OVERCOMING BY PRAYER

TUESDAY 1ST DECEMBER 2015

OVERCOMING BY PRAYER

 

Memorise:

And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. Luke 22:40

 

Read: Luke 22:39-41

39  And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

40  And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

41  And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

 

Message

The moment you gave your life to Jesus Christ, a battle line was drawn between you and the kingdom of darkness. Unhappy that he has lost you to God's kingdom, Satan's main goal is to secure your return to his kingdom. One major tool he tries to use in accomplishing this mission is temptation. The devil and his agents will bring temptations your way to make you to do things that would break your relationship with God. This is where prayer comes in. Prayer is one veritable tool that prevents you from falling into Satan's traps. This is why Jesus urged His disciples at the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. Luke 22:40 says:

"And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation."

When you pray, the strength to overcome temptations is released to you. A Christian who fails to pray will sooner or later become a victim of the tempter. The extent to which you will overcome temptations is determined by how robust your prayer life is. If you have been rising and falling so often, check your prayer life and the way you study God's word. If you can improve on both, you will experience more stability in your faith.

 

One of the modus operandi of Satan is to show you dazzling sights that could tempt you to follow him. In other words, he presents an object of temptation in a bright and attractive way; repainting an evil thing in brilliant and attractive colours. For instance, a prostitute is labelled a commercial sex worker, in order to support the excuse that he or she is simply trying to earn a living, whereas the essence of prostitution is fornication and adultery. In tempting people, the devil and his agents make sin look attractive and inviting, almost with an air of irresistibility. Prayer deadens these illusions by painting sin in its real colours. Every time you pray over an object of temptation, it becomes less inviting and less attractive.

As you pray, the desire to sin is brought under subjection. Through prayer, we obtain grace to walk in the reality of the truth that our flesh has been crucified (Galatians 5:24). Prayer strengthens our spirit man and keeps the flesh where it belongs: crucified and dead on the cross of Calvary (Romans 6:6). It connects your spirit with the Holy Spirit and separates you from the devil, by moving your focus towards Heaven and away from the allure of the world. How prayerful are you? No believer in Christ can triumph without using the weapon of prayer.

 

Prayer Point:

Father, please give me the grace to pray like Jesus prayed while on earth.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: PSALM 57-63 and HEBREWS 6:13-7:10

AUTHOR: Pst. E. A. ADEBOYE

KNOWING HIM IS LIFE

MONDAY 30th NOVEMBER 2015

THEME: KNOWING HIM IS LIFE

Memorise:

But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD. Jeremiah 9:24

Read: Jeremiah 9:23-24

23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:

24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD

Message

Life is not what many people think it is. It is not about financial or material abundance; neither is it about physical endowments. Life is definitely not about power, achievements or worldly wisdom. What then is life? Jesus answers this question in John 17:3:
"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."
True life is knowing God and Jesus Christ. In today's Bible reading, God instructs us not to boast of our wisdom, might or riches. He said if we want to boast, we should boast in what we know about Him. When you engage in such boasting, the essence is not to flaunt your knowledge like some people do today; rather, it is to rejoice in the fact that God has revealed Himself to you to that extent. Why should you take pleasure in knowing God? Why should knowing God be something you should be proud of? It is because knowing God can do certain powerful things in your life and in the lives of others around you.

"And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits." Daniel 11:32

By the revelation of God given to Daniel, we are made to understand that knowing God produces strength and exploits. What kinds of exploits are being referred to here? When you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, and you daily increase in the knowledge of the Holy Trinity, you will not only have eternal life, but the life of God will also be channelled through you to others. For instance, you will lay your hands on the blind, and as the divine life flows through you to such a fellow, he will begin to see. When you pray for the barren, the divine life will cause her to conceive. This is life! When your life begins to bring joy to the lives of many others, that is life. The life of God flowing through you will make you the light of the world, causing those in darkness to see. The divine life will also make you the salt of the earth, giving good taste to a tasteless world. This life of God is not predicated upon the material world but on the relationship you have with the Lord. How is your spiritual life? Have you gauged your spiritual life lately?

