THE FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:

MEEKNESS AND TEMPERANCE

MEMORY VERSE: ‘’What will ye? Shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love and in the spirit of meekness?." - 1Corinthians 4:21

BIBLE PASSAGE: 1Corinthians 9:24-27

INTRODUCTION:
Meekness connotes a calm temper of mind, not easily provoked (James 3:13). The word meekness does not connote weakness. Rather, it involves humility and thankfulness toward God, and polite, restrained behaviour toward others. The opposites of meekness are anger, a desire for revenge, and self-aggrandisement. Temperance means properly, self-control, continence. Meekness and temperance shall be studied extensively, as parts of the characteristics of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, in this lesson.

LESSON OUTLINES
1. Meekness
2. Temperance

MEEKNESS
Meekness is might restrained, humility and grace displayed. Human power under human control is a half-broken weapon in the hands of a child. However, meekness places our strength under God's guidance. Meekness constrains and channels the power of our words and actions. To be meek is to recognise that God's ways and thoughts are high above our own (Isaiah 55:9). It is to accept God's worldview, reflecting truth about the spiritual and the material worlds. When we are filled with the Spirit's fruit of meekness, we will correct others with ease instead of arguing in resentment and anger. We will forgive readily (Matthew 18:23-35). Competition and sectarianism will disappear (Philippians 1:15-18). We will accept God's judgment on people and issues.
The Bible mentions some peculiar promises made to the meek (Matthew 5:5; Isaiah 66:2). The cultivation of the spirit of meekness is also enjoined (Colossians 3:12; 1Timothy 6:11; Zephaniah 2:3). Meekness is exemplified in Christ (Matthew 11:29), Abraham (Genesis 13; 16:5-6), Moses (Numbers 12:3), David (Zechariah 12:8; 2Samuel 16:10,12), and Paul (1Corinthians 9:19).

TEMPERANCE
Temperance is the ability to control oneself. It involves a life of moderation and constraint against earthly desires and fleshly lusts. Salvation gives us freedom (Galatians 5:1) which includes freedom from sin (Romans 6:6). We need temperance as defence against forces of pleasure and lust (Romans 7:21-25). Temperance naturally leads to perseverance (2Peter 1:6). Temperance frees us from guilty conscience (2Corinthians 4:2) and helps us to find the liberty to love and live as God desires (Galatians 5:13). Temperance includes the dominion over all evil tendencies and may denote continence, chastity, self-government, moderation in regard to all indulgences. The Holy Spirit in the heart makes a man moderate in all indulgences; teaches him to restrain his passions, and to govern himself; to control his evil propensities, and to subdue all inordinate affections.

CONCLUSION:
You can be like Jesus in meekness and temperance. Pray about it now.

QUESTIONS
1. Describe meekness
2. What does it mean to be temperate?

YOUR LOCATION MATTERS

“He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.” Proverbs 10:5

READ: Genesis 3:7-10

3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were Unclad; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

3:8 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.

3:9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was Unclad; and I hid myself.

MESSAGE:

Although God is much very willing to help you, before you can receive help from Him, you have to first settle the issue of your spiritual location. In today’s Bible reading, when God came visiting Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, and He did not find them where he expected them to be, He made a passionate call to them saying: “Adam, where are you?” If God will help you, He needs to know where you are. Do you want God’s help today? If yes, where are you standing presently? Are you where you were at the beginning of the year? Are you stagnant, unproductive, unprofitable, and not making progress? In the parable of the talents, the fellow who received one talent proved to be unproductive (Matthew 25:24-30). That is however not God’s expectation of you. Some people are unproductive because they do the right thing at the wrong time. Proverbs 10:5 says,

“He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.”

There is a time for everything. There is a time to work and a time to rest. Rest follows work and not the other way round. Today, quite a number of people unfortunately go on vacations even though they have not worked. Rest is earned. If you rest without deserving it, you will be showing to the whole world how unwise you really are. When many children of affluent people, who never worked one day to earn an income, are bequeathed with great wealth, the next thing they think of doing is how to go on a spending spree of the funds they never worked for.

