BE REFILLED

DATE: THURSDAY 1ST JUNE 2017

THEME: BE REFILLED

Memorise:

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

Read: Ephesians 5:17-19

5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

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

5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

MESSAGE 

The moment you give your life to Christ, a long drawn out battle for your soul begins. While your spirit would want to begin to exercise control over your soul as it rightfully should, your body would resist it and ask you to go in the opposite direction. To be victorious in this protracted battle, you need to understand your new nature and the life of the Spirit, so that you can easily flow in it. From time to time, people ask me how I was able to grow in the Spirit, but they are never satisfied with the answer l give them. Let me share some of what helped me with you. The moment you become born again, your spirit mari is brought back to life. The fish is born in water and so cannot survive outside its natural habitat - water. John 3:6 says,

''That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

Therefore, now that your spirit man is born again, you are expected to gravitate towards the things of the spirit if you want to grow. Your new birth is a spiritual experience, and only the things of the Spirit will help you grow.

One way to grow in the Spirit is to repeatedly experience being filled with the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost, after the Holy Spirit descended, the disciples gained their first experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:4 says,

''And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Later on, when they gathered to table a pressing challenge before the Lord, they prayed earnestly, and they experienced the in-filling of the Holy Spirit against Acts 4:31 says

''And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness."

Furthermore, to successfully live the life of the spirit, it is not enough to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. You must pursue a growing, personal relationship with Him and crave for more opportunities to be filled by Him. No wonder Ephesians 5:18 commands us to be filled with the Spirit. Like the disciples, if you want to be filled over and over again, be separate from the things of the flesh, have fellowship with God where you can worship Him in spirit and in truth, attend Church services together with like-minded believers, feast on His word and pray in tongues regularly.

Action Point:

Consistently try to increase the amount of time you spend praying in tongues. Pray in tongues and sing in tongues. This will help your spirit grow.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Acts 22-23

Jeremiah 39:11-40:6

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 15: THE COMFORTER HAS COME

1. Oh, spread the tidings ’round,

Wherever man is found,

Wherever human hearts

And human woes abound;

Let every Christian tongue

Proclaim the joyful sound:

The Comforter has come!

Refrain:

The Comforter has come,

The Comforter has come!

The Holy Ghost from Heav’n,

The Father’s promise giv’n;

Oh, spread the tidings ’round,

Wherever man is found—

The Comforter has come!

2. The long, long night is past,

The morning breaks at last,

And hushed the dreadful wail

And fury of the blast,

As o’er the golden hills

The day advances fast!

The Comforter has come!

[Refrain]

3. Lo, the great King of kings,

With healing in His wings,

To every captive soul

A full deliv’rance brings;

And through the vacant cells

The song of triumph rings;

The Comforter has come!

[Refrain]

4. O boundless love divine!

How shall this tongue of mine

To wond’ring mortals tell

The matchless grace divine—

That I, a child of hell,

Should in His image shine!

The Comforter has come!

[Refrain]

5. Sing till the echoes fly

Above the vaulted sky,

And all the saints above

To all below reply,

In strains of endless love,

The song that ne’er will die:

The Comforter has come!

[Refrain:]

WHOSE WILL?

DATE: WEDNESDAY MAY 31ST 2017

THEME: WHOSE WILL?          

Memorise:

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10

Read: Matthew 6:9-13

6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

6:10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.

6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Message:

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2

God is a God of purpose, and He is highly organized. He plans far ahead of His deeds. For instance, Ephesians 1:4 says that long before God laid the foundations of the earth, He had already chosen us to live a holy and blameless life before Him. God knows exactly what He wants and where He is going. God could not have created the world and everything in it without a definite plan or purpose for His creation (Isaiah 45:18). He has a will which is clearly revealed by His word. May God cause you to know His plan for your life and give you the grace to follow it in Jesus’ Name.

From the teaching of Jesus commonly known as “the Lord’s Prayer”, one thing is very clear: only the will of God is done in Heaven where He dwells. No one can violate His will or commandment over there and continue to stay there. He cannot live with rebels; hence, Lucifer and the angels who rebelled against God were thrown out of Heaven (Isaiah 14:12-15). Everyone and everything existing in Heaven conforms to God’s will and plan, and they all make Him happy. How about on earth? Since the fall of man, Satan and his demons have done a lot to cause men to take after rebellious path. For this reason, Jesus Christ came so that we can once again unite with those in Heaven in doing God’s will and pursuing His pleasure. Matthew 6:10 says,

“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

Why were you saved? God saved you so that you can join His family in Heaven in doing His will. David had this understanding, and so he said in Psalm 143:10:

“Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.”

