PROGRESSIVE PROSPERITY

DATE:  MONDAY 30TH APRIL 2018

THEME:  PROGRESSIVE PROSPERITY

MEMORISE:

And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: Genesis 26:13 

READ: Genesis 26:1-14 

 1And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.

2 And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:

3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;

4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;

5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

6 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar:

7 And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.

8 And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.

9 And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife; and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.

10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.

11 And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.

12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.

13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:

14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.

MESSAGE 

When the Bible says that we should study to show ourselves approved unto God, it means that we should study the successful heroes of faith who have gone ahead of us and learn their ways (2 Timothy 2:15, 1 Corinthians 10:11). A very good example of someone who experienced steady and progressive prosperity is Isaac. If you want to have steady and progressive prosperity like Isaac did, wisdom demands that you learn his ways. How did Isaac manage to become so prosperous in the time of famine, so much so that the king and natives of the land in which he sojourned envied him? 

The first thing Isaac did to experience steady and progressive prosperity was to enquire of the Lord on where to go during an austere time. Genesis 26:2-6 reveals the outcome of Isaac’s enquiry. The Lord told him not to move an inch from Gerar. This is a great lesson to all those who plan to prosper by the hand of the Lord. some people would say to you, “Follow your heart”, but based on God’s word, that is folly. Jeremiah 17:9 says, 

 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

Isaac did not follow his heart; rather he followed God’s command. He stayed in Gerar. Proverb 3:5-7 also says, 

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.”

What else did Isaac do that earned him steady and progressive prosperity? He sowed in the land (Genesis 26:12) if you don’t engage your hands in something the Lord can multiply, your expectation of steady and progressive prosperity will end in disappointment. 

The Almighty God knows the appropriate time for whatever a man puts fort his hand to do. It is counterintuitive to sow in the time of famine, but God knew this was the best time for Isaac to cash in the demand created by scarcity. This is the reason why God is telling you to seek His face before you embark on that project at hand. Isaac prospered progressively because God was in his business. Have you invited God into your business as the Senior Partner? Does God call the shots in your business transactions or you don’t even involve Him at all? Do you pay your tithes? Do you give offering? Dod you honor God you’re your first fruits? Learn from the life of Isaac today.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please open my eyes to the opportunities around me, and teach my heart to yield to the wisdom of Your own timing in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 6-7;

Hebrews 8:1-9:10

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 4:  TRUST AND OBEY.

1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,

What a glory He sheds on our way!

While we do His good will, He abides with us still,

And with all who will trust and obey.

o Refrain:

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,

But His smile quickly drives it away;

Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,

Can abide while we trust and obey.

3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,

But our toil He doth richly repay;

Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,

But is blessed if we trust and obey.

4. But we never can prove the delights of His love

Until all on the altar we lay;

For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,

Are for them who will trust and obey.

5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,

Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;

What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;

Never fear, only trust and obey.

BELATED CRIES FOR MERCY

DATE:  FRIDAY 27TH APRIL 2018

THEME:  BELATED CRIES FOR MERCY

MEMORISE:

For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.  2 Corinthians 6:2

READ: Luke 16:19-26

19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

MESSAGE 

Whether you believe it or not, the verdict of God is irrevocable: all men have sinned and come short of His glory (Romans 3:23). To escape the everlasting punishment that is the consequence of this verdict, there is the need to cry to God for mercy, obtain forgiveness and live a life of righteousness. Some may say, “I want to enjoy my life the way I deemed fit; don’t upset me with the message of doom.” May I further announce to you that there is a limited amount of time for you to cry to God for mercy on account of your sins and be heard. The Bible speaks of this limitation in Hebrews 9:27:

 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”

Your cry for mercy can only be heard while you are still alive on earth. You can only die once, and immediately after you die you will come face to face with God’s judgment. At this point you can no longer cry for mercy, and there will be no second chances. For this reason, the Lord is warning you today against crying for mercy belatedly. 

The rich man in today’s Bible text is an example of someone who belatedly cried for mercy. His cries came after he had closed his eyes in death. Hear his plea to Abraham in Luke 16:23-24:

“And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.”

Alas, it was too late. The rich man’s cries could have been heard if they had been expressed while he was still alive, but he ignored the warnings of God sent through His messengers. On the other hand, the publican in Luke 18:9-14 is a good example of one cried for mercy while he could be heard. The cry for mercy of the thief at Jesus’ side on the cross also came in the nick of time, before he gave up the ghost. Beloved, today’s memory verse is food for thought that I want you to consider. If you have never asked God to forgive your sins, do it now for the salvation of your soul. I can assure you that it is either you cry for mercy here and obtain salvation, which is timely, or you will cry for mercy in the hereafter, which will be too late. 

PRAYER POINT:

Father, have mercy on me; please forgive me and help me never to do again those things that will send me to eternal torment. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ruth 3-4;

Hebrews 4:8-5:10

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 3: WHAT CAN WASH AWAY MY SINS?