Beloved, where is your present location? If you are located in laziness, disobedience, self-will or unforgiveness, receiving help from God may be a mirage. If you are sleeping when you should be actively engaged for the Master, you are a shame to the Body of Christ. The harvest of this world is already ripe and gradually becoming overripe. This is harvest time. How many souls did you personally win to Christ this year? Is there any significant improvement to your life compared to last year or have you lost further grounds to laziness, procrastination and idleness? Can you say you are experiencing progress? Movement can be sideways, forward or backward. May you never go backward in Jesus’ Name! Consider your location and take appropriate steps so that you can receive God’s help this season.

ACTION POINT:
Before asking God for anything make sure you are not located in disobedience or unbelief.

A MATTER OF CHOICE

MEMORISE:

Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. Psalm 35:27

READ: Genesis 32:3-6

32:3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

32:4 And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:

32:5 And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and women servants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.

32:6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.

MESSAGE:

If you measure life by the experiences of some people, you will live far from your God-given purpose and barely scratch the surface. Some people are alive but only just surviving from day to day. In Luke 13:11-17, the woman who was bound for 18 years did not die, but she was merely surviving and not living. Also, the man with the unclean spirit in Mark 1:23-26 was continually going to church, and yet he was inhabited by an unclean spirit. It was even in the synagogue that the Lord met him. Although he was living, he was the captive of a demonic spirit. What of Naaman who appeared to be a distinguished and successful man, and yet he had a problem that no man could solve (2 Kings 5:1)? Just like the individuals in all these examples, many people today are barely surviving, and are not living life as purposed by God for them. God not only wants you to live life, He also wants you to enjoy the abundant life that He gives (John 10:10). Are you not tired of “managing”, struggling to survive, and living from hand to mouth? If you are truly tired, the Lord will make a way for you.

God is interested in the overflow of His blessings upon your life. He does not just want you to be healed; he also wants His healing virtue to flow through you to others. He wants you to be free from captivity, and beyond this, He also wants you to set the captives free. God does not want you just to be rich but also to lend to nations. He wants you to be so prosperous that when nations cannot balance their budgets, they will come and pay you a visit. God wants you to bring great joy to your family, community, city and nation. However, no matter how much He wants the overflow for you, He will respect what you want for yourself. He cannot force an overflow of His blessing on you when you want so little of it. There are different levels of greatness, and your choice of the type of life you want for yourself has a role to play in determining how great you become. Let us see the example of Esau. Yes, he sold his birthright, but as a seed of Abraham, he was so blessed from the remnant of blessing pronounced on him that he had 400 bodyguards. How many bodyguards do ministers, senators, state governors or even presidents have today? So you would agree that Esau was not doing badly. However, compared to Jacob his brother, who became a great nation, the difference is definitely clear. Do you want to merely survive, or do you want to be truly blessed with the overflowing portion of God’s blessings? The choice is yours!

PRAYER POINT:
Father, I am tired of just managing to survive. I choose the overflow of Your blessings. Please release it to me and my family now.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Proverbs 5-8
Zachariah 8:9-23

AVOID DEFILEMENT!

Memorise: 

“And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.” Revelation 21:27

Read: Isaiah 52:11-12
52:11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.
52:12 For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your reward.

MESSAGE:
It is the great desire of the wonder-working God to work wonders through His children. However, for you to be a partaker of the manifestation of this desire, you must be prepared to pay the price.

Nothing good comes cheap. Anything that is cheap is obviously of low quality and value. If you are interested in working wonders as a worker in God’s vineyard, you must be prepared to be a living sacrifice to God Romans 12:1.
You must be ready to say,
“Lord, for the rest of my life, feel free to do whatever you want with me.”

In addition, to work wonders, you must have clean hands. Isaiah 52:11 says,

“Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.”

Your hands must be free from defilement at home, at work, when nobody is watching, and everywhere else.

Many years ago, while I was still lecturing in the university, I wrote a personal letter, and as I reached out to take one of the official envelopes assigned to me, the Lord said,

“You wrote a personal letter, but that envelope is for official use.” I replied, “Lord, how much is an envelope?”, and He said to me, “If it is so cheap, go and buy your own.”

If you want to lay hands on the sick and see them recover, or if you want to lay hands on demon-possessed individuals and have the demons obey your voice, then it cannot be with hands that have been stealing, defrauding or writing false reports.

Moreover, you need to be in constant touch with God. 1st Thessalonians 5:17 says that you should pray without ceasing. One way to do this is by regularly praying in tongues like Paul 1st Corinthians 14:18.

