ANOTHER JONAH IN THE CHURCH?

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:1 5

Read: Ezekiel 33:1-6

33:1 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

33:2 Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:

33:3 lf when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;

33:4 Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.

33:5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.

33:6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.

MESSAGE

We are often quick to judge Biblical characters when they do not measure up to God's expectation in one area or the other. We should however not allow our judgemental opinions to becloud our minds from the salient lessons God is trying to pass across to us through the failings of these characters. To drive home this point, the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 10:11 says,
"Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”

Among such characters are father Abraham and Isaac, who both misrepresented their wife as their sister. We also have prophets like Elijah, who opted to die in the face of adversity, and Jonah, the prophet who chose to run away from God's assignment. In the New Testament, we have apostles like Thomas, who said he would not believe in Christ's resurrection unless he saw and touched the palms of His hands. The shortcomings of these characters exposes their humanity to us, and it also serves as a challenge to us that if characters with such shortcomings can go on to do great things for God, so can we in spite of our inadequacies.

Let's take a closer look at Prophet Jonah, and compare his attitude to that of believers in the Church today. In Jonah 1, we read of how the word of the Lord came to him, instructing him to go and warn the people of Nineveh against the impending doom hanging over their heads because of their wickedness. Instead of carrying out God's assignment, Jonah chose to flee to Tarshish, because he wanted the people of Nineveh to receive God's judgment. He knew if these people heard the warning and repented, God would not punish them as He had earlier planned. However, Jonah wanted them to receive God’s punishment because of all they had done to the children of Israel. In like manner, our Lord Jesus Christ has commanded us to go and preach the gospel of salvation to sinners. Following the principles set out in our Bible reading, if we do not obey the Lord's commandment, God forbid that their blood be required of us. We must beware of Jonah's mistake so that none of us becomes another Jonah in the Church. Jonah landed in the belly of a fish before he understood the foolishness of trying to run away from God. Are you being called into the ministry of soul-winning? Stop running from your responsibility! Let us take the assignment of soul-winning seriously, and we will not miss our reward. Proverbs 11:30 says,
"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.”

Prayer Point:

Father, help me to win souls for You on a daily basis.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Numbers 16-17
Jeremiah 19:10-20:6

A FRUIT-BEARING TREE?

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

Read: Luke 13:6-9

13:6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

13:7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?

13:8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:

13:9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

MESSAGE

Fruit-bearing is a necessity for every child of God. When the Scripture in Deuteronomy 7:14 says none shall be barren, this promise fundamentally extends to soul-winning and all other activities that populate the Kingdom of God. Our Heavenly Father is delighted when we in partnership with the Holy Spirit turn the hearts of men away from their wicked ways to the way of righteousness. For this reason, He reserved a special promise for such people in Daniel 12:3:
"And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever."

The obligation to bear fruit becomes more critical when we consider what our Lord Jesus Christ said in today's memory verse. He said He would take away every branch in Him that does not bear fruit. Nothing can be more serious than that. I pray that you will never be alienated from the Lord Jesus Christ in Jesus' Name.

Moreover, today's Bible reading amplifies the fruit-bearing responsibilities of the children of God. The parable it references was equally given by our Lord Jesus Christ. The "certain man" in the parable is no other person than God, the Father. The vinedresser is no other person than Jesus Christ, the compassionate Advocate who makes intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25). He is the one pleading on behalf of fruitless trees in God’s vineyard, which is the world. The danger of an endless wait for a tree in God’s vineyard to bear fruit is made clear in Luke 13:8-9, which says:
"And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down."

Are you bearing fruits? Another pertinent question is, what type of fruits are you bearing? For a sinner, he or she must bear fruits worthy of repentance (Matthew 3:. For believers, we must win souls into the Kingdom, thus fulfilling the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). More importantly for believers, we must also bear the fruit of the Spirit:
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness , goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

Action Point:

Draw a soul-winning plan for yourself and your family and sincerely follow it up in your neighbourhood. Also, pray that your converts will manifest the fruits of repentance and the fruit of the Spirit.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Numbers 14-15
Jeremiah 18:19-19:9

PROSPERITY WITHOUT SORROW

The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. Proverbs 10:22

Read: Deuteronomy 8:10-18

8:10 When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.

8:11 Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:

8:12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;

8:13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;

8:14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;

8:15 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;

8:16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;

8:17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.

