A TARGET OF FORCES?

DATE: FRIDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER 2017

THEME: A TARGET OF FORCES?

Memorise:

Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

Proverbs 6:2

Read: Genesis 35:16-19

35:16 And theyjourneyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour.

35:17 And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.

35:18 And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.

35:19 And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.

MESSAGE:

Blessings and curses are two of the most powerful forces on earth, even though they function in opposite ways. When present in any life, either of them can seriously affect the destiny of their recipient. Psalm 37:22 says,

"For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off."

What does this mean? It means that if God blesses you, there is nothing you desire that you cannot get. This is why I am amazed whenever l come across some of my children and they say to me, "Daddy, please pray for me", and when l respond saying "God bless you", they still ask me to further pray for them. I tell such people that l have already prayed the greatest prayer anyone can pray for them, because if God blesses someone, all his or her problems will be over. As a user of this devotional, I say to you, God bless you!

Proverbs 10:22 reveals the power of the blessings that God gives; it says,

''The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it."

lf you are blessed of the Lord, you will definitely inherit the earth. You will have all you want. However, if you are cursed by God, you will find out that when God curses a person, that fellow will sooner or later become desolate. What is a curse? A curse is an invitation to all the forces in heaven, on earth and underneath the earth to combine

forces and resources to work against a person, until he or she is completely destroyed. So when an individual is cursed, demons, men, animals and even the elements will work against that fellow. Let us consider the example of Rachel in Genesis 31:31-35. After Jacob served Laban, he finally left to return home. Then came Laban in hot pursuit after Jacob, and he caught up with him. Laban then said to him, "You have taken my two daughters and my cattle, and now you have equally stolen my idols." Jacob denied stealing the idols and said whoever stole them should die. Unknown to him, his beloved wife Rachel had stolen these idols and sat on them. They checked everywhere but the idols were not found. Jacob thereafter left Laban in annoyance. Later on, in Genesis 35:16-19, shortly after delivering her next child, Rachel died. The curse her husband had pronounced eventually worked against her. May you not use your own mouth to undo yourself or members of your family in Jesus' Name!

Key Point:

A curse makes a person the target of negative forces.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

I Chronicles 28-29

Ezekiel 33:30-34:10

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, higher, every day in Jesus,

Till all conflict past,

Finds me conqueror, and in His own image

Perfected at last.

Refrain:

4. Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,

Holy faith and true;

In His power and soul exulting wisdom

Let me peace pursue.

Refrain:

DIVINE WISDOM

DATE: THURSDAY 31ST AUGUST 2017

THEME: DIVINE WISDOM       

      

Memorise:

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.                                                                               James 1.5

Read:  Daniel 1:18-20

1:18 Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

1:19 And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.

1:20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.

Message:

Wisdom is the quality of discerning what is true, what is ethically right, and what should be done in different situations. Wisdom is fundamentally practical in nature. Although God alone possesses wisdom in the absolute sense, as a benevolent God, He is willing to give His wisdom to all those who seek it in humble reverence (James 1:5). We see the wisdom of God manifested in the work of creation and in the provision of redemption from sin through Jesus Christ. Divine wisdom refers to the abilities given by God in every area of life including recognizing and applying the provision of salvation through Jesus Christ, craftsmanship, Knowledge and insight for right decisions in life, and several others. Divine wisdom cannot be received by those who put their confidence in worldly wisdom, which is based on human cleverness and insight without God’s revelation. God considers this human kind of wisdom to be foolish. It may produce temporary success in life, but this will come to nothing on the long run. 1 Corinthians 3:19-20 says,

“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

Worldly wisdom builds pride and false hope in people, so much so that it makes them arrogate success to themselves to the exclusion of the Almighty God (Proverb 26:12, Isaiah 47:10). In Isaiah 29:14, God has declared that worldly wisdom shall perish.

Wisdom has its roots in knowledge. Wisdom is the ability to correctly make use of acquired knowledge. Divine wisdom leads to proper conduct because it is built on the fear of God (Job 28:28). One of the dimensions that the Holy Spirit operates in is wisdom (Isaiah 11:2). Those who desire to possess divine wisdom will therefore need to cultivate an intimate relationship with Him (Proverbs 1:20-26). The Holy Spirit can fill man’s heart with divine wisdom through revelation. This revelation can come in the place of observing how others live their lives, or through the study of nature. Wisdom may also be received as a result of practical experiences of life and from parental guidance. Divine wisdom can only be received by those who are willing to give up all reliance on their own human insight and understanding. As you seek for divine wisdom by one or a combination of ways mentioned here, God will answer you and fill you up with His divine wisdom in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point:

Father, please teach me Your ways and lead me through the path of wisdom in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

  

1 Chronicle 25-27

 Ezekiel 33:21-29              

PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 16: GOD GIVE US CHRISTIAN HOMES

1.  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 Your love has wrought;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes!

