DON’T WASTE GOD’S GRACE

DATE: THURSDAY 1ST FEBRUARY 2018.

THEME: DON’T WASTE GOD’S GRACE.

MEMORISE:

We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. 2 Corinthians 6:1

READ: Genesis 6:1-8

1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,

2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

3 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

7 And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

MESSAGE 

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,"          Romans 3:23

When you consider the implication of the above verse of scripture, and compare it with the way God related with Noah in today’s Bible text, you will understand that Noah’s story is a classical example of the grace of God at work in someone’s life. To help you realize the enormity of God’s grace and what it can do for you, consider that at the time when the entire world was condemned to destruction by divine verdict, Noah was spared because he enjoyed divine grace. Genesis 6:7-8 says:

“And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”

Having understood the enormity of God’s grace, the wise at heart will earnestly seek to be blessed by it. As the grace of god spoke for Noah, I pray that it will speak for you at the point of your inadequacies in Jesus’s Name. Without God’s grace, no man can escape His judgement. This special grace of God is personified in Jesus Christ, God’s own Son (Titus 2:11). He is calling everyone today to come and partake of God’s benevolent grace in the form of the salvation He makes available for all mankind. Have you partaken of the grace of God available in Jesus Christ? If you haven’t what are you waiting for? Today is the day of salvation; remember that tomorrow may be too late (2 Corinthians 6:2).

If you have received God’s grace in Jesus Christ, please don’t take it for granted. Our memory verse implores us not to receive the grace of God in vain. Noah did not waste God’s grace upon his life. He promptly acted on God’s instructions by building the ark according to His specifications, or are you living as if your own heaven will be different from that of the early disciples? If you reject God’s grace after hearing that it is available for you, or you end up missing heaven, you would have wasted this great grace. What a great waste that would be! L pray that this will not be your story in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, in any area of my life your grace is lying fallow or being wasted, open the eyes of enlightenment to correct it in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 20-2117-19; Romans 7

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 2: I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR

1.       I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;

No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.

o    Refrain:

I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;

Every hour I need Thee;

Oh, bless me now, my Savior,

I come to Thee.

2.       I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;

Temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh.

3.       I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;

Come quickly and abide, or life is vain.

4.    I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;

And Thy rich promises in me fulfill.

5.  I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;

Oh, make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son.

ONE WITH GOD IS MAJORITY

DATE: WEDNESDAY 31ST JANUARY 2018

THEME: ONE WITH GOD IS MAJORITY

MEMORISE:

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

READ: 2 Kings 6:11-17

11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?

12 And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.

13 And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.

14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.

15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?

16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see.   And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

MESSAGE

“There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.” Psalm 33:16

Our God is the Lord of Hosts; He specialises in using a minority who put their trust in Him to perform great feats. To a user of this Devotional: with God alone on your side, you will overcome that battle that has besieged your life. Don’t let your heart be troubled you are on top of that situation in the mighty Name of Jesus. In today’s memory verse, the Holy Spirit is confidently assuring us that as long as God is for us, nobody can be against us. Through His word that cannot fail, the Almighty God further assures us of victory in Isaiah 54:17, saying:

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

The most interesting part of this assurance is that victory is predicated on God’s righteousness and not ours. The devil, who is the accuser of the brethren, therefore has no say in this matter.

Our Bible text confirms the statement that says, “One with God is majority”. When the servant of Elisha saw the chariots and horses of the ungrateful king of Syria, whose general had previously been healed of leprosy, coming to attack his master, his heart melted. But the man of God in 2 Kings 6:16 declared to him thus:

“…Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.”

Wherever God is, legions of angelic hosts are present, and so when God is with you, His innumerable company of angelic hosts are also with you. This is the reason why a child of God cannot afford to either leave the presence of God or engage in things that would make God forsake him or her. My prayer for you is that you will not do anything that would make the Lord forsake you in Jesus’ Name. the only way to make God your ally is to come to Jesus Christ with a humble heart of total submission to His will. He is inviting you today to a life of victory and rest (Matthew 11:28). Please come to Him and make Him the Lord of your life today.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please come to my aid as I confront the battles of life that are before me. Please don’t leave me alone to be at the mercy of the enemies that seem stronger than me.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 17-19, Romans 6

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 10: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE

1. My faith looks up to Thee,

Thou Lamb of Calvary,

Saviour divine!

Now hear me while I pray,

Take all my guilt away,

Oh, let me from this day

Be wholly Thine!

2. May Thy rich grace impart

Strength to my fainting heart,

My zeal inspire!

As Thou hast died for me,

Oh, may my love to Thee

Pure, warm, and changeless be,

A living fire!

3. While life’s dark maze I tread,

And griefs around me spread,

Be Thou my guide;

Bid darkness turn to day,

Wipe sorrow’s tears away,

Nor let me ever stray

From Thee aside.

