EMBRACE TRUTH

DATE: MONDAY 4TH FEBRUARY 2019

THEME: EMBRACE TRUTH

MEMORISE:

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Ephesians 4:25

READ: Proverb 25:2-5

2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

3 The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

4 Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.

5 Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

MESSAGE 

In the Bible, truth is presented as the nature of God which is opposed to falsehood, deception and lies. As Paul demonstrates in Romans 9:1, whenever truth is in operation, there is agreement between the human conscience and the witness of the Holy Spirit. Living a life of truth is desirable by God and receives commendation from Him. Proverb 12:22 says, 

 “Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.”

God is the essence of truth, and he expects this nature of His to reflect in the character of His children. He condemns falsehood in all forms, but takes pleasure in truth and honesty, which He regards as the hallmark of an upright person.

Truth always paints the picture of things without filtering them to suit personal preferences or vested interests. Unfortunately, one of the problems of leadership in the world today is the shortage of sincere counsel. To their undoing, the allure of office has proved to have a strong corrupting influence on many people around great leaders, including ministers of God. Even the best of men and women begin to exhibit sycophancy, flattery and systematic manipulation soon after introduction to the corridors of power, ad as a result, most leaders today are either starved of the truth or presented with filtered, edited or colored version of it. The Bible refers to this act as “holding the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18). Those behind this deception often claim to be acting in the best interest of their masters. They claim that keeping bad news away from them reduces their exposure to stress. Thanks be to God for the Holy Spirit who always strengthens and guides His children into all truth! There is therefore no need to filter the truth presented to leaders acting under God’s unction.

Sycophants and flatterers who are in the habit of editing or suppressing truth are definitely not working in the best interest of their masters. This practice is such a terrible act before God, and Romans 1:18 tells us that God’s wrath is against those who perpetrates it. Armed with the knowledge that any decision based on truth held back in unrighteousness is likely to be faulty, leaders in all spheres of life have the responsibility of ensuring that they are furnished with the truth at all times. Leaders should therefore endeavor to eliminate the dross of sycophancy and there shall come forth vessels of honor for the success of their God-given assignment. Whenever a leader works with the raw material of pure truth, with the help of the Holy Spirit, the end product is always a perfect result that is pleasing and acceptable to God. 

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please remove obstacles and hindrances to truth in my life in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:  Luke 18-19

Isaiah 31:1-32:8

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 5: LET OTHERS SEE JESUS IN YOU.

1.While passing thro' this world of sin,

and others your life shall view,

Be clean and pure without, within;

Let others see Jesus in you.

Refrain:

Let others see Jesus in you,

Let others see Jesus in you.

Keep telling the story, be faithful and true;

Let others see Jesus in you.

2. Your life's a book before their eyes,

They're reading it thro' and thro'

Say, does it point them to the skis,

Do others see Jesus in you?

Refrain

3. Then live for Christ both day and night,

Be faithful, be brave and true,

and lead the lost to life and Christ.

Let others see Jesus in you.

Refrain

GENUINELY RELATED TO JESUS?

DATE: SATURDAY 26TH JANUARY 2019

THEME: GENUINELY RELATED TO JESUS?

MEMORISE:

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Luke 6:46

READ: Matthew 12:46-50

46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

MESSAGE

One wonderful discovery I have made about Jesus Christ over the years is that He is indeed truth personified. He is incapable of deceit because He is The Truth. It can be rationalised when an individual deceives another individual, but it is surprising and appalling when people engage in self-deceit. It is self-deceit for a fellow to parade himself or herself as a Christian when in actual fact, he or she knows that they have no relationship with Jesus Christ. To such people, in Luke 6:46 Jesus Christ asks:

“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”

The Lord asked a similar question of those who considered themselves His priests in Malachi 1:6:

“A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?”

The questions in this scripture indicate that these priests did not have a good relationship with the God of Israel. In the sight of God, a bad relationship is worse than no relationship at all (Revelation 3:15). It is therefore important that we reflect on the question of having a genuine relationship with Jesus today.

To be genuinely related to Jesus Christ, we must bear some truths in mind. First of these is that our relationship with Jesus is anchored on our obedience to His commandments. This is an area where a lot of 21st century Christians find it difficult to relate to the Bible. To live by the precepts of someone who lived over two thousand years ago sounds absurd, even to some ministers of the gospel. This is why they read their own meaning into the word of God, and this cuts them off from having a relationship with the Master. In today's Bible text, Jesus Christ was clear in declaring to us those who actually are related to Him. In Matthew 12:50, He said:

“For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

In John 8:31, He also told the people who believed in Him that if they would continue to live by His commandments, only then would they be His disciples indeed. He further said in Matthew 11:28-30 that those who would be genuinely related to Him must come to Him, take His yoke upon themselves and learn of Him. Beloved, are you in the category of those obeying the commandments of Jesus Christ, or are you among those who feel the Bible is no longer adequate or relevant to teach godliness? How far you are ready to go in doing the will of Christ determines how closely related you are to Him. Do you really belong to Him?

