BLESSINGS FROM ABOVE

DATE: MONDAY 1 AUGUST 2016

THEME: BLESSINGS FROM ABOVE 

Memorise:

Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew. Deuteronomy 33:38

Read: Deuteronomy 33:27-29

27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.

28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.

29 Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

Message:

There are different kinds of blessings, but there is a kind of blessing that comes from God alone. This is the blessing that has no boundary. It is from above where God sits to coordinate the affairs of His people. Today, the blessing of God will locate you wherever you are in Jesus' name. If you just prosper the way God desires, you cannot afford  the ignore the presence of God. Those who have succeeded exceedingly in life are those whose source of blessing is God. When the presence of God is with you, He causes whatever you lay your hands upon to prosper. With little effort, you enjoy great favour and you becomes a channel of blessings to others around you. 

If you study the biblical men faith; Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, you will notice that God was not only interested in giving them blessings that will be sufficient for them alone, He was interested in blessings them to a point that they became channels of blessings to others. Do you know God can bless you so much that your driver becomes a millionaire just from driving you? He hold Abraham: 

"And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shall be a blessing." Genesis 12:2

The blessing that came from Above into the life of Abraham made a great nation out of him. That blessing gave him such a great name that there was no nation where his name was not known. The name attracted so many blessings to his life that he become a great possessor of vast expanses of land and today, his seed are all over the world. God can make you a man or woman of great wealth and power. No matter how dry your ground may be at the moment; He can raise greatness out of it and make your little one become a thousand. The outpouring of God's blessing upon your life can move you beyond the point of daily provision and mere survival, to the point in which you become the talk of nations because of how frightening your blessings have become. Peter was toiled all night and caught nothing became the talk of the town when he experienced a net-breaking blessing. I have always said that a day is coming and that season is here for a reader of this devotional, that when you take your money to the bank, the bank manager will order that the branch be shut down for three days to other customers just because they are attending to you. 

For you to achieve this level of blessing, you need to understand that it will not come easy, but you need not be discouraged because God is ever faithful and He knows the path to take you through to get there. God is the fountain of all honour and it is from Him that promotion comes. What you are going through at the moment may not show that you are a candidate for this kind of blessing but you need to know that the plan and purpose of God for your life cannot be denied. Your faith and obedience will be tried. You need to be separated and set aside for God alone. Those who forsake their sins and turn to God will get blessings that they never bargained for. You have to take your mind off the mundane things of this world and step up into the higher ground of what God is prepared to do with your life. 

Key Point:

Until there is a departure from the little things, there will be no discovery of greater things. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 

Hebrews 5:10-8:13 and Psalms 24

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 1: O LORD MY GOD

1. O LORD my God! When I in awesome wonder

Consider all the works Thy hand hath made; 

I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder, 

Thy pow’r throughout the universe displayed:

Chorus:

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee, 

How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee, 

How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

2. When through the woods and forest glades I wander 

And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;

When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,

And hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze:

Chorus:

3. And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, 

Sent Him to die - I scarce can take it in:

That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing, 

He bled and died to take away my sin:

Chorus:

4. When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation 

And take me home - what joy shall fill my heart!

Then shall I bow in humble adoration, 

And there proclaim, my God how great Thou art!

Chorus.

DIVINE BACKING

DATE: SUNDAY 31ST JULY 2016

THEME:  DIVINE BACKING 

Memorise:

There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Joshua 1:5

Read: Joshua 1:1-7

1:1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,

1:2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.

1:3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.

1:4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.

1:5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

1:6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.

1:7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest. 

MESSAGE

Divine backing is the support you receive supernaturally from the Almighty God. Without Divine backing, hardly can any man succeed in life. This is because demonic activities in the world are out to frustrate mankind. The Bible says:

"Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time." Revelation 12:12

In the memory verse for today, God encouraged Joshua to take up the spiritual mandate of leading His people to the Promised Land. Joshua was assured of divine backing when the Lord said:

"There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." 