4.Whenlife’s swift race is run,

Death’s cold work almost done

Be near to me.

Blest Saviour, then in love,

Fear and distrust remove;

Oh, bear me safe above,

A ransomed soul!

A GODLY ROLE MODEL?

DATE: TUESDAY 30TH JANUARY 2018

THEME: A GODLY ROLE MODEL?

MEMORISE:

Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1

READ: Philippians 3:7-14

7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:  for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

MESSAGE

A role model is one who influences others to be like him or her. While there are godly role models, there are also ungodly ones who influence their followers to make choices that will lead them to the pit of hell. Today, we are reflecting on godly role models, and the Lord is asking you this question: “Are you are godly role model?” Apostle Paul was so sure of himself and his position in Christ that he was bold enough to challenge those within his sphere of influence to imitate him as he himself imitated the Lord Jesus Christ (! Corinthians 11:1).

From our Bible text today, we can learn some things about Apostle Paul which mirror the principles and life of our Lord Jesus Christ. The first of these is a lifestyle of godliness. Paul said that all he was after in life is the prize of the high calling of God in Christ. Secondly, to learn how to please God, he wanted to know more about Christ, including the power of His resurrection, what it meant to share in His sufferings and how to be like Him in death. Thirdly, he was relentless, not only in keeping himself pure but also in labouring for the harvest of lost souls. Fourthly, for the greatness of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ, he forsook all his worldly achievements and followed after Christ. This attitude mirrors the life of his Master, who left His glory in heaven and take up the image of a servant on earth. He humbled Himself so much that He even laid down His life for all mankind (Philippians 2:5-8).

This lesson should challenge the Body of Christ in these end-times. I have observed that some pastors are not so mindful of where members of their congregation will end the Christian race. This is evident in the type of sermon they preach: messages that play on human emotions and nothing more. Concerning such pastors, Apostle Paul has this to say:

“Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)”

Philippians 3:17-19

What a role model of the Christian faith we have in Apostle Paul! You will be wise to have such a godly driven personality as an influence in your life.

ACTION POINT:

In your private study, examine the life of Paul and pray that God will give you the grace to manifest the virtues you desire in his life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 15-16, Romans 5

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 12: TAKE MY LIFE, AND LET IT BE 

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.

OPERATING UNDER PRESSURE?

DATE: MONDAY 29TH JANUARY 2018

THEME: OPERATING UNDER PRESSURE?

MEMORISE:

Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure. 1 Timothy 5:22

READ: 1 Samuel 15:20-24

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.

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.

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.

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.

24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

MESSAGE 

One of the tactics of the devil to bring down God’s people is to orchestrate situations that will put them under pressure, and then he attacks while they are vulnerable. He does this because he knows that operating under pressure can result in costly mistakes. In today’s memory verse, we can identify some dangers of operating under pressure. One of these is that operating under pressure can make a person an accomplice to an evil deed. For instance, in the name of charitable acts, you may be pressurised to unknowingly harbour stolen goods. As a pastor, the devil can quote scriptures to you out of context and thereby pressurise and intimidate you into officiating the marriage of a divorcee to another person, thereby causing you to partake in another man’s sin. Another danger of operating under pressure is that the scars resulting from errors committed while acting unwisely often leave indelible marks on the victim’s life.

King Saul is a classical example of someone who let himself fall into the trap of operating under pressure. As the first king of Israel, he was more concerned about the opinion of people than God’s opinion of him. Contrary to the instructions God gave him concerning the battle against the Amalekites, he speared not only the king but also the fatted cows and sheep. he took the spoils of a battle he did not actually fight. Some ministers of God have also fallen into this trap today. After they have been used by God to perform special miracles, they run after financial gratification like Gehazi did (2 Kings 5:20-27).

Have your parents or society placed you under pressure to marry? Be very careful so that you don’t regret your actions later. I have this word for someone today: God will make everything beautiful for you in His own time (Ecclesiastes 3:1). At God’s own appointed time, that partner will emerge from the throne of grace and you will have a home comparable to heaven on earth. Is it employment that you seek and the personnel manager demands that you go out with him before you can get the job? Say NO to such advances! Don’t let the pressure of unemployment drag you into prostitution or drug trafficking. Are your parents-in-law saying you should come over to the village to offer sacrifice to ancestral spirits so that you can have your baby? You must not cave in to such pressures. Let the Bible be your guide. Refuse to find alternative to Jehovah El-Shaddai. May the word of God remain a lamp to your feet and a light to your path in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, grant me grace not to buckle under pressure, and help me to triumph like Your Son triumphed against the devil in the wilderness.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 13-14, Romans 4

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 5: 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. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. Will you decide now to follow Jesus?

Will you decide now to follow Jesus?

Will you decide now to follow Jesus?

No turning back, no turning back.