2.  God give us Christian homes!

Homes where the father is true and strong,

Homes that are free from the blight of wrong,

Homes that are joyous with love and song;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes!

3. God give us Christian homes!

Homes where the mother, in caring quest,

Strives to show others Your way is best,

Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes!

4. 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 fires burn and glow;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes!

DON’T RESIST; RUN!

DATE: SUNDAY 27TH AUGUST 2017

THEME: DON’T RESIST; RUN!    

      

Memorise:

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 1 Corinthians 6:20

Read:  2 Timothy 2:22-23

2:22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

2:23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.

Message:

While it is important for you to admit your mistakes with a sorrowful heart, it is also important that you learn from these mistakes. Ask yourself: “How did I get here? What did I do wrong? How could I have avoided this outcome?”  To live a triumphantly in this world you need to pay very close attention to what the word of God says and follow it to the letter. 1 Peter 5:8-9 says you should steadfastly resist the devil, so if you resist, but do not steadfastly resist, you will surely fall. On the other hand, in 1 Corinthian 6:18, we are commanded to flee fornication. In this case, God does not require resistance from you, but that you should take to your heels! If you then try to resist instead of running, you will surely fall. Similarly, 2 Timothy 2:22 says,

“Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

Clearly, there is a time to stand and a time to run. If you stand when you should run, you will most likely fall.

Sometime ago, I told male pastors not to have female secretaries, but some of them who thought they were wiser than I, called it gender discrimination. I told them that after they had become casualties of their wrong decisions, they would remember that I had earlier warned them. One of my very good sons, who knew the Bible very well, hired a female secretary. I asked him, “What are you doing? How can you be in the same office with this lady smiling at you? Eventually, you will end up working late with her. Go and ease her out.” He dragged his feet on this. Today, this same person is out of the ministry, out of his home and jobless. If not that he lives in a country where the government provides food for the jobless, he would have starved. Some leaders are still toying with danger. Some piglets once asked the mother pig, “Why are you always grunting?” the mother pig replied, “When you are as old as I am, you will know why.” Avoid any source of temptation! Resist when you should and run when you should. Some people take it as an act of cowardice to run from those they feel sexually attracted to. No! It is not cowardice, it is wisdom! God knows how he wired your body, so if He says you should run in a particular situation, please run for your dear life!

Action Point:

The Bible has the antidote to every situation; apply it diligently and you will never fall

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:  

1 Chronicle 13-15

Ezekiel 32:1-15              

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]

THE REWARD OF PROFITABLE STEWARDSHIP

DATE: SATURDAY AUGUST 26th 2017

THEME: THE REWARD OF PROFITABLE STEWARDSHIP   

  

Memorise:

And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. Revelation 22:12

Read:  Matthew 25:14-23

25:14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

25:15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

25:16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

25:17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

25:18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

25:19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

25:20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

25:22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.

25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Message:

Christianity entails total submission to the will of God as revealed in His word. A Christian must view God as the ultimate Owner of everything, who decides to delegate and distribute a certain measure of His resources to each and every person according to their ability, for the purpose of making profit. In reality, all that we own isn’t really ours; they are blessings that have been graciously bestowed on us by the Lord (John 3:27). For all that God has given to us, there’s an expectation that comes along with them. The word “stewardship”, summarises this arrangement. A steward is a special servant employed to oversee and manage the affairs of the household according to the dictates of the owner. He or she is simply a servant who has been entrusted with the authority to make decisions on behalf of his or her master. All purchases pertaining to the running of a household are made by the steward. Even some very important decisions are made by the steward. For example, Abraham entrusted his steward, Eliezer of Damascus, with the crucial responsibility of choosing a wife for his son Isaac (Genesis 24:2-4). A true Christian operates under the same dynamics today. As a steward over the heritage of God, you should be able to operate without supervision. Everything you do should be done as unto the Lord. You should make certain that the resources you are entrusted with are put to proper use for God and not for personal gain. As God’s steward, you should do everything to ensure that the Lord’s resources are carefully deployed to accomplish His agenda. A steward is a trustworthy ambassador that sometimes stands in the place of God to make decisions and take action that could have far-reaching effects on people’s lives. Christian stewardship is therefore an awesome responsibility that should be handled with utmost care. May you never mishandle your responsibility as a representative of the Almighty God in Jesus’ Name.