Joshua 1:5

God repeatedly encouraged Joshua to be courageous. No wonder he did great exploits in the Name of the Lord. When David faced Goliath, it was divine backing that saw him through the fight against the experienced giant. In response to the giant's curses, David said:

"This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel." 

1 Samuel 17:46

David, prior to this time had been enjoying divine backing. It was this divine backing that enabled him to kill a lion and a bear that wanted to steal his father's livestock. Beloved, you too will enjoy Divine backing of you surrender your life to Jesus Christ today. Even as a believer, for you to enjoy divine backing, particularly in the ministry, you need to be broken and live in obedience to the Word of God. Jesus said:

"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. John 15:16

Jesus chose you to win souls to His Kingdom and He promised to back you up by providing everything you request for. May the Lord give you supernatural support and the backing you need to succeed in Jesus' name. 

Prayer Point:

Father, please support me in all I do in Jesus' name. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Hebrews 1:1-5:9

Psalms 23

AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS. 

What a friend we have in Jesus,

all our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit,

O what needless pain we bear,

all because we do not carry

everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged;

take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful

who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness;

take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden,

cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge;

take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In his arms he'll take and shield thee

thou wilt find a solace there..

CHILD OF DESTINY

DATE: SATURDAY 30TH JULY 2016

THEME: CHILD OF DESTINY

Memorise:

And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee. Jeremiah 1:19

Read: Jeremiah 1:4-8

1:4 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

1:6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.

1:7 But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.

1:8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. 

Message:

According to Psalms 115:3, destiny has its origin in the sovereignty of God. It is also the plan that God had for you before creating you. It is what says about your future. In other words, God had a purpose for your life, long before you were born. Joseph was a typical child of destiny. 

His brothers fought aggressively against his destiny. One good thing about destiny is that, your destiny, being the counsel of God for you, shall stand forever (Genesis 37:18-28). Joseph started his life experiences with the first and second dreams which set him at variance with his brothers and parents. The fulfilment of his destiny took him through Portiphar's house, the prison and eventually the palace of the Egyptians. 

In the text for today, the Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah announcing his destiny to him. Jeremiah had been separated right from his mother's womb to be a prophet. At times, we behave foolishly by arguing with God on why He called us; a call that is the reason for which we were born. More often than not, God's plan for mankind does not appeal to the rational man, though it is the best for us. 

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jeremiah 29:11

It us very important for us to embrace the truth in the above scripture. When we do, we shall not be guilty of spiritual insubordination. Jeremiah ignorantly argued:

"Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child." Jeremiah 1:6

God called Moses to go and perform a task in Egypt but he was giving excuses of not being an eloquent speaker. Beloved, I want you to get something settled in your mind today; God does not call the qualified but qualifies the called so that He can take full glory for the success of the called.

The Lord said to Jeremiah;

"Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Jeremiah 1:7

The Lord further encouraged him not to be afraid of the faces of those He was sending him to. This is a lesson for those of us who are too scared to deliver God's message in our places of work, school, community, etc. The Spirit of God will always give us something of eternal value t tell His people. God has destined you to be unique; it is left for you to allow Him to fulfill His purpose for your life. May the Lord fulfil your destiny gloriously in Jesus' name. 

Prayer Point:

Father, please help me to fulfil my destiny in Jesus' name. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 

Titus 1-3

Philemon 1

Psalms 22:22-31

AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: GOD GIVE US CHRISTIAN HOMES

God give us Christian homes! 

Homes where the Bible is loved and taught, 

Homes where the Master's will is sought, 

Homes crowned with beauty

Thy love hath wrought;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes!

God give us Christian homes! 

Homes where the father is true and strong, 

Homes that are free from blight of wrong, 

Homes that are joyous with love and song;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes! 

God give us Christian homes! 

Homes where the mother, in caring quest, 

Strives to show others Thy way is best, 

Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes! 

God give us Christian homes! 

Homes where the children are led to know 

Christ in His beauty who loves them so, 

Homes where the altar fire burn and glow;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes!

CHILD OF DESTINY

DATE: SATURDAY 30TH JULY 2016

THEME: CHILD OF DESTINY

Memorise:

And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee. Jeremiah 1:19

Read: Jeremiah 1:4-8

1:4 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

1:6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.