8:18 But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

MESSAGE

Many children of God dread prosperity because of the challenges associated with it, particularly when it relates to material prosperity. The reason for this attitude can be put down to either ignorance of the word of God concerning prosperity, or ignorance of the need for the children of God to prosper, if they would not live at the mercy of the ungodly. The Bible in Proverbs 22:7 says,
“The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.”

In our Bible reading today, we discover some truths about Gods purpose concerning the prosperity of His people. Deuteronomy 8:18 says,
"But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day."

God gives power and opportunities to His children to get wealth for one singular reason: to prove Himself faithful to His word. In other words, the issue of God’s children becoming wealthy is not about them but about God and His infallible word. This is why those who pick and choose what they feel is suitable for them in the word of God are losers; God cannot be mocked. Such people want the blessings of Abraham, but do not want to keep the covenant that Abraham kept with God. Jesus in John 8:30d said;
"If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham"

Beloved, I have good news for you: God is interested in the prosperity of His people (3 John 2). Not only is God interested in your prosperity, He also gives you the power to make wealth and to prosper. Furthermore, the prosperity from God is without negative repercussions and sorrow. The Lord who prospers is the same Lord who protects. He will not give you a car that will become a death trap. He will not give you a child that will break your heart. If you believe this, you will see the glory of God. Finally, in order to receive the prosperity that is devoid of sorrow, you must ensure that the prosperity you are seeking is from the Almighty God. This suggests to us that there is a counterfeit prosperity which puts its beneficiaries in tight jackets of regret and sorrow. The devil is the giver of counterfeits, but Jesus is the true source of eternal blessings. You can never regret being prospered by His benevolence because He paid the price for your prosperity in full. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says,
"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”

Key Point:

Stop cutting corners. At God’s own time and in God's own way, He will prosper you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Numbers 12-13
Jeremiah 18:1-18

CURE FOR BACKSLIDING

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; Acts 3:19

Read: Jeremiah 3:11-15

3:11 And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.

3:12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and | will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and lwill not keep anger forever.

3:13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.

3:14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and | will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and l will bring you to Zion:

3:15 And lwill give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

MESSAGE

Backsliding is such a terrible condition that any child of God who backslides must quickly seek for restoration. The danger with backsliding is that a backslider may perish with his or her enemies like Samson did, or lose all he or she had gained in God like Judas lscariot (Judges 16:30, Acts 1:16-20). The good news is that God has provided a remedy for backsliding. ln today's Bible reading, we see the loving God calling and inviting backsliding Israel back to Himself. This is a pointer to the fact that God wants to restore all backsliders.
"Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every tree and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for l am married unto you: and l will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:"
Jeremiah 3:13-14

The above verses of Scripture contain the cure for backsliding. Restoration for the backslider starts with an acknowledgment of sins and a contrite return to God. In other words, the cure to backsliding lies in genuine repentance. Repentance is a complete turnaround from one's sins with a determination never to return to those sins any more. This was what Samson failed to do throughout his twenty years of being judge over lsrael. To make matters worse, he always ascribed his victory and achievement to his strength. Hear what he said after one of his victories in Judges 15:16:
"...With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.”

There is no record of him giving glory to God even once. When he should have prayed for mercy, he prayed a wrong prayer, asking God to strengthen him one more time, so that he could avenge his eyes! Due to the mercy of God, and because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, God still granted him his request, and he died with his enemies (Romans 1 1 :29, Judges 16:28-30). ln Acts 3:19, we see some of the great benefits of repentance. These include forgiveness, the blotting out of sins and the experience of a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. Beloved, are you in a backslidden state? I encourage you to return to God through the Lord Jesus Christ today. Read 1 John 2:1-2 for a better understanding of your heritage in Christ. As you do these, the joy of salvation and the victory over sin will be restored to you.

Action Point:

Pray for restoration if you a backslider. If by His grace you are still standing, pray that you will not backslide, and also pray for all backsliders in the Body of Christ that you know.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Numbers 10-11
Jeremiah 17:14-27

BACKSLIDER-lN-HEART II

For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. 2 Timothy 4:10

Read: Judges 14:5-10
14:5 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.
14:6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.
14:7 And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.
14:8 And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.
14:9 And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.
14:10 So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.

