WONDERS OF HIS PRESENCE

SATURDAY 10 JANUARY 2014

WONDERS OF HIS PRESENCE 

Memorise:

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11

Read: ISAIAH 40:28-31

28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ISAIAH 30:1-32:8 and ACTS 7:3-22

Message:

In Psalm 16:11, the Psalmist reveals that it’s in the presence of the Lord we can find fullness of Joy. It is wise therefore to be in God’s presence. We are guaranteed joy and everlasting satisfaction in His presence. Sin drives a man from the presence of the Lord. It was after the Fall that Adam and his wife ran from the presence of the Lord (Genesis 3:8). Prophets Jonah, in disobedience, also ran from the presence of the Lord and ended up in the belly of the fish (Jonah 1:3, 15& 17). 

When a man runs from God’s presence, he is half-dead. Only the mercy of God can make him survive it.

Some of the wonders of God’s presence are found in our scripture reading today. When you make the presence of the Lord your place of abode, you will never be tired because His attributes rub off on you (Isaiah 40:28-29). God is never tired, and He is so generous that He shares His strength with those who choose to come into his presence. Prophet Elijah and Elisha after him knew this secret and experienced the wonders of His presence. While Elijah was in God’s presence, he enjoyed divinely prepared meals. He became so strong and swift that he did not only overpower 450 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, he also outran the chariot of King Ahab (1st King 18). 

Another wonder of God’s presence is that it gives divine boldness to those who abide in it. Hear what Elijah said in 1st King 18:15 in response to concerns raised by Obadiah concerning the fact that Elijah might get killed if King Ahab saw him:

“…..As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day.”

Another wonder of the presence of God is that the more you stay in God’s presence, the more you look and believe like him. The early disciples were with Jesus and within the space of three and half years, the world knew they had be with Him (Acts 4:13)

Children of God must make time out of their busy schedules to be in God’s presence. This was the habit of our Lord Jesus Christ. He did not compromise the presence of His Father for other activities. The Bible records that He constantly withdrew to the mountain side to commune with the Father (Matthew 14:23, Luke 6:12). Become like Him today.

Action Point:

Draw out an action plan that will enable you to constantly have effective fellowship with the Holy Trinity.

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE

THE WONDER- WORKING PRAISE

FRIDAY 9 JANUARY 2015

THE WONDER- WORKING PRAISE

Memorise:
And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.
2 Chronicles 20:21

Read : 2 Chronicles 20:21-24
21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.
22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.
23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.
24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ISAIAH 27-29 and ACTS 6:1-7:2

Message
It is good things to give thanks to the Lord ( Psalm 92:1 ). One of the wonders of praise is that it ushers you into the presence of the Lord( Psalm 100:4). We know that in the presence of the Lord, there is fullness of joy( Psalm 16:11). It's impossible to be in the presence of God and remain the same.

The Bible speaks of so many weapons of spiritual warfare, but the most effective of them all is praise. The Lord revealed to me years ago that when you are praying and fasting or loosing and binding, you are doing the battle. But when you are praising God, The Lord will do the battle on your behalf. In 2 Chronicles 20:15-17, after three great kings formed an alliance to fight King Jehoshaphat, he, by leading of the Spirit of God, realised that it was through high praises to the captain of the host of Isreal that he would win the battle. So he put a mighty orchestra for the praise of God. As the singers were praising the Lord,the Lord took over the battle and fought on behalf of King Jehoshaphat. The enemies of King of Jehoshaphat helped to destroy themselves,and the task left for Jehoshaphat was to collect the treasures the enemies left behind. I pray that God will fight on your behalf; you will possess the gates of your enemies and you will know peace in Jesus'Name.

In Psalm 67:1-7, we read of what will happen when people praise the Lord. One of the wonders of praise is that the earth will yield her increase and God will bless His people. Another wonder of praise is that when the people see the magnitude of the blessings that God showers upon those who praise Him, the whole earth will fear Him. May the good Lord give you the type of blessing that will cause people to fear your God in Jesus'Name. If you really want to go forward, increase and multiply, then you must know how to praise the Lord. There is this testimony of a couple who after twenty-two years of marriage had no child,until their pastor was led to tell them that they should fill their house with praise twenty-four hours of the day until further notice. Within three months of doing this by way of playing music of praise round the clock, the wife got pregnant and many years of waiting was brought to an end. To engage in effective praise for wonders, one must ensure that he lives righteously, because sinners cannot praise God acceptably (Proverbs 15:8).

Action Point:
Set out quality to praise the Lord today, and cultivate the habit of continuous qualitative worship of God in your life.


AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE

THE WONDER- WORKING PRAYER

THURSDAY 8 JANUARY 2015

THE WONDER- WORKING PRAYER

Memorise:
But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. Acts 9:40

Read : Mark 9:20-29
20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.
21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.
22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.
27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.
28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?
29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ISAIAH 23-26 and ACTS 5:22-42

Message
The Bible in Philippians 4:6 enjoins us not to be anxious for anything, but rather to make our requests known to God through prayer and supplication sandwiched with thanksgiving. The result of this spiritual exercise is found in Philippians 4:7: "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

This is the wonder of an effective Christian Prayer life.

