MEMORY VERSE: A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. Proverbs 15:1

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 John 4-5

As I mentioned in part one of these series, how you handle situations matter. One thing I ask God for, from time to time, is wisdom. Wisdom will teach you how to handle a conflict situation. Wisdom will tell you that you don’t have to shout to resolve that issue. Proverbs 15:1 says: “a soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” The fact that you are right and the other person is wrong is not a license to be rude or intimidating. The fact that you had a terrible day at work is not a license to shout at everyone that come your way. Be nice to people you meet. Be nice to that bus driver, that gate man, your secretary, that customer adviser, that cashier, that policeman, etc. A man, in a high-powered Mercedes sports car, was stopped by the police sometimes back. It was a random check; the police officers just wanted to check his insurance details and all that. Instead of being polite, he started giving the police officers attitude and they decided to teach him a lesson. A check that should have lasted for three minutes took for over ten minutes. They did everything to waste his precious time; there was no way he won’t be late if he had an appointment. If you try to make people feel small, they will respond by making you feel worthless. The police officers had nothing to lose but he had a lot to lose because he was standing doing nothing whilst the police officer wasted his precious time.

Learn to resolve issues in a non-violent way. Kohath, Abiram, Dathan and co felt the sharing of tasks in the house of God needs to be reviewed; they wanted more assignments (Numbers 16). Instead of meeting with Moses and Aaron to ask for more tasks, they rebelled. Verse 3 says: “And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?” That rebellion led to their death (Numbers 17). Whenever a man handles a matter wrongly, the matter will be blown out of proportion and at times, they may even lose out. A brother was owed 3000 pounds. The borrower had been promising to pay for a while but for one reason or the other, he could not keep to his word. One day, he gave his lender 500 pounds and promised to pay 2,500 pounds later. Instead of accepting the 500 pounds first and then get angry later, the lender got angry first - he refused the 500 pounds. Somehow, I heard about it and I advised the lender to take the 500 pounds because a bird in the hand is worth 10 in the bush. Grudgingly, he took the 500 pounds. Do you know the borrower has not paid the balance of 2,500 pounds till date and this happened five years ago? Thank God the borrower accepted the 500 pounds. Had the lender not accepted that 500 pounds that day, he would not have received a dime out of the money. In your anger, be wise. If someone owes you money and brings part of the money to you, please accept whatever he brings first before getting angry because that could be all that you will get.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please fill me with the spirit of wisdom.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

BUT GRIEVOUS WORDS .... PT1

MEMORY VERSE: A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. Proverbs 15:1
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Revelations 1-6
One thing you cannot avoid in your relationships with people, from time to time, is little misunderstandings. It is either what you said was misunderstood or you misunderstood what someone said. It is either someone misinterpreted your action or words, or you misinterpreted what someone did or said. These usually happen especially when chatting with people through text or WhatsApp or BBM. One of the reasons why these misunderstandings occur is because we see life differently, we have different passions, we have different priorities, we have different perspectives to things. Always have this at the back of your mind; you don’t know what the other person is going through. Even if you know what they are going through, you don’t know the pain they are in. A brother told a sister that her friend was rude to him - he greeted her several times and she didn’t respond. The sister then asked him, where were you standing when you greeted her? “To her left”, he said. The sister smiled and told him that her friend was deaf in the left ear. When a misunderstanding occurs, ask God for wisdom. Some misunderstandings are arrows from hell to destroy relationships that God wants to use to bless you.
As such, how you handle a matter/situation/misunderstanding matters. Why? How you handle it will determine whether it will be resolved or not. According to Proverbs 22:10, the moment you cast out the scorner contention will end. If you don’t handle that matter well, it may get out of hands. A couple once divorced over a milk tin-can. The husband punched a can of milk in a way the wife didn't like. The wife said something out of anger and the husband responded. The next thing was, "are you talking to me like that?"- "Yes, and so what..." Before they knew it the marriage was over. In some instances, little misunderstandings have resulted into a full blown war. This was the exact thing that happened in Northern Ireland some thirty years ago. The war between the Catholics and Pentecostal in Ireland could have been prevented had the police officers who were called to the scene handled it with godly wisdom. That little misunderstanding led to a thirty-year war. Part of handling a matter with godly wisdom is watching how you react to things. Several years back, some police officers went to arrest a young man at home. The young man felt he was innocent so he refused to go with the police officers to the station. Since he was refusing arrest, the police men decided to use force. A neighbour who saw what was happening and called the boy’s senior brother. He told him that the police were trying to arrest his brother without a cause. The senior brother grabbed a big stick and ran to the scene. The police officers saw him approaching with a big stick and opened fired and killed him. The case went to court and the police officer who fired the bullet said he fired the bullet in self-defense; he was discharged and acquitted. Later the boy was released. If the senior brother had done things differently he would still be alive.
NOTE: Don’t fight violence with violence.
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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

