A CALL TO SERVE LEADERS PART 1

MEMORY VERSE: And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do. Exodus 18:20

BIBLE READING: Deuteronomy 9-10

BIBLE STUDY: Exodus 18:13-23

Jethro (Moses’ father-in–law) was visiting when he observed how Moses was carrying out the gigantic task God had put in his hands. Exodus 18:13 says: “And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.” Jethro called him aside and gave him a piece of advice. Exodus 18: 18-22 says: “Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone. Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do. Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.” As advised, Moses appointed men to lead.

There are few things we can learn from this story. Firstly, right things can be done in a wrong way. Instead of appointing qualified men and training them to be leaders so that he could spend time seeking the face of God for direction, Moses did everything by himself; thereby, wasting the resources God had given to him. Many of us are guilty of this, too. At times, we go about leading sinners to Christ in the wrong way. For instance, we tell sinners to confess their sins before salvation. 1 John 1:9 says: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The author, here, was addressing Christians, not sinners. It is the Christian, not the sinner, who is told to confess his sins. In the first place, it would be impossible for the sinner to remember them. Secondly, if we were to tell a sinner to confess his sins, we would be putting salvation on a basis of works. Salvation is not of works, but by faith. When a sinner wants to be saved, you do not tell him to get down and start working by confessing his sins. You simply point him to the Lord, Jesus Christ.

NOTE: All that a sinner has to confess is that he is a sinner and that he needs salvation. Remember, the publican cried: “God be merciful to me, a sinner ( Luke 18:13)”. He did not confess his sins. He simply admitted that he was a sinner and needed mercy.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world.

JESUS OUR SACRIFICE

MEMORY VERSE: For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Corinthians 5:21

BIBLE READING: Deuteronomy 9-12

In ancient Israelite sacrifices, death is not the primary focus. The killing of animals is a means to an end, not an end to a means. The animals were killed to make their flesh and blood available for special use. Today in our modern society, killing an animal is simply how it is made available for food. There are five main types of sacrifices in the Old Testament: the Burnt Offering (Leviticus 1; 6:8-13,8:18-21), Grain Offering ( Leviticus 2,6:14-23), Peace Offering ( Leviticus 3,7:11-34), Sin Offering ( Leviticus 4,5:1-13, 6:24-30), and Trespass Offering ( Leviticus 5:14-19,6:1-7).

When offering a burnt offering, the whole animal is burnt except the hide of large animals that had been skinned as part of the slaughter process (Genesis 8:20-22). The burnt offering is a way of calling on the Lord to pay attention to the needs, requests, and entreaties of His worshippers. It is also a means of expressing a worshipful response to the Lord (Leviticus 22:18-20). The grain offering is a gift, present, presents, tribute,etc., given to a deity. The peace offering signifies that all is well in the relationship between the Lord and His people. The sin offering is primarily a blood atonement offering in the sanctuary system of offering in which worshipers could receive forgiveness for their sins and deal with the degree to which they have contaminated the tabernacle. The guilt offering is offered when a person commits violation and sins unintentionally in regards to any of the holy things.

These sacrifices – burnt offering, grain offering, peace offering, sin offering, and trespass offering - are no longer in practice, but they illustrate the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ and stress the importance of a life of separation and obedience. As our burnt offering, Jesus' atonement is an acknowledgement of the sinful nature of man and it is required to renew our relationship with God. His death on the cross atoned for our sins and restored our relationship with God. The grain offering is often offered alongside a burnt offering. The burnt offering of Christ makes every other offering acceptable to God. As our peace offering, He made peace between us and the Lord. As our sin offering, He was made sin for us on the cross. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” As our trespass offering, He assumed the debt for our sins and paid for it.

NOTE: Jesus Christ was crucified to make His blood available for the atonement of our sins. Romans 3:25 says: “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.”

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world.

WHOSE VOICES ARE YOU LISTENING TO?

MEMORY VERSE: There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. 1 Corinthians 14:10

BIBLE READING: Deuteronomy 5-8

The voice you listen to will shape your life. A voice of discouragement has the ability to leave you discouraged and vice versa. One of the voices that shaped my life was the voice of my father. 'Dayo (my Yoruba name), remember the son of who you are,' he said many years ago. Thank God I listened; If I not listened, I would have ended up in prison.

