WHAT ARE YOU LIVING FOR?

DATE: FRIDAY 1ST JUNE 2018

THEME: WHAT ARE YOU LIVING FOR?

MEMORISE:

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21

READ: Esther 4:5-16

5 Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.

6 So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king's gate.

7 And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.

8 Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to show it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people.

9 And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.

10 Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai;

11 All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

12 And they told to Mordecai Esther's words.

13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.

14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

15 Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,

16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

MESSAGE

It is important for everyone to know what he or she is living for. When you do not live for something, you will exist for anything - good, bad or ugly. Due to the nature of man, it takes determination to live for good (Ecclesiastes 9:3, Romans 7:21-24). Those who live for God live for good, while those who live for the devil live for evil. In Ecclesiastes 12:13b-14, the Holy Spirit reveals the essence of our living to us when He said:

“Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

The question today is: What are you living for?

Esther 4:14-16 tells the story of a young lady who decided to live for God and His people. She was ready to die if only the will of God would be done in her life through it. Despite the fact that she was a queen, she declared, "If I perish, I perish" (Esther 4:16). In a similar situation, the book of Daniel tells of how three Hebrew boys disobeyed the decree of King Nebuchadnezzar when he wanted to lead them into idolatry. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were willing to be thrown into the fiery furnace in order to obey their God (Daniel 3:16-18).

Today's memory verse offers an answer to the question of what we should live for. When we decide to live for Christ, everything will fall into place spiritually, and when we are settled spiritually, other aspects of our life will receive meaning and fulfilment. This is the reason why our Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 6:31-33:

“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Some people live for the food they will eat, the cloth they will wear, the house they will live in and the car they will ride in, all at the expense of their soul. However, if you hearken diligently to the words of the Lord to seek Him and live for Him, everything else will follow.

PRAYER POINT: 

Father, help me to live completely for You from today in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

1 Kings 11, Acts 4:1-22.

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.

DRY BONES SHALL LIVE AGAIN

DATE:  THURSDAY 31ST MAY 2018

THEME:  DRY BONES SHALL LIVE AGAIN.

MEMORISE:

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: John 11:25

READ: Ezekiel 37:1-10

The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,

2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.

3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.

5 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:

6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.

8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.

9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.

10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

MESSAGE 

Bones are often associated with dead bodies or with death itself. Dry human bones symbolize a human body that has been dead for an extended period of time: in some cases, for hundreds or thousands of years. By this time, it is impossible for anyone in the right frame of mind to contemplate any means by which such bones will come back to life again. This was the situation in the valley of dry bones when God asked Ezekiel, “Son of man, can these bones live?” knowing well that it was impossible by any human means for those bones to live, but also being conscious of the fact that he was standing before the one that created the universe by the power of His word, Ezekiel tactically answered by saying “O Lord God, thou knowest.” Then the Lord asked the prophet to prophesy to the bones, and in Ezekiel 37:7, as soon as he prophesied, this happened: 

 “……there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.” 

I therefore prophesy to everything that stands as dry bones in your life and to every symbol of death in your family; hear the word of the Lord: Be restored back to life now in the Name of Jesus.

In Ezekiel’s vision of dry bones brought back to life by God’s Spirit, the resurrection of the bones is used as a symbol. Ezekiel’s vision is not directly related life after death, but rather with the salvation of God’s people from captivity and exile. Some people are locked up in a strange land, enjoying the pleasures of sin, some are addicted to harmful behaviors, burdened by their conscience and far away from the Spirit of God. They are dead like the dry bones! However, as the Spirit of God sends the breath of life into them, their return to their creator can be likened to new life rising from the grave. To anyone that is in bondage, captivity or exile, to anyone that has been displaced from his or her position, to anyone that is being told that he or she has reached a point of no return in life, I decree once again: Let there be a noise and a shaking from heaven that will set you free from now on in Jesus’ Name. The dry bones were sitting quietly in their forgotten state, fully surrendered to the power of death that held them bound. They were without any hope until God told Ezekiel to prophesy to them. One more time, I prophesy that the wind of the Holy spirit will blow against every agent of death that is holding your life and destiny bound right now in the Name of Jesus. This marks the beginning of real progress in your life and henceforth you will be unstoppable in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please let everything about me that is dead and dry live again by Your grace and power, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 9-10; Acts 3

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 6: A NEW THING

 (Tune: There shall be showers of Blessing)

1. We will soon shout Halleluyah

Because GOD will do new things

Sinners will soon be forgiven

Prodigals will come home soon. 

Chorus:

Shout Halleluyah

Because God will do new things

Rivers in desert now flowing

Halleluyah  to our king.

2. We will soon shout Halleluyah

Because God will do new things

Sickness and sorrow will be gone

Bondage will be forgotten. 

3. We will soon shout Halleluyah

Because God will do new things

The barren will be fruitful soon

Failure will be forgotten

4. We will soon shout Halleluyah

Because God will do new things

Poverty will be forgotten

Stagnancy will soon be gone.

