WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS.

What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield thee
thou wilt find a solace there.

THE SURE SOLUTION

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

READ: James 5:13-16

5:13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

MESSAGE

Prayer is a means of communicating with God, it is primarily offered by addressing God directly in the name of Jesus. Prayer may include petition, entreaty, supplication, thanksgiving, praise, hymns, and lament. The Bible stresses the importance of prayer and commends a life of prayer that is characterized by simplicity of expression, sincerity of heart and trust in God's ability. It is important to note that prayer plays an important role in our quest to access more of God's glory. It is a ladder we can climb to enter into God's presence. The more you pray, the more of His presence you will encounter, leading you into more of His glory. At the mount of Transfiguration when the Lord moved His prayer gear to a higher level, He saw Himself in the presence of His Father and His clothes shone God's glory (Luke 9:29). After this experience, Jesus returned to the domains of men, empowered to gain Glory over men, demons and challenges that came His way. Prayer is the sure answer and the ultimate solution to all problems and challenges of life. God commanded us to pray in Jeremiah 33:3 by saying:
"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."

Through the instrumentality of prayer, there is no problem too big that cannot be solved; the issue is: many people are too lazy to pray their way into God's presence to enable them access the level of glory they require to reign over Satan, situations, circumstances and their fears. Wake up! Rise up in prayer and begin to pray your way into His presence today! Bear in mind that evil judgements and all manner of calamities always befall those that do not pray. God wants His children to develop the habit of praying always, 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says: "Pray without ceasing"; Romans 12:12 talks about "...continuing instant in prayer"; and Luke 18:1 says, "...men ought always to pray and not to faint." Children of God have no excuse for operating a prayer-less life. James 4:2 says:
"Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not."

The Word of God makes it very clear that the failure of many among the people of God is not due to laziness, lack of ambition, or poor preparation, but due to a lack of prayer.
According to 2 Chronicles 7:14
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray..."

Many personal problems of individual Christians and some corporate challenges in the Body of Christ will turn to testimonies if only God's people will pray.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please rekindle the fire of prayer in my life in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ezekiel 7-9, Psalms 66:10-20

DEMON POSSESSED?

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. - Acts 10:38

Read: 1 Samuel 16:14-23

16:14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.

16:15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

16:16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.

16:17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.

16:18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.

16:19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.

16:20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.

16:21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.

16:22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.

16:23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

MESSAGE :

The use of the term "demon possessed" in the Bible is always in reference to a person operating under the influence of a demon or evil spirit. The Bible describes demons as evil, spiritual beings or malevolent forces that are opposed to God, and are in the habit of influencing human beings to disobey God. However, demons always bow in the presence of God. If you study how demons related with Jesus Christ and His disciples in the Bible, you will observe that they recognized God's presence in Jesus Christ and His disciples and they surrendered without much argument.

I have always told my children that if we have enough of His presence in us, demons will flee when they sight us, how much more when we command them to go. In Mark 5:1-6, when Jesus stepped on the shores of the Gadarenes, a very notorious; heavily demon-possessed mad man immediately reported to Him even before He said a word.

As a matter of fact, until you carry a higher level of His presence in your life, you may not realize the activities of the demons in your environment. Believe it or not, they are everywhere, performing their negative assignments. But as God increases His presence in your life, there will be commotion because demons recognize the presence of God and they can't be at rest in His presence. Even in Church, while God's anointed Word is being taught powerfully, demons will not be able to withstand the power in the Word, this happened when Jesus was teaching in the synagogue in Mark 1:21-26. One day, Paul and his co-labourers in God's vineyard were on their way to a prayer meeting when the spirit of divination in a young lady became restless because of God's Presence in them. If only you carry a higher level of His presence, the demons around you will manifest from wherever they are hiding. Ask God for more of His presence upon you.

Furthermore, every encounter with the Word releases a measure of Truth that sets free, and just as the level of bondage varies in the lives of the captive, so also, the dose of Truth needed to bring total liberation varies. If you can expose yourself to more and more of the Word and allow the light of God's Word to shine on you, captivity will give way and you will be free. God desires your absolute freedom (John 8:36). Yet, beyond this, Jesus wants to empower you to set other captives free (Mark 16:17). What level of freedom are you experiencing? Everything that has taken you captive shall release you now in Jesus' name.

