to joy and they sang a new song. If you are truly His child, walking uprightly before Him, be aware that He knows of that experience you are having for which you earnestly desire a change. He is not just getting aware of it now but He knew about it before you were born. How amazing! When He stepped into the case of Lazarus according to His own time-table on the fourth day of his demise, the hopeless situation became a great testimony. Has His “delay” made your case worse, or has your case degenerated and decayed, just like the body of Lazarus in the grave for four days? I have good news for you: the Lord will step in and yours shall be a mighty testimony, and great joy shall follow in Jesus’ Name. 

Note that while the disappointment of Martha and Mary lasted over their dead brother, it was not reported that they got angry with Jesus. In grief, they did not consider Him less than they had taken Him to be. They did not blaspheme or say rubbish against God. There is no doubt that they were pained because Jesus did not come around at their own timing when, supposedly, there was still hope. Nevertheless, their response to Jesus was still that of reverence ( John 11 : 32 ).

KEY POINT:

Ensure you do not get angry with God when faced with trouble. This could compound your problem.

AUTHOR: Pst. E . A ADEBOYE.

THE PARADOX OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.

MEMORISE: And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: Eph. 2 : 6.

READ : JOHN 15 : 18 – 19

18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ISAIAH 11 : 1 – 14 :27; PSALM 33 : 1 – 11

There are people with dual citizenship in this world. Some others migrate and renounce the citizenship of where they are coming from to take up that of another land. The nature of a believer is close to this. Before becoming born-again, you were born to exist in this physical world, but when you give your life to Christ, you now exist at a higher spiritual realm of God in addition to being present in this physical world. John 1 : 12 – 13 says: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” This dual contrasting existence of every child of God poses some challenges especially in a world that is hostile to the ways of our native land. The ways and manners of our native land are outlined for us in the Bible. These Bible traditions which form the pattern for our life are not going to be popular in this world but rather, demon-inspired fashions, styles and behaviours will continue to be the norm.  

The unfortunate thing is that some people of God have lost their identity and are occupied with the fashion of this world which will pass away. Our Lord made it very clear from our Bible reading for today that the world will not love us because we are not of the world. We are also instructed in 1 John 2 : 15 not to love the world or the things that are in the world. We need to be clear about our identity. We are told that though we are in this world, we are not of the world. We therefore ought not to be bugged down by the affairs of this world but rather by that of our native land – Heaven. 

We are to exhibit the culture of Heaven right here in this world. Our affections ought to be on the things above (Colossians 3: 1 – 2). Beloved, what is your affection set on? What are those things you are seeking? Remember, friendship with the world is enmity with God (James 4:4 ). This means if you claim to be a child of God, and yet you love the world and its ways and methods of evil doings, in reality you’re an enemy of God. Please examine your life and ways this moment; you may not have been like that from the beginning, but by not being sober and vigilant you exposed yourself to the subtlety of the wicked one. Turn to God now with godly sorrow and repentance, and he will forgive you and restore you to spiritual fervency again. Let it be known to you that the trumpet is about to sound. May you really be ready in Jesus’ Name.

ACTION POINT:
In whatever area of life this message affects you, repent, cry to God for mercy and amend your ways. Pray for the revival of holiness and power in the Church.

AUTHOR : Pst. E . A ADEBOYE.

YOUR FIRST LOVE.

MEMORISE: Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Rev. 2:4.

READ : REVELATION 2 : 1 – 5

1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ISAIAH 8 – 10; PSALM 32.

As a Christian, your heart ought to be aglow with genuine love for Christ, unless you are not genuinely saved as a result of having not truly repented from your sins even though you have confessed Jesus. At the new birth experience, the Holy Spirit regenerates our spirit and fills it with deep and pure love for God. However, often times, we do not diligently watch to ensure the flame of this love is kept aglow, rather we gradually give prime attention to some spiritual exigencies at the expense of our first love, forgetting that this first love in itself has a way of propelling and driving us into the activities required of us by God. It becomes disastrous when we get to a state where we consider as less important, the condition of our first love. God did not hesitate to point out the mistake the church at Ephesus made by falling into this state. He told them that in spite of those good things they were occupied with, He would remove their candlestick because they had forsaken their first love. Thank God they had the opportunity to repent. May you not get to a state where God will remove your light in Jesus’ Name.

Beloved, what really is this first love for God? This is that deep and pure affection; His kind of love toward us which we are born into at our surrendering to Christ. It is the kind of affection between two lovers by which they share deep intimacies just between themselves to the exclusion of all others. God cherishes His communion with His bride (the believer). The lesson here is that we should not allow our labour or service no matter how expedient to becloud our consciousness and the necessity to maintain our first love for Jesus.