God has very important assignments He wants to execute in this world, and He has entrusted some of these into your hands. One of such assignments is the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). God has chosen you as His primary tool to accomplish this awesome task, and He has appointed and equipped you to carry His message of salvation to those who are lost in sin. You must therefore take up this responsibility and fulfil the heartbeat of God. In conclusion, here in this world, there are innumerable benefits awaiting all obedient servants of God. However, the most important reward for profitable stewardship is to be a guest of Jesus at His marriage supper, and to stand before God’s throne to receive commendation and crown of life from the Master. You will make it in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point:

Father, help me to be worthy of the ultimate reward for profitable stewardship in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

1 Chronicle 11-12

Ezekiel 31:10-18              

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.

2. Take my hands and let them move

At the impulse of Thy love.

Take my feet and let them be

Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3. Take my voice and let me sing,

Always, only for my King.

Take my lips and let them be

Filled with messages from Thee.

4.  Take my silver and my gold,

Not a mite would I withhold.

Take my intellect and use

Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will and make it Thine,

It shall be no longer mine.

Take my heart, it is Thine own,

It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour

At Thy feet its treasure store.

Take myself and I will be

Ever, only, all for Thee

THE UNPROFITABLE SERVANT

DATE: FRIDAY AUGUST 25th 2017

THEME: THE UNPROFITABLE SERVANT  

      

Memorise:

“And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.” Luke 12:47

Read:  Matthew 25: 24-30

25:24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

25:25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

25:26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

25:27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

25:28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

25:29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Message:

 An unprofitable servant is generally identified as a steward that fails to put his or her talents to profitable use for his or her master. He or she is a wasteful person who is pleased to keep the master’s investment from yielding any profit. Among all the servants mentioned in the Bible, it was only the unprofitable servant that had the disrespectful behaviour of complaining and bringing charges against his lord. He had the audacity to accuse his master to his face of being a difficult and greedy person, wanting to reap where he did not sow! He created the impression that his master had all along been wicked, unfair and insensitive. Although the unprofitable servant tried to portray himself as a humble and obedient servant, he ended up giving himself off as self- righteous person, who had mastered the art of making excuses to cover up for slothfulness and failure. Trying to justify himself, he falsely argued that he became indolent and unproductive out of fear for his master. He forgot that a master’s commandment is a servant’s duty. As a matter of fact, a servant always owes a debt of service to his or her master (Luke 17:7-10). The unprofitable servant tried so hard to justify himself but he failed woefully. God is not mocked; the excuses you have prepared to use on the Day of Judgment will not stand the test of His scrutiny.

Brethren, every excuse that we give for failure to obey the commandments of God with regards to the use of our talents is simply evidence of rebellion against God. The excuse that the unprofitable servant gave is the common plea of many Christians today, who complain that the Almighty God has no right to demand for the use of their time, money and ability for the promotion of His Kingdom. If you fail to put your God-given talents to profitable use, on the day of reckoning, you will hear the denunciation pronounced against the unprofitable servant: “Take therefore the talent from him!” I pray that you will never receive words of condemnation from God in Jesus’ Name. Many would ask, “What wrong have I done?” Search your heart. Have you fixed your Lord’s money in huge deposits and savings accounts, or tied up His investment in properties, exotic cars, exclusive furniture and an expensive lifestyle, all the while leaving souls to perish in their sins? Do you prefer to bury your talents out of selfishness because you care more about yourself and less about God and the expansion of His Kingdom? Have you deliberately refused to put God’s endowments in your life to profitable use; thereby causing the benefits and profits due to God and man to be totally lost? To be commended by the Master, we need to repent of our selfish lifestyle and yield to God in complete obedience.

Prayer Point:

Father, please give me the grace to serve You profitably to the end in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

1 Chronicle 8-10

 Ezekiel 30:20-31:9                                                                                                      

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.

  

2. Take my hands and let them move

At the impulse of Thy love.

Take my feet and let them be

Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3. Take my voice and let me sing,

Always, only for my King.

Take my lips and let them be

Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold,

Not a mite would I withhold.

Take my intellect and use

Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.

5.  Take my will and make it Thine,

It shall be no longer mine.

Take my heart, it is Thine own,

It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour

At Thy feet its treasure store.

Take myself and I will be

Ever, only, all for Thee.

THE CHURCH OF GOD III

DATE: THURSDAY AUGUST 24th 2017

THEME: THE CHURCH OF GOD III

  

Memorise:

That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:27

Read:  Ephesians 1:1-4

1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

1:2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Message:

The Church of God is a living entity that thrives upon the life of God. The life of Jesus circulates freely through His church, just as blood flows through the human body. The Church of God feeds on heavenly food, which is the word of God, breathes the atmosphere of heaven, which are the commandments and principles that guide her operations, and thrives on the life of God that flows through her vein, which is the Holy Spirit. By implication therefore, the primary qualities and attributes of God automatically become the primary characteristics and nature of His Church.

In Isaiah 6:3b, the primary quality and nature of God is announced in this proclamation from Heaven:

“…Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.”

For this reason, today’s Bible reading declares that the Church of God was chosen by God to be holy and without blame before Him in love. Holiness is the moral excellence of God that unifies His attributes and is expressed through His actions. The Bible presents holiness as a nature that includes moral purity, separation from evil and a devotion to God’s glory. God is Holy, His Name is Holy, His words and everything about Him is Holy. As a result, in the Old Testament, the place of worship, the altar, the priests and the people had to be sanctified and made Holy before rendering service to God (Exodus 29:44). To be dedicated to God’s service, we also in this new dispensation must be set apart from the evil and sins of this world. Hebrews 10:22 says,

“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”

God’s holiness provides a pattern for His people to emulate (1 Peter 1:16). Holiness simply means separation from sin and devotion to God (2 timothy 2:19). As a child of God, sin should not have dominion over you (Romans 6:14). You are expected to make holiness your lifestyle by walking in the fear of God always (2 Corinthians 7:1). To this end, Colossians 3:5a says,

                “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth;”

This means you should put to death or destroy everything that is carnal in you, using the sword of the Spirit (Hebrew 4:12). It means your heart should continually be cleansed from carnality, using the water of God’s word. Even though you are genuinely born again, your body still has passions, desires and appetites that must be allowed to break out beyond their legitimate bounds in the Lord. Be holy, and be sanctified!

Prayer Point:

Father, grant me grace to keep myself under the control of Your Holy Spirit in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

1 Chronicle 6-7

 Ezekiel 30:5-19                                                                                                       

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, higher, every day in Jesus,

Till all conflict past,

Finds me conqueror, and in His own image

Perfected at last.

Refrain:

4. Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,

Holy faith and true;

In His power and soul exulting wisdom

Let me peace pursue.

Refrain:

THE CHURCH OF GOD II

DATE: WEDNESDAY AUGUST 23RD 2017

THEME: THE CHURCH OF GOD II

      

Memorise:

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: Ephesian 4:13

Read: 1 Corinthians 1:1-11

1:1 Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,

1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their's and our's:

1:3 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

1:4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;

1:5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;

1:6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:

1:7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:

1:8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

1:11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

Message:

The Church of God is the embodiment of Christ here on earth and for all eternity (Ephesians 1:23). God will continue to inhabit the praises of His people, and His people will continue to live in Him and worship His majesty forever (John 14:16). The Church of God on earth is the representation of his personality among men. She is the Body of Christ, filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit, and so, she renders all honour and adoration to God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Although the Church is operating in the world, there is no room for the world in the Church (John 17:16).

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”  Psalm133:1

The Church of God is called to live in blameless unity. Unity is a characteristic that distinguishes God’s people. We derive this characteristic from the nature of God in us; therefore, God expects His Church to manifest unity, through commitment to one another. In essence, the Church of God is one, because it is founded on one gospel, united in one Lord and walking in one Spirit (Ephesian 4:4-6). However, the unity of the Church is constantly under attack because the enemy knows she is unstoppable when she walks in unity. Because it is inherent in our fallen human nature for people to be divisive, unity needs to be continually maintained and actively expressed in fellowship. The fellowship that Christians share as a result of our common union with God through Jesus Christ is expressed as we share the triumphs and challenges of life together. The Bible strongly emphasizes the importance of Christian unity. Acts 4:32 says,

“And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.”

God exhorts the Church to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesian 4:3-16). We as Christians are to preserve the oneness that the Spirit imparts to all who are baptized into the Body of Christ, which is identical to the oneness of the Holy Trinity. The unity of the Church should be evident in our love for one another, in worshipping together and in a practical commitment to one another, which is demonstrated through deep concern for the weak and a readiness to provide for the poor and needy.

Prayer Point:

Father, please baptise Your Church with true love and bind the Body of Christ together with a strong cord of unity in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

1 Chronicle 4-5

Ezekiel 29:10-30:4                                                                                                                            

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 18: ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIER

1. Onward Christian soldiers!

Marching as to war,

With the cross of Jesus

Going on before.

Christ, the royal Master,

Leads against the foe;

Forward into battle,

See, His banners go! 

Refrain:

Onward, Christian soldiers!

Marching as to war,

With the cross of Jesus,

Going on before.

2. At the name of Jesus

Satan’s host doth flee;

On then, Christian soldiers,

On to victory!

Hell’s foundations quiver

At the shout of praise:

Brothers, lift your voices,

Loud your anthems raise!

[Refrain]

3. Like a mighty army

Moves the Church of God:

Brothers, we are treading

Where the saints have trod;

We are not divided,

All one Body we—

One in faith and Spirit,

One charity.

[Refrain] 

4. Onward, then, ye people!

Join our happy throng;

Blend with ours your voices

In the triumph song.

Glory, laud and honor

Unto Christ, the King;

This through countless ages

Men and angels sing.

[Refrain]