1. What can wash away my sin?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

What can make me whole again?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

o Refrain:

Oh! precious is the flow

That makes me white as snow;

No other fount I know,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

2. For my cleansing this I see,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

For my pardon this my plea,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

3. Nothing can for sin erase

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

Naught of works, ‘tis all of grace,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

4. This is all my hope and peace,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

This is all my righteousness,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

THE STILLER OF STORMS

DATE: THURSDAY 26TH APRIL 2018

THEME:  THE STILLER OF STORMS. 

MEMORISE:

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

READ: Mark 4:35-41

35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.

36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.

37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

MESSAGE 

Life can be very turbulent indeed, but thank God there is a Stiller of Storms, who is the Lord Jesus Christ. The wise will therefore anchor their life on Him (Hebrews 6:19). One truth is that at one point or the other in the course of life, everyone will experience a storm. It is therefore wise to prepare for storm by giving heed to what the word of the God teaches about them. Here is what the Stiller of Storms says about storms in Matthew 7:24-25:

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.”

In the above verses of Scripture, the Stiller of Storms likens His teachings to the power that stabilizes a structure battered by storms. A wise man will therefore take these teachings very seriously. Although the word of God is powerful, for it to work for you, you must be a doer of the word. James 1:22 says,

 “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

The story in Mark 4:35-41 reveals Jesus Christ as the Stiller of Storms. He was travelling in a ship with His disciples when a great storm arose, putting the ship and its occupants in jeopardy. Meanwhile, even in the midst of this storm, Jesus Christ was fast asleep, and the frightened disciples hurriedly woke Him up. When He awoke, He first rebuked the wind and then commanded peace to reign. In obedience to Him, the wind ceased and the Bible reports that there was immediately a great calm (Mark 4:39). After restoring calm, He rebuked His disciples for being fearful and faithless. Hear what the scripture says in Mark 4:41:

“And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Beloved, what kind of storm are you currently facing? I am using this opportunity to introduce to you that same Jesus, the Stiller of Storms. He can still that storm raging in your life, be it sickness, poverty, failure of disappointment of a great magnitude. Only believe, and you will see the glory of God. I advise you to invite Jesus Christ into your life if you have not done so before. He is eager to still your storms today. 

PRAYER POINT:

Jesus, You are the Stiller of Storms, please still every storm raging in my life today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ruth 1-2;

Hebrews 3:7-4:7

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 10: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE.

1. My faith looks up to Thee,

Thou Lamb of Calvary,

Savior 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. When ends life’s transient dream,

When death’s cold, sullen stream

Shall o’er me roll;

Blest Savior, then in love,

Fear and distrust remove;

Oh, bear me safe above,

A ransomed soul!

OBSESSED WITH FASHION?

DATE:  WEDNESDAY 25TH APRIL 2018

THEME:  OBSESSED WITH FASHION?

MEMORISE:

And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.  1 Corinthians 7:31

READ:  1 John 2:15-17

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

MESSAGE 

Fashion is based on culture, and so people’s taste for fashion differs from one culture to another. Every form of culture and its attendant fashion must be subjected to the light of God’s word because they are all creations of mankind. Today’s memory verse reminds us that the fashion of this world is transient. Consider the fact that most things that were in vogue ten or twenty years ago are no longer desired today, and yet some people shipwrecked their faith while pursuing them. As Christian pilgrims, transient things should not enslave us. Every by-product of culture that is not in alignment with the tenets of God’s word is dangerous and should be avoided. 

Today’s Bible text warns us against being obsessed with fashion. The Christian life is a life of modesty and we must not lose sight of this for anything. Philippians 4:5 says,

 “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.”

It is unfortunate that some teachers now teach that moderation is relative. They teach that what is moderate to one person based on his or her level of wealth might not be moderate to some other persons. Such teachers and those seduced by their teachings choose to ignore that when the Holy Spirit said we should be moderate, He added the clause that our moderation should be apparent to all men and not just to those who belong to our class of wealth. The Holy Spirit also teaches us to be content with whatever we have (Hebrews 13:5). Furthermore, the Lord said we should beware of covetousness, because a person’s life does not depend on the abundance or variety of goods he or she possesses (Luke 12:15). Covetousness enslaves people and drives them into being obsessed with fashion. Thankfully, the cure for this is given in 1Timothy 6:17-18 which says:

“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;”

 The good thing about the above admonition is that when you have material possessions and you do good with them by distributing to the needy, there is no way these possessions will intoxicate you to the level of abuse. Sister, what are you doing with a thousand pair of shoes? They should be distributed to those in need, particularly those of the household of faith. If you are a hoarder of things, or you are enslaved to fashion, godliness with contentment is the panacea prescribed by the Holy Spirit for your deliverance ( 1 Timothy 6:6-8). Willingly submit yourself to His remedy, and you will be free. 

ACTION POINT:

Ask the Lord to deliver you from the enslavement of fashion and give you contentment. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:  Judges 20-21;

Hebrews 2:5-3:6

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 9: THE OLD RUGGED CROSS

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.

o 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.

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.

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.

DELIVER US FROM TEMPTATION

DATE:  MONDAY 23RD APRIL 2018

THEME:  DELIVER US FROM TEMPTATION.