What are the expressions of this love? They include: Strong desire to be in the presence of God in praising, thanking and worshipping Him, spontaneously singing to Him either in private or in public. Another is by spontaneously expressing a fondness of him, making reference to Him at all times. Also, it includes readily resorting to him when confronted with any given difficult situation and finally, enjoying imitating him all the way – such as by living holy. When we measure a life that portrays these expressions against the attitude of some who say they are His children, you will discover that there seems to be no trace of this love, or that it has been suffocated. What shall we say about a Christian who in a restaurant cannot pray over his food, or stylishly prays over the food before eating to avoid being noticed by other people?

ACTION POINT:

Pray to God to help you recognise the true state of your first love for Him and ask for help to sustain it. If your love is found wanting, repent and ask for mercy to rediscover it.

AUTHOR : Pst. E . A ADEBOYE.

APPOINTED TIME

MEMORISE:
Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come. Psalm 102:13

READ: Psalm 102:12-13
12 But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.
13 Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ISAIAH 4 – 7 and PSALM 31:19-24

MESSAGE
Many times, the prayers we importunately make to God are like when clouds are gathering together. They gather together over a period of time until thick layers of clouds are formed. Heavy torrents of rain will then begin to fall over the area where the clouds were formed. The Bible indeed says: “If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.” Ecclesiastics 11:3 From this illustration, we observe that the result of cumulative prayers can be great at the appointed time. 

However from our Bible reading for today, the time to favour you – a child of God, is declared to be now! The use of the phrase: “is come”, attests to this. It therefore follows that you can fast forward your time for actualising God’s favour to the present. Such was the case of the wedding at Cana of Galilee. In the middle of the celebration, the wine ran out. What an embarrassment, what a shame. Jesus was at the occasion with his disciples and so was his mother Mary. Perhaps the celebrant was a close relation of theirs, as it is obvious that Mary was an insider. She knew what was going on before it became an issue of public knowledge and ridicule. Knowing the power of God in her son, she approached Him for assistance to remedy the situation. Jesus however told her His hour was not yet come. She nevertheless by faith went ahead to tell the servants that whatever he asks them to do they should do it (John 2:5). Before the “nakedness” of the celebrants became exposed, Jesus covered them up by performing his first ever miracle of turning water to wine, a wine of incomparable quality. Is your case at the threshold of becoming an object of public ridicule and making you a laughing stock? The same Jesus will cover your nakedness like He did at that occasion. Like Mary, rather than grumbling and murmuring, what you need is faith in God. You should also ensure that you demonstrate your trust in Him by praising and thanking Him, living a lifestyle of obedience and holiness, and by touching and winning souls (1 John 3:22).

ACTION POINT:

Praise God for having your best interest at heart and for His anticipated intervention in your situation that will lead to a harvest of great testimonies.

 AUTHOR: PST. E.A ADEBOYE 

TRAIN UP YOUR CHILD II

MEMORISE:
Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying. Proverbs 19:18

READ: 2 Timothy 3:14-15
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ISAIAH 1 – 3 and PSALM 31:9-18

MESSAGE
These days, even the children of pastors are not exempted from the degeneration prevalent among youths. You are expected to train up your children on the word of God. Some pastors could say one thing in church
and another thing at home, hence the children become confused, leading to their rebellion against God.

Children, if your parents are pushing you aright, glory be to God. If they are not, you can chart a course in life that goes through God’s principles. My own mother did her best on me. She pushed me; thank God I allowed her to push me. You must be hard working if you are not banking on bribing your way through life. Bribing your way through can only take you some distance. There is one thing that takes one to the top in life – hard work. God is not going to promote lazy fellows. “There is no royal road to success” they say. The elders will tell you princes have become slaves before. Parents, some of your children spend too much time watching TV and playing video games. Life is no bed of roses; there is a lot of struggle going on in the world. Only the hardworking will reach the top, so sit up and work hard. 

Some Christians are believing God for breakthroughs, but let me tell you the truth; there is no breakthrough for a lazy man, because God knows if the breakthrough comes by laziness, the breakthrough would slip out of his hand. Children, be aware that you must obtain blessings from your parents. Honour your father and mother so that they may bless you. I have said it over and over again that I am where I am today by the grace of God and by the blessings my mother pronounced on me. One blessing she used to pronounce then which I did not understand was: “Son, because you have done this, you would call one person but two hundred will answer.” Today, by the grace of God, if I call one pastor and I do not mention any name, more than two hundred would respond. Finally, one cannot be in sin and expect to be a star for God. How can one in sin rise in God; how can God promote such? The Bible says we cannot continue in sin and expect grace to abound. Parents, if you are not ready to be a star for yourself, for the sake of your children, please surrender your life completely to Jesus so that the future of your children will be secure in glory. Do this, if you truly love them.

 

PRAYER POINT:
Pray for children of ministers of God that they would be true to the God of their parents and that they will be shining stars in this generation.

AUTHOR: PST. E.A ADEBOYE