1:7 But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.

1:8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. 

Message:

According to Psalms 115:3, destiny has its origin in the sovereignty of God. It is also the plan that God had for you before creating you. It is what says about your future. In other words, God had a purpose for your life, long before you were born. Joseph was a typical child of destiny. 

His brothers fought aggressively against his destiny. One good thing about destiny is that, your destiny, being the counsel of God for you, shall stand forever (Genesis 37:18-28). Joseph started his life experiences with the first and second dreams which set him at variance with his brothers and parents. The fulfilment of his destiny took him through Portiphar's house, the prison and eventually the palace of the Egyptians. 

In the text for today, the Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah announcing his destiny to him. Jeremiah had been separated right from his mother's womb to be a prophet. At times, we behave foolishly by arguing with God on why He called us; a call that is the reason for which we were born. More often than not, God's plan for mankind does not appeal to the rational man, though it is the best for us. 

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jeremiah 29:11

It us very important for us to embrace the truth in the above scripture. When we do, we shall not be guilty of spiritual insubordination. Jeremiah ignorantly argued:

"Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child." Jeremiah 1:6

God called Moses to go and perform a task in Egypt but he was giving excuses of not being an eloquent speaker. Beloved, I want you to get something settled in your mind today; God does not call the qualified but qualifies the called so that He can take full glory for the success of the called.

The Lord said to Jeremiah;

"Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Jeremiah 1:7

The Lord further encouraged him not to be afraid of the faces of those He was sending him to. This is a lesson for those of us who are too scared to deliver God's message in our places of work, school, community, etc. The Spirit of God will always give us something of eternal value t tell His people. God has destined you to be unique; it is left for you to allow Him to fulfill His purpose for your life. May the Lord fulfil your destiny gloriously in Jesus' name. 

Prayer Point:

Father, please help me to fulfil my destiny in Jesus' name. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 

Titus 1-3

Philemon 1

Psalms 22:22-31

AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: GOD GIVE US CHRISTIAN HOMES

God give us Christian homes! 

Homes where the Bible is loved and taught, 

Homes where the Master's will is sought, 

Homes crowned with beauty

Thy love hath wrought;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes!

God give us Christian homes! 

Homes where the father is true and strong, 

Homes that are free from blight of wrong, 

Homes that are joyous with love and song;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes! 

God give us Christian homes! 

Homes where the mother, in caring quest, 

Strives to show others Thy way is best, 

Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes! 

God give us Christian homes! 

Homes where the children are led to know 

Christ in His beauty who loves them so, 

Homes where the altar fire burn and glow;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes!

JUST DO IT RIGHT

DATE: FRIDAY 29TH JULY 2016

THEME: JUST DO IT RIGHT

Memorise: 

And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. 2 Corinthians 10:6

Read: 1 Samuel 15:16-23 

15:16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.

15:17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?

15:18 And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.

15:19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?

15:20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

15:21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.

15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. 

Message:

A good number of people confuse service for God's approval or acceptance. It will be profitable for people, particularly children of God, to understand that it is one thing to engage in the service of God and it is another thing for God to accept your service. The simple message for today is- "just do it right, and God will accept you and your service". The Bible says:

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Romas 12:1

In our Bible reading today, we read of the first king in Israel who put sacrifice over and above being obedient to God and His Word. God told king Saul to go and utterly destroy the Amalekites and everything they possessed; from the king to the least of the beasts. However, Saul went, fought and won the battle, but failed to carry out God's instruction to the letter. When he was cross-examined by Prophet Samuel, he had the effrontery to tell Samuel that he had done what God asked him to do, except the spoil of sheep and oxen which he took to use as sacrifice to the Lord. This unfortunately cost him his throne. Samuel said:

"...Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." 1 Samuel 15:22

There is a great lesson we should learn from the story of King Saul and the assignment he was given to fight the Amalekites. 