ASK, AND YE SHALL RECEIVE

Memory Verse: Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. John 16:24
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Songs of Solomon 1-2
Jesus, in John 16:24, said: “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” When it comes to asking and receiving, there are certain things we have to consider. For instance, receiving is dependent on who you ask. Man is very limited but God is not.Psalm 108:12 says: “give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.” According to Jeremiah 17:5, anyone who puts his trust in man and makes human flesh his strength is doomed. Thank God there is a God who can do all things. According to Luke 1:37, with God nothing shall be impossible. Receiving is dependent on how you ask. Jesus whilst teaching His disciples how to pray taught them to start with praise and thanksgiving (Matthew 6:5-13). Verse 9 says: “in this manner, therefore pray: Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name”. One of the synonyms for the word 'hallow' is praise. The first thing that mad man of Gadara did when he got to Jesus was he worshiped Him (Mark 5:1-19). Verse 6 says: “when he saw Jesus from far, he ran and worshiped Him”. Worshiping is one of the keys to receiving from God. Also, receiving is dependent on the time of asking. If you ask at the wrong time, you may not receive anything. Isaiah 55:6 says: “seek ye the Lord whilst He may be found, call ye upon him while he is near”. Proverbs 8:17 says: “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me”.

There are several reasons why people don’t like to ask. For instance, people don't like to ask questions to hide their ignorance. It is better to ask a stupid question than to make a stupid mistake. Many of the challenges people are facing today could have been avoided if only they asked questions or sought counseling. Proverbs 15:22 says: “without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counselors they are established.” Another reason why many don’t ask is because they don’t want to disturb people. Some even feel by asking God for a thing over and over again they are disturbing God. The bible says ask until your joy is full. Some believe since God knows what they want there is no point asking Him again. God knows what you want but He still expects you to ask Him for it. Matthew 7:7 says: “ask, and it will be given to you....” Some of us expect people to know what we want and give them to us. Friend, people cannot read your mind. Besides, they have a lot of things going on in their mind so it is better you ask. One major reason why people don’t ask for help especially from their friends is because they don’t want people to take glory over their lives. What is most important thing to me is i get the help i need. Whether you take glory or not is not an issue to me; help is all i need. After rendering the help you can tell the whole world you helped bro Samuel no problem. At one point or the other in your life, someone will have to take glory for something they did for you anyway.

NOTE: Before asking, start by thanking God for all He has done for you in the times past. Don’t just go to Him and say I want this; I want that. Start by worshiping Him.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

TRUE OR LIES?

MEMORY VERSE: It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:5

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 140-142

READ: 1 Kings 22

As a Christian, honesty is non-negotiable. You cannot be a follower of Christ and be a liar. No. No. No. I heard that some ladies lie about their age and all that. If you want to make heaven then you must desist from telling lies. Firstly, anyone who tells lies, as far as God is concerned, is a child of the devil. John 8:44 says: “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” And as such, no child of the devil will be allowed in heaven. Revelations 31:8 says: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” You must be honest to people and most importantly, to yourself. Asides from saying the truth, you must also love to hear the truth. Many are very good at telling the truth but they are not good at hearing the truth. It is true that the truth may hurt at times. It may even cause you to reflect on your own life; however, it is better than lies. Ecclesiastes 7:5 says: "It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools."

If you are going to reach the top in your career; if you are going to fulfil destiny and finish your race on this earth well; if you are going to make heaven (most importantly), you must surround yourself with people who will tell you the truth. When you go through the scriptures, you will find that majority of the great generals in the Bible surrounded themselves with men who told them the truth. Take David for instance, he had Joab around him. When he wanted to count the people of Israel Joab told him no. How about Naaman, he had servants who told him the truth in the most polite manner. When Elisha told him to dip in River Jordan, and he began to rant all over the place, the servant said to him, "my father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? How much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? (2 Kings 5:13).” Had that man kept quiet, Naaman would have died a leper. You need to surround yourselves with people will tell you the truth at all times and you must also listen to them.You may lose out on something great if you don't.

A man who surrounded himself with liars - because he hated the truth - was King Ahab. When he wanted to go to war against Ramoth Gilead, he deliberately sent for prophets who would tell him what he wanted to hear - leaving out Micaiah. They came and began to say thus saith the Lord of host. Friend, not all "thus saith the Lord of Host" is really "thus saith the Lord of Host". Some are just thus saith my flesh. Thank God for Jehoshaphat; he asked for a real prophet. The moment Micaiah's name was mentioned, Ahab’s response was “he never prophesies anything good about me”. Ahab didn't argue with the fact that he was a honest man; he just didn't like him because he never says what he wanted to hear. If you are the type who always like people to tell you what you want to hear, then be prepared to hear  a lot of lies. Also, if you are the type who always love people to tell you what you want to hear not the truth, you will end up in a place where you don't want to be.