MESSAGE
Yesterday, we established that backsliding is a gradual process that remains hidden in the heart and only begins to manifest after it has gotten out of hand.

In today's memory verse, we discover one factor that brings about backsliding: the love of the world.
1 John 2:15-16 says,

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."

This Bible passage reveals the character of the love of this present world, by which the heart of Demas, a companion of Paul, was stolen away from the straight and narrow way (2 Timothy 4:10).

How far have you been drawn away from the narrow path which you have been treading on for so long? Is the relativism philosophy of this present world doing great damage to the faith which you once had? How far have you been drawn away by the pleasurable things of life? My prayer for you is that the fire of the first love you had for Christ will be reignited, and that you will relate with God and the things of God like when you first believed in Him in Jesus' Name.

Taking a closer look at the life of Samson as a case study of the backslider-in-heart, one lesson we can learn from today's Bible reading is that the backslider-in-heart can still be preaching, ministering in songs, doing all kinds of work of the ministry, and even performing miracles, while in the process of backsliding.

Although Samson was going down into abomination, when a lion roared against him, he responded with the same ability of the spirit he always had.
 Judges 14:6 says:

"And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done."

As if marrying a Philistine was not enough, on his next trip to Timnath, he went to admire the relics of his conquest, the carcass of a lion he had killed. Behold, the devil had set up a honeycomb right there in the carcass of the dead lion to ensnare him, and Samson fell for it,' even though he knew that a Nazirite must not touch the dead body of an animal (Numbers 6:12-19)

Samson's stomach and taste continued to lead him on his downward slide towards destruction, just as they did to Esau (Hebrews 12:1617).

My prayer for you is that your appetite for the things of the world will not destroy you in Jesus' Name.

Prayer Point:
Father, don't let what I love destroy me, and don't let me love what would destroy me.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Numbers 8-9 Jeremiah 16:14-17:13

AN IGNORANT PRAYER.

 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

JAMES 4 : 7.

READ : 1 SAMUEL 15 : 17 - 22 :

17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?

18 And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and flght against them until they be consumed.

19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?

20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, l have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.

22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacriflces, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacriflce, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

RULED BY MAMMON?

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. 1 TIMOTHY 6 : 10. READ : 1 TIMOTHY 6 : 6 - 11 :
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
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.
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.
11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
NUMBERS 4 & JEREMIAH 15 : 1 - 9.
MESSAGE :
A crafty and complex form of idolatry in our world today, which has been around for a long while, and yet seems to go unnoticed by most people, is the reverence and premium place given to the god of money ( Mammon ) in the hearts of mankind. Our Lord Jesus Christ was very clear when He stated what the first and greatest commandment was in Matthew 22 : 36 :
"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."
When our love, which should be given to God exclusively, is diverted to money, we err from the faith and expose ourselves to dissatisfaction and many sorrows. The Bible in 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."
I am sometimes puzzled as to why people run after vanity. ln some countries of the world, government officials embezzle billions from their sovereign wealth and cart their loot away to foreign lands. Some of these officials have become even "richer" than their country by this act. One wonders what they would do with all this stolen money. Nothing reasonable for sure! For such people, money has become their god, and so they worship it to the extent that the more they acquire, the more difficult it becomes for them to spend. Find out from some so-called rich people, they flnd it difficult to spend their millions. They eat like paupers because money is their god. In today's Bible reading, the Holy Spirit offers us a way out of Mammon's bondage. He said :
"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." 1 Timothy 6 : 6 - 8.
Beloved and fellow pilgrims, our stay here on earth is too short for us to run after Mammon. Let us follow the Master intimately, because He is the only One that would always stand by us, even after we close our eyes in death. Mammon would change servants immediately the fellow who worships him breathes his or her last. Let us be wise and follow after godliness.
PRAYER POINT :
Father, please fill my heart with godliness and contentment. Grant me the grace to love You more than anything else in this world.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEW COVENANT II

And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 

Matthew 5:29

Read: Matthew 5:27-30

5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

5:29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

5:30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profltable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

MESSAGE

Under the old covenant that God had with the children of Israel, a person was not guilty of sexual immorality, like fornication or adultery, until they performed the act. This was the basis of the poser thrown at Jesus by the scribes and Pharisees in John 8:4-5:

"They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?"