Prayer Point:

Father, reveal Yourself to me, and help me to respond to You the way You expect me to.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: PSALM 51-56 and HEBREWS 5:11-6:12

AUTHOR: Pst. E. A. ADEBOYE

PERMANENT CONNECTION

SUNDAY 29th NOVEMBER 2015

PERMANENT CONNECTION

 

Memorise:

And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

Hebrews 1:7

 

Read: Philippians 1:20-21

20  According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

21  For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

 

Message

For God to use you as a minister for manifesting His signs and wonders to the world, you must be totally consecrated and committed. In addition, you must be permanently connected to Jesus. In Philippians 1:21, Paul declared that if he would be alive at all, the essence of his living must be Christ. Many of us are still living for ourselves, our families and for others. Until you get to that point of deciding to live for Christ like Paul did, you may not be chosen by God for the manifestation of His signs and wonders. If you take a piece of hot iron and you drop it into a bucket of cold water, what will happen to the water? It will heat up immediately, but as the water gets warm, the iron loses its heat. If you are connected to the Holy Spirit and you became red hot, but then you later jump into the cold water of the world, you will still be healing, delivering people and casting out demons initially, but at some point, because you are no longer connected with the fire of the Holy Spirit, you will begin to lose heat until you becomes as cold as the world.

Have you observed the life of Jesus Christ? Every time Jesus performed a major miracle, He would immediately set Himself apart from men unto God on a mountain, in order to recharge His battery. You need to be permanently connected to the Holy Spirit. When a water heater containing cold water is connected to a power source, the water will start boiling after some time. If the water heater is not disconnected, at some point, evaporation of the water will follow. If after evaporation has commenced, the water heater continues to receive power, a fire outbreak will likely happen. This illustrates that as long as you remain connected to the Holy Spirit and His fire continues to flow through you, at some point, you will manifest His very nature, especially in the dimension of being a consuming fire. No wonder Hebrews 1:7 says:

"And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire."

God wants you to manifest His very nature. This is only possible when the link between you and the Holy Spirit is unbroken. How is that connection today? Do you once in a while dabble into sin? If you do, you break the connection and move away from manifesting as a flame of fire.

 

Action Point:

You cannot afford to lose your link with God. Consciously ensure you are permanently connected to Him.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: PSALM 45-50 and HEBREWS 4:8-5:10

AUTHOR: Pst. E. A. ADEBOYE

SEEK REVELATION

SATURDAY 28th NOVEMBER 2015

THEME: SEEK REVELATION

Memorise:

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: Ephesians 1:17

Read: Acts 16:25-34

25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

Message

There is a relationship between information, knowledge and revelation. Information is a collection of known facts on a subject matter, particularly those garnered from cumulative experiential knowledge. There are pieces of information to help you in various areas of life. For instance, in marriage, there is a lot of information that can help a couple with marital problems to improve their situation, which can be found in books, tapes, CDs, DVDs, seminars and so on. As long as a couple does not access such information, it remains simple information, but the moment they take it, it becomes knowledge. The knowledge you receive but fail to act upon cannot profit you.

If anything, it will lead to condemnation when the negative event that could have been averted through the use of that knowledge finally occurs. However, getting insight into how knowledge can be applied in solving a specific problem is dependent on inspiration, which is closely related to wisdom. Having knowledge is good, but having revelation is much better, because revelation tells you how to apply your knowledge to a specific situation you are confronted with in order to get the best results.

Take for instance the jailer in today's Bible reading; by asking Paul and Silas what he must do to be saved, it shows he already had the knowledge that salvation was available, but he did not know how to get it. It also shows that information was available on salvation at that time. Although he had obtained the knowledge about salvation, he remained in the dark and joined the authorities to punish and oppress innocent citizens, because he had no revelation on salvation. When eventually he caught the revelation of salvation through Jesus Christ, He received Jesus into his heart and restituted his ways. He washed, fed and took care of the same prisoners whose beating and imprisonment he had supervised. As long as you remain at the level of knowledge, you are bound to make series of mistakes or take regrettable steps concerning certain situations of life.

Today, many people have information but lack revelation. They acquire knowledge but do not know how best to utilise it. Being religious is all about having knowledge. That is why you find out that the most religious people commit the greatest sins. Beloved, knowledge is not enough! You need revelation. This was the essence of Paul's prayer in our memory verse. Call on God to give you revelation concerning the things you know. Revelation links you with the purpose of a thing, in order to optimise that purpose.