Your deliverance shall be permanent and you shall become a means of liberation to others in Jesus' name.

PRAYER POINT :
Father, please let your presence and the power of your Word fill my life completely in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Ezekiel 4-6;
Psalms 66:1-9

Prayer Points for the day:

 The Power of Knowledge

1. Lord of mercy, help me not to be amongst the people who are destroyed for lack of knowledge; let me not reject knowledge from above, in Jesus’ name.

2. Thank you Lord for your Word is the source of true knowledge; please help me to stay true to your word in my thoughts and in my conducts, in Jesus’ name.

3. Father, please illuminate my mind with your word and your truth and do not forget me and my children as a result of nonchalant attitude towards knowing your words, in Jesus’ name.

4. Faithful Lord, as knowledge is power; give me your knowledge that guarantees wisdom; please load me daily with your life changing words from above, in Jesus’ name.

5. My Father and my helper, please soak me with your knowledge so that my decision making process would be enlightened and let my decisions always be right, in Jesus’ name.

6. My beloved Jesus, please let me grow in you and in your words so that I make error proof decisions and choices; pour out your spirit upon me and let your words be known to me daily, in Jesus’ name.

7. Holy Spirit of the Living God, please reveal every element in the Bible to me that are necessary for my daily decision taking; let me always think righty and act rightly to your glory, in Jesus’ name.

8. Lord Jesus, you are the Word of God, please let me prioritize studying at your feet and to be more committed to personal Bible study in season and out of season; as I study your word, please keep me enlightened in you, in Jesus’ name.

9. My Father my Father, please by my interaction with you daily, give me divine illumination that will make life easier for me and my journey of life more; let me stand out for you as a minister, in Jesus’ name.

10. Father, please give me enlightenment and understanding by your Word; as I spend time with you, shorten my efforts and the time required to reach my goal, in Jesus’ name.

THE POWER OF KNOWLEDGE.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

Hosea 4:6

Read:
Proverbs 1:20-29
Pro 1:20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:
Pro 1:21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,
Pro 1:22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate
knowledge?
Pro 1:23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
Pro 1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have
stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
Pro 1:25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and
would none of my reproof:
Pro 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when
your fear cometh;
Pro 1:27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and
anguish cometh upon you.
Pro 1:28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
Pro 1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

Message:
Knowledge can be defined in two major ways; first, as an
acquaintance with the body of truths, facts, or principles
accumulated in the course of time from study or
investigation. On the other hand, knowledge can also be defined as the illumination of the mind, especially by the
Word of God, leading to delight and increased pleasure in God. It should be noted that whenever the Bible talks about knowledge and knowing, it is usually in the sense of
knowledge as an illumination of the mind by the Word of God. Biblical knowledge is a combination of scientific,
philosophical, psychological, and spiritual knowledge; and
this kind of knowledge is superior to any other. In
reference to the knowledge of the Word of God, Hosea 4:6
says:

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: Because
thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children."

As l have always said, knowledge is power because it is a major factor that controls the process of decision making
and therefore ultimately determines the course of life. It is
the level of your knowledge about any particular subject that determines your ability to make the right decisions
about that subject. It is in this light that Proverbs 1:29 says:
those who despise or detest knowledge do so at their risk.
Every Christian needs to know that dependence on worldly
knowledge may lead to failure, but godly knowledge
guarantees success.

Do you know that if you know more about God and His
Word, it will affect you in making error-proof choices and
decisions? That is why Proverbs 1:23 says,

"Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you"

The elements you need in taking those crucial decisions are contained in the Bible, prophetic utterances of genuine men of God and what He would like to say directly to you.
How much time have you given to studying at His feet?
Some think it is a waste of time to undertake personal
Bible study while others are sleeping at midnight. No. You
are gaining time. At the end, you will realize you spent far less time and effort in reaching your goal than the one who never cared to give priority to God's Word.