5. We will soon shout Hallelujah

Because God will do new things

To all miracles are given

There shall be celebrations

6. We will soon shout Halleluyah

Because God will do new things

Many will have testimonies

Of prayers answered fully

7. We will soon shout Halleluyah

Because God will do new things

One of us will chase a thousand

Two will conquer ten thousands.

8. We will soon shout Halleluyah

Because God will do new things

Songs of praises we will sing

Halleluyah to our King.

MERCY

DATE:  WEDNESDAY 30TH MAY 2018

THEME:  MERCY.

MEMORISE:

For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6

READ: Matthew 18: 23-35

23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.

29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:

33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

MESSAGE 

Mercy is an attitude of compassion, care and concern, grounded in love and sympathy towards others. It is God’s nature that is fundamental to His interaction with His creation. As one of God’s attributes, mercy is also a key character He demands from His people. Our compassion towards others as Christians is usually activated by God’s compassion for people. It is expected that those who received mercy from God would respond to human suffering with much concern and work to ameliorate this suffering. Apostle Paul recognized that his conversion from a life of rebellion against God and his subsequent  call to the ministry was a product of God’s mercy. Here is his testimony in 1Timothy 1:13:

“Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.”

For this reason, he had so much passion to propagate God’s mercy to others through the gospel of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:15-20). In today’s Bible reading, a servant who owed ten thousand talents was pardoned by his master, but as soon as he left the presence of his master, he met a fellow servant who owed him a hundred pence.  He exacted the full force of his power on this poor fellow servant without mercy, casting him into prison. When this matter got to his master, in Matthew 18:33, his master simply asked him:

 “Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?”

This clearly indicates to us that we are beneficiaries of the great mercy of God so that we also can become dispensers of this same mercy to all those who come in contact with us.

Apostle Paul valued his conversion as a product of great mercy, so much so that he spoke about mercy more than any individual in the Bible. His messages, interactions with people and handling of situations were based on the backdrop of God’s mercy. God’s people who are beneficiaries of His great mercy are expected to be channels of divine mercy in the church and in the world. That is the reason why in Jesus’ teachings about the kingdom of God, He presents mercy as a primary characteristic of God’s kind of life and as a demonstration of His sovereignty. The power of love embedded in the message of the gospel speaks of God’s mercy, while transforming the lives of men by destroying the works of the devil demonstrates this mercy. Mercy ultimately leads to hunger for souls and to handling the people of God with tender care.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please fill my heart with Your tender mercy and a hunger for souls in Jesus’ Name. 

  

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 8;

Acts 2: 29-47

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 7: 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.

o 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.

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.

SOLDIERS OF THE CROSS

DATE:  TUESDAY 29TH MAY 2018

THEME:  SOLDIERS OF THE CROSS.

MEMORISE:

Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 2 Timothy 2:3

READ: 2 Timothy 2:1-11

1Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

6 The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.

7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:

9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.

10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:

MESSAGE 

It is important for a child of God to recognize and understand the multifaceted life we are called to by God. For this reason, the Holy Spirit reveals to us in 2 timothy 2:3 that we have been called to be soldiers of Jesus Christ. A soldier does certain things to fulfill his or her vocation. Enduring hardness, shunning worldly pleasures and distractions, and keeping to the rules of military service are some of the basic characteristics expected of a soldier. Soldiers are also required to fight to defend the territorial integrity of their country from external attacks. In addition, they are to engage in warfare to expand the territory of their commander-in-chief, monarch or emperor. As it is in the physical, so it is in the spiritual. The comportment of a soldier is that of discipline, and a Christian soldier should be even more disciplined. This will help him or her to endure hardness, which means learning to be full and also empty as the situation demands (Philippians 4:12). If a soldier of the cross is not disciplined enough to endure hardness, he or she will end up like Esau, who sold his birthright for a plate of pottage (Hebrews 12:16). Our Lord Jesus had laid down a good example for us to follow in this regard when He refused to turn stone to bread even though He was hungry (Luke 4:3-4). A soldier of Jesus Christ avoids any distraction that would take his or her focus away from the way of the cross he or she is fighting to defend. Materialism is not a problem for a true soldier of Jesus Christ who has learnt to be modest. Concerning this,, our Commander-in-Chief in Luke 12:15 said this to us:

“And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”

Just as soldiers fight to defend the territorial integrity of the kingdom of their king, a soldier of Jesus Christ fights against sin, which destroys mankind and God’s created world, by preaching the gospel. He or she preaches the love of God so that men may embrace it and live a good life that will impact the lives of others positively. Soldiers of Jesus Christ do not only fight to defend, they also attack the opposing kingdom of the devil. They do this by proclaiming the word of God, which is alive and powerful, against the workers of iniquity. While putting on the whole armor of God, soldiers of Christ also exercise their divinely given authority in the place of prayer. They have no time for frivolities because they are always watchful. Beloved, are you numbered among the soldiers of Jesus Christ? Are you thriving in spite of the challenges of the call to fight against unrighteousness? May the Lord see you through to the very end in Jesus Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please uphold me to the very end, deliver me from all forms of worldly entanglement and grant me grace to please you all the way.

  

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 7;

Acts 2:1-28

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 16: STAND UP, STAND UP FOR JESUS.

1. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! ye soldiers of the cross;

Lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss:

From vict’ry unto vict’ry, His army shall He lead,

Till every foe is vanquished, and Christ is Lord indeed.

2. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! The trumpet call obey:

Forth to the mighty conflict, in this His glorious day;

Ye that are men now serve Him against unnumbered foes;

Let courage rise with danger, and strength to strength oppose.

3. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! Stand in His strength alone,

The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own;

Put on the gospel armor, and watching unto prayer,

Where calls the voice of duty, be never wanting there.

4. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! the strife will not be long;

This day the noise of battle, the next the victor’s song;

To him that overcometh a crown of life shall be;

He with the King of glory shall reign eternally.

GRACE II

DATE:  MONDAY 28TH MAY 2018

THEME:  GRACE II.

MEMORISE:

For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. John 1:17

READ: Romans 3:20-25

20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

MESSAGE 

Grace is God’s character by which he shows Himself as being compassionate, loving, merciful, accepting and generous to all of mankind. God’s grace shield’s sinful mankind from wrath, grants them forgiveness and bestows on them His righteousness so that they can live and grow in faith and obedience to Him. Grace and mercy are particularly expressed through God’s covenant with His chosen people and through Jesus Christ’s atoning death on the cross. Throughout the Bible, the notion of grace is abundantly present even where the word is not mentioned. Whenever Jesus brought healing to the sick and deliverance to the oppressed, divine grace was on display. The grace of God is especially expressed through salvation from sin, offered by Jesus to all mankind. Speaking about Jesus as the embodiment of God’s grace, Titus 2:11 says, 

 “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,”

Jesus vividly explained the notion of grace through the parables of the prodigal son and the tax collector who was justified after praying for God’s mercy as a sinner (Luke 15:11-32, Luke 18:9-14). Grace is a core part of the message of the Christian faith, and hence the message of the gospel is repeatedly labeled the “gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 14:3, Acts 20:24).

“And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” 1Timothy 1:14

It is important to note that divine grace is a gift of God, and it is abundant enough to secure forgiveness and redemption for anyone who is dead in sin, raising them up and making them sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:5-6). This abundant grace also opens the door of healing from all kinds of sickness, and it delivers from captivity, oppression and all kinds of demonic powers. Furthermore, it is able to break down the strongholds of the devil and produce transformation in lives. It is equally important to note that this abundant grace, though underserved, is available for free! No one can ever meet the requirements or fulfill the conditions necessary for accessing the benefits that God’s grace gives. The least you can do is to thank God for it. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, 

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

The saving grace of Jesus Christ is available to all human beings without exception; do not reject or ignore it, but rather accept it with thanksgiving and your life will never be the same again. Amen! 

ACTION POINT:

Thank God for the work His redeeming grace has done in your life, recounting them to Him.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 5-6; Acts 1

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.

GOOD NEIGHBOURLINESS II

DATE: SATURDAY 26TH MAY 2018

THEME: GOOD NEIGHBOURLINESS II

MEMORISE:

For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Matthew 25:35

READ: Luke 10:30-37

30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

37 And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

MESSAGE

In Matthew 25:31-33, the Lord Jesus Christ gave us a sneak preview of what Judgement Day will be like, and it is surprising that good neighbourliness is the only standard that was used to separate the sheep from the goats in this narrative. The Lord did this to prepare our minds for the events of the last days when people would become selfish and individualism would be rife. 2 Timothy 3:1-2 says,

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves…”

May I announce to you that this time is upon us. We live in time when the advent of social media and smartphones has drastically reduced human to human interaction, with the attendant effect that people have little or no empathy and wicked acts are the norm. These days, people hardly know what is going on with their next door neighbour while they are very much aware of what is going on with people thousands of miles away whom they have never met. May the Lord open our hearts to what is needful in Jesus' Name.

Good neighbourliness involves sacrifice. When you consider the parable of the Good Samaritan, it is easy to imagine what was going through the mind of the priest who passed by the wounded man and did nothing. He might have assumed that the poor man's situation was beyond remedy. He might have said to himself that it was not in his place to help since he was not a medical practitioner or a law enforcement agent. He might have pondered in his heart that the location was not safe for anyone to delay, and that while trying to help, robbers might attack him and make him another of their victims. He might also have thought that stopping to assist the wounded man would eat terribly into his time, thereby making him late for his important appointment. Although these are all valid reasons not to stop by and help, anyone who is willing to make a sacrifice will set aside all these reasons and help a neighbour in distress. The Church of God must fill the gap created by the deficiency of modern society, which has brought about unemployment, domestic violence, child abuse, divorce, drug addiction, sexual immorality and other unfortunate situations. The Christian community must provide human warmth, homeliness, love and care in places ravaged by individualism, loneliness and lack of trust. As modern society becomes increasingly hostile and dehumanising, children of God must become increasingly accommodating, peaceful, hospitable and caring. Good neighbourliness is a very important fruit of a transformed life and confirms that we possess the nature of God.

ACTION POINT: 

Plan a course of action to reach out to lonely people around you with God’s love.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

1 Kings 2

2 John

3 John.

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.