Action Point:

Religious fanatics like Saul of old persecute other religious people, because they have knowledge but lack revelation. Pray that God will reveal Himself to them.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: PSALM 40-44 and HEBREWS 3:7-4:7

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE

DO YOU RECOGNISE THESE VOICES?

FRIDAY 27TH NOVEMBER 2015

DO YOU RECOGNISE THESE VOICES?

 

Memorise:

And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

John 10:4

 

Read: John 10:2-5

2  But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3  To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

4  And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

5  And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

 

Message

On your way to Heaven, one thing you need to identify clearly is the various voices you will hear. Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 14:10, indicates the existence of different voices, each with its own character:

"There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification."

 

Virtually everything seen and unseen has a voice, but of interest to the success of your race to Heaven is the recognition of the following voices: God's voice, your own voice, the voice of men, and the voice of Satan and his demons. It is your duty to identify the voices that you hear, so that you can know how to respond appropriately. God's voice must be heard, understood and obeyed. God's voice can come audibly as a still small voice, through the word of God, from sermons, as prophecy, through dreams, in visions and through any other medium He chooses to use at a point in time. Obeying God's voice always adds value to the hearer, giving direction and upliftment. Every time you listen to and obey God's voice, you are saved from harm, given solution to a problem, divinely assisted, healed and blessed. God does not just speak; He speaks to His children for a good purpose. He could speak to warn you of dangers ahead. This is why you must ask God for grace to recognise His voice.

 

A particular brother who claimed to have been led of God, proposed to three different sisters, asking their hands in marriage. It is very clear that if he was ever led at all, he did not know how to recognise God's voice. John 10:4-5 states clearly that God's sheep know and follow His voice. If you are following a stranger's voice, it is doubtful you are saved; but if you are sure of your salvation, then it is pertinent that you learn to recognise His voice by paying attention to Him when He speaks to your spirit. This may occur while studying God's word, praying, worshipping or while in church. Learn how He speaks. Test what you hear as His voice with His word, because if it is truly God speaking, He will not say anything against His written word. In the same way, you need to identify the voice of the flesh, which will always want you to do things that will satisfy its lusts. You should also identify the voice of devils, which will overtly or covertly nudge you to disobey God or violate His word. You must acquaint yourself with God's voice from today!

 

Action Point:

Father, as Your sheep, grant me grace to recognise Your voice at all times.

 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: PSALM 36-39 and HEBREWS 2:5-3:6

AUTHOR: Pst. E. A. ADEBOYE

THE GOOD SHEPHERD

THURSDAY 26TH NOVEMBER 2015

THE GOOD SHEPHERD

 

Memorise:

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

John 10:14

 

Read: John 10:11-14

11  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

12  But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

13  The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

14  I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

 

Message

One of the earliest jobs that man engaged in after the Fall was that of shepherding animals. Abel was described as a shepherd in Genesis 4:2. The job of a shepherd is a difficult one, and it involves a lot of discomfort and sacrifice. Jacob's testimony in Genesis 31:40 should give you an idea of what it takes to be a shepherd. He said:

"Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes."

However, there are different kinds of shepherds. There are shepherds who do the work purely for monetary consideration: these are referred to as hirelings. The slightest inconvenience or threat encountered while watching over the sheep puts the hireling to flight. There are also regular shepherds, who show some care for the sheep and are prepared to take some minimal risks on their account. Beyond these aforementioned is the Good Shepherd. He loves the sheep so much that He can sacrifice anything for them, including His life. Jesus revealed Himself as the Good Shepherd in John 10:11, saying:

"I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."

 

The reality of Jesus as the Good Shepherd assures us of God's tremendous love, care and compassion. The Good Shepherd is ever ready to accommodate any level of risk for the sheep. He takes time to get personally acquainted with each of His sheep. He knows their strengths and weaknesses, and on this basis, He is able to give them adequate guidance. He knows His sheep and calls them by name.