NOTE: The truth is always bitter at first but sweet at last whilst lies are always sweet at first but bitter at the end.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

IN SEARCH OF WORMS

 MEMORY VERSE: Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff. Isaiah 41:14-15

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ecclesiastes 7-8

READ: Isaiah 41:13-16

The Most-High God is always in search of worms - weakest of the weak – to showcase what He can do. No wonder, Hannah in her praise said: "He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, and he hath set the world upon them (1 Samuel 2:8).” The Most-High God is not interested in the likes of Absalom. Absalom is an epitome of a complete man. 2 Samuel 14:25 says, “But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.” As such, he was full of himself. The good Lord prefers the likes of Solomon. The circumstance surrounding Solomon’s birth was not something to be proud of. He was a product of adultery – David, his father, killed an innocent man and took his wife. To make matters worse, he was so foolish that he, himself, acknowledge that he was foolish (1 Kings 3:1-9). God picked that worm, that mentally weak boy, and made him the wisest man that ever lived after Jesus Christ. That weak worm spoke 3000 proverbs in his lifetime (1 Kings 4:32).

Your low IQ is not a hindrance to God. The fact that you don’t have a degree is not a hindrance to God. Your small stature is neither a hindrance nor your humble beginnings. Actually, the good Lord is interested in people like you with a dodgy past. Jesus made it abundantly clear, whilst He was on the earth, that He came for the weak. Mark 2:17 says, “When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” He came for those struggling with sin. He came for those who the world has written off. Sometimes back, a brother from India shared his conversion story with us. (Thanks to those who have shared their conversion story with us; we are expecting yours. We will be sharing them. Don’t underestimate the power of testimonies.) This brother went into a forest - as he usually does whenever he wants to smoke marijuana - to smoke. As he smoked, the thought of Jesus, the Man everyone had been preaching to him about , came to his mind. The next thing was he felt a powerful presence around him. Before he knew what was happening, he was on the ground, weeping and asking Jesus to come into his heart. Jesus travelled into that forest to give him an encounter that changed his life forever.

What makes you a good candidate for Jesus to use is your weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9 says: “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” What has been hindering the Lord from using many of us, despite our cry to Him to use us for His glory in this generation, is our strength. We are too strong for Him. We know too much. We are too independent. We rely on our tiny brains too much. For many of us, it is our razor-sharp minds. We are too advanced for Him. We are always trying to reason everything out. The Most-High is after worms – weakest of the weak- to turn them into sharp threshing instruments having teeth. Isaiah 41:14-15 says, “Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.”

PRAYER POINT: Father, i surrender to you (raising up my hands), please use me for your glory.

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A GOOD SOLDIER?

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

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Nehemiah 5-9

One of the names of our Lord Jesus Christ is Lord of hosts (Revelations 19:11-20). The word "host" is a translation of the Hebrew word "sabaoth meaning “armies” – a reference to the angelic armies of heaven. Lord of hosts simply means the Commander in Chief of all the hosts in heaven. The moment a man gives his life to Christ, he is enlisted in the Lord’s army. As a believer, you are part of the Lord’s armies here on earth and you are already in a war. Ephesians 6:12 says: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” As a Christian, soldier of Jesus Christ, certain things are expected of you. Firstly, you must be loyal to your master Jesus Christ. Hebrews 10:38 says: “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” Secondly, you must be ready at all times or be instant in season. 2 Timothy 4:2 says: “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” You must be prepared at all times to be called upon by our Lord to lead a soul out of the camp of the enemy into His camp. Also, you must be dressed for battle at all times. Ephesians 6:13-16 says: “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”

Thirdly and very importantly, endure hardness. 2 Timothy 2:3 says: “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” Hardness simply means hardship or suffering. One or two things are implied in the phrase “endure hardness”. One of it is, expect hardship. This is non-negotiable for any believer. Isaiah 43:2 says: “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” The bible says “when thou passest through the waters” not “if thou passest through the waters”. Jesus Christ, Lord of hosts, said in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” I was sharing with a brother, sometimes back, a time where things were so bad that I had nothing to eat. The Lord was merciful to me and someone gave me a bag of rice and oil. For a whole month, all I ate was plain rice – no salt, no stew, no meat or fish. Thank God things have changed now. I have a good news for you, Jesus will never leave you in the time of hardship. According to Isaiah 43:2, when you pass through waters (challenges), God is with you. Lastly, you are expected to be a good soldier. The question is what type of soldier are you? Are you a soldier who denies Christ when the going gets though? As a soldier what is your priority – the Master’s business or your business? Are you using your weapons to fight for the Lord or fight against the Lord? Are you always prepared?