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please grant me the grace to do Your will in all things.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Luke 4-5, Isaiah 24:21-25:12

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 10: 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.

QUALIFIED BY GRACE

DATE: MONDAY 21ST JANUARY 2019

THEME: QUALIFIED BY GRACE

MEMORISE:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Ephesians 2:8

READ: Ephesians 2:8-10

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

MESSAGE

For you to truly appreciate what grace is, you need to see it as the love of God clouded in mystery. Throughout the Bible, those who encountered God's grace were blessed and favoured, and they could hardly explain what justified the favour they received. One of those who enjoyed God's grace declared in 1 Chronicles 17:16b:

“Who am I, O LORD God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?”

The good news is that God's grace is made abundantly available to all those who desire to be saved and blessed today. Titus 2:11-12 says:

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;”

God's grace is embodied in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. To access this grace, you must accept Christ as "God manifested in flesh", and believe in the sufficiency of His finished work at Calvary to wash away your past and give you a bright new future. Doing so will open the door for you to escape the imminent judgement that will be poured out on this sinful world, just as Noah escaped the flood that brought God's judgement on the people of his time. The secret to Noah's salvation from the great deluge is revealed to us in Genesis 6:7-8 as God's grace:

“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.”

God's grace for salvation through Christ is such a difficult concept for religious people to comprehend. They fail to understand it because they think the basis of divine acceptance is their own personal efforts. The truth is simply this: salvation is by grace, and this grace is available only through Christ. Are you a religious person reading this devotional out of curiosity? You will be mightily and eternally blessed if you embrace the grace of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. Nevertheless, we must keep in mind that grace does not indulge the beneficiary in sin or lawlessness; rather, it gives spiritual power to help us live according to the acceptable standards of our holy God. You can only live acceptably before God through grace. Through this same grace, you will receive help to do God's will, and when you close your eyes in death, you will safely arrive in the bliss of heaven. Are you a partaker of God's grace?

ACTION POINT:

Stop struggling with your sins today. Hand them over to Jesus who will give you the grace to live above them 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Mark 12-13, Isaiah 19:16-20:6

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: HAVE YOU BEEN TO JESUS FOR THE CLEANSING POW’R

1 Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

  

Chorus:

Are you washed in the blood,

In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?

Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

2 Are you walking daily by the Saviour’s side?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

3 When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white!

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Will your soul be ready for His presence bright,

And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?

4 Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,

And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;

There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,

O be washed in the blood of the Lamb.

FULFILLING THE LAW OF CHRIST

DATE: THURSDAY 17TH JANUARY 2019

THEME: FULFILLING THE LAW OF CHRIST

MEMORISE:

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Galatians 5:14

READ: Luke 6:27-35

27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.

30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.

33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.

34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

MESSAGE

There are some basic truths that all heaven-bound Christian pilgrims must embrace for total freedom from the devil and his lies. One of these truths is that God's commandments are eternally relevant and cannot be broken without consequences. Our first  parents disobeyed God and the consequence was that their perfect life was destroyed, and the cordial relationship they had with the Lover of their souls was broken. Little did they know that the commandment God gave them was for their own good. Heaven is not devoid of divine law! The will of God is the law of heaven. No wonder our Lord taught us to pray this in Matthew 6:10:

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

The reason why the beings in heaven do not just do what pleases them is because divine law and order reigns in heaven. Psalm 103:20-21 says:

“Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.”

It is therefore a misplaced understanding of grace for any Christian to think that once a fellow is saved, there is no obligation to obey any form of commandments because there is no law to keep. In fact, as Christians, we are under the law of Christ and this law is administered through the Spirit of Lordship (one of the seven dimensions of the Holy Spirit), who lives in us (1 Corinthians 9:21, Romans 8:2, Isaiah 11:2).

What then is the law of Christ? The Master Himself sums it up, saying in Matthew 22:37-40:

“…Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

To fulfill the law of Christ is to walk in love. The Holy Spirit spells this out clearly in Galatians 6:2, saying:

“Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”

Our Lord also spells out what it means to walk in love in today's Bible reading, teaching us what love in action really looks like. You cannot claim to be walking in love when you steal, sleep with your neighbour's spouse, defile your neighbour's daughter or go to the extent of killing other people. Love will not allow you to do so. This love was first demonstrated by Jesus Christ Himself and He is willing to impart it into those who would accept Him as their personal Lord and Saviour. Are you fulfilling the law of Christ?