What they failed to realise was that Jesus came to establish a new covenant with mankind and not to perpetuate the old. Under the new covenant, Jesus made it clear that it is not until you sleep with someone other than your spouse that you are guilty of sexual immorality. Rather, in Matthew 5:28, He said thus:

"...whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."

This is food for thought for us who live in such times as this, where nudity and lust are glorified and glamorised by the world. This however should not be the case in the Church of Jesus Christ. When we promote the lust of the eye by allowing nudity in the Church, we expose members to sexual immorality, even if they do not actually carry out the act. A member of the choir who dresses seductively to lead praise and worship songs will not lead the congregation into the presence of God; rather, he or she will leave the congregation worse off than they were before coming to church. This is not a question of being legalistic; it is a matter of divine principle as put forth by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. We should remember that God can only be worshipped in spirit, because He is a Spirit. When we then, in the name of liberty, promote adultery and fornication through lust, are we operating in the same Spirit as the Almighty God we claim to worship? Hear the recommendation of the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 5:29:

"And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profltable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."

Based on the standard laid out in this recommendation, if a member of the Body of Christ conducts himself or herself in a way that exposes the people of God to committing sexual immorality through lust, such a fellow should be corrected in love and warned to desist. Further appropriate spiritual sanctions can be applied if the fellow does not heed this warning. Are you in any way living in sexual immorality? Repent and ask the Lord Jesus Christ to save you!

Prayer Point:

Father, restrain me from becoming a stumbling block to my fellow believers in all that I do.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Leviticus 6-7
Jeremiah 6:22-7:7

THE WAYS GOD FIGHTS

And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.Mark 16:20

Read: Isaiah 54:16-17

16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.

17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

MESSAGE

Psalm 24:8-10 reveals our Heavenly father as the Lord of Hosts, who is mighty in battle. As a Man of war, there are some battles He may fight for you, while there are some others He may fight with you. He may also fight some battles through you. In Exodus 14:13-21, when the children of Israel were confronted with the Egyptians and the Red Sea, they thought their end had come, but Moses told them to be quiet, to wait and watch as the Lord would fight for them. Sure enough, God parted the Red Sea for them to go over, and He drowned all their enemies. The reason why some people are in defeat is because they are trying to fight the battles that only God can fight for them. You may want to ask this question: how do I identify such battles? May God open your eyes to know the battles meant for Him alone! I also pray for that God will not ignore the battles only He can fight on your behalf. The Lord will arise for you, as you give Him quality praise and worship, and He will drown your enemies.

In a battle against the Amorites in Joshua 10:9-14, while Joshua was busy fighting, God also was busy hurling stones upon his enemies. God and Joshua fought together and victory was won. This is an example of a battle where God fights with you. In this case, God may just be waiting for you to start the fight before He joins in. Consequently, if you wait for Him to start the battle, He may never do so. Take for instance the battle for the salvation of souls; God expects us to go and preach the good news of the gospel to sinners, and then He will back us up with signs and wonders (Hebrews 2:4). If you don’t go out to evangelise, you may never see the signs and wonders promised by God being manifested in your life.

Finally, there are battles God will fight through you. In such cases, God will be behind the scenes while He puts you forward. The enemy will then examine you to see how vulnerable you are. He will be attracted to attacking you because to him, you will appear to be an easy prey. However, when he attacks, God will quietly tell you what to do, and the enemy will be floored. In Mark 11:23-24, Jesus said you are the one to speak to mountain in faith, and God will move it into the sea. You are the one to condemn any tongue that rises against you while God frustrates every weapon designed against you (Isaiah 54:17). In all of these, are you correctly playing your part?

Prayer Point:

Father, teach my hands to war and my fingers to fight only the battles You want me to fight. Also, grant me the grace to engage the enemy the way You want it done.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 39-40 and Jeremiah 5:1-17

THE HEALING NAME.

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 : ACTS 3 : 1 - 9 :

1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.

4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

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

7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : LEVITICUS 1 - 3 AND JEREMIAH 5 : 18 - 6 : 5.

MESSAGE :

There are many great things the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ can do in our lives, one of which is healing. It is unfortunate that many believers today, like Gehazi of old, prefer financial and material gains to the power in the Name of Jesus. They trade the precious Name of Jesus Christ for the ephemeral things of life. It is also highly regrettable that this divinely exalted Name, which God the Father gave to His Son, is being despised by many today. Philippians 2 : 9 - 10 says this about that Name :

"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;"

Here's good news for you: every kind of sickness in this world is included among the things that bow at the mention of the Name of Jesus.