Prayer Point:
Father, please give me enlightenment and understanding
by Your Word in Jesus' name.

Bible in one year:
Ezekiel 10-12, Psalms 67:1 -68:6

SOLIDERS OF THE CROSS

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

Read: 2 Timothy 2:1-4

2:1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

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

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

2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

MESSAGE :

The word 'soldier' appears in the Bible quite frequently, along with a number of synonymous terms. A solider is a person involved in military activity, one who is specially trained for war. In Bible days, the phrase 'men who drew the sword,' was commonly used to identify a soldier's primary function as a combatant and to symbolise warfare in general. Ephesians 6:11-17, is a Bible reference comparing the weapons of a fully armed Roman soldier to that of a Christian's spiritual armour.

In recruiting earthly soldiers, some are chosen while others who are unfit are dropped. The fact that you are born again shows that you have scaled through the first selection hurdle. The next thing is to prove that you are a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Why? There are bad soldiers of the Cross. There are many supposed soldiers in God's army who are no better than earthly civilians. In 1 Timothy 6:12, Paul enjoins fellow Heavenly soldiers to fight the good fight of faith. We have been called into a fight. It is a fight that is based on your faith in Christ. 2 Timothy 2:4 says:

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

The chosen is also expected to be a soldier. Therefore, if you cannot fight to resist or terminate Satan's operation in your life, family or church, you are a civilian not a soldier. If you cannot fight for God's promises to be fulfilled in your life and circumstances, you are a civilian, not a soldier. Can you imagine a soldier who is armed and at the battle front drops his weapons, only to plead with fellow soldiers to assist him in shooting at his enemies? That is a civilian soldier! In the Christian faith, there many civilian soldiers.

If you keep relying on others to pray for you, you are a civilian soldier. If you pay prayer contractors to go to Prayer Mountains on your behalf while you are asleep at home, you are a civilian soldier.
Civilian soldiers make God nauseous.

If you are a soldier of the Cross, you must endure hardness. If because of little trials- delayed conception, no money, or some persecution, you decide to call it quits with your faith in Christ, you become a deserter, not a soldier. Soldiers are tough and able to go through tough and difficult terrains. What would stop civilians cannot stop soldiers. They are armed, disciplined and operate according to the orders of their superiors. They are faithful to their oats to defend and kill identified enemies of the kingdom. They fight, putting their lives on the line.

The big question that every Christian must answer with all sincerity is, are you a soldier of the cross, a deserter, or a civilian?

PRAYER POINT :
Father, I am determined to be a soldier of the cross, please help my resolve to stand for you and the Gospel in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Ezekiel 1-3;
Psalms 65

THE OLDEST WORKMAN OF GOD

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. - John 1:1

Read: Proverbs 8:22-35

8:22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

8:23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

8:24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

8:25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

8:26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

8:27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

8:28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

8:29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

8:30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

8:31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

8:32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.

8:33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

8:34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

8:35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.

MESSAGE :

The very first indication of God's work in creation is recorded in the book of Genesis chapter one. The oldest workman of God would therefore be referring to a character involved in the activities at the beginning of all things. Proverbs 8:22-23 hints as follows:

"The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was."

And John 1:1-3 says,

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."

The oldest worker of God in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:3), is a personality having neither beginning of days nor end of life. He is without father, without mother, no descendants; He lives in eternity and abides forever. The Bible says that the Almighty God possessed Jesus in the very beginning, before His works of old. This is a mystery. He was with God in the beginning of creation and all things were made by Him, whether visible or invisible, physical or spiritual. Psalms 19:1-2 says:

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge."

His excellent knowledge and perfect wisdom is visibly evident everywhere in creation. The Heavens declare His glory, and His perfect creativity is revealed in nature; the beautiful landscape, waterfalls, mountains, valleys, and all the rivers in their places; the beautiful flowers and birds that sing, all the small and great animals of the earth, and the abundant life under the seas; the moon, the stars, and the heavenly hosts, the appointed seasons, all these are wonders of His creation. Also by Him, God established the clouds above, and strengthened the fountains of the deep.

