FULFILLING THE LAW OF CHRIST

MEMORISE:

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

READ: Luke 6:27-35

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Mark 5-6; Isaiah 14:12-32

LESSONS FROM THE SOWER III

MEMORISE:

But whoso committed adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. Proverbs 6:32

READ: Luke 8:5, Proverbs 5:15-20

Luke 8:5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

Proverbs 5:15-20
15 Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.

16 Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.

17 Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee.

18 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.

19 Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.

20 And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?

MESSAGE:
Over the past two days, we have been learning from the Parable of the Sower. The importance of this parable is underscored by the fact that Jesus referred to it as the key to understanding the mysteries of His other parables. In Mark 4:13, He said:

“Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?”

Today, we will reflect on this teaching from the perspective of marital faithfulness and fruitfulness. When a man sleeps with a woman, he is sowing seeds into her. In light of this truth, the Holy Spirit makes us understand in Malachi 2:15 that there is a difference between godly and ungodly seeds resulting from this act. Let every man therefore beware of where he sows his seeds, and let every woman be cautious of the type of seeds she receives into the ground that is her body. Sow wisely for your godly seeds to come at God's appointed time. Proverbs 6:33 profoundly says:

“But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.”

In other words, when you have illicit sexual intercourse with a woman other than your wife, you lack understanding of the fact that you are sowing into a wrong soil. As a woman, it is foolhardy for to allow weeds to be sown into your vineyard through adultery.

“For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.” Proverbs 5:3-5

Another lesson to learn from the Parable of the Sower is that keeping a concubine is very costly. What your spouse cannot demand from you, a concubine will. If you are engaged in adultery or fornication, you are sowing to grounds that cannot bring forth any profitable harvest. Some men build houses for their concubines and expend resources on training children that don't belong to them. Sex workers and concubines are always disrespected and abused by men who are merely using them. The motive of these men is not to hold on to them forever but to use and dump them as they choose. Eventually, they will have to face the consequences of their sinful way of life. If you are caught in the web of this lifestyle, call on Jesus to deliver you before it is too late. Remember, today is the day of salvation; tomorrow may be tool late.

ACTION POINT:
Separate yourself from all strange men or women engaging your life in fruitless sowing today, and keep only to your lawfully wedded spouse.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Matthew 11-12, Isaiah 3:24-5:7

YOU NEED STRATEGIC PLANNING*

💽 *Memorise* :

For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Luke 14:28

📕 *Read: Luke 14:28-32(KJV)*

28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.

📕 *Read: Nehemiah 1:11-2:8*

11 O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.

2 And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.

2 Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,

3 And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?

4 Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.

5 And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.

6 And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.

7 Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah;

8 And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

📖 *Bible in one year: Matthew 18:19, Isaiah 7:10-8:10* , Hymn: Sing hymn 3

✨ *MESSAGE* 🕊

*Many people do not realize that the Almighty GOD is a strategist and a GOD of order.*

_This divine character is evident in the story of creation itself_ .

_The orderliness and sequence of the project of creation can only have come from the mind of a master strategist_ .

*The light came first, then the firmament, then the gathering together of the waters and the appearance of dry land, followed by the vegetation upon which animals would feed, before the animals themselves were created* (Genesis 1:1-13).

*Everything was in place before man was created* .

*What a wonderful GOD we serve!* No wonder man was Psalmist in Psalm 53:1a says:

“The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.”

In today’s memory verse, *the Lord JESUS Christ shared with us the divine wisdom embedded* in strategic planning.

*It takes strategic planning for anyone to succeed in life,* and the good news is that the greatest strategist is our Father in heaven.

*The ability to strategize wisely is therefore available to us when we give our lives to GOD through JESUS Christ.*

Irrespective of how disjointed you may appear to be as a person, *as a born-again Christian, you are a partaker of the divine nature of GOD,* and so you are a strategic planner by nature (2nd Peter 1:4).

You need to understand this truth and begin to apply it to your reality.

Nehemiah was one strategic builder.

*Through strategic planning* , he was able to do what seemed to be humanly impossible.

Through very passionate and driven about his mission to rebuild the house of GOD and the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah was not presumptuous in the zeal.

His strategy was built on the foundation of *first seeking divine guidance through prayer and fasting* (Nehemiah 1:4).

*Some children of GOD, maybe due to unrealised hidden pride* , would not pray like Nehemiah did to find mercy in the sight of the king (Nehemiah 1:11).

*To succeed in life, we need the favour of GOD* to be manifested in the attitude of men towards us. No wonder Luke 2:52 says:

“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”

*The good news is that even though human beings are complex and unpredictable, they are still under the control of their Maker* .

Establishing this truth in Proverbs 21:1, the Holy Spirit says:

“The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.”