NOTE: 2 Timothy 3:1 says: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” These are perilous (risky) times and as such, you have to have your armour on at all times.

PRAYER POINT: Father, in this perilous time please keep me safe.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

STIRRING UP THE GIFT OF GOD

MEMORY VERSE: Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.2 Timothy 1:6

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 23-25

Paul, in his second epistle to his son-in-the-Lord, Timothy, said, “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.” There are several lessons we can learn from this verse. Firstly, the gifts of God can be transferred through the laying of hands. Acts 8:17 says: “Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.” Acts 19:6 says: “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.” The laying of hands involves the senior laying hands on the junior or someone higher in the spirit laying hands on his son-in-the-Lord or daughter-in-the-Lord or younger in the Lord. For instance, a senior pastor can lay hands on a worker or a junior pastor. However, there is a caveat associated with this. Just as one can transfer the gift of God through the laying of hands, one can also transfer evil spirits through the laying of hands. Just as laying-of-hands can change your life drastically for good; if the wrong person or an evil person lays hands on you, it may turn your life upside down. Not only that, just as something good can be taken out of your life through the laying of hands, something good can also be removed from your life through the laying of hands. Make sure you know who is laying hands on your head or your children’s head. The reason is that they will transfer whatever spirit inside them into you or your child.

Secondly, the gift of God, in you, needs to be stirred up if you want to realise its full potential. 2 Timothy 1:6 says: “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God ...” To stir up something simply means to fan something. If there is a need to stir / fan the gift of God, it automatically means that the gift of God can lie dormant in a man. It means one’s fire can grow dim due to certain reasons. It means the potency of the gift of God lies in its stirring up. For the gift of God to grow, it has to be fanned or stirred up. Thirdly, it is your responsibility to stir up the gift of God inside you. Each of us started with the same level of faith at salvation or we all received a measure of faith. The question is this, how come some have the faith to move mountains and others don’t? This brings us to the question: how can I stir up the gift of God in my life? Firstly, by reading – reading the Bible, reading books written by anointed men and women of God. The moment I gave my life, i began to yearn to hear the audible voice of God. I prayed and prayed and prayed until I heard a man of God talk about reading the bible and hearing the voice of God; that message changed my life. One way to stir up the gift of God in your life is by studying your Bible. One of the major reasons why we are seeing less and less of the demonstration of God in our midst is because most of us don’t read our Bibles. There is a blessing attached to bible studies. Revelations 1:3 says: “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.” As you feed your spirit with the word of God, your faith automatically grows. By reading books written by anointing men of God, you understand how some gifts of the Holy Spirit operate in a man’s life. Reading books written by anointed men of God will help your spiritual growth but it should not replace your Bible. You can stir up the gift of God by regular prayers. Lastly, you can stir up the gift of God through frequent exercise of them.

ACTION: Draw out a Bible reading plan and follow it. Also, seek for opportunities to exercise your spiritual gift.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

EVEN THE LAWFUL CAPTIVE SHALL BE DELIVERED

MEMORY VERSE: Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children. Isaiah 49:24-25

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Acts 21-22

Certain important decisions were made for you and me before we were born. For instance, we didn’t choose our parents, the year we were born, our gender, our genotype or our complexion. God made those decisions for us for His pleasure. Revelations 4:11 says; “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” He is a God of purpose and He has a good reason why you were born in Zimbabwe not in Switzerland or in Pakistan not in New Zealand. You may not have had control of how you started life but you do have a control of how it will end. You may not have had an input in how you began; you do have an input in how it will end. Many would have loved to start their marriage in grand style – fairy tale wedding followed by honeymoon in the best resort in the world – but due to lack of resources, they started in a little box room. The fact that they started in a little box room does not mean the marriage will not end well.

It is a fact that how one starts matters. The bible even encourages us to start with the Lord. Ecclesiastes 12:1 says: “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.” However, it is not always the case that if you start badly you will end badly. The way one starts doesn’t always determine how one will finish.The bible is littered with several examples of people who started badly not as a result of their own doing and ending up very well. Esther is an example that comes to mind. She started as a slave girl and ended up as a queen. How you began will not determine how you will end. Job 8:7 says: “Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.” How you started may have informed your current position but it will not determine your end. There is a God who is able to turn lives around. According to 1 Samuel 2:8, He can raise up the poor out of the dust, and lift up the beggar from the dunghill and set them among princes. I don’t know where you are but where you are today will not determine your tomorrow. Even if your mistakes of the past or carelessness have informed your current position, the merciful God will help you and turn your life around. Isaiah 49:24-25 says; “Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.” As far as you have Jesus in your boat and you make up your mind to be diligent in all that you do, you will end well.