He decreed to the sea, that the waters should not pass the set boundary when he appointed the foundations of the earth. Our Lord Jesus is great in power and excellent in glory, may His name be praised forever. Let somebody shout Hallelujah.

PRAYER POINT :
Father, thank you for a beautiful world, and a magnificent universe.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Lamentations 3-5;
Psalms 64

FULFIL YOUR PROMISE O LORD

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28:20

Read: John 14:12-18

14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

MESSAGE

A promise is an express assurance to fulfil an intention upon which expectation is based. The promises of God reveal His specific and eternal purposes to which he is irreversibly committed and upon which Christians can totally depend. These promises are conditional upon obedience on the part of Children of God. God's promises are irrevocable and He is absolutely trustworthy to make good His promises to His Children.

Whenever the fulfilment of a long standing promise is overdue, God will create an opportunity for divine favour, and God does not only give you an opportunity to key into it by sowing, but will also personally make a demand of you. When the time Heaven has set to favour a person comes, the promises suddenly assume a form of being 'Yes and Amen' in the life of the favoured. After waiting for 24 years for a promise from God, at the time of God's favour, the Lord suddenly changed His promise to Abraham into an irreversible decree. Similarly, after Peter was promised a harvest of men in Luke 5:8-11, nothing happened for the first three years. Peter must have wondered if the Lord had forgotten, but He did not. Finally, at the arrival of the Holy Ghost, being the day of his favour, the one who could not 'catch a human fish' started to harvest thousands from every sermon. When God gives you a promise, wait on it until the day of your favour. Do not let go until that day, for that is the time of its fulfilment. Every promise the Lord has made to you shall come to pass this season in Jesus' name.

In 1979, I went with my Father in the Lord in the company of four others to a Kenneth Hagin camp meeting in the United States of America. That was our first trip to the USA. As the meeting ended on Saturday, we decided to worship in a local church the following day. While translating the message to my father in the Lord, since he could not speak, read, write or understand English, the preacher suddenly walked to him and said: "Thus saith the Lord, What I told you several years ago will soon be fulfilled". And he returned to continue his message. When we got to our hotel later that day and I told him what the preacher said, he broke down in tears saying that when RCCG started, the promised that if he would keep to certain conditions, He would ensure that the church spreads throughout the world. As at the time of this camp meeting, the church had only 39 parishes in addition to the Headquarter church. Not so long after my father in the Lord went home to glory in 1980, we had over 4,000 parishes in Lagos State alone; today our presence is felt in all 36 states of Nigeria and in more than 178 nations of the world because our time of favour came. This season, the Lord will fulfil pending promises in your life.

Prayer Point:

Father, please my eyes are on you, fulfil your promises in my life in Jesus' name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Lamentations 1-2
Psalms 63

SPIRITUALLY MOTIVATED?

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Romas 8:37

Read: Romans 8:33-39

8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

MESSAGE

Motivation is the act of providing someone with a reason to act in a certain way. Christians can motivate or encourage one another to have greater confidence in God and to be very bold in living out their faith.
Spiritual motivation drives away the spirit of fear and helps to develop the boldness required for the correct application of God's Word to life situations. No leader can achieve anything without boldness. It takes courage to follow God. It takes courage to obey God. Anyone who lacks courage will be full of fear. If you are afraid, you cannot take any progressive stride.
A hireling fears and hides when the sheep is confronted by wolves because he thinks of his safety before anything else. A sheperd on the other hand is bold and resists any wolf even at the risk of his own life. In John 10:11, Jesus says,
"I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."

