MARRIAGE

- (1) Marriage is ordained by God; it is His institution. is a sacred vow between a man and woman (2) An intimate and complementing union between a man and a woman in which the two become one physically, in the whole of life.(3) It is the joining of two people in a bond that putatively lasts until death,

NOTE: Marriage is neither a human invention nor an evolutionary development;

And the Bible offers many verses that offer guidance for married couples, husbands, wives, newlyweds and engagement. Read verses from the Holy Bible about marriage in relation to God, Jesus Christ, and the Christian faith.

***Genesis 2:22-24

22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. 23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” 24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

***Proverbs 5:18-19

18 May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. 19 A loving doe, a graceful deer— may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love.

***Proverbs 12:4

4 A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.

***Proverbs 18:22

22 He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.

***Proverbs 19:14

14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.

***Proverbs 20:6-7

6 Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find? 7 The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them.

***Proverbs 30:18-19

18 “There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand: 19 the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a young woman.

***Proverbs 31:10

10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

***Ephesians 5:22-33

22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

***Deuteronomy 24:5

5 If a man has recently married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one year he is to be free to stay at home and bring happiness to the wife he has married.

***Matthew 19:4-6

4 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

***1 Corinthians 7:1-16

1 Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. 3 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. 5 Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7 I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. 8 Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. 9 But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. 10 To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. 11 But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. 12 To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 16 How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

***Colossians 3:18-19

18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

***Hebrews 13:4-7

4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” 6 So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” 7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

***Mark 10:6-9

6 “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ 7 ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh.’So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

MARRIAGE

God's Plan for MarriageOne Man - One Woman - For Life!

Malachi 2:13-16

The downfall of the family unit in society is one of the most tragic things facing mankind. The destruction of the family unit all begins with the destruction of what starts a family - the marriage of a man and a woman. It is hard to find people who have not been divorced and remarried at least once these days. Why? Because, the institution of marriage and family is generally not held in the esteem that God meant for it to be.
The family was God's first institution, but today man seems to think it is the worst institution. In the beginning, God created man and woman and joined them together for life. He said in Genesis 3:24, "Therefore man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." In these words God, instituted the marriage relationship and ordained the family unit. Later, after their transgression, Adam and Eve had children which completed the family unit in its simplest sense. The problem today is that many want marriage and even children, but when things get difficult (even barely difficult) - they want out. This is why divorce rates have skyrocketed over the last 30 years. Irreconcilable differences, money, children, infidelity, and "not what they expected" are all justifications men and women use to end marriages. Ultimately, they amount to a long list of excuses and center around one person, "me." Selfishness is the biggest destroyer of marriages. In turn, the family unit has for the most part come to mean nothing. Children in turmoil and confusion are the consequences of such thinking. They get wrapped up in a vicious cycle of broken homes that only they can choose to break. That is, the average child of a divorced couple will inevitably divorce unless they consciously and determinably choose not to fall prey to the same thing their parents did. This is shameful.

God never desired these things for the family. Malachi 2:13-16 says...

And this is the second thing you do: you cover the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping and crying; so He does not regard the offering anymore, nor receive it with goodwill from your hands. 14 Yet you say, "For what reason?" Because the LORD has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, with whom you have dealt treacherously; yet she is your companion and your wife by covenant. 15 But did He not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth. 16 "For the LORD God of Israel says that He hates divorce, for it covers one's garment with violence," says the LORD of hosts. "Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously." 

It is easy to see why God despises divorce. He stands on high looking down on the destruction of His first institution! He sees children suffering greatly and shedding many tears at the hands of selfish adults who cannot fulfill vows and work out problems! He sees His children break His commands and His children's children learn to do the same! He sees treachery! It is both a wonder and wonderful, that God sent His Son to die for such a sinful and rebellious people.

Now look at what the Lord said of marriage in Matthew 5:31-32.

Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' But I say unto you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality (fornication, jlp) causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery."

That's right! The Lord said that we are not to give our wives (spouses, for that matter - God holds no double standard between man and woman - see Mark 10:12) a certificate of divorce! If we do, we cause them to commit adultery. In other words, we cause them to sin and will be personally held accountable (Matthew 18:6-8). Furthermore, anyone who marries someone who is unscripturally divorced, commits adultery. I don't know about you, but I know many people in this situation today.