CONFESSION: My future is determined by Christ, not by my current situation. Because I have Christ in me, I will inherit glory.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

THE ATTIRE OF A HARLOT

MEMORY VERSE: And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. Proverbs 7:10

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 119:19-24, Proverbs 31:4, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

The words in the Bible are not the words of drunken men or someone hallucinating. 2 Peter 1:21 says this: “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (One of these days, if the Lord permits, we will discuss about how the Bible was written and you will see the process involved. God told the prophets when to start writing, when to stop writing, what they should write, etc. However, for the purpose of our studies today, I want you to know that “all scriptures is given by the inspiration of God (2 Timothy 3:16),” even the book of Songs of Solomon. Every single word was given by God’s inspiration. There is a reason for every illustration, example, parable, etc, used in the Scriptures. Because it was given by the inspiration of God, it “is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

In Proverbs 7: 6-23 is the story of a young boy who lost his life on his way to fornicate with a woman. Today, I want us to focus on a thing or two about this woman. Proverbs 7:10 says this: “And, behold, there met him a woman.............”There met him a woman implies that she was not a girl but an adult. The author did not tell us her name which meant that she could have been anyone - someone’s daughter, someone’s sister, someone’s wife, someone’s aunt, etc. The author was silent about her background, which meant that she could have come from any background. The author also did not talk about her race or the church that she attends, which meant that she could have come from any part of the world.The Bible says, "a woman" which meant that she could be single or married. It is safe to assume at this point that the bible could have been talking about any woman.

The bible then proceeded to tell us that she had the attire of a harlot. Proverbs 7:10 says, “And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of a harlot....” I believe this woman was not a harlot. If she were a harlot, the Bible would have said so. Although she was not a harlot, she wore the attire of a harlot. This implies that clothes do not make a person but they speak for the person or they ascribe an identity to the person. I thought the next thing after “there met him a woman with the attire of a harlot” would be a detailed description of what she wore. Although the bible did not tell us what she wore, we were told of the condition of her heart – “and subtle of heart” I.e. crafty heart. What she wore was a reflection of what was inside of her. She put on the "attire of a harlot" to get the attention of the opposite sex. She presented herself in a way that recommended her for sex. Am I advocating that women should wear drab clothes? NO! Actually, the virtuous women in Proverbs dressed nicely and dressed their family well too (Proverbs 31:21-22). Despite the fact that this woman was married (Proverbs 7:19-20), her clothes revealed her heart. Outward beauty does not always equate inward beauty.

QUESTION: What does your attire say about you?

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

ARE YOU FREE?

MEMORY VERSE: If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. John 8:36

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 John 1-3

BIBLE READING: Mark 5:1-20

Most young people clamour for freedom or independence. They want to be free from dad and mum or their guardians. They want to be responsible to no-one, report to no-one, answer to no-one, and take instruction from no-one. They want to able do their own thing without anyone questioning them. They don’t want to be told how to dress, speak, or conduct themselves in the public. They want to be free to express themselves especially through their appearance, actions, words, etc. They no longer want to be confined or tied down by so-called “constraints”. They argue that “freedom” is necessary for them to be creative and to maximise their potential. You don’t have to be free to be creative. You can be creative whilst you are being discipled. One of the most creative kings in the history of man is King Uzziah. 2 Chronicles 26:15 says: “And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.” He invented all those powerful engines whilst he was being discipled by Prophet Zechariah (2 Chronicles 26:5).

One thing I want you to know is that there are people whom God has ordained to disciple you. You need to be under certain people at certain times so as to become who God created you to be. If not for Eli, Samuel wouldn’t have learnt how to hear the voice of God. Just as you can’t be a medical doctor without going to the medical school, you can’t be who God created you to be without attending the school of disciples. It is a dangerous thing not to have someone you report to. A lot of social ills can be traced back to the lack of discipleship or mentoring. A man who is responsible to no-one may end up becoming irresponsible if care is not taken. From time to time, I hear people mention names of authors, they have neither met nor spoken to, as their discipler. That’s not possible. A discipler should be someone you can walk to and ask questions. A discipler should be someone who knows you personally. A man without a discipler is an easy prey for the enemy. Satan has put many, as a result of not being discipled, into bondage without knowing. A lot are in bondage without knowing. For instance, a lady who wears a short skirt she has to pull down every minute is not free. Or, one who can’t sit properly because of her skirt. Why make life difficult for yourself? Behind the clamor for freedom to do anything you want is the spirit of rebellion.

The first step in securing freedom is to accept that you are in bondage, just as the first step in solving any problem is to accept that there is a problem. God have been unable to help many because they have not accepted that they need His help. I hope our leaders will one day realise that they need God to solve our problems. The mad man of Gadara had to first accept that He was in bondage before Christ could help Him. The second step is run to Jesus. John 8:38 says: “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” That mad man saw Jesus and ran to Him. If you are yet to give your life to Christ, do so now. And if you have backslidded, you need to return to Him today. Once Christ sets you free, you need to walk in that freedom. One way to stay free is run from sin. Sin complicates your life.