A true sheperd is not afraid of danger. Some pastors or leaders are not available when their members are in distress; but that is when you should be there to stand with them in faith and prayer, and guide them properly. You cannot allow a strange beast to take advantage of your flock. You must fight all intruders and send them packing. This takes boldness; your ability to be bold in the face of danger enhances your power base. Some leaders are very chickenhearted. Every little situation gets them into a panic. Meanwhile, 2 Timothy 1:7 says,
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

Therefore, be spiritually motivated because the Spirit that God has deposited within you is of power and sound mind.
Do you know that even great leaders suffer from fear? One outstanding leader with a great congregation in Bible times who lacked boldness was Joshua. As near perfect as he was, Joshua was afraid. He was afraid to stand in Moses' shoes. He was afraid when he realised that he was asked to finish the assignment of his predecessor- Moses, with all the anointing to open and shut Heaven could not finish. He got scared whenever he thought of the sudden promotion he got from being a servant to a national leader with millions of followers. He was afraid when he remembered that he was called to lead an unruly congregation who were capable of revolting and stoning their leaders to death. Why are you afraid? Do not look at the nature of the assignment. Do not look at the size; do not look at the fierce looking faces. Do not focus on the situation of lack of resources. Focus on the one who has called you, He will see you through. Ask for the Spirit of boldness to manifest in every area of your life from today. The battle is already won and you are more than conqueror!

Prayer Point

Father, please give me the boldness to face all fears in Jesus' name

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Jeremiah 51
Psalms 61

KNOW YOUR LIMIT

Memorise : For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. - Romans 12:3

Read: Romans 12:3-10

12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

12:7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

12:8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

MESSAGE :

The common saying that no man is an island comes to play in a very strong way here. The meaning of the title 'Know Your Limit' as explained in the memory verse for today can only be understood in the light of Biblical doctrine. Theology is a big word that simply means the study of God; it is an indispensable part of spiritual learning. Divine truths are closely related to each other, and cannot be viewed in their right proportions or taught rightly except in their mutual connection. God inspired several individuals in the writing of the Bible, there is no book of the Bible that is complete in itself, each one depends on others to give complete knowledge of an aspect of Biblical Doctrine.

Some tell the beginning, while others tell the middle or tail end of the story. For example, the doctrine of salvation, baptism, communion, divine healing, sin and the second coming of Jesus, cannot be fully understood by reading any one book of the Bible. This is the reason why 1 Corinthians 2:13 says:

"Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual."

Therefore, in order for us to remain in tune with the Holy Ghost, we as Christians must be conscious of our limitations as human beings. First, we only know in part, our knowledge of anything is at best partial or subjective and dependent on available information. We must therefore acknowledge the general human limitations and our individual limitations in accordance with the mighty knowledge of God. This is the only way to remain humble and teachable, the only way to focus on the Spirit of the Word always, rather than the letter which kills (2 Corinthians 3:6).

This is the only way to be "approved unto God" and to "rightly divide the word of truth." Note that the study of any particular Bible truth in isolation, without considering its relations to other Bible truths, is a common cause of narrowness which frequently produces heresy.

PRAYER POINT :
Father, please help me to know my limits and be focused on the Spirit in Jesus' name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Jeremiah 52;
Psalms 62

THE SOURCE OF SATISFACTION

 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:6

Read: 1 Timothy 6:3-11

6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

6:4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

MESSAGE

Satisfaction is a state of contentment or fulfilment that only God can bring into reality. The scripture advocates that children of God should cultivate contentment. We really therefore expected to be contented spiritually, financially, materially and in our marriages. We should be contented with the things and people that God has put around us. Satisfaction is made possible as a result of God's good provision made available through the atoning death of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ecclesiastes 3:13 says:
"And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God."

The above passage indicates that contentment or satisfaction is a gift from God; it does not develop from the desire of man. As a matter of fact Ecclesiastes 5:10 says,
"He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity."

Covetousness and accumulation of wealth has its attendant problems. One of such problems is lack of satisfaction. Those who love money will never be satisfied with what they have; no matter how much they have, they will continue to desire more. I once had a friend, who at the age of 70 had so much money in one of his several bank accounts; he could not exhaust it for another 200 years. Whenever you visit him, you will meet him planning to invest some more. The rich are ever striving with each other. They will say, "Mr. A has just built another house or bought another car, I must follow suit". They are never satisfied. Satisfaction is a precious virtue that every believer must have. Are you caught in the rat race for earthly possessions? Ask God to give you satisfaction or contentment without which that wealth will become a deadly trap.
Whenever wealth comes as a blessing within the context of holiness and the fear of God, such wealth is always accompanied by contentment or satisfaction. This is why Psalms 17:15 says:
"As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness."