Some people seem to be more spiritual than the Holy Spirit when you consider the way they claim to know everything about the ways of God. It is not unlikely that king Saul felt it would be a waste of resources by totally destroying the material resources in Amalek. It is also not unlikely that he felt it will be an act of wickedness on the part of God to have asked him to kill the king, Agag. Beloved, there are many types of Amalekites and King Agags that God will want us to get rid of in our life. The Bible lists some things that we must do away with in Galatians 5:19-21

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like.."

Some so-called workers in the Church are still harboring these things that we are to get rid of, yet they are 'zealously' working for God. It is unfortunate that their labour attracts no reward. Jesus said on that day, they will come and say:

"We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity." Luke 13:26-27

May this not be your portion in Jesus' name. 

Prayer Point:

Father, please help me to be obedient, and begin to do the right thing in your sight from now onward. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 

2 Timothy 1-4 and Psalms 22:1-21

AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 2: O JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED. 

O Jesus, I have promised, 

To serve Thee to the end;

Be Thou forever near me,

My Master and my Friend;

I shall not fear the battle

If Thou art by my side,

Nor wander from the pathway

If Thou wilt be my Guide.

Oh, let me feel Thee near me;

The world is ever near;

I see the sights that dazzle,

The tempting sounds I hear;

My foes are ever near me,

Around me and within;

But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer,

And shield my soul from sin.

Oh, let me hear Thee speaking,

In accents clear and still,

Above the storms of passion,

The murmurs of self-will;

Oh, speak to reassure me,

To hasten, or control;

Oh, speak, and make me listen,

Thou Guardian of my soul.

O Jesus, Thou hast promised

To all who follow Thee

That where Thou art in glory

There shall Thy servant be;

And Jesus, I have promised

To serve Thee to the end;

Oh, give me grace to follow,

My Master and my Friend.

Oh, let me see Thy footmarks,

And in them plant mine own;

My hope to follow duly

Is in Thy strength alone.

Oh, guide me, call me, draw me,

Uphold me to the end;

And then to rest receive me,

My Savior and my Friend.

JUST DO IT RIGHT

DATE: FRIDAY 29TH JULY 2016

THEME: JUST DO IT RIGHT

Memorise: 

And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. 2 Corinthians 10:6

Read: 1 Samuel 15:16-23 

15:16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.

15:17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?

15:18 And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.

15:19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?

15:20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

15:21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.

15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. 

Message:

A good number of people confuse service for God's approval or acceptance. It will be profitable for people, particularly children of God, to understand that it is one thing to engage in the service of God and it is another thing for God to accept your service. The simple message for today is- "just do it right, and God will accept you and your service". The Bible says:

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Romas 12:1

In our Bible reading today, we read of the first king in Israel who put sacrifice over and above being obedient to God and His Word. God told king Saul to go and utterly destroy the Amalekites and everything they possessed; from the king to the least of the beasts. However, Saul went, fought and won the battle, but failed to carry out God's instruction to the letter. When he was cross-examined by Prophet Samuel, he had the effrontery to tell Samuel that he had done what God asked him to do, except the spoil of sheep and oxen which he took to use as sacrifice to the Lord. This unfortunately cost him his throne. Samuel said:

"...Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." 1 Samuel 15:22

There is a great lesson we should learn from the story of King Saul and the assignment he was given to fight the Amalekites. 

Some people seem to be more spiritual than the Holy Spirit when you consider the way they claim to know everything about the ways of God. It is not unlikely that king Saul felt it would be a waste of resources by totally destroying the material resources in Amalek. It is also not unlikely that he felt it will be an act of wickedness on the part of God to have asked him to kill the king, Agag. Beloved, there are many types of Amalekites and King Agags that God will want us to get rid of in our life. The Bible lists some things that we must do away with in Galatians 5:19-21

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like.."

Some so-called workers in the Church are still harboring these things that we are to get rid of, yet they are 'zealously' working for God. It is unfortunate that their labour attracts no reward. Jesus said on that day, they will come and say:

"We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity." Luke 13:26-27

May this not be your portion in Jesus' name. 