There is only one exception given to this rule, and that is when one is sexually unfaithful (commits fornication outside the marriage relationship) to their spouse. The innocent party who has put their spouse away can remarry, but the guilty party cannot. Notice Matthew 19:3-10.

3 The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?" 4 And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' 5 and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? 6 So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." 7 They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?" 8 He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery." 10 His disciples said to Him, "If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry."

The Lord said it very plainly and simply. What is tolerated today was not so from the beginning and will not be tolerated in the judgment. If we divorce our spouse for any reason except sexual immortality (fornication), and then remarry - we commit adultery! If we marry one who has been divorced and remarried for any reason save sexual immorality - we commit adultery! We know from Galatians 5:19-21, that no adulterer will inherit the kingdom of God! It is that simple! Marriage, while not existing in eternity (Mark 12:25), has eternal consequences.

Notice the statement made by those who heard this teaching. They said, "...it was better not to marry." The Lord did not disagree, but knew that some could not keep this saying - so marriage, when properly esteemed is left honorable in the sight of God and man (Hebrews 13:4). Overall, what this says is that the marital commitment is a serious one and is never to be taken lightly. It is a life-long commitment (Romans 7:1-3)!
When two people are lawfully married, God recognizes that union and joins them together (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5; Ephesians 5:31). In Matthew 19:6, the Lord said, "Therefore, what God has joined together, let no man put asunder." This is a command of the Lord given in regards to marriage. Nevertheless, God joins two together in the marital relationship and they stay bound until death do them part (Romans 7:2; 1 Corinthians 7:39) or until they lawfully end the marriage (because of sexual immorality - fornication - Matthew 19:9), in which case only the innocent party can remarry. Consider what John the Baptist said to Herod, who was, in the sight of God, unlawfully married to his brother's wife, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife" (Mark 6:17). Why did he say this? Because she was still bound to Philip, and could not lawfully be married to Herod. These words were as unpopular then as they are today. Then, it cost John the Baptist his head. Today, many a soul will despise another for teaching the truth. Nevertheless, this is clearly what scripture says we must do if we are in an unlawful relationship.

Consider also the example of the woman of Samaria whom Jesus spoke with at Jacob's well (read John 4:15-18). She had been married five times, yet according to the Lord, had no husband. Why is this? Because our ways are not God's ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). Because what we sometimes recognize as a marriage, God recognizes as unlawful. Notice, the Samaritan women knew the error of her way without the Lord's prompting. Once again, what does the scripture say?

What about those today who are committing adultery by living in an unlawful relationship - that is, a marital relationship that God considers adulterous? What must they do to make it right with God? Put simply - repent (Acts 3:19; Acts 8:22; Acts 17:30)!

How does one repent of an unlawful marriage? Two ways are revealed in scripture. The first, and ultimately best way, whenever it is possible, is to end the unlawful marriage in the sight of men, and be reconciled to the one whom God knows you are still joined to in His sight (your first lawful marriage - 1 Corinthians 7:10-11). Whenever the first way becomes impossible, because the first spouse does not want to be reconciled, we are left only one choice. We must become a eunuch for the kingdom of heaven's sake (remain unmarried and do not commit fornication - Matthew 19:12; 1 Corinthians 7:11).

What if children are involved? This is where things get very emotional and messy, but do not change the law of God. Read the following passages and consider who must come first - God or man: Luke 14:26, Mark 10:29-30 and Matthew 10:37-39. Obviously the children cannot and should not be abandoned, but the unlawful relationship must end if repentance is to prevail!

To despise vows made before God and to fulfill the desire of the flesh by living in an unlawful relationship bears serious consequences - the loss of our salvation. In the end, we'll reap the reward of our lives here. Unfortunately, for many, the choice is to reap their reward now in this life and deny the glory awaiting them in heaven. Hopefully, all who find themselves in an unlawful marriage relationship will repent before the everlasting too late!
 

By Jonathan L. Perz
From Expository Files 15.1; January 2008

BEWARE OF ENTICING MOCKER

MEMORIZE: Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. Proverbs 20:1

READ: Genesis 19:30-38

30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.

31 And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:

32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.

33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.

34 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yester night with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie
with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.

35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.

36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.

37 And the first born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.

38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 3:7-4:24 and Job 39:13-25

MESSAGE:
There are many people who argue as to whether it is a sin to take alcohol or not. This is amazing; simply have to look at the fruit of an action before you know whether it is good or not. In our Bible reading, the acts of the children of Lot wouldn’t have been possible if their father had not been drunk. So in his senseless state of mind, both daughters laid with him and conceived from his seed. The children born through this means became the Moabites and the Ammonites who become sworn-enemies of the children of Israel.