Because the source of the blessing is God, satisfaction is naturally inclusive in the package. 1 Timothy 6:6-8 goes on to say:
"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content."

This passage shows that a child of God should be more concerned about the source of blessing and the attending satisfaction than accumulation of wealth.

Prayer Point:

Father, you are my Source, please let my prosperity come with contentment in Jesus' name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Jeremiah 49:23-50:46
Psalms 60

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

SPIRITUALLY MOTIVATED?

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Romas 8:37

Read: Romans 8:33-39

8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

MESSAGE

Motivation is the act of providing someone with a reason to act in a certain way. Christians can motivate or encourage one another to have greater confidence in God and to be very bold in living out their faith.
Spiritual motivation drives away the spirit of fear and helps to develop the boldness required for the correct application of God's Word to life situations. No leader can achieve anything without boldness. It takes courage to follow God. It takes courage to obey God. Anyone who lacks courage will be full of fear. If you are afraid, you cannot take any progressive stride.
A hireling fears and hides when the sheep is confronted by wolves because he thinks of his safety before anything else. A sheperd on the other hand is bold and resists any wolf even at the risk of his own life. In John 10:11, Jesus says,
"I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."

A true sheperd is not afraid of danger. Some pastors or leaders are not available when their members are in distress; but that is when you should be there to stand with them in faith and prayer, and guide them properly. You cannot allow a strange beast to take advantage of your flock. You must fight all intruders and send them packing. This takes boldness; your ability to be bold in the face of danger enhances your power base. Some leaders are very chickenhearted. Every little situation gets them into a panic. Meanwhile, 2 Timothy 1:7 says,
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

Therefore, be spiritually motivated because the Spirit that God has deposited within you is of power and sound mind.
Do you know that even great leaders suffer from fear? One outstanding leader with a great congregation in Bible times who lacked boldness was Joshua. As near perfect as he was, Joshua was afraid. He was afraid to stand in Moses' shoes. He was afraid when he realised that he was asked to finish the assignment of his predecessor- Moses, with all the anointing to open and shut Heaven could not finish. He got scared whenever he thought of the sudden promotion he got from being a servant to a national leader with millions of followers. He was afraid when he remembered that he was called to lead an unruly congregation who were capable of revolting and stoning their leaders to death. Why are you afraid? Do not look at the nature of the assignment. Do not look at the size; do not look at the fierce looking faces. Do not focus on the situation of lack of resources. Focus on the one who has called you, He will see you through. Ask for the Spirit of boldness to manifest in every area of your life from today. The battle is already won and you are more than conqueror!

Prayer Point

Father, please give me the boldness to face all fears in Jesus' name

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Jeremiah 51
Psalms 61

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

YOU ARE NOT CONDEMNED

For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 1 JOHN 3 : 20.

READ : GENESIS 3 : 6 - 10 :

6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

MESSAGE :

Self condemnation is a natural phenomenon that feeds on the human awareness of guilt. In the book of Genesis 3 : 10, Adam and Eve disobeyed God and without anyone scolding them, they were condemned in their hearts :

"And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself."

Self condemnation is not the same as sorrow for sin. Sorrow for sin leads to repentance but self condemnation leads to fear, inferiority complex and low self esteem. The Bible teaches that God has offered us forgiveness of sin through the death of Jesus Christ. Self condemnation produces feelings of Shame, disgrace, fear, terror, and depression, according to Ezra 9 : 6, that says :

"...O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens."

And Isaiah 6 : 5 :

"Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts."

Self condemnation could sometimes be very dangerous in cases where it develops into depression, because it has succeeded in sending some people to their early graves. In Matthew 27 : 5, Judas Iscariot suffered from serious guilt and self condemnation,

"And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself."

May the Lord deliver a user of this devotional suffering from guilt and self condemnation today in Jesus' name. Furthermore, 2 Corinthians 7 : 10 says :

"For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death."