 

As a servant of God or as a leader in your God-given area of endeavour, you have been called to be like the Good Shepherd; but you can choose to serve God as a hireling, a regular shepherd or like the Good Shepherd Himself. How are you serving God today? How much risk are you prepared to take for the sheep the Lord has placed under your care? To what extent are you ready to serve the Lord without monetary considerations, but just for the sake of the love of Christ? Can any member of your flock call you a good shepherd like your Lord? As a shepherd, at whatever level you are currently operating, you can move forward to the next level. If you want the Good Shepherd to be everything to you, it follows that you must first be a good shepherd to those He has placed under your care. If you are doing your work as a good shepherd, you will never take advantage of the flock under you. While some pastors are thinking of how to improve the lives of their members and help them to become financially free, others are milking their members dry. What kind of shepherd are you?

 

Action Point:

Adopt the attitude of a good shepherd in relating with those you lead.

 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: PSALM 32-35 and HEBREWS 1:1-24

AUTHOR: Pst. E. A. ADEBOYE

REJECTING EVIL WRITINGS

WEDNESDAY 25TH NOVEMBER 2015

REJECTING EVIL WRITINGS

 

Memorise:

Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Colossians 2:14

 

Read: Colossians 2:14-15

14  Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

15  And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

 

Message

The prophecy that worked against Esau as firstborn was already in place before his birth (Genesis 25:23). If you ever find yourself in a situation where there has been a negative declaration concerning you, rise up and fight! Do not leave your destiny to fate like some people would do. God can change any negative decree pronounced on your life and destiny. This is why Isaiah 54:17 says:

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD."

 

You can condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. Has anyone used his or her tongue to place a curse or limitation on you, or has anyone pass some negative judgment on you? Don't just stand there! Condemn it, cancel it, reverse it and return it back to its sender! From today, no spoken judgment against your life and destiny shall stand! Every evil word spoken into your life or destiny shall be disappointed!

 

Your stance against contrary prophecies should not be limited to spoken words alone. Jesus has fully paid for the reversal, nullification or cancellation of every negative written judgment or pronouncement concerning you. Hence, Colossians 2:14 says,

"Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross."

Any writing done by man that is contrary to your destiny shall be cancelled in Jesus' Name! Don't just accept written verdicts that contradict God's will and word! When you go for a medical test, and the written result says you have a particular ailment, thank the hospital for their assistance, but take that result before God. Protest that result, cancel it and plead the Blood of Jesus against it. Stand on the healing that the Lord has already provided for you. What you accept shall become yours.

What you steadfastly reject will move away from you. That sack letter shall become your confirmation letter; that letter of demotion shall become your letter of promotion, if only you can steadfastly hold on to God to effect the change. Have you been failing your examinations? Work harder on your studies, and reject the negative results in prayer. The Lord will turn your failure into success. Claim the good success that God promised you in His word, and it will be yours. From today, every evil writing against you shall work in your favour!

 

Prayer Point:

Father, reverse every evil spoken or written declaration working against my life right now, in Jesus' Name.

 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: PSALM 27-31 and PHILEMON 1

AUTHOR: Pst. E. A. ADEBOYE

FRAUD IN BUSINESS DEALINGS

TUESDAY 24TH NOVEMBER 2015

FRAUD IN BUSINESS DEALINGS

 

Memorise:

Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.

Leviticus 19:11

 

Read Nehemiah 5:1-13

1  And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

2  For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.

3  Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.

4  There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.

5  Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

6  And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.

7  Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.

8  And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.

9  Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?

10  I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.

11  Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.

12  Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.

13  Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.

 

Message

God hates extortion; hence He prohibits it. In our Bible reading, after the children of Israel returned to rebuild the city of Jerusalem, the rich ones among them began to extort the poor until they cried out to Nehemiah. Nehemiah rebuked the rich who did this, and he asked them to make restitution. When this was done, there was great joy in the land. We see a similar situation in the case of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10). Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector who amassed wealth by defrauding the poor. The day he received Jesus Christ, he immediately decided to share his wealth into two and give one part of it to the poor. Thereafter, he offered to apply the Mosaic Law on restitution, by restoring fourfold of whatever he fraudulently received from people (Exodus 22:1). Jesus did not tell him that his step on restitution was unnecessary, rather He reinforced it. Luke 19:9 says:

"And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham."

 

Moreover, restitution equally affects employer-employee relationships. In Leviticus 19:13, God warns against extorting your workers:

"Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning."