You can also keep in touch with God by constantly thanking Him. I tell you, Jesus would like that. I heard the testimony of a man who on his 50th birthday said all he wanted to do was say ‘Thank You’ to Jesus at least 50 times. I said that was a beautiful idea which had never crossed my mind.

How old are you now? When you want to pray, say thank You to Jesus the number of times corresponding with your age, and you will be amazed at what could happen through this.

Do you want to be a worker of signs and wonders? Are you ready to pay the price?

Prayer Point:
Father, by Your power, keep me from being defiled, every day of my life.

Bible in one year:
Revelation 20-22
Zachariah 5:5-6:15

INVITATION TO GREATER WORKS

MEMORISE:

And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
Luke 10:17

READ:
Matthew 14:23-29

23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

MESSAGE:
On one of their journeys by sea, the disciples saw Jesus walking towards them on water. Astonished to see this wonder, Peter asked the lord Jesus Christ if he could join Him, and the Lord invited him to come. Peter’s fellow disciples watched in amazement as he walked towards Jesus on the water. If only they too had responded to the Lord’s invitation, they would have partaken of this awesome experience, but they were not courageous enough to step out. Nevertheless, that invitation to do the impossible was not limited to them. It is still open to you and me today. In John 14:12, Jesus said,

“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.”

Beloved, the call to do the works of Jesus and even perform greater works than He did is a call to do the impossible. To be able to do this, you must be prepared to believe in Jesus Christ with all your heart, leaving no space for doubt. Do you believe in Him? Why then do you still leave room for doubt? Don’t you know that the Lord never fails?

Furthermore, Jesus invites us to follow Him. John 8:12 says,

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

As the Light, if you follow Jesus, you will not walk in darkness, and neither will you stumble. Also, if you follow Him, He will make something great out of your life. He will make you what you never dreamt you could become. Consider a person like Peter: he would have died an unknown fisherman if he had not accepted Christ’s invitation to follow Him (Matthew 4:18-19). Have you accepted that invitation to follow Jesus? Today, some people give various excuses for not following Him. One of such excuses is that they do not want to be disturbed or distracted from their life’s goal or ambition, failing to realize that if only they accepted the Lord’s invitation, they would have had a greater future and they would have enjoyed His backing in all their life’s endeavors. Have you heeded his invitation?

KEY POINT:
The call to follow Jesus is a call to true discipleship. Are you His disciple?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Psalm 135-141, Zephaniah 3:9-20

AUTHOR:
PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

WHAT OF YOUR VOW.

Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Ecclesiastes 5:5

READ: Ecclesiastes 5:1-6

5:1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.

5:2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

5:3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.

5:4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

5:5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

5:6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?

MESSAGE:

The institution of marriage is largely misunderstood and consequently abused by lot of people in today’s world. Marriage was designed by God for the good of the partners involved. He designed it as an institution where they can complement each other, enjoy life on earth, and reproduce their kind to replenish the earth. In contrast to what is sadly the norm in the world today, marriage is a covenant relationship that is of a permanent nature. The Lord Jesus Christ himself stated this in Matthew 19:6 when He said:

“Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”

Contrary to God’s expectations, the marital vow that is supposed to be very sacred is fast becoming a recitation that violated at will. How many married people ever reflect on the vows they exchanged at the alter to see if the current state of their lives has not deviated from it? Marriage is very serious covenant relationship. God expects the partners involved in it to keep the pledge they made to each other in the presence of many witnesses. Are you married? How faithful have you been in keeping your marital vows?

As Children of God, we should not be surprised by the current sorry state of the institution of marriage in the world today. The Holy Spirit told us ahead of time that unfaithfulness to vows will form part of the unrighteousness of men in such times as this, when in Romans 1:31 He described the characteristics of people in the last days as follows:

“Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:”

In 2 Timothy 3:3-4, He also indicates to us that a sign by which we will know we are in the last days is when we see men increasingly becoming traitors and trucebreakers (i.e implacable). Are you breaking any of the promises you made in your marriage vows? Are you the type that cannot be appeased? Do you find it difficult to forgive your spouse whenever there is a form of misunderstanding in your relationship? If you have any of these traits, it shows that you are not walking in the love of God. Are you unmerciful to your spouse? How can you receive mercy from God when you cannot even show it to your spouse? At the later, you promised to take care of your spouse; are you doing so today? You promised to use all your worldly goods to make life easier for your spouse, but is that what you are doing today? You promised to leave everyone else and belong to your spouse forever; is that so? Are you secretly dating someone else? If you have fallen out of line, repent and keep your vows from today!