MEMORISE:

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

READ: Matthew 26:37-41

37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

MESSAGE 

The name of Jesus is infused with so much power that it can deliver from every form of satanic bondage. The devil’s weapon of choice to lead men into bondage is temptation, but the use of the Name Jesus in the place of prayer is able to deliver from this weapon of the enemy. Since the Lord has given us the go-ahead to pray in His Name for anything we need, deliverance from temptation falls under the category of things we can ask for, and we will surely be delivered if we do (John 14:14). Confirming this truth, our Lord Jesus Christ taught the disciples to pray against temptation (Matthew 6:9-13). Furthermore, at the Garden of Gethsemane, our Lord instructed His three closest disciples to put into practice what He had taught them on prayer in order to overcome temptation. In Matthew 26:41, He said to them, 

“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

There are many lessons we can learn from today’s Bible reading, one of which is a reality of life. The tempter has been at work right from the Garden of Eden and has not retired. Another lesson is that the tempter and his temptations are no respecter of any person; they did not even spare Jesus Christ. The Bible in Luke 4:1-2a says, 

“ And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,Being forty days tempted of the devil.”

It is noteworthy that although Jesus Christ was full of the Holy Ghost, the devil still tempted Him. Thank God He defeated the tempter! I pray that you will not be overcome by the tempter in Jesus’ Name. Every believer in Christ should therefore take the Lord’s injunction to watch and pray against temptation very seriously. We can overcome temptation if we would pray against it in the Name of Jesus. We must be prepared to shield ourselves against the wiles of the tempter. Ordinary church members, workers, ministers and pastors are all the targets of the tempter. Learn from the experience of the disciples, shortly after Jesus Christ instructed them to watch and pray; temptation indeed came. Unfortunately, they were all asleep and they could not resist the urge to run away after their Master was arrested. One of the only two disciples who managed to follow closely behind even denied the master (John 18:15-17). I pray that the Lord will give you victory over any temptation that comes your way in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please shield me from the arrows of temptation and deliver me from all forms of evil.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:  Judges 17-18;

Philemon

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, still I will follow;

Though- none go with me, still I will follow;

Though none go with me, still I 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.

NO FOOD FOR LAZY MAN

DATE:   FRIDAY 20TH APRIL 2018

THEME:  NO FOOD FOR LAZY MAN. 

MEMORISE

And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 1 Thessalonians 4:11

READ:  1 Thessalonians 4:3-12

3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;

5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:

6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.

7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;

11 qAnd that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

MESSAGE 

A lazy man is described in Proverbs 10:4 as someone who works with a slack hand. He or she is also described as slothful in Proverbs 12:24. The Holy Spirit warns us against slothfulness in Romans 12:11:

 “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;”

Some people are fervent in spirit but slothful in business whereas some others are diligent in business but not fervent in spirit. These are lopsided Christian lifestyles which are not profitable. In today’s memory verse, we are warned against being lazy. Laziness results in some people becoming poor that they become fraudsters to make ends meet. Defrauding others is a terrible sin that calls for God’s vengeance. (1 Thessalonians 4:6). Lazy Christians take advantage of the generosity of the Christian brotherhood to defraud other diligent Christians. Such lazy ones do not want to work with their hands. Instead, they go from house to house and from church to church to defraud the brethren under several pretexts. Interestingly, this is not a new development I the Body of Christ. Under the guise of awaiting the second coming of Lord, laziness was so rampant in the church at Thessalonica, so much so that some believers abandoned their trade and businesses to loaf around. For this reason, Apostle Paul, after hi initial epistle, further wrote to this same Church in 2 Thessalonians 3:10 saying:

“ For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.”

Today, job scarcity makes it difficult for us to know who is actually lazy among the brethren who loaf around other brethren. In actual fact, it is not the lack of jobs that makes people unemployed; rather it is pride and the unrealistic dreams of white collar jobs. Some would not do any other job than what they were trained to do in school. These group of Christians should learn from people like Apostle Paul, who in spite of his degree in law engaged in  tent making to make ends meet (Acts 18:3), Philippians 3:5). Some people are misguided into thinking that doing manual labor would drain their anointing; this is a lie of the devil. The Lord promised to bless the work of our hands, not our idleness (Deuteronomy 28:12). The story was told of how God directed a young but brilliant Christian to stat clearing human waste in a modern way ad he became a millionaire through it. If you are naturally lazy, you need supernatural healing, because laziness is a disease that can kill the body and through the soul into hell. Therefore, detest it with everything in you.

ACTION POINT:

Create a job if no one offers you one; you are a child of God with the ability to create things.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:  Judges 10-11; 

2 Timothy 3-4

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 4:  TRUST AND OBEY.

1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,

What a glory He sheds on our way!

While we do His good will, He abides with us still,

And with all who will trust and obey.

o Refrain:

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,

But His smile quickly drives it away;

Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,

Can abide while we trust and obey.

3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,

But our toil He doth richly repay;

Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,

But is blessed if we trust and obey.

4. But we never can prove the delights of His love

Until all on the altar we lay;

For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,

Are for them who will trust and obey.

5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,

Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;

What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;

Never fear, only trust and obey.