*Nehemiah strategically presented his case before king,* and *because he had presented his case to the Lord before going to the king, he got what he wanted* :
leave of absence, authority to build, the materials for the project and security in the course of building.

*The project would have ended in failure* if any of these variables was missing.

*Beloved, be strategic in the planning of your life under the guidance of the Holy Trinity.*

🔱 *Action Point*

Strategically, plan how you will achieve your vision and objectives for this year.

DANGERS OF ENVY II

Memorise:
And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.
Genesis 30:1
Read: Numbers 16:29-35
29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me.
30 But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.
31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.
35 And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.
Message
Envy is a terrible character flaw that everyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour must completely give up. Envy can lead to the murder of the one being envied or the murder of his or her dreams. Many polygamous families are wrapped up in envy. The mark of a place where there is envy is confusion and evil. James 3:16 says:
"For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work."
As much as it lies within your power, avoid such places, because the Spirit of God will not stay in a place where there is confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). In such places, people go to any extent to discredit, poison, afflict and destroy their own out of envy. If you are driven by envy, you are on a satanic mission: a self-destructive mission that will definitely lead to regret someday. Today, some churches are envy-driven. Do you know that some pastors go to set up their own ministries out of envy? The foundation of such ministries is faulty from the beginning, and if you dare to check, God is completely out of it. Are you driven by envy? What are you doing as a result of envy? Repent and amend your ways today before it is too late.
There is a great price the envious always has to pay. This price could have a physical, emotional and spiritual component. The price for envy can be very costly! You would be amazed at what that tiny envy in your heart towards your neighbour can take out of you. Envy can erode the blessings of the envious. If you do not want to lose your blessings, completely abstain from it. Korah, Dathan and Abiram paid dearly for the envy that led them to rebel against their leader - Moses (Numbers 16:1-3). God publicly set them aside to show everyone that they had done the wrong thing. God, who earlier appointed them as leaders under Moses, openly discredited them. Thereafter, the ground swallowed them up together with their households. Envy made sure their generation was terminated. That envy in your heart can terminate your future generations! Greed and envy are two tools the devil uses to destroy future generations and destinies! Gehazi's greed brought leprosy to his generation (2 Kings 5:27), while the envy of Korah, Dathan and Abiram completely wiped out their generations. Check your heart! That tiny looking seed of envy that appears harmless today can become your greatest undoing. Ask God to help you uproot it now.
Prayer Point:
Father, in your mercy, uproot and destroy completely every trace of envy in my heart.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : DEUTERONOMY 10-11 and EPHESIANS 4

RELYING ON THE ARM OF FLESH

💽*Memorise* :

Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou has defied. 1st Samuel 17:45

📕 *Read: 2nd Chronicles 32:1-8 (KJV)*

1 After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself.

2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem,

3 He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which were without the city: and they did help him.

4 So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?

5 Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance.

6 And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the city, and spake comfortably to them, saying,

7 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him:

8 With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

📖 *Bible in one year: Matthew 20:21, Isaiah 8:11-9:7* , Hymn: Sing hymn 7

✨ *MESSAGE* 🕊

The ‘ *arm of flesh’ refers to efforts that are solely based on the wisdom, ability and strength of man.*

*Unfortunately, the best of efforts is limited in any venture, because the spiritual controls the physical.*

In today’s Bible reading, it is glaring that Hezekiah knew the limitations of the arm of flesh.

Concerning the threat of Sennacherib and his army, he boldly declared in

📖 *2nd Chronicles 32:7-8:*

“Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our GOD to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.”

Similar to the scenario that played out between Hezekiah and Sennacherib,

today’s memory verse *tells of an encounter between two individuals who went into battle, one divinely armed and the other relying on arm of flesh.*

*The one with the arm of GOD was David* .

He went into battle with what seemed to be the feeblest weapon of war – a simple sling (catapult).

*On the other hand, Goliath went into battle with the arm of flesh, trusting in his chain armour, helmet of brass, shield, spear and sword,* altogether constituting the most sophisticated weapons of war available at that time.

Just like Hezekiah, *David was aware of the divine arm backing him up,* and he proclaimed the great words in today’s memory verse.

At the end of their duel, *Goliath did not live to tell the story of how,* within the twinkle of an eye, a feeble stone won a battle that had simmered for more than forty days.

The fate that befell Goliath exemplifies *how the arm of flesh can let down those who put their trust in it.*

*Beloved, it is time you stopped trusting the arm of flesh in the form of godfather* ,

_spirits of divination and witchcraft, riches that can fly away overnight and political power that can slip out of your fingers_ .

Learn from the story of Hezekiah and Sennacherib and the decisive battle that saw the demise of the boastful Sennacherib (2nd Chronicles 32:31).

*Although the Almighty is a great ally to have, He is also a dangerous enemy to engaged in battle.*

*Everyone who lives in sin is at war with Him* (Psalm 7:11).