Today's Bible reading shows us one of the reasons why we need to give pre-eminence to the Name of Jesus Christ. Peter and John, two of the Lord's apostles, were entering the temple at the hour of prayer, and a lame man ( who was born lame ) looked up to them for alms. Although they had no money, but because they knew and cherished that Name, they used its healing power to give what money could not buy to this man. In Acts 3 : 6b, Peter said :

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

The result of this effective use of the Healing Name is that a lame man, who never walked all his life, began to walk and to leap! I therefore command every storm raging in your life to be still in Jesus' Name. Have doctors written off your case? I command that sickness to leave you alone right now in the mighty Name of Jesus Christ.

Beloved of God, I am introducing the Healing Name to you today, and that Name is Jesus. If you have not encountered the owner of that Name, may I introduce Him to you as the Saviour of the spirit, soul and body. Through His Name, He can deliver your ailing body from the grip of any terminal disease. All you need to do is to accept Him as your personal Lord and Saviour. Believe He can heal you, and He will surely heal you by His Name.

PRAYER POINT : Jesus the Healer, I believe in Your Healing Name; please have mercy on me and heal me today through Your Name.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEW COVENANT I

For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:20

Read: Matthew 5:21-24

5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of thejudgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

MESSAGE

The Lord Jesus Christ came to this world to manifest the nature and character of God to us. He also came to establish a new covenant between God and mankind through His blood (Luke 22:20). By establishing a new covenant, He did away with the old. Hebrews 8:7-8 says,
"For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:"

He showed us the character of this new covenant through the relationship He had with the Father while here on earth, and through the words that He spoke. For this reason, we need to pay close attention to the things He said, if we want to reap the full benefits of the new covenant in His Blood.

ln today's Bible reading, Jesus reveals some of the characteristics of the new covenant. He said that being angry with your brother without a genuine reason is tantamount to murder in the sight of God! For this reason, the Bible in Ephesians 4:26 says:
"Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:"

lt is even better not to be angry at all because being angry can degenerate into having murderous thoughts. We tend to say things that engender strife when we are angry. For this reason, the wisdom of God in Proverbs 15:1 admonishes us, saying:
"A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger."

Of course you know that most times, you don't speak soft words when you are angry.

Similarly, Jesus said if you call your brother a fool, you will be in danger of Hell Fire. There are many ways a man can call his brother a fool - not necessarily by the words of mouth alone. When you take a person for granted and take advantage of him or her, you are calling that person a fool. When you cleverly cheat on your spouse, you are calling him or her a fool. In light of these truths, if you have done anything synonymous to murder, you need to repent and make restitution. You may have angrily destroyed the career of a man who has mouths to feed. You have killed such a fellow, because he can no longer perform his obligations as a bread winner. If you are guilty of such, your salvation lies in repentance and restitution: seeking forgiveness from God and the wronged fellow. Whoever has ears, let him give heed to the message of Jesus Christ.

Action Point:

Father, keep me away from the spirit of anger, and grant me the grace not to use curse words on people.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

DIVINE ACCEPTANCE

Memorise : And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer, and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. - Isaiah 65:24

Read: Acts 10:30-44

10:30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,

10:31 And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.

10:32 Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee.

10:33 Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God

10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

10:36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all

10:37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;

10:38 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.

10:39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:

10:40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;

10:41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.

10:42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

MESSAGE :

“And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.”
Isaiah 65:24

The above scripture contains a very profound promise from God to His people. The Lord manifested His commitment to fulfilling this promise in today’s Bible reading. Acts 10:44 says,

“While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.”

Before Peter finished his sermon, he had not even made any altar call or said any prayer when God poured out His Spirit, and the fire fell on all those hearing his voice. The answer to Cornelius’ prayer came while Peter was still speaking, in consonance with the promise of God in Isaiah 65:24. Do you know that the devil still delays prayers? This is why it is very important for us to be baptized in the Holy Spirit; this helps to expedite answers to our prayers (Romans 8:26). When you pray with your understanding or in a language the devil understands, he can take steps to hinder the answer to that prayer. In Daniel 10:1-14, when Daniel decided to set himself apart to seek God’s face in fasting and prayer, God immediately dispatched an angel to bring him the answer to his request that very day.