The sorrow of the world is synonymous with guilt and self condemnation, the Bible says it brings death. Guilt defiles human life, produces feelings of anguish, despair, shame and disgrace. Guilt also produces feelings of unworthiness as in the case of the prodigal son in Luke 15 : 21, in the Name that is above all other names, the power of self condemnation is broken in your life today.

PRAYER POINT : Father, please let your perfect love drive away every iota of self-condemnation in my life in the name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : JEREMIAH 47 : 1 - 49 : 22 AND PSALMS 59.

AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE.

WELL GROUNDED?

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love. EPHESIAND 3 : 17.

READ : MATTHEW 13 : 3 - 9 :

3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

MESSAGE :

To be well grounded is to be stable, firm and immovable. Stability is the state of being in a firm or unwavering situation, whether spiritually, physically, or emotionally. Stability is an important element of a settled life before God. God is popularly called the Everlasting Rock, the Rock of Ages. God is very stable and dependable; you can completely rest on His love. That is why Hebrews 13 : 8 says :

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever."

Therefore, stability in the life of Christians is based on God's unchanging nature. 2 Samuel 7 : 16 says :

"And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever."

Stability is required in order to resist and repel spiritual assault by the enemy, stability depend upon firmness of faith, and stability is a very important aim of the Christian ministry. An unstable Christian is a baby in the Lord who is yet to find his or her proper footing. Whenever they are exposed to the misbehaviors of other Christians, especially those considered as more mature than they are, it shakes them to the foundation of their belief. They usually look up to fellow men or women as their perfect examples, and therefore put much premium on such people. Consequently, the fall of such individuals may affect them to the point of taking a decision to stop serving God. They are easily tossed to and from by every wind of doctrine according to Ephesians 4 : 14 :

"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;"

Are we well grounded in the faith? Are you stable and dependable? Are settled in your mind about important doctrines of the Bible? Or are you a confused person that is not very sure of what you believe? One of the terrible mistakes of unstable Christians is the danger of falling a victim to fake prophets and false teachers. Some have many 'fathers and mothers in the Lord'; they are therefore eating regularly from different spiritual pots, making themselves victims of doctrinal confusion. I pray that God will establish you and plant your feet on the Rock of Ages forever in Jesus' name.

PRAYER POINT : Father, please make me immovable, plant my feet on the Rock forever in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JEREMIAH 44 - 46 AND PSALMS 58.

THE ALMIGHTY GOD

For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Romans 9:17
READ: EXODUS 5:1-4
5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.
5:2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
5:3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.
5:4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.
MESSAGE
God is the creator of Heaven and earth. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, the first and last, the one who knows all things and can do all things. All power in Heaven and on earth belongs to Him, which is why He is called the Almighty God. Though it is not possible for man to fully comprehend God, but a better understanding of His creative power, wisdom and authority can be be made visible by considering the works of His hands according to Psalms 8:3-4:
"When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?"
Consequent to the almightiness of God, whenever He says yes, one cannot help but wonder why anybody would try to oppose Him. But from time immemorial, human beings have been found in opposition to the Almighty God, all to their own detriment. Striving against God is a fruitless opposition of the ungodly to God's will and purpose and to the struggle of the righteous as they seek to obey God's commandments.
Many so-called Christians today are equally striving against God by holding a worldview that is contrary to the Word of God and by their sinful words and immoral actions. Incidentally, some are ignorantly striving against God like Apostle Paul in Acts 26:14,
"And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks."
It does not matter what anybody may do, if God says yes, no one can say no. God says in Isaiah 46:10;
"...My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure."
Also Proverbs 19:21 says:
"There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand."
Do not resist the Holy Spirit, or be found arguing with God. Don't ever try to attack God's people or practice unbelief, lest you be found guilty of striving against God.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, please don't let me ever be found in opposition to your Word in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 38:7-40:16, Psalms 56