EVIL COMMUNICATION

DATE: SUNDAY 28TH JANUARY 2018

THEME: EVIL COMMUNICATION

MEMORISE:

Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 1 Corinthians 15:33

READ: Proverbs 1:10-19

10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:

12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:

14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:

15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:

16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.

18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.

19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

MESSAGE 

In today’s memory verse, the wisdom of God warns us that evil communication corrupts good manners. A wise person would take this divine warning seriously in order to escape the corrupting influence that associating with evil people will have on his or her good manners. Some people have allowed overconfidence to destroy their lives through careless and even deadly associations. Some young people with bright and promising futures, sent to school to prepare them for fulfilled adult lives, have been derailed through evil associations with destiny destroyers like secret cults, sex-for-hire rings, partying and clubbing friends, drinking, smoking and gambling pals. Our Bible text warns us against the enticement of sinners. The revelation here is that sinners are capable of enticing us; we must therefore be careful not to fall prey of their enticing antics. One bait sinners use in luring good souls into their fold is the promise of material gain and comfort. In Proverbs 1:13-14, the Holy Spirit warns that sinners will say sweet words like these to entice you:

“We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:”

But it’s a lie; the target is your soul.

There are many channels of evil communication. One avenue is through business partnerships. Children of God should be careful of the type of people they partner with in business. Someone who pays his or her tithe regularly may begin to default after forming a business alliance with someone who does not believe in giving God a tenth of his or her income. Gradually, such children of God would begin to rob God, and consequently, the blessings of Abraham they claim as their portion will begin to elude them until they lose it all. Another channel of evil communication is marriage. In Deuteronomy 7:3-4, the Lord gave the children of Israel this injunction on marriage with those who did not share their faith:

“Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.”

This principle also applies to the Body of Christ today. Those who disobey this injunction never have a good story to tell down the line (1 Kings 11:4). I pray that you will not be a victim of evil communication in Jesus’ Name.

ACTION POINT:

Examine the lives of those you associate with, determine who are a negative influence on you and break off from them.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 11-12, Romans 3:9-21

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 12: TAKE MY LIFE, AND LET IT BE 

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.

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT V

DATE: SATURDAY 27TH JANUARY 2018

THEME: FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT V

MEMORISE:

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Matthew 5:44

READ: Acts 7:54-60

54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.

59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

MESSAGE 

To conclude our reflection on the fruit of the Spirit, we shall today be considering temperance. To be temperate is to have self-control. Temperance enables you to remain cool, calm and collected in the midst of dire situations. Through the manifestation of temperance, you will save yourself the pain of hasty and rash pronouncements that you will later regret. Temperance will restrain you from overreacting in situations that could make you lose your integrity. It takes the restraint of the Holy Spirit to turn the other cheek to those who despitefully use you (Luke 6:29). To better understand temperance, just picture Stephen in excruciating pain and about to die, praying for God’s mercy on those who stoned him to death. This is the hallmark of a life full of the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:55). The Lord Jesus Christ also manifested this nature on the cross of Calvary (Luke 23:34). When He was arrested and tried, it was temperance that enabled Him to restrain Himself from putting up a defence. There would have been no redemption if Jesus Christ had defended Himself. Matthew 27:13-14 says,

“Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.”

I reckon that in the course of His trial, the Holy Spirit would have continually brought to His remembrance what was written concerning Him in Isaiah 53:7-8. When you cultivate a relationship with the Holy Spirit, whenever you are faced with a situation of conflict, in order to restrain you, the Holy Spirit will remind you of who you are and where you are going. He will also put words in your mouth if there is a need for you to respond. This is how His nature of temperance is manifested in our character.

As we conclude our study on the fruit of the Spirit, you need to be reminded that walking in the Spirit is the process that brings about the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit in us. The Holy Spirit is a Person and not a force, and so He will not compel you to fellowship with Him, even though He resides inside you. you need to yield yourself to Him and cultivate His friendship for His fruit to manifest in your life. Here is the key to walking in the Spirit, from Amos 3:3

“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”

Your life needs to be in agreement with His principles for you to walk with Him. He is the Promise of the Father, and He is willing to abide with you if you will make your life habitable for Him.

ACTION POINT:

Take out time to sing to the Holy Spirit, and tell Him how much you appreciate His ministry in your life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 9-10, Romans 2:12-3:8

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 2: I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR

1. I Need Thee every hour,

Most gracious Lord;

No tender voice like Thine

Can peace afford.

Chorus:

I need Thee, Oh, I need Thee,

Every hour I need Thee;

Oh bless me now, my Saviour;

I come to Thee.

2. I need Thee every hour;

Stay Thou near by;

Temptations lose their pow'r

When Thou art nigh.

3. I need Thee every hour,

In joy or pain;

Come quickly and abide,

Or life is vain.

4. I need Thee every hour;

Teach me Thy will,

And Thy rich promises

In me fulfil.

5. I need Thee every hour,

Most Holy One;

O make me Thine indeed,

Thou blessed Son.