You are here on earth to do His will and not to please yourself (Romans 12:2). For this reason, Colossian 1:16 says we were created by Him and for Him. You were created for His purpose. At the end of time, only those who follow God’s will diligently on earth will be translated to continue doing so in Heaven. Whose will are you following? Are you daily doing God’s will or yours?

Prayer Point:

Father, teach and grant me grace to do your will with all of my heart.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Acts 20-21

Jeremiah 38:24-39:10

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 14: TAKE MY LIFE 

1.Take my life and let it be

Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.

Take my moments and my days,

Let them flow in endless praise,

Let them flow in endless praise.

2.Take my hands and let them move

At the impulse of Thy love.

Take my feet and let them be

Swift and beautiful for Thee,

Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3.Take my voice and let me sing,

Always, only for my King.

Take my lips and let them be

Filled with messages from Thee,

Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold,

Not a mite would I withhold.

Take my intellect and use

Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose,

Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will and make it Thine,

It shall be no longer mine.

Take my heart, it is Thine own,

It shall be Thy royal throne,

It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour

At Thy feet its treasure store.

Take myself and I will be

Ever, only, all for Thee,

Ever, only, all for Thee.

THE ULTIMATE DESTINATION

DATE: TUESDAY MAY 30TH 2017

THEME: THE ULTIMATE DESTINATION         

Memorise:

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Matthew 7:13 

Read: Matthew 7:13-14  

7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Message:

God wants to change your life, but beyond this, He wants to change your final destination. Over the ages, many people have had to move from one location to another within the same country. Others have had to relocate to other countries for one reason or the other. However, at the end of the day, irrespective of where we live, we shall all arrive at a final destination. That destination is eternal and cannot be changed after we die. There are two eternal destinations: Heaven and Hell. Whether you believe it or not, you are heading towards one of these. The Bible is very clear on the truth that every sinner is heading to Hell. Psalm 9:17 says,

“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.”

If you are still living in sin, Jesus Christ has come to change your eternal destination from hell to heaven. For this change to happen, you have to accept the remedy for sin which He has made available in His Blood. If a person does not achieve this crucial change before death, all other achievements during his or her lifetime will fade into nothingness, and the fellow will be faced with an eternity in Hell.

The shocking truth about this is that God will never force a person to change his or her final destination. He won’t force you to change from the hell-bound broad way to the heaven-bound narrow path. He allows you to make your decision and to live with the eternal consequences hereafter. I was talking to an important personality recently about being born again. He kept arguing with me, and so I told him this: “Sir, it is not something we should quarrel about. It is not compulsory for you to go to heaven. If you prefer to go to hell, it’s your choice.” Then he said, “Why are you begging me to be born again or give my life to Jesus?” I laughed and replied, “Me, begging you? I am not begging you but only sounding a note of warning. If you chose to wind up in Hell, it is your choice.” Some people think that as long as they do not believe in the existence of hell, they cannot go there. Hell is real! Many people are entering into Hell every day, and yet it is not full (Proverb 27:20). If the only feat you can achieve on earth is to avoid hell, it is worth the trouble. Many people were mocking those who preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to them during their life time until they ended up in Hell. Hell is worse than any type of suffering or punishment you know on earth. Do everything possible to avoid it by genuinely giving your life to Christ today.

Action Point:

To make Heaven your final destination, do the following: repent and confess your sins to God; ask Him to cleanse your sins with the Blood of Jesus; invite Jesus into your life and confess Him as your Lord and Saviour and ask God for grace to live for him till you die. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Acts 18-19

Jeremiah 38:14-23

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 11: I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

1. I have decided to follow Jesus;

I have decided to follow Jesus;

I have decided to follow Jesus;

No turning back, no turning back.

2. Though none go with me, I still will follow;

Though none go with me, I still will follow;

Though none go with me, I still will follow

No turning back, no turning back.

3. My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;

My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;

My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;

No turning back, no turning back.

4. The world behind me, the cross before me;

The world behind me, the cross before me;

The world behind me, the cross before me;

No turning back, no turning back.

BREAD OR CRUMBS?

DATE: MONDAY 29TH 2017

THEME: BREAD OR CRUMBS?         