Our Bible text reveals that prayer can work wonder beyond our widest imagination. It also reveals the inevitability of prayer in our lives. If Jesus could do nothing without prayer, then we should not think that an effective prayer life is optional in our Christian walk. When the apostles wondered why they could not cast out the demons in a demon-possessed boy, Jesus in Mark 9:29 simply told them that it was due to lack of prayer and fasting. James 4:2 reveals that many children of God are guilty of negligence in prayer. Some of them even become envious of those who take out time to pray to God concerning their needs. They fail to realise that it is prayer that can solve the problem of lack, and not envy. Like the elder brother of the prodigal son, they are zealous in the work of God but fail to make their requests known to God. They end up becoming envious. The elder brother of the prodigal son even falsely accused his father of partiality. But the father replied that all that he had was his ( Luke 15:31 ). The problem with this son was that he would not ask.

After I was commissioned as the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, I travelled to my home town. On getting there, one of the request put forward to me was about the access road into the town; as at that time, the road was in a deplorable state. Humanly speaking, it was an expensive project for a pastor to undertake. So I looked up in prayer to the God who called me, just like the Psalmist did in Psalm 121:1-2: "I WILL lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth."

The Lord answered my simple prayer a few weeks after my visit. He moved the government to award a contract that got the road fixed.

Key Point:
Ask and it shall be given; seek, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened unto you.

AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE

WONDERS- WORKING NAME

WEDNESDAY 7 JANUARY 2015

WONDERS- WORKING NAME

Memorise:

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; Mark 16:17

Read : Mathew 1:21-23

21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ISAIAH 19:16-22:25 and ACTS 5:1-21

Message

From Mark 16:17, we understand that signs and wonders shall follow those who believe in the name of Jesus Christ. The wonder-working power in the Name of Jesus Christ is also declared in Isaiah 9:6. Indeed the Name of Jesus is full of wonders. In Acts 3:6, Peter the apostle said that, 

" Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk."

Immediately Peter mentioned this Name, the feet and ankles bones of the lame man he was talking to received strength and he began to make progress in life- beginning with walking and later leaping. With the Name of Jesus Christ in your mouth, nothing becomes impossible for you. Those who do not believe in the Name of Jesus for salvation, either for religious or intellectual reasons, may not know what they stand to lose. The Bible says: 

"The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." Proverbs 18:10

This scripture reveals the secret that makes the Name of Jesus work for someone: righteousness.only the righteousness that is obtainable through that Name can make the same Name work wonders for you. As a matter of fact, it is through this Name that we receive Forgiveness of sins ( Acts 10:43 )

When Peter commanded the lame man to walk in the Name of Jesus, it was done immediately. By the power in that Name, Jesus, I command you to receive deliverance from all forms of oppression you have been suffering from now on. The Name of Jesus Christ is anointed ( Song of Solomon 1:3 ). This is why the Name destroys the yokes of the devil and produces deliverance for oppressed. A young Christian was traveling in a boat one day, and as the boat was about to capsize, he shouted that Name. Unseen hands came to his rescue. I pray that the Name of Jesus will begin to work for you as you believe and use the Name as from today in Jesus'Name. The devil may resist anything but not the Name of Jesus Christ, because God has given Him a Name above every other name ( Philippians 2:9-11 ).

Action Point:

Apply the Name of Jesus to any challenging situation or anything that represents a mountain in your life, and you will see it give way to the glory of God the Father.

AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE

THE WONDERS OF THE SPOKEN WORD

TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015

THE WONDERS OF THE SPOKEN WORD 

Memorise:
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. Genesis 1:3

Read ; Genesis 1:1-3
1 IN the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ISAIAH 15:1-19:15 and ACTS 4:23-37

Message
Isaiah 55:10-11 establishes the wonders- working power of the spoken Word of God. The Word of God can transform darkness to light ( Genesis 1:3 ). This is why in Mark 10:46-52, when Bartimaeus cried for recovery of his sight, all Jesus did was speak, and his sight was restored. Genesis 1:20-22 reveals the fact that the spoken Word of God can transform emptiness to fullness. At the beginning of creation, the world was empty and void, but when the spoken Word of God went forth, the world became full of all sorts of creatures. I prophecy that in the Name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, your emptiness shall be transformed to fullness.