Wine is a mocker that leads to uncontrollable behaviour. I have seen very quite people who will never, under normal circumstances, say anything that will put them into trouble.
But the moment these people come under the influence of strong drink, they become someone else. There are many people who have lost precious things under the influence of alcohol. Many have lost their wives as a result of alcohol. With a ‘little shot’ many have been poisoned through alcohol. There are people who have experienced fatal accidents because they were not in control of themselves. Some were duped because they were under the influence of alcohol. Unfortunately, the devil is always waiting for such times when people are out of their senses to strike. He allows some of them to suffer damages which they may never recover from.

“Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts” Proverbs 31:6.
Those who cannot stay away from alcohol will always be victims of wrong decisions. They will never be able to judge well. Men of integrity who value the life that God has given to them will control themselves and not allow the desire of the flesh to derail them.

Alcohol is an instrument of unrighteousness and you should not yield to it. If you love God, it will show in your attitude to such things. God wants you to abstain from the old wine of sin and embrace the new wine of life in the Spirit of God. This is the wine of the Holy Spirit which is totally devoid of the input of man. There is no addition of chemical that will do your harm. The new wine produces joy and happiness in the Holy Ghost, while the old wine of flesh produces death and shame. You will not be a victim of mockery in Jesus’ name.

KEY POINT:
It is a sin to engage in what destroys you.

HYMN :

MY FAITH HAS FOUND A PLACE
My faith has found a resting place,
Not in device or creed;
I trust the ever living One,
His wounds for me shall plead.

I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.
Enough for me that Jesus saves,
This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul I come to Him,
He'll never cast me out.

My heart is leaning on the Word,
The living Word of God,
Salvation by my Savior's Name,
Salvation through His blood.

My great Physician heals the sick,
The lost He came to save;
For me His precious blood He shed,
For me His life He gave.

FRUIT BEARING CHRISTIAN?

MEMORISE:
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life And he that winneth souls is wise. Proverbs 11:30
READ: John 15:1-7
1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 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.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 23:24 and Job 38:25:38
MESSAGE:
Jesus is the true source from which anyone can receive spiritual and physical sustenance. It is only in Christ Jesus that we can find peace, fruitfulness and the essence of life. It is by staying connected to Him that we can produce fruits. This is why we need to allow God to work in us so that we can be productive in every aspect of our lives. As we show an attitude of total obedience to God by bringing our lives into conformity with what His Word says, we begin to bear fruits that are profitable to God. To bear fruit in the vineyard of God therefore, there is a need to allow the Word of God to permeate every aspect of our behaviour; it is until then that our behaviour will begin to affect the lives of others.
Anyone who chooses to bear fruits will eventually be happy that he did so, because in the time of harvest, he will be the first partaker of the products of his wise decision. However, when you fail to be fruitful in whatever the Lord has kept in your trust, there is no way you can be blessed, and if you are not blessed, there is no way you can increase. There are people who give so many excuses for not bearing fruits. They complain about what others have and ignore what the Lord has blessed them with. They focus on the exploits of others and ignore their own vineyard. You can determine how far you want to go in life by the fruits you bear today. This is the reason why you should not be weary in bearing good fruits. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” Galatians 6:9
The truth of the matter is that whenever God entrusts a duty to your care and you handle it carelessly, you do not only short change yourself, you are also telling God that you are not capable of making success out of that opportunity He has given to you. This is why I am so passionate about soul winning, because I know the wisdom involved in looking for those that have been tagged vagabonds and prodigals and bring them back through grace to the Father. The greatest thing you can give to anyone is not money but salvation, because this is what guarantees other things. We have to prayerfully identify people we can bring to the knowledge of Christ.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, help me to be a fruit bearing vessel in Your hand.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN : 
MY HOPE IS BUILD ON NOTHING LESS
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ Name.
Chorus:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
2. When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
Chorus:
3. His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.
Chorus:
4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
Chorus.