PRAYER POINT:

Father, let Your love be shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Mark 5-6, Isaiah 14:12-32

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 5: LET OTHERS SEE JESUS IN YOU

1. While passing thro' this world of sin,

and others your life shall view,

Be clean and pure without, within;

Let others see Jesus in you.

Chorus:

Let others see Jesus in you,

Let others see Jesus in you.

Keep telling the story, be faithful and true;

Let others see Jesus in you.

2. Your life's a book before their eyes,

They're reading it thro' and thro'

Say, does it point them to the skis,

Do others see Jesus in you?

3. Then live for Christ both day and night,

Be faithful, be brave and true,

and lead the lost to life and Christ.

Let others see Jesus in you.

BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT?

DATE: WEDNESDAY 16TH JANUARY 2019

THEME: BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT?

MEMORISE:

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Ephesians 1:13

READ: Acts 2:1-4

1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

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

MESSAGE

“For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:11

To remain in tune with Jesus Christ requires the help of the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. You need His help because He is the only one who can grant you access to the thoughts and workings of the Lord at any point in time. In Acts 1:8, Jesus said to us:

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

We see from these words of the Master that the Christian life is only empowered by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, so it amazes me when any Christian organisation refuses to embrace the doctrine of baptism in the Holy Spirit. The truth is that you cannot be a lasting Christian without experiencing the baptism of the Holy Spirit, neither can you effectively  do the work of the ministry without this experience. This is why Jesus instructed the early disciples to wait for the promise of the Father before proceeding to evangelise the world (Acts 1:4-5).

There are some points about the Holy Spirit that are worthy of note in today's memory verse. One of these is that salvation comes before baptism in the Holy Spirit. Although these two experiences may follow each other almost immediately, you cannot be baptised in the Holy Spirit if you are not first born again by accepting the gospel of truth and salvation. The benefits of being baptised in the Holy Spirit are numerous, one of which is that your salvation is sealed to the end, provided you do not grieve the Holy Spirit to the extent of Him leaving you alone (Ephesians 4:30). Another benefit is the renewing of your body, soul and spirit by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11, Titus 3:5). As we journey through life, a lot of issues confront us daily, discouraging, nauseating or even defiling us. It is a blessing to be baptised in the Holy Spirit, who renews and encourages us to forge ahead. Beloved, have you been baptised in the Holy Spirit?  If not, you can be baptised right now as you read this. All you need to do is ask the Lord to baptise you with His Holy Spirit and believe that He will. Regardless of whether your church believes this truth or not, because it is the word of God, it will become reality in your life today if you receive it.

ACTION POINT:

If you have not been baptised in the Holy Spirit, ask Jesus to baptise you today. If you have experienced this, ask the Holy Spirit to fill you anew right now.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Mark 3-4, Isaiah 13:17-14:11

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 11: WHEN THE POWER OF GOD DESCENDED

1 When the power of God descended

On the day of Pentecost

All the days of waiting ended

They received the Holy Ghost.

Chorus:

O Lord, send the power just now;

O Lord, send the power just now;

O Lord, send the power just now;

And baptize, every one.

2 Tongues of flame came down upon them,

And they preached the world in power,

Listening multitudes awakened

Turned to God that very hour.

3 We are waiting, Holy Spirit

We are all of one accord

Lord fulfil just now the promise

That is given in thy word.

4 Fill and thrill us with thy presence,

Grant the blessing that we need

Flood our souls with wondrous glory,

While the prayer of faith we plead.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

DATE: MONDAY 14TH JANUARY 2019

THEME: YOU ARE NOT ALONE

MEMORISE:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Matthew 28:20

READ: John 16:5-13

5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?

6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.

7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;

10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself;  but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.

MESSAGE

One comforting assurance we have from our Lord Jesus Christ is that we are not alone. The devil wants you to feel you are alone and abandoned, but it is a lie. In today's Bible reading, we are reassured that even though the Master has gone away to be with His Father, He did not leave us without a Comforter, who is the Holy Spirit. The work of the Holy Spirit includes reproof concerning sin, encouragement into a life of righteousness and giving sound judgement in difficult situations. He is to guide us into all truth, which includes the truth that we are not alone, neither can we be deserted or abandoned. The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus Christ in our lives by doing what only Christ can do in and through us. There are things that Jesus Christ commanded us to do that are impossible to execute except we are divinely aided, such as the command in Matthew 5:11-12 to rejoice when we are persecuted. The Holy Spirit helps us with this and much more.