There are several voices in the world. 1 Corinthians 14:10 says: 'There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.' The one you listen to will determine the course and quality of your life. The children of Israel listened to the ten voices of doubt; as a result, they missed out on the promised rest of God and wandered in the wilderness until they died ( Numbers 13). King David listened to the voice of his lust and committed adultery with a woman. To cover the terrible thing he had done, he killed her husband. At the end, he lost three of his sons. The voice you listen to will determine whether you will succeed or fail. There are many voices in the world; however, there are only three sources: God’s s spirit, satanic spirits, and the human spirit.

The voice of the human spirit can be heard everywhere – in colleges and schools, newspapers, television, radio, music, church, etc. The voice of the human spirit is proud, thinks only of itself, ignorant of the things of God, values man’s intellect and desires over God’s will, and always seek to replace the knowledge of God with logic (Romans 1:21-23). The voice of Satan is subtle and poisonous. It is becoming more and more blatant and bold as the return of Christ nears. Satan has gone to great lengths to get his voice heard within the church. The Church is being assaulted by false leaders, prophets, brethren, music, and doctrine. Satan is deceiving countless thousands by false prophecies and miracles, and immature saints who have neither awakened nor developed their spiritual discernment are falling and taking their families and friends with them (2 Tim. 4:3-4). The voice of God (however) is the still, small voice (1 Kings 19:11-12). He also speaks through dreams, visions, prophetic utterances, through His word, and face to face. In order to know when and if God is speaking, and not a human or satanic spirit, we must remember that God always speaks in line with Scriptures. He never ever contradicts His Word! Many of us would recognize the Lord's voice and avoid deception if we would study His Word more! When we study the Word of our Shepherd, it will enable us to recognise His voice! "

QUESTION: Whose voice are you listening to? Are you giving God twenty minutes a day in prayer and study, then giving Satan and man eight hours a day through television, worldly music, and carnal entertainment? If so, then you have not sanctified yourself unto the Lord your God (set yourself apart) and you will not hear the still, small voice of God, and you may miss it in this life!

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world.

ACCORDING TO HIS PATTERN!

MEMORY VERSE: And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount. Exodus 25:40

BIBLE READING: Deuteronomy 1-4

What is a pattern? According to Dictionary.com (Learner's edition), a pattern is a diagram or shape that you can use as a guide when you are making something such as a model or a piece of clothing. The Most-High God is a builder. Hebrews 3:4 says: “For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.” You can't build without Him. Psalm 127:1 says: “A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” You need to a pattern to build a  house. Without one, you will end up with a building that looks like an amoeba. Also, building without a pattern leads to wastage of resources. God does not build without a pattern; as such, He has a pattern for marriage, ministry, etc.

Today, we will look at His pattern for solving problems. This pattern is carefully documented in Genesis 1:1- end. There was a big problem on the earth. According to Genesis 1:2, the earth was without form and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. How did God tackle this problem? Firstly, He investigated the root cause of the problem. Why was the earth in the state it was? The earth was in the state it was because darkness had taken over. All sorts happen whenever darkness is allowed to reign. The next thing He did was introduce light to the equation. Genesis 1:3 says: “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” He introduced light for two reasons: firstly, to banish darkness; and secondly, to understand the problem. These two things – discovering the root cause of a problem and understanding a problem – are crucial to solving any problems. Who did the Lord send to carry out these tasks? The Holy Spirit. Genesis 1:2b says: “And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” Problem solving is impossible without the Holy Spirit. He is the One who will banish darkness and help you understand the problem. From Him comes wisdom to solve tough problems.

PRAYER POINT: Wonderful Spirit of God, I invite you into the issues of my life, please do what you alone can do.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world.

KEYS TO HEARING FROM GOD

MEMORY VERSE: As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. Acts 13:2

BIBLE READING: Number 33-36

As children of the living God; we must be able to hear when God, our Father in heaven, speaks. I decided early in my Christian journey that I will do everything to hear when God speaks. I thank God for His kindness; today, I can humbly say that I hear from Him from time to time. God’s word brings God’s peace. Philippians 4:7 says: “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” One of the benefits of hearing from God is that His word brings about a peace of heart. The reason why many of us are worried is because we have not heard from God concerning the issues we are facing. I am not worried about my tomorrow because God told me that my tomorrow will be alright. I am at peace because the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the Controller of seasons, the One who said, “let there be light and there was light”, said that my tomorrow will be alright. It does not matter what I am going through today.