 

Do you know it is wrong to withhold your worker's salary or wages a day beyond the agreed date of payment? There are employers who sit on their staff salaries for weeks and months and expose them to untold hardship, and yet they expect their staff to be faithful in their work. That is wickedness! Such employers must make restitution by releasing the salaries and paying an inconvenience allowance. However, if the employer genuinely does not have the funds to pay the staff and he explains the situation to them before hand, he is exonerated. Some people trade with the salaries and benefits of their staff for months before releasing their pay. They do this to derive gain for themselves. This also is wickedness. Why is it that retired people who contributed all their working years to a fund cannot access their money or receive their pension after retirement? God hates fraud, whether it is perpetrated by an individual, organisation or government.

 

Key Point:

When you occupy a public office, you are accountable to God and to the people you are serving in that office.

  

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: PSALM 21-26 and TITUS 2:1-3:15

AUTHOR: Pst. E. A. ADEBOYE

WHAT LIFE IS NOT

MONDAY 23rd NOVEMBER 2015

WHAT LIFE IS NOT

Memorise:

And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. Luke 12:15

Read: Luke 12:15-20

15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

Message

In the materialistic world we live in today, not many people have the right understanding of what life is. An example here is the farmer in today's Bible reading, who experienced a major breakthrough in his farming business, to the extent that he decided to go on a leisure spree for the rest of his life, because he could afford it. He thought he had finally made it; he therefore wanted to enjoy life and the fruit of his hard work, but little did he know that he was just being foolish. John 17:2 tells us about the life which Jesus gives:

"As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him."

The moment you receive the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart, you receive life. This life is not a temporary form of life that will pass away; rather, it is eternal life. The nature of this life is such that it is sustained by growing in the knowledge of God and in the knowledge of His Word (John 17:3). May you never lose the eternal life of God that is within you in Jesus' Name.

Today, so much time and focus is placed on the acquisition of wealth and material things, but in our memory verse, the Lord Jesus Christ said that the worth of a man's life does not consist in the abundance of the things that he has. Having 100 exotic cars, 100 houses spread across the world and billions in your bank account is not true life. Also, life is not to be defined by the level of physical charm or beauty that you exude, because Proverbs 31:30 says beauty is simply vanity. Beauty without the fear of God is vain, but adding the salvation of God in Christ Jesus and meekness to your physical appearance will make you truly beautiful.

In addition, power is not life. In 2 Kings 5:1, we read of Naaman who was great and powerful but a leper nonetheless. Power belongs to God and is transient. If you have power or you have attained greatness in this world, but you do not know Jesus personally, it is all vanity. That is not life! Life is also not in achievements. In Daniel 4:29-33, after a world ruler, King Nebuchadnezzar, finished boasting about his achievements, God asked him to go and eat grass in the bush for seven years. Life is not about how many academic qualifications you have acquired, nor is it about worldly wisdom; if it was, the wisest man to ever live on earth would not have called life vanity (Ecclesiastes 2:17, Ecclesiastes 9:9). What do you think is life? Have you encountered the true life?

Key Point:

A wrong perspective of life has misdirected so much of people's time, efforts and money towards things that are eternally irrelevant.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: PSALM 17-20 and TITUS 1

AUTHOR: Pst. E. A. ADEBOYE

TOTAL COMMITMENT: A MUST

SUNDAY 22nd NOVEMBER 2015

TOTAL COMMITMENT: A MUST

 

Memorise:

Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

John 21:3

 

Read: 2 Kings 2:1-8

1  And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

2  And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.

3  And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.

4  And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.

5  And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.

6  And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.

7  And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.

8  And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.

 

Message

If you must walk with God, you must be prepared to meet the conditions He has set; one of which is total commitment. To be committed is to be completely given to a cause. It involves facing a particular direction without turning back, irrespective of the challenges that come your way. This character trait was present in Elisha. After following and serving his master, Elijah, for years, Elijah called him one day and said this to him: "Elisha, I am about to be taken home; it would be a good idea for you to go back to your family, your abandoned farming business and your old lifestyle." Elisha laughed and replied him, saying "My father, I have left all these for several years and followed you with all my heart. If I go back now, where do I start from? Where do I get the capital to start my large scale farming business again? Sir, wherever you go, I go." Nevertheless, Elijah did not stop there; he still tested him two more times.