QUESTION: Are you free? Not until you accept Jesus as your personal Lord and saviour, you are not free.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

YOUR ASSOCIATION CAN BRING YOU BLESSINGS

MEMORY VERSE: Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. Psalm 1:1

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Malachi

BIBLE READING: Psalm 1:1-3

It is very important that you select your friends wisely and carefully. Why? Your friends or association will determine whether you will be a success or a failure. Your friends or association will determine whether you will have a happy marriage or not. Your friends will determine whether you will do well in an examination or fail. Your friends will determine the quality of life you will have. God, and you friends, will determine your lot in this life. How? Firstly, your friends will inform your confession and your confession will inform your lot in this life. According to Romans 10:17, “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”. Just as faith comes by hearing, fear (opposite of faith) comes by hearing. Many today live in fear of people of certain religion because of what they have heard in the media... suicide bombing in this part of the world... suicide bombing in that part of the world... hate crimes being perpetrated by some members of this religion. This tiny group, within this religion, perpetrating this hate crime may not truly represent this religion; however, what we hear in the news about them has informed a lot of things. Everything you hear is a seed that will go into your soul and produce fruits. Luke 6:45 says: “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” Whenever you see a brother saying there are no jobs or there are no good women to marry or there are no opportunities in this country, go and check out his friends. You will find that, 9 out of 10 times, his confessions are similar to those of his friends. If there is a problem with your confession, there will be a problem with your life because whatever you confess is what you will have (Numbers 14:28). If you make sickly confession, you will become sick.

Secondly, your association will inform your behaviour. The elders have a wise saying: “show me your friends and i will tell you who you are.” If you really want to know who a person is, look at their friends. I am always wary of so-called “good people” who have a lot of bad friends. The simple reason is that, the Word of God says: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed (Amos 3:3)?” For the sake of argument, let’s say he does not agree with the bad boy lifestyle; he is only their friend to change them. 1 Corinthian 15:33 says: “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” There is a saying in Latin: “qui cum canibus concumbunt cum pulicibus surgent”. The meaning in English is this, “he that lieth with dogs shall rise up with fleas”. Judas Iscariot’s association with the Pharisees turned him into a rogue disciple. It is easier to turn a good person into a bad person than to turn a bad person into a good person. Your association will affect how you perceive life. It will affect your attitude to life. If you sit around those who whinge, moan and complain, after a while you will unconsciously begin to whinge, moan and complain too. If care is not taken, people will start to avoid you or distant themselves from you because no one loves people who whinge. Thirdly, your association will inform what you get from the Lord. According to Psalm 1:1-3, association with the godly will bring increase and fruitfulness. Verse 1 says: “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” However, association with the ungodly will cause the opposite.

NOTE: If you are going to be successful in life, make sure you associate with those who will tell you the truth not those who will tell you what you want to hear.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

THERE IS A SET TIME

MEMORY VERSE: For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. Genesis 21:2

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 137-139

God is orderly. He is highly organised. No wonder He put the world (after He created it) in the hands of time. Genesis 8:22 says: “ While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” Every activity/event/happening on earth is time bound. Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 says: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.”

Therefore, things have to be done in their own time. The age range for primary schools is five (5) through to eleven (11). A two (2) year old or a sixteen (16) year old in primary school will struggle. I will give another illustration to drive home this point. A friend works as an Enforcement Officer and part of his duties is ensure that businesses and establishments complying with certain regulations. One of the regulations is businesses must have a waste contract. (A waste contract is simply an agreement that a business has with a waste collector to collect his waste.) This enforcement officer would serve notices to business owners giving them fourteen (14) days - and an extra seven (7) days depending on the circumstance - to provide their waste contract. Failure to provide this notice will result in a fine or prosecution. Most business owners respond immediately they receive this notice. However, some business owners will leave it to the last minute. Many of them end up getting fined for not providing the requested documents within the time-frame game. 
Everything is time bound. If you don't do things when you should do them, you may be penalised or lose some of the benefits you are supposed to get as you saw in the example above. Your repentance, restitution, accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, making peace with your neighbours, redeeming your vows, etc., are time bound and the time is now.  2 Corinthians 6:2 says: “(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)” Today is the day of salvation, tomorrow maybe too late. The time to serve God is now – whilst you are still young. Ecclesiastes 12:2-4 says: “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: In the day when the keepers of the house (legs) shall tremble, and the strong men (shoulder) shall bow themselves, and the grinders (teeth) cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows (eyes) be darkened, And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low.” The time to chase after the things of eternal value is now!

QUESTION: How are you spending your time?