One important reason why you need to do everything to hear when God speaks is this, your ability to hear when God speaks could save your life. Many years ago, some boys from one of the Baptist Churches in Ireland planned to watch the big Ulster Tourist Trophy race. They arranged to meet up at a good vantage point, Taylors Lamp, on one of the bends in the circuit. It was a spot everyone loved so they decided to get there by 4am so as to save space. As one of the boys was dressing up on the day of the race, the Lord told him to sit at home and read his Bible. Being a young man at the time, he argued with the Lord and then, obeyed. At exactly 3pm, he had a terrible bang. He knew where the sound came from so he ran to the circuit, to Taylors Lamp, where he was supposed to be standing. The scene was one of carnage. One of the racing cars had spun off the track and seven people lay dead. Right there at Taylors Lamp, he saw the appalling sight of a man’s severed head. He looked around for his friends but could not find them. Later, he heard that his friends had moved off to another spot when he didn’t turn up. Imagine for a second that this brother was spiritually deaf, what would have happened to him and his friends.

NOTE: Acts 13:2 says: “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said...”One of the keys to hearing from God is ministering to Him in praying and fasting. As you praise Him and worship Him regularly, He will speak to you.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world.

GOD’S WORD AS RAIN & SNOW

MEMORY VERSE: For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it brings forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater. Isaiah 55:10

BIBLE READING: Number 28-32

God’s Word brings His ways and thoughts to us. 2 Timothy 3:16 says: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” The Bible contains God’s view on various issues facing us today. For instance, God’s view on divorce is clearly documented in Scriptures. Malachi 2:16 says, “For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.” How about tattoos? Leviticus 19:28 says, “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.” There is a need to study and meditate on Scriptures regularly because it is a vehicle that brings God’s word.

God’s word is like water (Ephesians 5:26). God’s word comes down to us in two ways: Snow and rain. Isaiah 55:10-11 says, “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Whenever rain falls, it soaks immediately, enters the earth, and starts to produce results. However, whenever snow falls, it does not soak into the earth immediately. Many a time, it takes time; the temperature has to change to melt the snow to make the earth capable of receiving it. We are told that snow benefits the earth more than the rain. When God’s word comes as a rain, it is easy to bear. It is pleasant and soothing. However, whenever God’s word comes as a snow, it is difficult to receive. An example that comes to mind is when the disciples of Jesus heard one of His hard teachings (John 6). Verse 60 says: “Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?” My counsel is this, don’t react negatively to the “hard word”. Leave it. Let the grace and sun of God melt it. God’s Word produces bread and seed to anyone who receives it.

PRAYER POINT: Father, let Your Word produce results in my life.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world.

FIGHT FROM BOTH SIDES

MEMORY VERSE: And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. Exodus 17:9

BIBLE READING: Number 24-27

There are two sides to any battle. There is the physical side, and there is the spiritual side. To win a battle, one must fight physically and spiritually. Jesus alluded to this when He encouraged His disciples to watch and pray. Luke 21:36 says: “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” In Exodus 17:8-13, the Amalekites attacked the children of Israel. The children of Israel fought them spiritually and physically. Exodus 17:9-11 says, “And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy, and they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.”

To win any battle, you must watch/ fight and pray. To pass an exam, you must read, and you must pray. To apply for a visa to travel abroad or regularize your status in the country you currently reside, you must make an application and pray. To marry, as a brother, you must pray and then propose to the sister. The sister too must pray and also accept the proposal. The children of Israel prevailed when Moses held up his hands, and the Amalekites prevailed when Moses let down his hands. The spiritual controls the physical. John 6:63 says: “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” The power you need to win the battles of life will be released when you spend quality time in prayer. These two sides – physical side and spiritual side – are important. Prayer alone will not solve the problem. You need to pray and take decisive steps. In addition, you need to play your part for God to play His part. You need to report the matter to Him for Him to deal with it.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please rise against all those who have risen against me.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world.

HONESTY STILL PAYS

MEMORY VERSE: The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion. Proverbs 28:1

BIBLE READING: Number 24-26

Noah Webster Dictionary 1828 edition defines honesty as “an upright disposition; moral rectitude of heart; a disposition to conform to justice and correct moral principles, in all social transactions. In fact, upright conduct: an actual conformity to justice and moral rectitude.” If you look around today, you will observe dishonesty being celebrated and encouraged; meanwhile, honesty is frowned upon. Actually, honesty is not rewarded in some organisations. In such organisations, you will be bullied, mistreated, denied promotion, and ultimately sacked if you are honest. Today, a dishonest man is seen as a sharp man or a fast man. To celebrate dishonesty, we even categorise lies; viz., white lies, black lies, etc. The Lord’s definition of a lie has not changed, neither has His attitude towards lying changed.