However, the devil equally sent a principality to block the way of this angel for 21 days, until reinforcement was sent to help him. If you pray in the Spirit, the devil will be thrown into confusion, and he won’t know when the answer to prayer is coming; neither will he know the angel bringing it. In that way, the answer to your prayer is not hindered.

In addition to answering the prayer of Cornelius, God also accepted his offerings. There is nothing as painful as offering something to God and He refuses to accept it. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he was so devastated that he murdered his younger brother (Genesis 4:3-5). On the other hand, when Solomon's offering was accepted, he received a divine visitation (2 Chronicles 1:6-12).

Let me share what I normally do during offering time with you. When the minister says we should lift up our offering to God and pray, l asks God to send down His fire and take up the offering to Himself. So before I drop the offering in the basket, it is already gone. The cheque may be in the basket, but the actual offering has been taken by fire to Heaven. I pray that from today, God will accept all your offerings and sacrifices to Him!

PRAYER POINT :
Father, I offer myself as a living sacrifice to You. Accept me and release Your holy fire on me. Fulfil Your promise by expediting the answer to my prayers and cause my joy to be full.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Exodus 31-32;
Jeremiah 2:33-3:10

INFLUENCING CITIES

Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. Acts 8:5

Read: John 4:5-39

5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.

7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)

9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:

18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?

28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,

29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.

31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.

32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?

34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.

38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.

MESSAGE

Jesus is the greatest change agent that ever lived. A genuine encounter with Him always bring about positive change in the life of a person. Not only does this encounter bring about change, it also transform the changed individual into a change agent. In other words, after changing you, the Lord Jesus Christ can use you to change your city. In our Bible reading, we see a woman who had been
married and divorced five times, who was then living with a sixth man. At that point, she did not even bother with marriage. After she encountered Jesus, He changed the course of her life, and He used her to change her city. This is quite remarkable! How can you claim to have been born again for 10 years or more,
and you have not introduced any level of change into your town or village? No matter how tiny the light may be it will shine in the midst of darkness and overcome it. What impact have you made on your village, community, town or city? How many of your folks know you to be a Christian? A pastor died some time ago, and when his extended family members gathered to plan his burial, some of them thought of burying him the traditional way. His close relatives protested this and had to inform the other family members that he was a pastor. In your village, do people know you to be a born-again Christian? How many of them can say their lives have changed for the better since they encountered Jesus through you?

Moreover, if your encounter with Jesus is taken seriously, He can even use you to change your nation. Never underestimate the power of transformation that starts from just one fellow. Most of us are not pulling our weight spiritually in our nations. If you look at the Acts of the Apostles, you will find some change agents that God used to win whole cities and to turn around nations for Christ. Acts 13:43-44 says,
"Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God."

However, the extent to which God can use you will be determined by the degree of change you have allowed Him to perform in you. It will also depend on your mindset, love for God, level of alignment of God's desire with yours, and the level of sacrifice you are ready to make. While some people are only leading a few souls to Christ, some others are leading whole cities or nations to Him.
How impactful do you want to be?

Key Point:

Your heavenly rewards will be determined by you here on earth.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Exodus 33-34
Jeremiah 3:11-4:2

THE MIX

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: John 10:27

Read: Mathew 25:31-46

31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Unclad, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or Unclad, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: Unclad, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or Unclad, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

MESSAGE

"But go rather to the lost sheep of the house if Israel" Matthew 10:6

The Lord deliberately refers to His own as "sheep". He affectionately calls them "My sheep". From the above scripture, we can see that even when He is referring to sinners or those yet to be saved, he calls them "lost sheep". The Lord's parable in Luke 15:3-7 makes it clear that His sheep can get lost. It also illustrates that the shepherd goes looking for the lost sheep until they are found. This means it is possible for sheep to go astray, but when the shepherd goes searching for them, he finds them and brings them back to the fold. In John 21:15-17, in His post-resurrection appearance to Peter, Jesus repeatedly asked him to feed His sheep and His lambs. A lamb is a baby sheep. Jesus does not pastor goats but sheep. He never said feed my "goat." Never! This is why I tell my children not to call themselves "Pastor kids" because kids are offspring of goats and rams. God has no place for goats.

However, in our Bible reading today, you will observe that the sheep and goats got mixed up together. This is so because wherever the sheep gather, goats would subtly infiltrate their fold (Mathew 13:24-30). This is why some people are heading for Heaven while some others are heading for Hell in the Church. The final separation will take place on the last day. God allows the goat to coexist with sheep, but on the last day, He will separate them: the sheep will be on the right, while the goats will be on the left. He will address them separately and send them to their separate eternal destinations. This is very serious!

Furthermore, this co-existence of sheep and goats gives room for pretence. That means the fellow sitting next to you might be a goat pretending to be a sheep. You also might be a goat pretending to be a sheep. This calls for self examination. Jesus gave the criteria for discerning a goat from a sheep in John 10:27 He said

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:"

Do you pass the test of hearing His voice and following in His footsteps? Does He know you? I was telling one of my sons recently how my father in the Lord used to ask me to pray for patience. In those days, when I saw someone not fully complying with what we were taught, I would go to Papa, compelling him to do something about it. He would just ask me to pray for more patience. Today, I understand better. God allows goats and sheep to co-exist. Are you goat or a sheep?

Action Point:

Use the Criteria set by Jesus in John 10:27 to judge yourself on whether you are His sheep. If You have strayed from the fold, return to His loving arms and surrender your life to Him.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 35-36 and Jeremiah 4:3-18

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

SEASON OF DOMINION

He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. - Psalms 72:8

Read : Psalms 72:4-9

72:4 He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.

72:5 They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.

72:6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.

72:7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.

72:8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.

72:9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.

MESSAGE :

Beyond fruitfulness, part of the first mandate of God to mankind is to subdue and have dominion over all creatures He has made. Genesis 1:28 says,

"And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."

To dominate is to be in charge or to take control. If God did not want you take charge, He would not have mandated you to dominate. By the time God stepped into the appalling slavery situation of the Isrealites, Pharaoh, who was once in control, became the one begging for help (Exodus 12:30-32). He even asked Moses to pray for him. In that situation where you have been the underdog, God is turning things around and putting you in charge in Jesus' Name. It is now time for you to suppress your oppressors and tormentors, and to subdue under your feet those who had earlier taken you captive. I command the tables to turn for your good today in Jesus' Name!

Meanwhile, it is good to know that since God has once turned around the situation of the oppressed, He can do it again. Even if nobody has ever had dominion before in your Family, it will start with you. Fear not! In Joshua 10:12-14, while fighting the Amorites, the sun was about to set when Joshua interrupted it.

The problem is that most of us run from the enemy rather than confront him. David did not run from lion, the bear or even Goliath. Rather, he confronted and fought against them all. In January of a particular year, I went to preach in Denver, Colorado. At that time it was very cold, and I don't like it cold. Maybe that is partly why God made me a Nigerian. I prefer the Nigerian weather. On receiving the invitation, I asked my Daddy if I should go, and He said yes. I asked Him, " What are we going to do about the cold?" God then assured me that He would go with me. From the first day I arrived until the day I left, people were wearing T-Shirts because summer replaced winter. To know that this was not just a coincidence, within two hours after my plane took off at 5pm, more than 10cm of snow fell. You too can tap into God's mandate to dominate situations and circumstances around you from today.

You will dominate sin, your passions, your body and your finances from today in Jesus' Name.

PRAYER POINTS :
Father, because it is my season of dominion, please arise and subdue all contrary forces working against me.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Exodus 37-38;
Jeremiah 4:19-31

HYMN 4: THROUGH THE LOVE OF GOD OUR SAVIOUR

1. Through the love of God our Saviour,
All will be well.
Free and changeless is His favour,
All, all is well.
Precious is the blood that healed us,
Perfect is the grace that sealed us,
Strong the hand stretched forth to shield us,
All must be well.

2. Though we pass through tribulation,
All will be well.
Ours is such a full salvation,
All, all is well.
Happy still in God confiding,
Fruitful if in Christ abiding,
Holy, through the Spirit's guiding,
All must be well.

3. We expect a bright tomorrow,
All will be well.
Faith can sing through days of sorrow,
All, all is well.
On our Father's love relying,
Jesus every need supplying,
In living, in our dying,
All must be well.