NOTE: Your time on earth is a very brief one and as such, only focus on important things.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

BEWARE OF ENVY 2

MEMORY VERSE: Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. Psalm 24:3-4

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Nehemiah 1-4

The presence of the Lord is the place to be. It is the safest place in the whole world. Recently, I read a report about the top 10 safest countries in the world and the safest country, according to that report, is New Zealand. Due to their tough and strict criminal justice system, the loss of lives in crimes is almost zero and the rate of crimes is also the least. You are safer in the God's presence than in New Zealand. You are safer in God's presence than in the White House in America, Buckingham Palace in Great Britain and other presidential villas and palaces of this world put together. Satan and his co-demons can enter any of those places to wreck havoc; one place they dare not enter is the presence of the Lord. In 1 Kings 18, some soldiers came to arrest a man of God in the presence of the Lord. Fire came from heaven and consumed them. The only place you can find real joy is in the presence of God. Psalm 16:11 says: “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” Many of us see the church as the presence of God. I want you to know that not everyone in church is in the presence of the Lord. Oh yes, there are many who are physically in church but there mind is somewhere else. Many are physically in church but truthfully speaking, they are not in church but on Facebook. They are busy on checking photos on Facebook whilst the pastor is preaching. Some are on BBM and instagram not in the church. In the presence of the Lord is deliverance. Obadiah 1:17 says: “But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.” The mad man of Gadara – the maddest man ever – got into the presence of God and was delivered (Mark 5:1-28). In the presence of God is breakthrough as seen in the case of Peter (Luke 5). In the presence of God is solution to challenges and problems that are beyond medical science.

To get into the presence of the Lord certain conditions must be met. One of the conditions is you must have a pure heart. Psalm 24:3-4 says: “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.” You must have a clear conscience towards all. Envy will destroy you. It will destroy your relationships with people. It will cloud how you see things. Rachel saw her blood sister’s sons as her rival’s sons instead of her own sons. Envy will cause you to behave in a bad way to people. And as a result, you begin to beg for what should be yours. Had Rachel not misbehaved to her sister out of envy, Reuben would have given her some mandrake when he returned home. But because of her behavior towards his mum,Leah, Reuben only brought mandrake for his mum; Rachel had to beg to have some of this mandrake (Genesis 30:14 -15). Envy leads to unhappiness. It leads to sadness. Envy will cause you to start reading meaning to everything – even things you should not read meanings to. Envy will cause you to see your friends as your rivals. It could lead to hate. As i said the last time, envy will inform evil and ungodly ideas in you. The idea to give her slave to Jacob came as a result of Rachel’s envy. Envy makes one desperate. Aside all these, it will prevent you from being allowed into the presence of God. A man who has a pure heart does not envy people. He rejoices with people when they rejoice.

NOTE: Envy causes one to say what he should not say and the bible says for by your words you will be justified, and by your words will be condemned.

PRAYER POINT: Any harm I may have done to my destiny and my life as a result of envy, Father please reverse them and free me of envy.

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BEWARE OF ENVY 1

MEMORY VERSE: For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. James 3:16

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 20-22

Genesis 30:1 says: “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.” “And when Rachel saw .....” implies that Rachel had been looking. What was she looking at or in this particular verse who was she looking at? Her sister Leah. Rachel and her sister, Leah, got married the same week. In less than 5 years, Leah had given birth to four boys and Rachel, none. Rachel, just like many do today, began to compare her life with her sister’s life. She began compare what God was doing in Leah’s life with what God was doing in her own life. This led her to envy her senior sister. What really informed her envy was that she felt that Leah was in a better position than her. She felt that Leah was better off because she had four boys and she (Rachel) had none. Many today are doing exactly what Rachel did. They are busy comparing their lives with the lives of their friends or the people around them. Brother A has bought a car and i am yet to buy a car. Sister A is married with children and i am yet to be married talk less of have children. Let me share what i read somewhere: “My mates are getting married. My mates are getting good jobs. My mates are succeeding. My mates are living overseas. My mates are buying cars. My mates are building houses. My mates are this... My mates are that..... It’s a pity that you literally forgot about your mates in the mortuary; your mates in the psychiatric homes; your mates roaming on the streets; your mates that are jobless, hungry, blind, dear..... You might not be where you want to be but you have obviously transcended where you were yesterday.” Instead of getting yourself all worked up because of what is happening in the lives of the people around you, thank God for the little you have. Besides, what you are calling little is massive in the eyes of others.

Why is envy dangerous? Envy destroys a relationship. When envy is activated within a friendship, the friendship can experience significant tension and conflict. The word of God tells us that where envy is, every evil thing you can think of you will find there. James 3:16: “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” Envy can destroy a family, a long-term relationship, an organisation, etc. Rachel’s envy almost destroyed her family. Her envy literally drove her family apart. Because of envy, her relationship with her senior sister was strained. Not only that, it affected her behaviour towards Leah’s children. It even affected her behaviour towards her husband. Rachel’s envy affected her decisions also. Envy gives birth to evil desires. It makes people to think and act irrationally. How can a woman stoop so low as to give her maid to her husband? Naturally, no woman wants to share her husband with any woman talk less of stooping that low to give her maid to her husband. Envy divides a family. Jacob’s family was broken into two – Leah, her children, her maid and her children & Rachel, her child, her maid and her children. Envy leads to confusion.