_Are you one of those who have not decided to be a friend of GOD?_

*You must have a rethinking today and stop trusting in the arm of flesh* which can lead to perpetual shame.

*JESUS is Lord, mighty in battle, and He will fight for you* if you if you will let Him be Lord indeed over your life from today.

🔱 *Action Point*

*If you have been putting your trust in the arm of flesh, perhaps in the form of secret societies you belong to or black magic charms in your possession,*

_renounce them today and surrender to JESUS._

BREAD ALONE?

MEMORISE:
And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. Deuteronomy 8:3

READ: John 6:24-27

24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.

25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?

26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.

27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

MESSAGE:
Your body is a very important asset that God has given you. Without your body, you have no license to remain on earth. One of your major responsibilities therefore is to take care of your body constantly by feeding it and keeping it clean. It is the food we eat that gives our body the energy it needs to function well. However, not all the food we eat supplies our body with the kind of energy that it actually needs. There are healthy foods and there is junk food. When eaten, both types of food will supply energy to the body. However, while healthy food supplies the kind of energy that positively enhances the function of our body and helps it build its resilience against diseases, the energy that junk food supplies will do just the opposite, and over time, this will contribute to the body breaking down.

Although it is important to care for the body, much more importance should be placed on feeding the soul with healthy food. When we neglect our souls, so much more is at stake than sickness and physical death. Jesus does not just say things for the fun of it, and He was the one who said “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of God’s mouth” (Matthew 4:4). He was saying that if feeding the body alone (eating bread). Is all you do, then you will not live. Although your body will be nourished, your soul will starve and eventually die.

How then can our souls be fed? We feed our souls on the word of God written in the Bible. The habit of reading the Bible is fast becoming archaic, especially with how busy everyone has become with making ends meet. Nevertheless, 1 Timothy 4:13 says:

“Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.”

No one ever said you have to read a large portion of the Bible daily. If reading a chapter of the Bible per day is what you can properly reflect on, then start with a chapter per day. Furthermore, you should not stop at reading the Bible; it is also very important to reflect on what you have read. While reading is for the head, reflecting is for the heart. You have to meditate on what you read by thinking it over and allowing it sink deep into your heart. A good way to do this is to have a book where you write down points from what you have read, and then consciously think about these points during the day. Irrespective of what you do and how busy your schedule is, always endeavour to feed your soul daily. Remember, man shall not live by bread alone.

ACTION POINT:
Feed your soul as regularly as you feed your body.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Haggai 1-2; John 18: 33-19:16

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

X-RAYING THE HEART.

MEMORISE:

A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. Matthew 12:35

READ: John 12:3-8

3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,

5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.

8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

MESSAGE:
“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” Hebrews 11:3

From the above scripture, we understand that everything begins and ends with the word of God. Since the word of God is the architect, designer and builder of all that has ever existed. It means that nothing is hidden from its reach and power. This is good news to all lovers of God’s word. There is no hiding place for Satan to buffet you if the word of Good is your teacher and guide. In today’s world, a lot of people hate the word of God, particularly those aspects that seem to encroach on their pleasures and “fundamental human rights” such as homosexuality, incest, bestiality, alcoholism, smoking and drug addiction. Many hate what God’s word say about these acts not only because they indulge in them but also because these acts serve as the means of livelihood for some of them. I encourage such people to receive the good news of change that come through God’s word today, because the same word will stand to condemn them on the Day of Judgment if they continue to ignore it now. On the Day of Judgment, not only will God judge our acts, He will also judge the intent of our hearts, and He is already doing this today with His word (Hebrews 4:12).

In today’s Bible reading, we see how the word of God x-rayed the intent of Judas Iscariot’s heart. A woman came with costly ointment to anoint Jesus’ feet, and Judas Iscariot, being Jesus’ treasurer, saw this as a waste of resources. Besides the fact that Judas was wrong to condemn a sacrifice offered to Jesus, the word of God exposes the real reason he was “concerned” about keeping the money “for the poor”. John 12:6 says:

“This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.”

Today, some church treasurers may not support the acquisition of anything befitting for God’s house because the greater the credit balance in the church account, the more funds available for them to steal. Dealing with the rottenness of man’s hearts is very important to god because it controls their words and action. A person who goes to church indecently dressed has more than meets the eye in his or her heart. When a man begins to plait his hair in the name of “fashion”, he needs to re-examine the motivations of his heart. A pastor who indiscriminately hugs congregation members should watch it with the opposite sex. Erotic jokes are an overflow of what is in the heart; don’t trivialize or condone them. May the Lord clear all forms of rottenness from our hearts I Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please clear away all rottenness in my heart, and help me to keep myself pure as light.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Zechariah 11-14;
John 20: 24-21:14