PRAYER POINT:

Every vow made shall be accounted for someday. Never break your vows!

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Revelation 14-16

Zachariah 3

INVITATION TO GREATER WORKS.

And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

Luke 10:17

READ:
Matthew 14:23-29

23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

MESSAGE:
On one of their journeys by sea, the disciples saw Jesus walking towards them on water. Astonished to see this wonder, Peter asked the lord Jesus Christ if he could join Him, and the Lord invited him to come. Peter’s fellow disciples watched in amazement as he walked towards Jesus on the water. If only they too had responded to the Lord’s invitation, they would have partaken of this awesome experience, but they were not courageous enough to step out. Nevertheless, that invitation to do the impossible was not limited to them. It is still open to you and me today. In John 14:12, Jesus said,

“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.”

Beloved, the call to do the works of Jesus and even perform greater works than He did is a call to do the impossible. To be able to do this, you must be prepared to believe in Jesus Christ with all your heart, leaving no space for doubt. Do you believe in Him? Why then do you still leave room for doubt? Don’t you know that the Lord never fails?

Furthermore, Jesus invites us to follow Him. John 8:12 says,

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

As the Light, if you follow Jesus, you will not walk in darkness, and neither will you stumble. Also, if you follow Him, He will make something great out of your life. He will make you what you never dreamt you could become. Consider a person like Peter: he would have died an unknown fisherman if he had not accepted Christ’s invitation to follow Him (Matthew 4:18-19). Have you accepted that invitation to follow Jesus? Today, some people give various excuses for not following Him. One of such excuses is that they do not want to be disturbed or distracted from their life’s goal or ambition, failing to realize that if only they accepted the Lord’s invitation, they would have had a greater future and they would have enjoyed His backing in all their life’s endeavors. Have you heeded his invitation?

KEY POINT:
The call to follow Jesus is a call to true discipleship. Are you His disciple?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Psalm 135-141, Zephaniah 3:9-20

STOP THE PRETENCE!

Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: 1Timothy 1:5

READ: 1Timothy 1:5-9

1:5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

1:6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

1:7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

1:8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;

1:9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

,

MESSAGE:

Salvation through Christ is such a great experience, but the devil in his characteristic manner has introduced counterfeits into people’s lives. The consequence of processing a counterfeit salvation experience is a life of pretense. To guard against this wile of the devil, the holy spirit in 1 timothy 1:5, admonishes us thus:

“Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:”

While God wants us to show love to all, he equally cares about the source of this love. The source of a thing goes a long way in determining its quality and value. You cannot bring something good out of an evil heart. If you do, that good thing is already tainted. For instance, even though you see lots of food in a dunghill, you will not go to eat from there. God is therefore saying that you should do away with pretense and hypocrisy, because they taint whatever good works you are doing. He is saying that if you will show Him love, make sacrifices for His sake, or give to his cause, such actions must come out of a pure heart, with a good conscience and done with sincerity; otherwise, the doer of these works may not get any reward.

Are you saved? Is your salvation genuine or false? 2 Corinthians 5:17 says if you are saved, old things are passed away. This means that if you were stealing before, after experiencing salvation, you will stop stealing. You cannot continue to stealing and still lay claim to salvation. While my father-in-the-lord was alive, if you claimed to be saved, he would ask you these questions: “what were you saved from? What were you doing before that you no longer do now?” today, people claim they are saved, and yet they still steal, lie or fornicate. What kind of salvation is that? In one of my missionary trips outside Nigeria, a man came to me and said, “Sir, I heard that you are a prophet of God and that your prophesies are deadly accurate.” “Is that so?” I replied and further added, ‘I am not a prophet but a pastor, but I do hear from God once in a while.” He then asked me to tell him his future. I asked him if he was born again and washed in the blood of Jesus Christ, and His response was “No”. So I said to him, “Your future will be terrible.” Alarmed, he said, “How do you know? You don’t even know my name, and you have not even prayed!” I told him there was no need for that because Isaiah 3:11 says “Woe to the wicked!” on the other hand, if you are saved, your tomorrow will be alright. Are you saved? Did you genuinely give your life to Jesus Christ on a particular day? If not, do it today!