Memorise:

Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Proverb 30:8

Read: Proverb 30:7-9

3:7 Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:

3:8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

3:9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

Message:

What you get from God depends on how contented or dissatisfied you are. While some people ask nothing from the Almighty God who has all things and who can do all things, some others ask for crumbs. Your desire and request go a long way in determining what you get in life. In Matthew 15:21-28, when the woman whose daughter was tormented by demons met the Lord, all she asked for was crumbs:

“And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.                                                                                                                                                             Matthew 15:27

Even today, after Jesus had said that the children of the Kingdom are meant to eat at God’s table, many of these children still prefer crumbs that fall from the Master’s table (Luke 12:32, Matthew 15:26). Where is your focus: the table or crumbs?

Similarly, there is a correlation between your desire and your trust in God. If you really have faith in God, you will be able to ask big. The Bible says those who know their God shall do exploits (Daniel 11:32). In other words, when you know little or nothing about God, when asked to make a request, you will be afraid of asking for too much, and so you will be confined to asking for so little. However, when you know how inexhaustible the resources of God are, it will stir up courage in your heart to ask for big, great and impossible things. Therefore, if you are asking for a used car, a tiny rented apartment or a job that can barely take you away from starvation, it is very possible that you do not know or trust God enough. In today’s Bible reading, Agur made a very humble request. He asked for neither poverty nor wealth. He feared poverty, lest he might be tempted to steal; and he also feared wealth, lest he deny God. Just enough was what he asked for. Using the children of Israel as a model of God’s plan for your life, you will observe that God took them from the wilderness, where they had Manna that was just enough for each day, to a land flowing with milk and honey, where they had more than enough (Exodus 16:15-19, Deuteronomy 6:10-11, Joshua 5:12). Just enough might mean not having reserves to take care of emergencies. That means, in an emergency, you may be forced to go cap in hand borrowing. Are you asking for little in consideration of others who are also asking God for the same thing? You can never exhaust God’s resources. Ask big and stop limiting yourself!

Action Point:

Ask God for something really big that only He can do for you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Acts 16-17

Jeremiah 38:1-13

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 10: THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS

1. There shall be showers of blessing:

This is the promise of love;

There shall be seasons refreshing,

Sent from the Saviour above.

Refrain:

Showers of blessing,

Showers of blessing we need:

Mercy-drops round us are falling,

But for the showers we plead.

2. There shall be showers of blessing,

Precious reviving again;

Over the hills and the valleys,

Sound of abundance of rain.

[Refrain]

3. There shall be showers of blessing;

Send them upon us, O Lord;

Grant to us now a refreshing,

Come, and now honour Thy Word.

[Refrain]

4. There shall be showers of blessing:

Oh, that today they might fall,

Now as to God we’re confessing,

Now as on Jesus we call!

[Refrain]

5. There shall be showers of blessing,

If we but trust and obey;

There shall be seasons refreshing,

If we let God have His way.

[Refrain]

ANY FRUIT OF REPENTANCE?

DATE: SUNDAY MAY 28TH 2017

THEME: ANY FRUIT OF REPENTANCE?        

Memorise:

Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance. Matthew 3:8

Read: Matthew 3:1-10

3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

3:4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

3:5Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

3:6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

3:9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

3:10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Message:

“Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:” Joel 2:12

Fasting can be used to demonstrate genuine repentance before God. Exemplifying the above scripture, Prophet Daniel embarked on a fast to show repentance for his sins and the sins of the children of Israel in Daniel 9:3-20. All through the Old Testament, when individuals or a group of people fell into sin and judgment was imminent, they returned to God in fasting and mourning, expressing sorrow for sins committed. How truly sorrowful are you when you sin against God? Is there any deep sorrow for sin anymore? Today, when you see a believer asking God for pardon over a wrong he or she has committed, you will be amazed. A few seconds after he or she has apologized, he or she is seen carrying on as if nothing ever went wrong. There is no manifestation of godly sorrow. People do not see offending God as anything anymore. They hide behind grace to cover up their evil lifestyle. However, can God be fooled?

The “repentance” of some people today is highly questionable. True repentance must be backed up by godly sorrow. 2corinthians 7:10 says

“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”

Genuine repentance must exhibit the fruits of humility, confession, brokenness, a desire for restitution where necessary and a commitment to never return to the evil act. Take King Ahab as a case in point. He was a wicked king with a satanic wife, jezebel. The wickedness perpetrated during his reign far exceeded that of other regimes (1Kings 21:25). Yet, when God spoke to him about an impending judgment, he immediately readjusted, tore his royal robe, wore sackcloth, humbled himself and fasted (1 King 21:27). When God saw the fruit of repentance in him, He deferred his judgment till the next generation. When you say to God “Father, I’m sorry, please forgive me”, is there any fruit of repentance to back it up? Some leaders get involved in terrible sins, and after whispering, “Father, I am sorry”, they continue as if nothing ever happened. Is that genuine repentance? People hardly weep or mourn over their shortcomings anymore. They hardly set themselves apart in fasting and prayer to reach out to God for mercy. No wonder they continue in their sins. If you are sorry, you will bring forth fruit consistent with repentance through your actions. Do you have such fruits?