Aside the obvious fact that God abhors dishonesty, honesty pays. Firstly, honesty brings peace. Proverbs 28:1 says: “The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.” Knowing that you have no skeleton in your cupboard brings peace. Lying about your age to your fiance will not bring you peace. Also, not coming out clean to your fiancee will not bring you peace, either. Secondly, honesty breeds an atmosphere of trust. People will trust you with things if you are honest. Thirdly, honesty brings influence. You cannot exercise influence when you dishonest. Fourthly, honesty brings authority. Fifthly, honesty commands respect. Most importantly, God personally rewards honesty. Several years ago, a Christian brother was sent on an errand to another part of town with a token for his transport fare. When he returned, he gave his boss what was left of the transport fare. The boss was shocked! None of his staff had ever done that. The brother’s colleague called him a stupid boy. Months later, the boss set up a branch in another part of the country. He needed someone trustworthy to manage the new branch. One day, whilst thinking of what to do he suddenly remembered the honest brother and offered him the job as the branch manager.

NOTE: Honesty will bring you in favour with God and man. It will unlock doors for you.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world.

FIGHT FROM BOTH SIDES

MEMORY VERSE: And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. Exodus 17:9

BIBLE READING: Number 24-27

There are two sides to any battle. There is the physical side, and there is the spiritual side. To win a battle, one must fight physically and spiritually. Jesus alluded to this when He encouraged His disciples to watch and pray. Luke 21:36 says: “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” In Exodus 17:8-13, the Amalekites attacked the children of Israel. The children of Israel fought them spiritually and physically. Exodus 17:9-11 says, “And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy, and they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.”

To win any battle, you must watch/ fight and pray. To pass an exam, you must read, and you must pray. To apply for a visa to travel abroad or regularize your status in the country you currently reside, you must make an application and pray. To marry, as a brother, you must pray and then propose to the sister. The sister too must pray and also accept the proposal. The children of Israel prevailed when Moses held up his hands, and the Amalekites prevailed when Moses let down his hands. The spiritual controls the physical. John 6:63 says: “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” The power you need to win the battles of life will be released when you spend quality time in prayer. These two sides – physical side and spiritual side – are important. Prayer alone will not solve the problem. You need to pray and take decisive steps. In addition, you need to play your part for God to play His part. You need to report the matter to Him for Him to deal with it.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please rise against all those who have risen against me.

twitter@BroOluwatoki

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world.

HONESTY STILL PAYS

MEMORY VERSE: The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion. Proverbs 28:1

BIBLE READING: Number 24-26

Noah Webster Dictionary 1828 edition defines honesty as “an upright disposition; moral rectitude of heart; a disposition to conform to justice and correct moral principles, in all social transactions. In fact, upright conduct: an actual conformity to justice and moral rectitude.” If you look around today, you will observe dishonesty being celebrated and encouraged; meanwhile, honesty is frowned upon. Actually, honesty is not rewarded in some organisations. In such organisations, you will be bullied, mistreated, denied promotion, and ultimately sacked if you are honest. Today, a dishonest man is seen as a sharp man or a fast man. To celebrate dishonesty, we even categorise lies; viz., white lies, black lies, etc. The Lord’s definition of a lie has not changed, neither has His attitude towards lying changed.

Aside the obvious fact that God abhors dishonesty, honesty pays. Firstly, honesty brings peace. Proverbs 28:1 says: “The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.” Knowing that you have no skeleton in your cupboard brings peace. Lying about your age to your fiance will not bring you peace. Also, not coming out clean to your fiancee will not bring you peace, either. Secondly, honesty breeds an atmosphere of trust. People will trust you with things if you are honest. Thirdly, honesty brings influence. You cannot exercise influence when you dishonest. Fourthly, honesty brings authority. Fifthly, honesty commands respect. Most importantly, God personally rewards honesty. Several years ago, a Christian brother was sent on an errand to another part of town with a token for his transport fare. When he returned, he gave his boss what was left of the transport fare. The boss was shocked! None of his staff had ever done that. The brother’s colleague called him a stupid boy. Months later, the boss set up a branch in another part of the country. He needed someone trustworthy to manage the new branch. One day, whilst thinking of what to do he suddenly remembered the honest brother and offered him the job as the branch manager.

NOTE: Honesty will bring you in favour with God and man. It will unlock doors for you.

twitter@BroOluwatoki

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world.