Prayer Point:

Father, please help me to be obedient, and begin to do the right thing in your sight from now onward. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 

2 Timothy 1-4 and Psalms 22:1-21

AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 2: O JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED. 

O Jesus, I have promised, 

To serve Thee to the end;

Be Thou forever near me,

My Master and my Friend;

I shall not fear the battle

If Thou art by my side,

Nor wander from the pathway

If Thou wilt be my Guide.

Oh, let me feel Thee near me;

The world is ever near;

I see the sights that dazzle,

The tempting sounds I hear;

My foes are ever near me,

Around me and within;

But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer,

And shield my soul from sin.

Oh, let me hear Thee speaking,

In accents clear and still,

Above the storms of passion,

The murmurs of self-will;

Oh, speak to reassure me,

To hasten, or control;

Oh, speak, and make me listen,

Thou Guardian of my soul.

O Jesus, Thou hast promised

To all who follow Thee

That where Thou art in glory

There shall Thy servant be;

And Jesus, I have promised

To serve Thee to the end;

Oh, give me grace to follow,

My Master and my Friend.

Oh, let me see Thy footmarks,

And in them plant mine own;

My hope to follow duly

Is in Thy strength alone.

Oh, guide me, call me, draw me,

Uphold me to the end;

And then to rest receive me,

My Savior and my Friend.

THOU SHALL NOT COVET

DATE: THURSDAY 28TH JULY 2016

THEME: THOU SHALL NOT COVET

Memorise:

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Ephesians 5:3

Read: Ephesians 5:3-7

5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

5:7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. Ephesians

Message:

Today, we will examine one of the Ten Commandments; covetousness. The sin of covetousness is a cluster of many sins that sets man against his Maker. Upon the sin of covetousness hangs many other sins like stealing, sexual immorality and murder, hence the law:

"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's." 

Exodus 20:17

David, a God-fearing soldier, King and prophet fell because of covetousness. He coveted Bathsheba, his soldier's wife; and went from one form of sin to another. 

Covetousness led him to adultery and adultery led him to a murderous act. When someone is caught in the sin of covetousness in the area of alcohol, he gets drunk and what next? Foolish talking and jetting that are not convenient become inevitable. The Bible says:

"Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things." Proverbs 23:31-33

Coveting your neighbour's possession can lead to murder. The reason for this is that when someone covets his neighbour's estate, and is unable to get it, he may resolve to kill the rightful owner to have it. This was the case in Ahab and Naboth's story (1 Kings 21:1-16). Ahab organized a feast where Naboth should be framed up and killed by the scheme of his wife, Jezebel. Immediately the plan was hatched, the Lord sent His prophet to go and deliver His judgment upon Ahab. It was a judgment of vengeance. 

"...Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine." 1 Kings 21:19

Beloved, let us beware of the sin of covetousness as Jesus warned in Luke 12:15-20. The man in that story was boasting about what he possessed but that same night God required his soul from him. Our Lord then asked who those things he had acquired shall be for. Think about it and you will discover that covetousness is not worth it after all. 

Action Point:

Think of those things that entice you to acts of covetousness, pray and avoid being possessed by them. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 

1 Timothy 1-6 and Psalms 21

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

Take my life, and let it be

Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;

Take my moments and my days,

Let them flow in ceaseless praise,

Let them flow in ceaseless praise. 

Take my hands, and let them move

At the impulse of Thy love;

Take my feet and let them be

Swift and beautiful for Thee,

Swift and beautiful for Thee. 

Take my voice, and let me sing

Always, only, for my King;

Take my lips, and let them be

Filled with messages from Thee,

Filled with messages from Thee. 

Take my silver and my gold;

Not a mite would I withhold;

Take my intellect, and use

Every power as Thou shalt choose,

Every power as Thou shalt choose. 

Take my will, and make it Thine;

It shall be no longer mine.

Take my heart; it is Thine own;

It shall be Thy royal throne,

It shall be Thy royal throne. 

Take my love; my Lord, I pour

At Thy feet its treasure-store.

Take myself, and I will be

Ever, only, all for Thee,

Ever, only, all for Thee.