A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD

Memorise: 
And hast made us unto our God kings and Priests: and we shall reign on the earth. Revelations 5:10
Read: 1st Peter 2:9-10
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Message 
The problem with many believers is that they find it difficult to believe what the scripture says about them. We allow the devil to convince us, telling us that we are not as qualified as God says we are, and that we do not have the ability to do what the Word says we can do. God created us in His own image and gave us the ability to reign on earth. The capabilities and qualities required of us to exercise our priesthood were also given to us. However, many people are not exercising their positions as priests because they do not believe they are priests. They allow the opinions of others to determine how they live; they do not have minds of their own. People commit suicide on a daily basis because they know so little about themselves; they have no idea who they really are. As a child of God, you need to know that every word said about you in the Bible is ever dependable and reliable. It doesn’t matter the circumstances surrounding you at any given time, you must always see yourself as God sees you. Always see yourself in a positive light. Like David, encourage yourself in the Lord no matter what happens. Every morning when you rise up, know that you are a victor and not a victim; there is much more to you than you can see. There is much more to you than you can see. The Israelites saw themselves as grasshoppers before the giants, but in the mind of God the opposite was the case.
“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:”
Proverbs 23:7
The perception of who you are is crucial to your walk with God. As a royal priesthood, you are an embodiment of beauty, power and royalty. You are an epitome of God’s glory. You are created in the very image and likeness of God. All things created, visible and invisible are under your feet. This is why you need to take your place and not allow your life to be ruined by the devil.
Note however, that you do not have this right and liberty to reflect the image of God anywhere you are, if you haven’t given your life to Christ. Holiness must be a daily lifestyle to you. The nature of royalty as given to you by God must reflect in your appearances and discussion. You can no longer hate those who hate you; you have to show love and forgiveness to those who deliberately do things to hurt you. You have to do according to the instructions in Philippians 4:8:
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lonely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there will be any virtue, and if there will be any praise, think on these things.”
It is when you do this constantly that you can become a partaker of the covenant privileges. 
Prayer Point : 
Father, please let your glory never depart from me.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Joshua 22 and Job 38:12-24
AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE 
HYMN 12: MY HOPE IS BUILD ON NOTHING LESS
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name. 
Chorus:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand. 
2. When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil. 
Chorus:
3. His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay. 
Chorus:
4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne. 
Chorus.

ARE YOU IN CHRIST?

Memorise :
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 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.
Message
“Are you in Christ?” could mean all the following; are you dwelling in the love of Christ? Are you filled with God’s Spirit? Do you love Jesus more than the mundane things of this world? Are you thirsty for the love and righteousness of Christ? Are you faithful and obedient to God’s Word? When you are in Christ, there should be evidences of new things in your life. Those who don't have Jesus in their lives are always empty, but when you are in Christ, you become full. Those who do not have Jesus are always poor but the moment you allow Jesus into your life you become a possession of the riches that only God can provide. Being rich is not just about driving the beat of cars and living in mansions or jetting across the world on a daily basis. There are people who can afford all these things but are not happy. However, when you abide in Christ, the kind of wealth you get from God is without sorrow. It is called true riches. Just look around you and see how the devil is tormenting the lives of many people simply because they have not come to the knowledge of the truth. Before I met the Lord, I was a victim of the devil’s torment. With all my qualifications, I was constantly in one problem or the other until I graciously met with the Lover of my soul, Jesus Christ. The moment I met the Lord, I shut myself from the world and clung to Him alone and I began to enjoy victory in all areas I had suffered defeat. There is someone reading this devotional today, I decree in the Name that is above all names; you will never know shame and defeat again in Jesus’ Name.
When you come into Christ, it doesn't matter how bad your past is, He will bring you out of the horrible pit you are in and clean you up. Those who abide in Christ always have new songs to sing and the Lord is committed to establishing their steps because of their trust in Him. I want you to make up your mind to settle for Jesus. He is the anchor of all creation. He is the focal point of global history. He is the reference point in world dates, the master of all situations and circumstances. Jesus is the solution to all problems and the answer to every question in your heart. Are you tired and weary? Have you been struggling alone? Is your case and report becoming hopeless? I want to assure you that, with Jesus Christ, everything will have a new beginning. There is no discrimination against anyone who embraces a new beginning in Christ. It is the beginning of a glorious future and the opening of a new chapter. This is why anyone who wants to enjoy all these will have to deny himself of those weights that distract, and follow Jesus all the way. It is a lie of the devil to think that God created some people to obey Him and others to disobey Him.
Prayer Point:
Father I surrender my life to You, please help me to remain in You.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 19:17-21:45 and Job 37:21-38:11
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 2: O JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED.
O Jesus, I have promised,
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my Guide.