Moreover, the spoken Word of God can bring orderliness to a confused situation. We see this in the story of the storm that rocked the boat of Jesus and His disciples ( Mark 4:35-41 ). All Jesus did was to speak peace to the confusion on the sea, and there was calm. This same spoken Word of God can go into the bowels of the earth to bring the dead buried there back to life ( John 11:39-44 ). I want to encourage you to identify genuine prophets of God and never trivialise the word that comes out of their mouth. In 2 Kings 4:1-7, we read about the word of prophet of God to a poor widow whose sons were about to be sold into slavery. The moment the man of God spoke, the multiplying power of God went into the lone bottle of oil in her hand and the miracle began to happen. Today, as you read this devotional, standing on the authority of the Word of God, I decree that every emptiness in your life be filled in Jesus'Name.

Years ago, a man came to us for prayer. He was distressed because he had become financially bankrupt. After the prayer, he said that he know he should not come to a man of God empty-handed but he had nothing to give. As if that was enough, he begged for transport money back home. I took the little money I had then, gave it to him and said, " This money will never finish." He said " Amen" and left. Today, I know at least two of the houses he built after that encounter. My earnest prayer for you too is that whatever money is in your possession as you are reading this devotional shall not finish in Jesus'Name. Believe in the spoken Word from the mouth of Gods prophet, depart from iniquity and you will give testimonies of power in the Word.

Action Point:
Read aloud all the written prophecies in today's devotional, received them by faith and you will experience the power in the Word.

THE WONDERS OF NEW CREATION

MONDAY 5 JANUARY 2015

THE WONDERS OF NEW CREATION 

Memorise:
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  2Corint. 5:17

Read : John 3:1-5
1 THERE was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ISAIAH 12-14 and ACTS 4:1-22

Message
The Almighty God is the Chief Planner, the Architect and the Builder per excellence. Before the universe was put together, God planned it. No man is in this world by accident. He told Jeremiah that before He formed him, He knew him ( Jeremiah 1:4-5 ). In the beginning, God hd beautiful plans for His creation, but along the line, sin distorted His plans for the universe and particularly for the human race. But God, being the Almighty, decided in His Infinite mercy to restore His distorted creation. This is why in Jeremiah 18:1-4, we read an interesting story of a potter and his clay vessel which got damage in the process of being worked. The potter made up his mind to start all over again. I prophecy that God's Original purpose for your life which the enemies have tampered with shall be restored today in Jesus'Name.

Paul the sinner who later became a saintly apostle of Jesus Christ is one example of a person who experienced the wonders of new creation. In his testimony in 1 Timothy 1:15, he wrote that he was the chief sinners. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, he summed up the wonders of new creation saying: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
In our scripture reading today, Jesus Christ told Nicodemus that he must be born-again in order to see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus then asked Jesus in John 3:4 that: "...Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?"
Jesus replied that it is possible to become a new creation by water and the spirit of God. All these are mysteries and pointers to the wonders of new creation. For you to experience these wonders, you must surrender your total life to Him who is able to recreate and restore beautiful plans that have been distorted by the evil one. The Bible in Acts 3:19 says: "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;"
I pray that you will experience the wonders of new creation in all spheres of your life in Jesus'Name.

Prayer Point:
Father, whatever beautiful plans you have for my life that the enemies have distorted, please restore in Jesus'Name.

AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE

BE FRUITFUL

FRIDAY 2 JANUARY 2014

BE FRUITFUL

Memorise
Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. DEUT. 7:14

Read Genesis 1:26-28
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ISAIAH 3:1-6:7 and ACTS 2:1-28

Message
When the Lord spoke to man in Genesis 1:28 to be fruitful and multiply, He was not give a piece of advice. Rather, He was issuing out a command to be obeyed. Even more so, He was issuing a decree that must be established. Failure to bear fruit indirectly contradicts divine law of decree. I pray for someone using this devotional, that the Lord will cause you to experience all round fruitfulness this year in Jesus Name. It is wonderful to note that God is not only interested in your spiritual fruitfulness but also in your physical and material fruitfulness. God do not happy when we do not live in divine prosperity, because it is His uttermost desire that His children live a daily life of fruitfulness and increase ( DEUTERONOMY 7:14 )

What other types of fruitfulness is the Almighty God expecting from us? The type of fruit God expects depends on your spiritual level of maturity. For Example, a person who has not given his life to Christ in the real sense of its need to bear the fruit of repentance. The Bible says,

"But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:" Mathew 3:7-8

Moreover, for a user of this devotional who is already saved by grace,there are two categories of fruit you must endeavour to bear this year. These are : the fruit of spirit such as love, longsuffering,gentleness,etc ( Galatians 5:22-23) and the fruit of the soul. It is very dangerous for a child of God not to be fruitful,because Jesus Christ said:

"Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." John 15:2

I pray that you will not be cut away from Christ because of fruitfulness in Jesus'Name. One Advantage of soul- wining is answered prayers ( John 15:16). The Lord has spare your life up till now,hoping to see you bear fruit. My prayer is that God will not be disappointed in you this year again, and that He will answer your prayers speedily in Jesus'Name.

Action Point:
Determine to live for Jesus Christ. Be a passionate soul- winner this year, and you will see how faithful God is to His Promise of answering your prayers.

AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE