THEME: UNGRATEFUL?
Memorise:
It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: Psalms 92:1
Read: 1 Samuel 25:4-17
4 And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.
5 And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name:
6 And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.
7 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel.
8 Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.
9 And when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased.
10 And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.
11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?
12 So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings.
13 And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.
14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them.
15 But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields:
16 They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.
MESSAGE:
God plays a prominent role in every successful endeavour (Lamentations 3:37). No human effort would suffice if God is not involved (Psalm 127:1). This is why you need to be grateful to God for every achievement you experience. Nabal, his household and everyone around him lived in prosperity. In spite of all the battles raging around them, Nabal's workers were all secure and his goods intact. He enjoyed safety and prosperity because the men of David’s hand shielded him and all he had from attacks. At a crucial point, David and his men needed his help in providing food for their sustenance, but he denied them this. He disdained David and his men because he saw them as misfits and fugitives who did not deserve his generosity. Many children of God also feel this way when they are asked to give. Some people disdain God each time they are asked to give offerings to Him. They wonder why they have to give 10% of their profit or income to God. They see this as irrational. Yes, irrational minds cannot see the faithfulness of God. We should be grateful to God, and our gratitude should be expressed through our actions to Him and to our fellow men. Every time we bless others with our possessions out of a sincere heart, we are saying to God that we are grateful He made us a channel of blessing.
You can move God to do more for you through the heart of gratitude. Those who show gratitude to God achieve significant things in life. Solomon showed his gratitude to God through his offerings (1 Kings 3:3-15). He remembered and reflected on all the intrigues and battles that led to his emergence as king, and he was moved to give thanks. Also, King David was so grateful to God that he expressed it in his dance, to the point where he was disdained (2 Samuel 6:16). He forgot he was a king, because he was demonstrating his gratitude to the King of kings. For those with a heart of gratitude to God, when things are working, they praise God, and when things are not going in the direction they envisaged, they still praise God, knowing well that the faithfulness of God will never allow them to suffer loss. Are you surrounded by enemies you can’t number? Don’t be troubled. Trust in the Lord, and you will see His salvation. Are you going through situations that you can’t see yourself overcoming? Put your trust in God, and you will have total victory. Just take the step of faith and begin to bless the Name of the Lord. Even if a sack letter from your job was handed over to you yesterday, just begin to bless the Lord because something awesome is about to happen to you, and the world will hear your testimony.
Action Point:
With a heart of gratitude to God, count your blessings and name them one by one.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Genesis 19-20 and Isaiah 44:21-45:13
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 17: COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS
1. When upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings; name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.
(Chorus)
Count your blessings;
Name them one by one.
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
2. Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings; ev'ry doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.
[Chorus]
3. When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you his wealth untold.
Count your many blessings; money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven nor your home on high.
[Chorus]
4. So amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged; God is over all.
Count your many blessings; angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.
[Chorus]
Friday, 24 February 2017
Thursday, 23 February 2017
MY REDEEMER LIVES
Memorise:
Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. John 14:19
Read: Mark 16:1-6
16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
16:2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
16:3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
16:4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
16:5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
16:6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
MESSAGE:
Every time I ponder on the glory awaiting all those who make it to Heaven, I feel so excited. It is so magnificent that the ordinary human heart cannot fathom it. If you will partake of this glory, you must not be discouraged in your walk of faith with God. You must have the assurance in your heart that the Lord Jesus Christ, who is your Redeemer, is alive, and because He is alive, your faith is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:14 & 20). There are some who are at the point of giving up their faith. They are no longer excited about their confession of faith in Jesus Christ. Some are fainting in their spirit, and their level of commitment has waned. If you are in such situation, the Holy Spirit in Hebrew 10:38-39 says this to you:
"Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul."
The purpose of discouragement is to make you backslide. It is aimed at stopping the good things you started. Some of the activities of the Pharisees were aimed at discouraging the followers of Jesus, but their plots failed. Although they had Him crucified, some of His followers still followed Him to the very end. How amazing it was for them when they realised that Jesus had risen from the dead! The place where they laid His body was empty, and it remains so till today! I prophecy into your life that the very spot where the enemy hoped you will remain shall become empty!
I declare to you that there is power in the resurrection of Jesus. Every arrow of discouragement shot at you to make you faint shall instead birth a spirit of boldness in you in Jesus’ Name. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. You need to have faith in Jesus, the Redeemer of mankind. He lives forever more and no situation is beyond Him. Every delay you have experienced is just to make your testimony more glorious. You need to persist in the place of prayer. As long as you are still awaiting your testimony, don’t stop confessing the promises of God. Take practical steps to actualise God’s plan and purpose for your life. The women kept going to the tomb because there was an assurance in their spirit that their efforts would not be wasted. May be you have tried all you can, and yet there remains a Goliath in your life. Because your Redeemer lives, that problem will not overcome you. Because your Redeemer lives, that sickness will come to an end. Problems respond to either the call of faith or doubt. Make sure all your challenges hear the call of faith from you saying: "because He lives, I can face tomorrow; my tomorrow shall be alright whether the devil likes it or not." It shall be so in Jesus’ Name.
Action Point:
Make this confession of faith: Lord Jesus, become You live, I shall also live and not die.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Genesis 12-15
Isaiah 43:16-44:8
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
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 our living, in our dying,
all must be well.
Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. John 14:19
Read: Mark 16:1-6
16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
16:2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
16:3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
16:4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
16:5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
16:6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
MESSAGE:
Every time I ponder on the glory awaiting all those who make it to Heaven, I feel so excited. It is so magnificent that the ordinary human heart cannot fathom it. If you will partake of this glory, you must not be discouraged in your walk of faith with God. You must have the assurance in your heart that the Lord Jesus Christ, who is your Redeemer, is alive, and because He is alive, your faith is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:14 & 20). There are some who are at the point of giving up their faith. They are no longer excited about their confession of faith in Jesus Christ. Some are fainting in their spirit, and their level of commitment has waned. If you are in such situation, the Holy Spirit in Hebrew 10:38-39 says this to you:
"Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul."
The purpose of discouragement is to make you backslide. It is aimed at stopping the good things you started. Some of the activities of the Pharisees were aimed at discouraging the followers of Jesus, but their plots failed. Although they had Him crucified, some of His followers still followed Him to the very end. How amazing it was for them when they realised that Jesus had risen from the dead! The place where they laid His body was empty, and it remains so till today! I prophecy into your life that the very spot where the enemy hoped you will remain shall become empty!
I declare to you that there is power in the resurrection of Jesus. Every arrow of discouragement shot at you to make you faint shall instead birth a spirit of boldness in you in Jesus’ Name. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. You need to have faith in Jesus, the Redeemer of mankind. He lives forever more and no situation is beyond Him. Every delay you have experienced is just to make your testimony more glorious. You need to persist in the place of prayer. As long as you are still awaiting your testimony, don’t stop confessing the promises of God. Take practical steps to actualise God’s plan and purpose for your life. The women kept going to the tomb because there was an assurance in their spirit that their efforts would not be wasted. May be you have tried all you can, and yet there remains a Goliath in your life. Because your Redeemer lives, that problem will not overcome you. Because your Redeemer lives, that sickness will come to an end. Problems respond to either the call of faith or doubt. Make sure all your challenges hear the call of faith from you saying: "because He lives, I can face tomorrow; my tomorrow shall be alright whether the devil likes it or not." It shall be so in Jesus’ Name.
Action Point:
Make this confession of faith: Lord Jesus, become You live, I shall also live and not die.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Genesis 12-15
Isaiah 43:16-44:8
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
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 our living, in our dying,
all must be well.
Friday, 17 February 2017
WHEN GOD RETURNS TO ZION
Zion!Zion!!Zion!!! The city of our God, Zion the city of the most High God,situated at the centre of Jerusalem the city of the great king. The city where the lord, great is our lord God, the host of Israel and greatly to be praised because He has returned to Zion, the remnant of Israel let's rejoice; Those that bears the vessels of our God,let's come back to Zion, those that are on exile: exile of sickness, academic failure, financial deterioration,marital sluggishness e.t.c Let us come back to Zion, for the Lord has returned to Zion, come and let us return unto the Lord for He hath torn, and He will heal us, He hath smitten, and he will bind us up there that went down into Egypt, those that stepped down to Babylon (the sinful word), let's come up hither, let's come back to Zion for God of Zion the covenant keeping God has returned to Zion with his everlasting covenant of mercy of heal the broken hearted to heal the wound of the daughter of Zion to make her integrity. That she might receive beauty for ashes.
Loose thyself oh ye daughter of Zion, shake off the chain of captivity from your wrist shake off the dust from your body. Arise and let us go back to our God in Zion for He had returned.
Jehovah jireh has returned to Zion; there will be enough bread, plenty of oil and abundant of harvested corn in Zion.
Jehovah Nissi has return to Zion, there is surely balm in Gilead, the greatest physician has arrived to Zion, no more death, neither sickness nor distress, and oh there is sound health in Zion.
"We have heard with our ears, o God,our father have told us what work you did in their days in time of old" and you will do greater in Zion in our days and generation afterward.
Come out of Egypt, troop out of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant "(jer.51:2a), But upon mount Zion, the house of Zion shall possess her possession. For Zion's sake will not hold my peace. Until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness.... "The Lord hath brought forth our righteousness, come and let as declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God"(Jer.51:10), let us rejoice because this saith the lord, I am returned unto Zion, and I will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem" zech.8:3. Rejoice greatly oh daughter of Zion....... Zech 9 :9
Let us come back to Zion and dwell with our God. God of Jacob, to proclaim the acceptable year of our God. For the lord has returned!
Life above the sun
Life Above The Sun
Feb 17, 2017
When you are not enjoying abundant life,
you will feel as if life is full of toil. In
your heart, life is meaningless and
empty. You feel like someone “grasping
for the wind”. (Ecclesiastes 2:11)
It seems as if nothing you do adds up to
much. The Bible calls this life “under the
sun”. (Ecclesiastes 2:11) Someone who
lives life under the sun may or may not
know God, but God is either forgotten or
not the center of things in his life. His
thoughts are earthly and he does things
to gratify his flesh. In the end, he finds
life depressing and unfulfilled. Life under
the sun is full of despair.
But this is not so with someone who lives life
above the sun with God. For life with Him is filled
with joy and pleasures at His right hand. (Psalm
16:11) Life is abundantly full and good just as
Jesus promised—“I have come that they may have
life, and that they may have it more abundantly”.
When you live life above the sun, your thoughts are
heavenward and you become Christ-occupied. You
live for Him because you know that all things were
created through Him and for Him. (Colossians
1:16) When you live for His glory, your life takes on
a new meaning and purpose.
God’s Word says, “And He is before all things, and
in Him all things consist.” (Colossians 1:17) The
Greek word for “consist” means “held together”. In
Christ, all things are held together. And that is why
when Christ is the central figure in your life, you will
have it all together. Your mind will be held together.
Your hopes and dreams will be held together. Your
family will be held together by the cords of His
love.
Your life will not be empty, but full of God’s
goodness because “Christ in you, [is] the hope of
glory”. (Colossians 1:27) It is a wonderful life—this
life lived above the sun. And you will have an even
more wonderful life to come in heaven!
Thursday, 16 February 2017
*THE DISPENSATION OF GRACE
*THE DISPENSATION OF GRACE (God’s Open Test For The World)*
Since the first coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, when he shed His blood for the whole word, God is no more angry with humans, nor unleashing His wrath upon the world as before. Why? He is not looking at the world directly any longer. He is now looking at the world through the blood of Jesus, who died for the whole world.
By nature, our God is holy and a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29) and He is of purer eyes that He would never behold evil, and cannot look on iniquity (Habakkuk 1:13a).
Also, when anything or person connected to sin comes close to Him (God) without any intermediate propitiation, fire spontaneously proceeds from Him to consume such.
This is the reason why the Israelites suffered so much devastation and many other nations were destroyed in the Old Testament but now the story has changed. There is no more unprotected, direct contact of humans with God again, but through the blood of Jesus and the person of Jesus. This is also the reason why it seems as if God's fear is fading, because there seems to be no more instant judgment for every evil committed per se. The only people that seem to receive an almost instant judgement now are those that get to the extreme in things they do as clearly stated in Ecclesiastes 7:17,
*"Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?"*
Nevertheless, I tell you, now is the time to fear God the more. Though it's as if God has gone impotent, and looks like He is not even concerned about happenings around the world (especially in churches), yet this God is still in control. Our God is still very much active and concerned about every thing. He is only waiting for the set time in His agenda (Acts 17:30-31). It is only at the last day the world will witness the wrath and the consuming fire of God of the Bible again.
Hebrews 12:28-29
28
KJV:Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
29
KJV:For our God is a consuming fire.
For now, it is an open-test season for all and sundry, when whosoever does whatsoever they like, even in Church and it will appear as if there is no God. But He has given us His Word in the Bible and it is with this Word He shall judge everyone at the last day. (John 12:46-50)
*So brethren, be encouraged to respect and fear God, even if others do not. For if we dread our teachers' or lecturers' open test, where every one has an absolute freedom to do just anything in the exam hall, how much more should God's open test be feared and carefully approached!*
Matthew 24:11-13 says,
"And many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many . And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."
This I say and declare today and always. My love for God shall not wax cold. What about you?
Since the first coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, when he shed His blood for the whole word, God is no more angry with humans, nor unleashing His wrath upon the world as before. Why? He is not looking at the world directly any longer. He is now looking at the world through the blood of Jesus, who died for the whole world.
By nature, our God is holy and a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29) and He is of purer eyes that He would never behold evil, and cannot look on iniquity (Habakkuk 1:13a).
Also, when anything or person connected to sin comes close to Him (God) without any intermediate propitiation, fire spontaneously proceeds from Him to consume such.
This is the reason why the Israelites suffered so much devastation and many other nations were destroyed in the Old Testament but now the story has changed. There is no more unprotected, direct contact of humans with God again, but through the blood of Jesus and the person of Jesus. This is also the reason why it seems as if God's fear is fading, because there seems to be no more instant judgment for every evil committed per se. The only people that seem to receive an almost instant judgement now are those that get to the extreme in things they do as clearly stated in Ecclesiastes 7:17,
*"Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?"*
Nevertheless, I tell you, now is the time to fear God the more. Though it's as if God has gone impotent, and looks like He is not even concerned about happenings around the world (especially in churches), yet this God is still in control. Our God is still very much active and concerned about every thing. He is only waiting for the set time in His agenda (Acts 17:30-31). It is only at the last day the world will witness the wrath and the consuming fire of God of the Bible again.
Hebrews 12:28-29
28
KJV:Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
29
KJV:For our God is a consuming fire.
For now, it is an open-test season for all and sundry, when whosoever does whatsoever they like, even in Church and it will appear as if there is no God. But He has given us His Word in the Bible and it is with this Word He shall judge everyone at the last day. (John 12:46-50)
*So brethren, be encouraged to respect and fear God, even if others do not. For if we dread our teachers' or lecturers' open test, where every one has an absolute freedom to do just anything in the exam hall, how much more should God's open test be feared and carefully approached!*
Matthew 24:11-13 says,
"And many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many . And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."
This I say and declare today and always. My love for God shall not wax cold. What about you?
THE PREROGATIVE OF MERCY
TOPIC: THE PREROGATIVE OF MERCY
Constitutionally, every State Governor and the President have the power to pardon a convict. That power to pardon a convict is called the prerogative of mercy. If you follow current affairs, you will remember the pardon the former President Goodluck Jonathan granted to the now Late Alamiyesigha, the former Governor of Bayelsa State. Almiyesigha was a convict, but when Goodluck became the president, perhaps to appreciate Alamiyesigha for choosing him as the Deputy Governor then, Goodluck pardoned Alamiyesigha. And the implication was that all the guilt and conviction were quashed and Alamiyesigha became legally clean as if he never committed any crime.
In our text, we see that we are “…… justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (v. 24). The meaning is that by God's law and standard of righteousness, we have been 'tried' and found guilty; but by His prerogative of mercy, He has pardoned us and counted us worthy of His mercy. This, we can get by grace through faith when we penitently seek His pardon; and when we get it, we preserve it by humility because it was grace that brought in God's prerogative of mercy.
PRAYER: Lord, exercise Your prerogative of mercy over my life, and give me the grace to maintain Your pardon through humility and consistent walk with You.
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