Key Point:

Repentance goes beyond just saying, “I am sorry”. Your comportment and inner resolve go a long way to validate or discredit your claim.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Acts 14-15

Jeremiah 37

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: DEEPER, DEEPER 

1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus

Daily let me go;

Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,

More of grace to know.

Refrain:

Oh, deeper yet, I pray,

And higher every day,

And wiser, blessed Lord,

In Thy precious, holy Word.

2. Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,

Take me deeper still,

Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,

And His perfect will.

[Refrain]

3. Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,

Deeper let me go!

Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,

Let me fruitful grow.

[Refrain]

4. Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,

Till all conflict past,

Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image

Perfected at last.

[Refrain]

5. Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,

Holy faith and true;

In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom

Let me peace pursue.

[Refrain]

SOUL-WINNING: A MARK OF LIFE

DATE: SATURDAY MAY 27TH 2017

THEME: SOUL-WINNING: A MARK OF LIFE       

Memorise:

Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.John 15:2

Read: john 15:1-6

15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

Message:

Just as it was needful to fast and pray, it is also needful to win souls to God’s Kingdom regularly. Don’t just win one, two or five souls and stop, continue to win souls at all times. John 15:16 says

“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.”

Do you know that regular evangelism can keep you in shape spiritually? If you belong to Christ, you are like a living tree that produces fruit (Psalm 1:3). Any tree that produces good fruit will definitely be appreciated by its owner. Bearing spiritual fruits is one obvious sign that you are still spiritually alive. If you are winning souls often, it shows you are growing spiritually. It takes obedience to the Holy Spirit and partnership with Him to win a soul and to give life to the spiritually dead. If you are not bearing fruit, it could be because you are dead or separated from God. A dead fellow cannot be used as an agent of life. Moreover, in the course of soul-winning, there are some ideas, teachings and abilities that the Holy Spirit will endow you with which you may not easily access through any other means.

The truth is that those who go out for evangelism never go out alone. Why? Since they are out to obey the Lord’s command, which is so important to the Godhead, the Trinity works with them (Mark 16:20). The Lord sees to it that the word of the evangelist does not fall to the ground (Hebrew 2:3-4). The evangelist is a true fellow-worker with God. On the other hand, the fellow who does not win souls is not bringing joy to God’s heart and is also not showing signs of spiritual life. If you continue your Christian life without leading others to Christ, you may be cut off from your source (John 15:2, Luke 13:7). It therefore follows that if you want to grow spiritually, you must make soul-winning a regular activity. You must win souls and continue to win more souls. If you are actively winning souls, you will experience God’s special love and attention. God will also answer your prayers more easily, and increase your capacity to be fruitful by taking away hindrances to fruitfulness from your life. Using your attitude to soul-winning as a benchmark, are you dead or alive?

Action Point:

To catch up on the number of souls you should have won in the past, launch an aggressive personal evangelism outreach drive to bring in at least 100 souls to God’s kingdom.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Acts 12-13

Jeremiah 36:20-32 

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 13: WONDERFUL STORY OF LOVE

1. Wonderful story of love;

Tell it to me again;

Wonderful story of love;

Wake the immortal strain!

Angels with rapture announce it,

Shepherds with wonder receive it;

Sinner, oh, won’t you believe it?

Wonderful story of love.

Refrain:

Wonderful! Wonderful!

Wonderful, wonderful story of love.

2. Wonderful story of love;

Though you are far away;

Wonderful story of love;

Still He doth call today;

Calling from Calvary’s mountain,

Down from the crystal-bright fountain,

E’en from the dawn of creation,

Wonderful story of love.

[Refrain]

3. Wonderful story of love;

Jesus provides a rest;

Wonderful story of love;

For all the pure and blest,

Rest in those mansions above us,

With those who’ve gone on before us,

Singing the rapturous chorus,

Wonderful story of love.

[Refrain]

STAND UP FOR SOMETHING

DATE: FRIDAY MAY 26TH 2017

THEME: STAND UP FOR SOMETHING       

Memorise:

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Revelation 3:16

Read: Revelation 3:15-16

3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Message:

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.”