KEY POINT:

The afterlife has no room for pretense. It’s all about reality and truth.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Psalm 120-134

Zephaniah 2:13-3:8

A SACRIFICE OF LOVE.

I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.

Psalm 116:17

READ: Psalm 116:17-19

116:17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.

116:18 I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people.

116:19 In the courts of the Lord's house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord.

MESSAGE:

If you have been washed in the precious blood of the lamb, thanking God for the salvation of your soul is something you need to do daily for the rest of your life. Some people throw parties to celebrate milestones and achievements in different areas of life, but Jesus said that what should give us the greatest joy is the fact that we are saved and have our names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Luke 10:20). That your name is in the Lamb’s Book of Life is a great testimony that you should regularly thank God for whenever you pray.

However, giving thanks to god is not always a very easy thing to do, particularly if you have been going through a spate of negative and very sad events or experiences. In such situations, thanking God requires sacrifice. Our God loves sacrifices- particularly a sacrifice of thanksgiving. No wonder the Psalmist says thus in Psalm 116:17

“I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.”

When you offer thanksgiving to god at a time when every situation is your life is saying that He doesn’t deserve it or that He has forsaken you, it is sacrificial.

Similarly, your thanksgiving is sacrificial when you thank God even when he has not granted your request. This is an expression of faith. Sacrificial thanksgiving glorifies God and proves to Him that your faith is Christ has spiritual substance. Do you know that most people remember to thank God only when they believe He has “earned it’? Such people live by a personal philosophy which says “whenever God does something for me, only then will I give Him thanks in return.” Such an attitude is simply calculative and myopic. There are so many things God does for us every day which we take for granted as normal everyday occurrence, but the truth is, nothing is ever really “normal”, and every day comes with its challenges. Those who give God a sacrifice of thanksgiving do so because they choose to. They choose to see things from God’s perspective, which makes them see reasons why they ought to be grateful to God, even when other people cannot see any reason why.

ACTION POINT:

Apply the lessons learnt in today’s study to offer God a sacrificial thanksgiving today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Psalm 142-150

Haggai 1:1-11

7 Things To Remember When You’re Struggling To Forgive...

Bitterness and unforgiveness hurt us more than the one who has sinned against us.

Lee Strobel said, "Acrid bitterness inevitably seeps into the lives of people who harbor grudges and suppress anger, and bitterness is always a poison. It keeps your pain alive instead of letting you deal with it and get beyond it. Bitterness sentences you to relive the hurt over and over." A Bantou proverb agrees, telling us, “The bitter heart eats his owner.”

Unforgiveness hinders our prayers.

In Psalm 66:18, the psalmist tells us, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” To cherish means to hold something dear, which is a strange way to describe what we do with sin. But when we hold onto something tightly and refuse to let it go, we are, indeed, cherishing it. By stubbornly clinging to anger, hurt, and bitterness, we make a home for the very emotions that can destroy us.

Every sin is offensive to God, even our own.

It’s easy to be self-righteous when someone has sinned against us. “I’d never do anything like that,” we tell ourselves, but Scripture tells us differently. “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23 says. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” Because God’s standard is perfection, none of us can please God on our own.

In God’s eyes, we’re just as lost as the murderer on death row and just as desperately in need of a Savior. When we begin to see our sin as God sees it, we acknowledge that we have no righteousness of our own in which to stand. It is only God’s mercy that has kept us from committing the horrible sins others have committed.

Unforgiveness hinders God’s desire to forgive us.

If we, who have no righteousness of our own, withhold forgiveness from another, we elevate ourselves above God, who freely extends forgiveness to all who ask for it in sincerity and truth. The Lord’s Prayer in Luke 11 tells us that God's forgiveness hinges on our willingness to forgive others: “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.”

God’s mercy and forgiveness extends to us and those who sin against us.

Psalm 103:10-14 tells us, “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions for us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.”

It is only when we fully grasp the depths of our own sin and the mercy God extends to us that we are able to extend forgiveness to others. “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God, through Christ, forgave us,” the Bible tells us in Ephesians 4:32.

We can trust God’s sovereignty and justice.