 

Beloved, do you know that your pastor or leader can be used to test your commitment? He or she could cut your wages or salary, deny you certain allowances or even give you an almost impossible condition to fulfil in order to continue an assignment you have been doing, just to test your commitment. If you consider the test with a natural mindset, you will be discouraged and miss out on what God wants you to see. Sometimes, unknowingly or deliberately, your leader or pastor may even be very mean to you. Would you say because he or she is mean to you, you will abandon the assignment God has given to you? When God has an assignment for you, He can use your pastor, boss or other superiors to assign it to you, but the work is not from them; it is from God. If your pastor or leader is making it impossible for you to perform that assignment, report the matter to God and ask Him for more grace to be committed. If you compare Elisha with Peter, you will discover that the former was more committed than the latter. When there was no more action and Jesus was not around, Peter chose to return to his fishing business, and he took some people along with him. If you return to the place or condition you were called out from, how committed are you (Hebrews 11:13-16)?

 

Action Point:

As close as John the Beloved was to Jesus, when Peter decided to return to fishing, he followed. Never let any man be your yardstick for divine service except Jesus Christ.

 

 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: PSALM 9-16 and 2 TIMOTHY 3:10-4:22

AUTHOR: Pst. E. A. ADEBOYE

ENTERING HIS PRESENCE

SATURDAY 21st NOVEMBER 2015

ENTERING HIS PRESENCE

 

Memorise:

He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

Ps. 24:4

 

Read: Psalm 24:3-4

3  Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?

4  He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

 

Message

It is always a great experience to be in God's presence, because the fullness of joy and everlasting pleasures reside there. Psalm 16:11b says:

"...in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."

However, the state of our lives determines what we derive from God's presence. According to Psalm 68:2-3, while the righteous receive joy in God's presence, the enemies of God or those with wicked schemes will melt like wax before the fire of His presence. While the fire of God's presence protects His own, it acts as an incinerating agent against the enemies of God's people. As you live in obedience to God from now on, the fire of God that protects you will destroy your enemies in Jesus' Name.

 

With this knowledge of the potency of God's presence, every child of God should desire at all times to be in His presence. Nevertheless, you don't enter the presence of a king just anyhow; there are certain protocols you must follow. How much more, when entering the presence of the King of kings? How then do we enter God's presence? Going into the presence of God is not about going into a place of worship; it is about being taken up into His presence, or His presence coming down to you, through heartfelt praise and worship. In a gathering filled with God's glory, it is possible that some people there will not have access to God's presence due to their nonchalant and standoffish attitude. From our Bible reading, we understand that if you truly want to enter into God's presence, particularly if you want to benefit from the pleasures at His right hand, you must have clean hands and a pure heart. In other words, entering the church auditorium is just not enough; likewise, praising and worshipping God with the lips is just not enough. This is so because when God's presence descends upon an assembly, God will ask His angels to carry out a personality check on everyone present, to know those who have met with His conditions, and only those found worthy will be the beneficiaries of His presence that day. Beloved, you must have clean hands. Your hands must not be tarnished with the blood of anyone or with the filth of a foul means of livelihood. Your hands must have been washed by the Blood of Jesus for them to be deemed clean. Similarly, your thoughts, plans and motives must be pure before you can enter into God's presence. Prepare yourself and ensure you follow heaven's protocol whenever you want to access the presence of God.

 

Prayer Point:

Father, cleanse my heart and my hands with the Blood of Jesus, as I access Your presence today to partake of the pleasures at Your right hand.

 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : PSALMS 1-8 and 2 TIMOTHY 2:14-3:9

AUTHOR: Pst. E. A. ADEBOYE

HOW PROPHETIC ARE YOUR NAMES?

FRIDAY 20th NOVEMBER 2015

HOW PROPHETIC ARE YOUR NAMES?

 

Memorise:

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21

 

Read: Exodus 2:5-10

5  And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.

6  And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children.

7  Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?