Revelation 3:15

If there is one state that God never wants His children to be in, it is the state of lukewarmness. As seen in the above scripture passage, the Lord speaks His mind on this issue in very strong terms. He says if you want to be hot, be hot, and if you want to be cold, be cold; if you are neither cold nor hot, He will spit you out of His mouth. God has zero tolerance for lukewarmness. As foretold by the Holy Spirit long ago, many Christians in these last days are falling into the state of lukewarmness. Lukewarm people are tasteless in God’s mouth, and hence He cannot stand them. You cannot mix your worship of God with the worship of an idol. How can you put the Ancient of Days on the same platform as an idol that is the contraption of men’s hearts? God is greatly insulted by this. If you want to be a Christian, be a completely devoted one. Serve Him with your life and ensure you glorify Him in all that you do. If you however do not want to be a Christian, do not pretend to be one.

One soul I wish I could have won for Christ is Fela Anikulapo kuti, the late Nigerian Afro-beat music icon. I loved him for one thing: he was not a pretender. His lifestyle clearly showed that he was not on the side of Christ. This man married 27 wives in one day! He was a law unto himself. Some people say they are serving God, and at home they have one wife but outside, they have several mistresses. Stop pretending! If you want to serve, serve Him, but if you don’t want to serve God, stay away from Him. Whatever is worth doing is worth doing well. A lukewarm fellow will say he likes something, whereas he hates that same thing in his heart. He or she lives a false life. Some people appear to be very active and zealous for God when they are in their country of origin, but when they travel abroad, you will not believe they are the same person you thought you knew. Such people are unable to stand for the truth, and so will find excuses to justify their lack of zeal for the things of God. Lukewarm people are dream-killers and acts as bad influencers. If you are hot and you stay around them, they can discourage you by their attitude. Are you lukewarm? It’s time to come out of that state today! Take a stand for the truth and for living right!

Key Point:

Those who find it difficult to stand up for Jesus still love the world.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Acts 10-11

Jeremiah 36:4-19 

HYMN 9: ON THE HILL FAR AWAY

1. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,

The emblem of suff’ring and shame;

And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best

For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain:

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,

Till my trophies at last I lay down;

I will cling to the old rugged cross,

And exchange it someday for a crown.

2. Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,

Has a wondrous attraction for me;

For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above

To bear it to dark Calvary.

[Refrain]

3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,

A wondrous beauty I see,

For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,

To pardon and sanctify me.

[Refrain]

4.To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;

Its shame and reproach gladly bear;

Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,

Where His glory forever I’ll share.

[Refrain]

FOR THE GLORY

DATE: THURSDAY MAY 25TH 2017

THEME: FOR THE GLORY       

Memorise:

And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. Exodus 14:17

Read: Exodus 14:15-17

14:15 And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:

14:16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

14:17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

Message:

Do you know that every time God moves to deliver a helpless individual, He gets some form of glory from it? After God led the children of Israel out of Egypt and they were on their way towards the Red Sea, the Egyptians, forgetting all that they had suffered on account of the Israelites, resolved to go after them and bring them back. This was a serious problem for the Israelites, who had lived as slaves all their lives and were just experiencing freedom for the very first time. However, God did not leave them alone; in fact, He prepared Moses and Joshua to physically lead them while He provided spiritual direction and protection. On your way to the place of destiny, the Lord will not leave you alone. As he led the Israelites, so will He lead you in Jesus’ Name. Be assured in your heart that God will not allow your present predicament to drown you, because He knows that His intervention will definitely bring glory to His Name.

“And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.” Exodus 14:17

When God’s children were faced with the serious threat of returning to slavery, although they cried to God for help, one major reason why God intervened was because of the glory or honour He was going to get from it. If you are confronted with a situation you can easily come out of, or a situation someone can help you out with, either you or the fellow who helped you might want to take or partake of the glory when the problem is solved. In contrast to this, when you are pushed to a corner, with no specialist, parent, relative, friend or pastor to help, when God intervenes in such situations and the issue is resolved, He alone will take the glory. God does not like to share His glory with anyone or anything (Isaiah 42:8). Unfortunately, many people who give testimonies still share in or even completely rob God of His glory. The summary of their testimonies is that they prayed so much, fasted so long, gave a lot or were very smart and got their miracle because of this. Such people are glory thieves. There are many people who have done much more than they did and yet their situations have not changed. God can step into your situation because of the glory He will get from it, so never tamper with His glory.

Action Point:

Man has problem and wants a solution. God gives the solution and wants the glory. Never allow anything to tamper with God’s expectation!

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Acts 8-9

Jeremiah 35:12-36:3 

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

1. Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;

As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Refrain:

Great is Thy faithfulness!

Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see.

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

2. Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

[Refrain]

3. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

[Refrain]