We live in a fallen world, and sin and Satan have wrapped their poisonous tentacles around everything good. But it won’t always be this way. One day, God will right every wrong, punish every unrepentant sinner, and call every wicked soul into account. The Bible tells us in Romans 12:19, “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

We cannot experience the abundant life God has for us if we’re carrying stones of bitterness and unforgiveness around. They weigh us down, slow our steps, and steal our joy.

It’s been more than 20 years since the first time I forgave my uncle’s murderer. I say “the first time,” because I’ve had to forgive him again and again, every time the feelings of anger and bitterness return. To combat these thoughts, I picture myself carrying my burden of unforgiveness to the cross of Jesus Christ and leaving it there, trusting him to take it away.

If you’re struggling to forgive someone today, don’t try to do it in your own strength. Do it in Jesus’ name. Ask him to give you the power to forgive, and then step out in faith to do it. You’ll be very glad you did.

EFFECTIVE IMPARTATION

Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. 1 Timothy 4:14

Read: Acts 14:21-23

14:21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,

14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

Message:

True leadership makes room for fresh leaders to be raised and imparted. One leader who succeeded in raising several other leaders was Paul. In Romans 1:11-12, he wrote to the believers in Rome, expressing his longing and sincere desire to be with them in order to impart some spiritual gifts to them. There is no better way to deploy the ministry of impartation than through fasting, prayer and laying on of hands. One of Paul’s spiritual sons who benefited from the ministry of impartation was Timothy. When hands were prayerfully laid on him, Timothy received some spiritual gifts. We see Paul reminding him of these gifts when in 1 Timothy 4:14 he said:

“Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.”

Through impartation, there can be transfer of spiritual gifts from a man of God to the one being prayed for. Note also that fasting plays a key role in this. As leaders, when workers, ministers and other leaders are being raised, before they are commissioned into service, it is important to support them through the ministry of impartation backed by fasting and prayers.

“And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.” Acts 14:23

After Paul and Barnabas had taken the gospel to several cities during their first missionary journey, they revisited these cities, appointing leaders over the churches they established there. It is worthy of note that in doing these, prayer and fasting were given prominence. This is why it is quite surprising to see some brethren who are slated for ordination engaged in normal activities as if there is nothing at hand, instead of separating themselves to prayer and fasting. In any case, the level of preparation before a spiritual activity will determine the extent of the blessings received by each person. Even for regular services in your local assemblies, it is important to prepare before attending such meetings. Whenever you want to prepare for any programme, do not forget to embrace fasting and praying.

Key Point:

Preparation for a spiritual programme may mean seeking God’s face towards the programme, forgiving and releasing offenders from your heart, avoiding distractions, and so on.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Psalm 63-68
Micah 4:6-5:6

A MEAL WTH A DIFFERENCE

And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God. 1 Kings 19:8
Read: 1 Kings 19:1-8
19:1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
19:2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.
19:3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
19:4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
19:5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
19:6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
19:7 And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.
19:8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
Message:
In John 21:1-13, we have an amazing account of Jesus inviting His disciples to come and dine of a meal He had already prepared. The Lord Jesus Christ loves good food and He prepares the best of dishes in the whole universe. To catch a glimpse of how those meals in Heaven will be, just take a look at the bread and wine that is used during the Holy Communion. By the time the Lord takes them over and they are transformed into spiritual food, the elements of these erstwhile ordinary items will begin to do what no ordinary meal can do in the life of those who partake of it. In today’s Bible reading, after the mass slaughter of the prophets of Baal, Jezebel sought to kill Elijah. He therefore fled for his life until he was so exhausted that he lay down under a juniper tree and slept off. Then two heaven-baked meals were set before him and he ate them. What was the result? 1 Kings 19:8 says,
“And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.”
That meal provided him physical sustenance to the extent that his body survived without food and water for 40 days and nights! Medical science will tell you that it is impossible to live without water for three weeks; But Elijah did this after he took the heaven-baked bread! Also, that meal revived him spiritually. The same person who was contemplating suicide was now able to ascend the mountain of God. Depression was completely gone away from him!
Do you know that the Holy Communion, which assumes a spiritual dimension after the Greatest Cook touches its elements, is capable of taking care of various sickness and diseases? Through it, you can be delivered from every power of darkness that is holding you bound! Your debtors can be compelled to pay you what they owe you! By this Heavenly meal, you can break the yoke of besetting sins and live righteously before God. Through it, various impossible situations can be made possible. How often have you availed yourself of the limitless opportunities provided by the Holy Communion? How often do you attend a meeting where it is served? When you attend such meetings, do you release your faith along with your requests, or do you withhold your faith? From today, take steps to enjoy the heavenly baked meal that is the Holy Communion.