Oh, let me feel Thee near me;
The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
The tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me,
Around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer,
And shield my soul from sin.

Oh, let me hear Thee speaking,
In accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion,
The murmurs of self-will;
Oh, speak to reassure me,
To hasten, or control;
Oh, speak, and make me listen,
Thou Guardian of my soul.

O Jesus, Thou hast promised
To all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory
There shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Oh, give me grace to follow,
My Master and my Friend.

Oh, let me see Thy footmarks,
And in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly
Is in Thy strength alone.
Oh, guide me, call me, draw me,
Uphold me to the end;
And then to rest receive me,
My Savior and my Friend.

PERFECTION: NOT OPTIONAL

Memorise:
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Matthew 5:48
Read: Genesis 17:1-7
1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
Message
During the January 2015 Ministers’ Thanksgiving, the Lord asked me to make our ministers examine themselves and be sure that they were 100% perfect. After the meeting, one of my children said that some ministers were asking whether it was possible to be 100% perfect. What such brethren don’t know is that the demand for perfection has been from the Old Testament. Another thing they don’t know is that perfection is not an optional virtue.

This perfection is available if we can believe God for it and surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. In Christ, there is never an end to spiritual growth because He is infinite. Hence, we must be ready to go further and further with God until we come to the level of His perfection when we do not see ourselves any longer but it becomes all about Him. If we don’t align ourselves to this requirement, we will never be carriers of His glory. Perfection is the premise upon which the rest of our walk with God will be assessed. The moment we begin this walk of perfection, we begin to attract divine presence and easily draw God’s glory daily.

Perfection makes you a threat to the kingdom of darkness. Right from my early days as General Overseer, I had learnt the secret of my victory through the authority of His Name and a walk of perfection. You just notice that you become a carrier of His presence, and at the mere sight of your person, demons begin to flee because of the presence of God overshadowing you. The reason many Christians have not fully benefited from the Lord is because they are not prepared to make the sacrifice of walking in perfection. They see it as unrealistic. They easily rationalise it as an impossible feat. Hence, the Devil uses this ignorance to deny them their rightful place in God’s program. God should be able to predict your actions. Perfection earns you a trust in God. There is a need to change your mindset so that the blessings of God concerning your life will not be hampered.

There is an aspect of you not yet discovered because you are still far from God. The devil is aware of what havoc you will cause to his domain the moment you make up your mind to walk in perfection. God wants to do some things in your life that will cause the ears of people around you to tingle, but you must be ready to walk before God in purity and perfection. If it was impossible for Abraham to walk perfectly before God, God wouldn’t have made such a demand, moreover, the demand was for his good, and this is why you need to understand that walking before the Lord in perfection makes God committed to make you exceedingly great.
Prayer Point:
Father, please grant me the grace to walk perfectly before you.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 8:30-10:28 and Job 35:9-36:4
AUTHOR: Pst. E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 4: 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 ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless 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 power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power 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.

AUTHORITY OVER DEMONS

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: Luke 9:1-2, 
1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
Message
Authority is a very powerful tool. Authority indicates an extent of ownership and silences any opposition. There is no way we can survive as Christians in our daily lives without the authority of God. It took authority for Jesus to put the devil and the gods of this world where they belong. Satan came and did all he could to derail Jesus, but at the end of the day, he lost on all fronts because of the authority which Jesus has over the devil and his cohorts. Authority is a powerful tool for good or for justification, and it is with this authority that you can rule over nations and kingdoms. It takes authority to pull down, to root out, to destroy the schemes of men, and throw down the altars of darkness. You also need authority to take your place in life both in building and in planting. When you have the backing of the Almighty God and men begin to fight against you, they will never be able to prevail against you because the Lord will deliver you and many signs and wonders will continue to be made manifest in your life and ministry. This is why it is very important that as children of God we must not exchange our authority in Christ Jesus for anything.
When the devil appeared to Jesus after He had fasted for 40 days, Jesus used the authority He had to dislodge the strength of the devil and to frustrate his plans further. At the end of the day, the devil had to flee. In the Name that is above all names, I cast out every demon on assignment over your family right now in Jesus’ name. The end-time army of God must reflect the outward evidence in the demonstration of the authority of God with many signs following. As a child of God, you are to spoil principalities and powers and make a public show of them,
“And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”
Colossians 2:15
The truth remains that the authority given to the church has not been effectively used by the church to its advantage. Many of us have abandoned intimacy with God as a relationship to be exercised by only ‘great men of God’.
If there is anything a pastor needs very urgently, it is this tool called authority. It was this authority that the Roman Centurion understood which made him to suggest to Jesus that He should just speak a word and the healing would be done. When you carry authority, there will be no room for struggles in your ministry. Devil and all his activities will always bow to the voice of God. You need to submit yourself totally to God for his authority to work for you. The devil himself knows that as long as you are under the authority of God, there is nothing he can do with your life. Demons and unpleasant situations will always bow to the authority of Jesus, but with evidence that the person exercising the authority is operating in Christ alone. This was why the seven sons of Sceva met trouble when they were trying to cast out devils. The demons asked them by whose authority they were attempting to do so, and they could not reply, thus they were beaten up and disgraced by the demons. Never allow anything to disconnect you from the Lordship of Jesus Christ. 
Prayer Point:
Father, by your authority let every unpleasant situation bow in my life in Jesus’ Name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Joshua 1-3 and Job 34:1-15
AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE

..................................WISE SAYING......................................

FAITH IN THE WORD OF GOD IS THE KEY TO ACTIVATE GOOD GIFT AND NEW THINGS COMING FROM ABOVE.
THE POWER IN THE ANOINTING OIL PROVOKES GOD's PRESENCE AND IT IS THE ULTIMATE POWER TO DESTROY THE FORCES STANDING AGAINST PROMISED LAND.

HE KNOWS THE END FROM THE BEGINNING

 Memorise:
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Revelations 22:13
Read: Jeremiah 1:1-5
1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:
2 To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.
3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.
4 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Message 
In every land, everyone reckons with the fact that Christ is central to world history and that everything revolves around Him. When you are in Christ, you are repositioning yourself for a divine purpose. When you are outside Christ, you can never discover your true identity. A classic example of someone who had a new beginning in Christ was Apostle Paul. Prior to his meeting the Lord, he felt he was doing well because he was a blasphemer, a persecutor and an injurious person to the Body of Believers. God doesn't always see what we see. We saw a sinner in Saul but God was seeing a saint in him. 
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17
Before Jeremiah was born, God has chosen him for a special purpose. While Moses was in the palace, God had an ultimate purpose for him. Despite the situation and circumstances of Ruth, there was an ultimate purpose in the mind of God. I have good news for someone reading this devotional; the ultimate plan and purpose of God for your life will never be truncated in Jesus' Name. The same Saul that was causing havoc was the same person God used to bring about special miracles (Acts 9:11). Immediately he received the Lord, he became a wonder and evidence that there is no sinner without a future. 
In world history, the greatest and most enduring works of reformation took place through an encounter with Christ. The transformation through Christ changes a man from within and the change manifests in his lifestyle. Paul was not just a man of a new beginning; he was a man of many beginnings. Paul discovered from his encounter with Christ that being born again is not all that Christ had to offer. He went on to discover the secrets of living a life of purpose and he made it his pursuit until the end of his life. We need to understand that there is divine mandate for anyone who is in Christ Jesus. God knows the beginning from the end. He knows what He has designed you for. He is not unaware of your present situation, and His promises over your life are sure. He wants to set you apart for His glory, so that through Him, you can perform valiantly. When the Lord touches your mouth. He gives you a voice and a message that is distinct. You are to reign over and be a threat to those things that are threatening others. You have power to root out all the unpleasant situations around you. You are to destroy all the works of the devil and pull down all the altars of the enemy. However, there is a part for you to play; you have to embrace a life of holiness and love. You must pursue divine desires and ignore the mundane things of this world. With a heart of thanksgiving, you will begin to experience God's promises for your life on daily basis. 
Prayer Point: 
Father, let your ultimate purpose for my life be fulfilled in Jesus' Name. 
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: John 19:17-21:25 and Job 33:19-33
AUTHOR: Pst. E. A. ADEBOYE 
Hymn 7: HOLY HOLY HOLY, LORD GOD ALMIGHTY
1. Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee;
Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
2. Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
Who wert and art and evermore shalt be.
3. Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
Though the eye made blind by sin thy glory may not see,
Only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
Perfect in power, in love, and purity.
4. Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth and sky and sea;
Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!