NOTE: Envy left unchecked can destroy anything.

PRAYER POINT: Spirit of envy I. bind you in the name of Jesus , under the blood of Jesus, leave my life and return no more.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

WITH GOD, SILENCE IS NOT APPROVAL

MEMORY VERSE: And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bares him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD. 2 Samuel 11:27

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Acts 19 -20

READ: 2 Samuel 11

The way cases are judged in heaven is similar to the way cases are judged on earth. The principles adopted by the Chief Judge, the Judge of judges, in heaven, are similar to the principles adopted by human judges on earth. Human judges (when presiding over any case) look at the intent. This is why we have voluntary homicide and involuntary homicide. The Most High God (when presiding over any case) looks at the heart i.e. the intent.  1 Samuel 16:7 says: “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” Ignorance is not an excuse in the human court. Ignorance is not an excuse in the heavenly court too. Jesus said, “But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more (Luke 12:48).” There is a big penalty for animal cruelty in the court of law.  No man guilty of animal cruelty will go unpunished in the court of heaven. Proverbs 12:10 says: “A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.” Just as the law holds animal owners accountable for the actions of their animals or animals under their care; for instance, it is a criminal offence to walk in the public with your dog unleashed, God also hold animal owners accountable for the actions of their animals or animals under their care.  Exodus 22:5 says: “If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man's field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution.”

The heavenly court and earthly court differ in one or two ways. For instance, you are permitted to divorce your husband or wife in the earthly court. Once the other party is happy with the divorce, the earthly court will grant you a divorce. It is not so in the heavenly court. God is against divorce! Silence implies consent in the earthly court. Before God, silence does not imply consent. God’s silence does not imply consent. David committed adultery with a woman, killed her husband and God did not say a word for nine (9) months (2 Samuel 11)! 2 Samuel 11:27 says: “And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD”. You will be deluding yourself to think God’s silence implies consent. God’s silence is actually dangerous because He chastises those He loves (Hebrews 12). I will be worried if I do something bad deliberately and God keeps quiet.  

NOTE: If something is wrong, it is wrong regardless of how you put it, explain it or how many people are doing it.

ACTION: Repent today and make restitutions where necessary.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

AND THERE WAS FAMINE

MEMORY VERSE: And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land. Genesis 12:10

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Peter

Genesis 12:10 says: “And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.” Famine implies scarcity. You will experience famine whether you are a Christian or not. It could be famine of joy in your marriage, famine of job, famine of money, and as we are beginning to see famine of the Word (unadulterated word of God). These days, there is less emphasis on holiness and great emphasis on prosperity. Luke 12:15 says: “And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”

There is always a reason for famine. Proverbs 26:2 says: “As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.” One of the things that inform famine of money is the lack of payment of tithes. Malachi 3:9-11 says: “Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.” Famine of breakthrough, at times, could be traced back to lack of soul winning. John 15:16 says: “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” However, some famines are God ordained to train a man. For instance, the famine of job or unemployment which translates into lack of resources could be to train a man on how to manage his resources. Whenever you experience famine look inward. A famine of the Word or revelation is as a result of lack of altars – especially personal altars or quiet times.

Famine elicits a reaction. For instance, the famine of marriage has led some sisters, who were once convinced that the Lord did not want them to use make-up, to start to use make-up in order to attract brothers. A brother you attract with make-up will leave once the make-up fades away. Some who were convinced that fornication is a sin now fornicate due to famine of marriage. Your reaction to a famine situation matters. The bible records that Abram, as a result of famine, went DOWN into Egypt. Sister in Christ, as a result of famine of brothers, have you now lowered your standard that you are now willing to marry any brother even one that drinks and smokes? Is it because of famine of brothers that you have resulted to wearing revealing clothes and tight gowns? Has the famine of brothers now led you to go on social media to look for a brother? Is it because of famine of marriage that you are now allowing men to touch parts of your body that only your husband should touch? Brother, is it because of famine of sisters that you have now resulted to going to clubs and late night raves to meet women? You don't even pray anymore, the moment you get a number the next thing is you start thinking of how to take them out for a dinner. I pray you will not take a witch on a dinner in Jesus name. Brother, is it because of famine of resources that you have now began to forge invoices ? Man of God, has the famine of resources let you to start raising strange offerings?

NOTE: Whenever there is famine, look inward. Remember, your response to famine matters. You shall not go down in Jesus name.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world