Action Point:
Never take the Holy Communion without prayerfully connecting it with a definite, specific request to God.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Psalm 56-62
Micah 3:1-4:5

CHRIST OUR REST

Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Isaiah 3:10

Read: 2 Corinthians 1:19-20

1:19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.

1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

Message:

There is a time to work and a time for rest. Everyone who labors very hard always looks forward to a time of rest. Rest is so crucial that even God Himself rested after spending six days creating the heavens and the earth. It is therefore not a mistake that God programmed sleep into our body system. He knows that after we have worked hard and are tired, we would need to rest the body in order to get back on our feet. Psalm 127:2 says,

“It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.”

Good sleep is indeed a blessing from God. However, rest for the body is not as important as the rest needed by the soul. If your mind is seriously troubled over an issue, even when you lie down on your bed, you will be unable to sleep. The only place to find rest for your soul is in Christ. No wonder He made a call for you to enter into His rest in Matthew 11:28-30. Have you been worried or troubled lately? Receive rest today in Jesus’ Name!

“Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings”. Isaiah 3:10

One major reason why you as a true believer should be at rest is because of God’s promises. According to our Bible reading, the promises of our God are very reliable. Romans 3:4 says that even if all men are liars, this cannot compel our God to be a liar like them; He will always remain true. Therefore, if He says your tomorrow will be alright, take it as a report card that you are getting even before sitting for the examination. If He said it, He will surely do it. God’s word has integrity. Based on His words that cannot fail, I know my tomorrow will be alright. Irrespective of the raging storm, I will simply rest in Him. Beloved, let Jesus Christ be the One you lean on. Who or what you lean upon in the time of trouble is very important. If you lean on human beings, they will most likely compound your situation because every human being is prone to failure due to so many factors within and outside their control. In contrast, if you lean on human being, they will most likely compound your situation because every human being is prone to failure due to so many factors within and outside their control. In contrast, if you lean on the Eternal Rock of Ages, you can be reassured of true rest, joy and peace.

Action Point:

Take every issue that is bothering your soul before the throne of grace today. Ask Jesus, the giver of rest, to give rest to your soul.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Psalm 38-43

Jonah 4

SEEKING PRE-EMINENCE?

But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. Matthew 23:11

Read: 3 John 1:9-11

1:9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

1:10 Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

1:11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

Message:

All those who have accepted God’s call to salvation should be aware that they have equally been called to a life of brokenness. The Christian life is a life that walks in the Spirit, having crucified the flesh with its affection and lusts (Galatians 5:24, Galatians 5:16). The place of brokenness is the place of true service and reflection of Christ. While the fellow who is broken is dead to the flesh, the fellow who is carnal is still very much alive to it. There are certain traits that characterize the life of an unbroken fellow. These traits will be visible in such a life, irrespective of the ecclesiastical position occupied. One of such traits is the desire to be preeminent in all things. Those who always want to outshine others must be extremely careful. It is good to excel, and God wants this for His children, but struggling for pre-eminence within the fold, just to gratify the flesh or feed your ego is a mark of not being broken.

In the early Church, there were people who liked to show that they were in charge, even where there were superiors set over them. Apostle John encountered Diotrephes and he had problems with him because of this trait (3 John 1:9). Those who like to have pre-eminence usually find it difficult to recognise or submit to higher authority. They want to be the ones calling the shots. They may have a superior over them, and yet they will still want to be the ones that people take orders from. They run a parallel government to that of their superiors, and because their power base is illegal, they use lots of manipulation, coercion, intimidation and forming of unhealthy cliques to maintain their power. Such people are involved in every divisive and rebellious scheme being witnessed in the Church and in society today. Those who seek pre-eminence operate through charismatic witchcraft, and they are involved in very subtle mind-control. They want to be recognised and honoured first and above others. Their suggestion must always be taken or else you must be prepared for a fight. If you have these traits in you, you are very carnal and close to Hell’s gates. If you struggle and manipulate your way to gain pre-eminence over others, in Heaven’s records you will be the last or even have no placement there. If you are involved in this manifestation of carnality, beat a retreat today!