8  And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother.

9  And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.

10  And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.

Message

The name you bear is very important because it serves as your identity, and your future may be connected to it. The name a person bears is sometimes indicative of the experiences he or she will encounter in life. Take for instance Moses: this name means "drawn out of water" (Exodus 2:10). No wonder water was a recurring decimal in his life. He turned water into blood (Exodus 7:19-20); he parted the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-22); he turned bitter water into sweet water (Exodus 15:24-25); he brought water out of the rock (Exodus 17:5-6); and the issue that denied him entrance into the Promised Land was about water (Numbers 20:8-20). Knowing how significant the name of an individual is to his destiny, God had to change the names of several people in the Bible (Genesis 17:5, Genesis 32:28, Mark 3:16, Acts 4:36). My mother told me that after my birth, she intended to name me Elisha, but on her way to see the priest for my baptismal name, she forgot, so she named me Enoch. I told her I like the two names: Elisha, the man with the double portion anointing, and Enoch, the man who walked with God, so I took the two names. By the grace of God, the prophetic essence of these names is being fulfilled in my life today. Examine your names: if there is any evil name among them, reject it, and if there is a good name you desire, add it to what you have, and the Lord will back it up.

 

A good name should glorify God; for this reason, any name attached to an idol, local deity or unclean spirit must be discarded. A good name should also be prophetic. A name such as Christopher means "the bearer of Christ". It is a prophecy that the child so named will bear the person of Jesus Christ any where he goes. A name such as Gabriel means "able-bodied one of God" or "strong man of God". That is very prophetic! A good name should give the bearer something positive to work towards: it should be a challenge, a promise or a goal he or she should strive to realise. How prophetic is your name? On the other hand, many people are yet to see the fulfilment of the promise in their names. For instance, someone who is named after wealth may still be living in squalor, and someone named after glory may still be living in shame. If you find yourself in this type of situation, pray hard that God will cause the good promise and prophecy in your name to be fulfilled, and also work towards its realisation.

 

Prayer Point:

Father, speedily bring into manifestation, every good prophecy or promise inherent in my name, in Jesus' Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JOB 40:3-42:17 and 2 TIMOTHY 1.1-2:13

AUTHOR: Pst. E. A. ADEBOYE

LOOK UPWARDS!

THURSDAY 19TH NOVEMBER 2015

THEME: LOOK UPWARDS!

Memorise:

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

Psalm 121:1

Read: Psalm 121:1-2

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

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

Message

In the course of our walk with God, we encounter challenges of life that test the level and quality of our faith; but praise God that we have the assurance of the Lord that there is no mountain our faith cannot surmount (Matthew 17:20). For those who are in Christ, problems arise in order to generate testimonies. The size of the problem you encounter will determine the size of your testimony. If you ask God for a big testimony, then you must be ready to face a big challenge. What made the testimony of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego most outstanding was not just the fact that they went through the fiery furnace, but the fact that the furnace, heated to its most intense level, could not harm them (Daniel 3:19-24). Are you going through fire at the moment? Fear not! Look up to God and He will see you through.

Are you confronted with any issue of life? In what direction are you looking for solution? If looking forward, backward and sideways has not helped you, then it is time to look up. Looking ahead, behind or sideways simply suggests dependence on self or on people. Depending on a fellow man operating at the same level as you is a foolish thing to do; you cannot access true help that way. Jeremiah 17:5 says:

"Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD."

Furthermore, looking down implies looking at the devil and his forces of darkness, because they are under your feet. Of course you can't go to the architect of a problem for its solution. You need to know that until you look upwards for God's intervention, you may never get your blessing.

There was a particular nice woman who had an epileptic son. Whenever he had a seizure, it was so bad. Wherever she rented an apartment, people loved her for her good nature, but after they realise her son was epileptic, they would show her the exit door with some apology. This made her move houses so often. Then one day, while going with the boy to the market, at the very heart of town, the boy experienced a seizure and everyone fled. She grabbed the boy, stood him on his feet, lifted her eyes to God and said, "O God, I am here without anyone to help me, but I know you are there, please help me." From that day, her son was healed of that condition. Has an unpleasant situation brought you to a most disgraceful place? Look up to God today, hold unto Him and He will make a way for you. The Lord will terminate your shame and turn it into honour.

Prayer Point:

Father, give me the grace to always focus my gaze on You.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JOB 36:1-40:2 and 1 TIMOTHY 6:3-21

AUTHOR: Pst. E. A. ADEBOYE