Sometimes, you may experience some situations which the devil may capitalise on to malign our loving Master as having abandoned you, but it is not true. I have also experienced this. Many years ago, the devil came to tell me that I was abandoned and not appreciated, but God proved him wrong when a little girl came from several kilometers away to give me a cake as appreciation for what God was doing with my life. After receiving that cake, I forgot all the feelings of abandonment. Another time, I was travelling somewhere and the aircraft got into a very turbulent weather. There was so much commotion in the plane, to the extent that many people abandoned their complimentary meals for fear of a possible crash. In the meantime, my Daddy spoke with me, telling me to keep calm because He was in the plane and it was impossible for a plane He was travelling in to crash. Immediately I heard this, I relaxed and settled down with my meal. When I was done, I asked the rich man who was seated beside me if he would not mind me having his meal. He obliged, all the while looking at me strangely and wondering if I had heard and understood the announcement made by the pilot of a possible emergency landing! He passed his tray to me and I settled down again to enjoy the meal. I had hardly finished when the announcer came back on air to tell us that the turbulence was over. Glory be to God!

Beloved, always remember that one of the names of Jesus Christ is Emmanuel, which means "God with us" (Matthew 1:23). You have no reason to feel abandoned or neglected if Jesus Christ is your Master and Lord.

KEY POINT:

Stay with Christ so that He can stay with you. He will not abandon you unless you turn your back on Him.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Matthew 27-28, Isaiah 11:6-12:6

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 9: IN CHRIST ALONE

1. In Christ alone my hope is found,

He is my light, my strength, my song;

This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.

What heights of love, what depths of peace,

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!

My Comforter, my All in All,

Here in the love of Christ I stand.

2. In Christ alone! Who took on flesh

Fullness of God in helpless babe!

This gift of love and righteousness

Scorned by the ones He came to save:

Till on that cross as Jesus died,

The wrath of God was satisfied -

For every sin on Him was laid;

Here in the death of Christ I live.

3. There in the ground His body lay

Light of the world by darkness slain:

Then bursting forth in glorious Day

Up from the grave he rose again!

And as He stands in victory

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me,

For I am His and He is mine -

Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

4. No guilt in life, no fear in death,

This is the power of Christ in me;

From life's first cry to final breath.

Jesus commands my destiny.

No power of hell, no scheme of man,

Can ever pluck me from His hand;

Till He returns or calls me home,

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.

THE GAINS OF PAIN II

DATE: SATURDAY 12TH JANUARY 2019

THEME: THE GAINS OF PAIN II

MEMORISE:

Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:

Luke 12:8

READ: Matthew 19:27-29

27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?

28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

MESSAGE

Unless we want to engage in self-deceit, carrying one's cross to follow Christ is very costly. We thank God that our Lord Jesus Christ did not hide the truth about this for us. As part of His Sermon on the Mount, He said in Matthew 5:10-11:

“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake."

Furthermore, in today's memory verse, He puts us on notice that it is possible for a person to deny Him in the face of persecution. He also said that whoever identifies with Him in this wicked generation is the fellow He would identify with in the Kingdom of God. Hearing Him say these words, Peter asked Jesus what the reward will be for those who sacrifice all to follow Him. It is interesting to read Christ's response in Matthew 19:28:

“…Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

One grave lesson to learn from this scripture is that Judas Iscariot was numbered among the twelve destined to sit on one of the twelve thrones, but unfortunately he did not end well. I pray that you will finish well in Jesus' Name. Another lesson is that Jesus Christ did not assure the disciples of gains only in the distant future of the afterlife. In Mark 10:30, He also said:

“But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.”

If you are ever in doubt as to what the Lord Jesus Christ promised in this scripture verse, just try and read the story of my life. I am a living testimony of God's faithfulness to His word. At  a time in my ministry, my wife and I had to sell our cars in order to fund the preaching of the gospel. Today, you will not believe the number of cars the Lord has blessed us with. In fact, there was a time we received so many cars as gifts that we had to redistribute them to our pastors who are in need of cars to do the work of the ministry. At a point in my life, I have had to give up a big house to live in a servants' quarters for the sake of the gospel, but a time came when I started rejecting houses being donated to me. Beloved, I can assure you that there is abundant gain in the pains endured for Christ's sake. What is that pain you are currently experiencing for the sake of the gospel? The good news is that it has its expiry date; Jesus will recompense you beyond your wildest imagination here and hereafter.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, grant me the grace to endure the necessary pain for the sake of the gospel and Your kingdom, and please don't let me miss out on the gains You have in store for me.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Matthew 24-25, Isaiah 10:5-19

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: 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. When ends life’s transient dream,

When death’s cold, sullen stream

Shall o’er me roll;

Blest Saviour, then in love,

Fear and distrust remove;

Oh, bear me safe above,

A ransomed soul!