Action Point:
Examine your life to see if you have any of the traits of life that seeks pre-eminence. If you do, repent and take corrective action.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Psalm 34-37
Jonah 2-3

KNOWLEDGE AND PRAYER

But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 1 Peter 4:7

Read: Luke 21:34-36

21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

21:35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Message:

In Philippians 3:10, Paul expressed his burning desire to know Jesus. It is good to have your gaze focused on Jesus and equally important to know Him. Why? It is because what you know determines your position in life. Knowledge is power. Proverbs 4:7 says,

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”

Wisdom is the correct application of knowledge for personal or corporate benefit. This implies that knowledge is the foundation of wisdom. If you want to be wise but you run away from knowledge, wisdom will elude you. How open you are tom learning new things demonstrates your readiness to be wise. Men of wisdom like Paul and Daniel were given to reading books. Daniel chapter 9 is a manifestation of how knowledge acquired from the study of books can be applied positively in actions that have serious spiritual implications. Daniel 9:2 says,

“In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.”

Today, not many people take time to read decent books on various subjects that can add to their knowledge base. For believers, this should not be so. If there are people who should be knowledgeable, it should be believers. We should be conversant with our environment, and we should stay very current.

In Matthew 26:41, Jesus established a link between watching and praying. What are you required to do while watching? You are required to gather information, and to know what is happening around you. God wants you to be informed. Why? Knowledge about your situation will help you pray more effectively with understanding. If you want to succeed as a prayer champion, knowledge is crucial. When you watch, seek knowledge or gather information, it will compel you to pray more often. Find out, those Christians who are prayerless are often those without knowledge. They know too little, and so they do not see the need to pray. If people come to tell you lots of things or if they confide in you, it is because God wants you to stand in the place of intercession for them, rather than becoming a tale-bearer. Are you seeking knowledge? Is what you know making you to pray more?

Key Point:

Daniel was provoked into indefinite prayer and fasting exercise by what he understood from what he studied (Daniel 9:1-3). Is your knowledge compelling you to pray?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Psalm 69-72

Micah 5:7-6:8

LISTEN TO ELDER

“I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.” Job 32:7

Read: 1 Peter 5:1-5

5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:

5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

5:3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock.

5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Message:

One way of avoiding mistake is to learn from the experience of those who have gone ahead of you in faith, business, career or family life. If you learn from the fall of other, you will not meet with the same tragic end that befell them. This is why you need to listen to the advice of elders. Piglets are expected to learn from the mother pig. For this reason, Job 32:7 says,

“I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.”

It is also commonly said that experience is the best teacher. There are several things you will be taught from the school of life when you listen to what the elders the Lord has placed around you have to say. There is a Nigerian proverb says, “A child may have as many cloth as an elder, but he cannot have as many rage as he.” Learn from those who have trod on the path you are walking on.

I had the opportunity of delivering a sermon at the wedding of the daughter of a country’s president not too long ago. I observed that both the girl and her husband were highly educated. I therefore said to them, “Looking at you, I can tell you are both brilliant people, but you are just starting a journey into marriage, a journey I have been engaged in for about 47 years, and as a result, I have one or two things to teach you”. It is very important that you listen to your elders. Are you newly married? I have two equations to keep you going- one: love is blind, and two: marriage is a miracle-worker with special anointing for opening blind eyes. When you solve these two equation simultaneously, the answer you will get is this: Love is blind but marriage will open its eyes.

Beloved, never shun the advice of an elder! Apart from your biological elders, your pastors and senior pastors are also elders. Except when they ask you to veer off the path of righteousness, please listen to them and follow their good advice. If you have a godly, humble heart, it will be easy to listen to elders. Can you believe that some people do not listen to their elders because they want to be in-charge of their lives? They erroneously believe that if they listen to elders, they will lose control of their lives. Righteous elders will want to guide you on God’s holy path and ensure you reach your goal. Be wise today!

Prayer Point:

Father, thank you for all the elders in the body of Christ; please use theom to provide righteous counsel for our youths, so that together we can all make Heaven

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Psalm 17-21

Amos 9