SPIRITUAL SPECIALISATION

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to
every man that is among you, not to think of
himself more highly than he ought to think; but
to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to
every man the measure of faith. Romas 12:3
Read: 1 Corinthians 12:4-12
12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the
same Spirit.
12:5 And there are differences of administrations,
but the same Lord.
12:6 And there are diversities of operations, but it
is the same God which worketh all in all.
12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given
to every man to profit withal.
12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of
wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the
same Spirit;
12:9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to
another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
12:10 To another the working of miracles; to
another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits;
to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the
interpretation of tongues:
12:11 But all these worketh that one and the
selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as
he will.
12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many
members, and all the members of that one body,
being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
MESSAGE
God in His inifinte wisdom specifically created the
universe and everything in it with diversity in His
mind. Consequently, the difference between
people, their special gifts, needs and characters is
obvious all through creation. Individualism
stresses the differences between people and
recognises the special gifts of individuals. Now
the Bible teaches that diverse gifts in the lives of
individuals in the body of Christ are specifically
designed to be used for the benefit of all. To this
end, 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 says:
"Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same
Spirit. And there are differences of
administrations, but the same Lord. And there are
diversities of operations, but it is the same God
which worketh all in all."
We are encouraged not to personalise God's gifts
in our lives, but rather to recognise that we are
incomplete in ourselves and we need cooperation
and fellowship with others in the body of Christ
to function as a complete whole. God wants His
children to live by this biblical injunction so that
no one will be proud, and to enhance mutual
respect in the Church of God, which will promote
peace and unity in the body of Christ. Physical
and spiritual development will go on unhindered.
Passages of the Bible like Romans 12:6-8, would
then become realistic and practicable:
"Having then gifts differing according to the grace
that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us
prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or
ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that
teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on
exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with
simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that
sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness."
One person operates in the word of wisdom,
another in the word of knowledge; one in the gifts
of healing, and yet another in the working of
miracles and prophecy. They should cooperate
with each other with the understanding that one
and the selfsame Spirit is at work in each
individual to accomplish the ultimate purpose of
God.
Prayer Point:
Father, please give me the unction to function
with total humility and submission in Jesus’
name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Jeremiah 36:1-38:6
Psalms 55:16-23

DO YOU NEED DELIVERANCE?

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 : JAMES 5 : 13 - 15 :
13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
MESSAGE :
Deliverance implies the rescue or liberation of a person from danger, suffering, bondage and sin. It also indicates freedom from people, forces or circumstances that are overwhelming. Sometimes, deliverance involves the expulsion of an evil spirit or spirits from a person. Deliverance focuses on captives, prisoners of war, slaves, debtors, suspected criminals, deportees, exiles, condemned sinners, and the oppressed. These people are often treated with great cruelty and indignity. Another focus of deliverance includes individuals dominated by the influence of a demon. Deliverance should be taken seriously; many are presently suffering due to ignorance of the influence of the devil in their lives.
Being a victim is especially pathetic because it is quite difficult and practically impossible for anyone in this situation to make any progress in life or be delivered by self-help. Consequently, experiences of stagnancy, failure, fruitlessness, sickness, misfortune, etc., are possible indications that deliverance is required. I prophecy into the life of a user of this devotional that is experiencing any of these evil conditions, you shall be delivered today in Jesus’ name. Incidentally, hope for deliverance is certain because there is a powerful Saviour and Deliverer, His name is Jesus. All power in Heaven and on earth belongs to Him. Every person and circumstance of life is subject to His authority, and demons are powerless before Him. Matthew 17 : 18 says ;
“And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.”
At the Word of Jesus or at the mention of His name by a disciple, demons flew out and people were delivered. Once again, I decree in the name of Jesus, receive deliverance from every form of bondage now. Matthew 10 : 1 says ;
“And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.”
Do you need deliverance of any kind? Accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, make every effort to avoid self-destructive behaviours of immorality and sin. Then seek a true disciple of Jesus with delegated power and authority over demons, who will call upon the name of Jesus for your deliverance. Intensive prayers with a word of command will dislodge the stronghold of the enemy in your life today in the name of Jesus.
PRAYER POINT : Father, please set me free from every bondage of the devil today in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : JEREMIAH 29 : 24 - 31 : 40 AND PSALMS 52.