LEARN TO BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

BIBLE VERSE: God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Genesis 1:39

It is important that you learn to believe in yourself. People tend to believe in individuals who believe in themselves. They support, promote, do business with, want to be served by, give opportunities to, want to be treated by, invest in the vision of, buy products from, learn from individuals or organization who believe in themselves. You wouldn't want to be treated by a doctor who does not believe in himself or herself.

All around us are products of individuals who believed in themselves. These people believed in themselves, worked hard, and God crowned their efforts with success. The founders of Facebook, Microsoft, iPhone, etc., wouldn't have been able to achieve what they achieved if they hadn't believed in themselves.

Believe in yourself. According to Genesis 1, God is the perfect Creator. Many of us are not where God wants us to be not because of demons but because we don't believe in ourselves. You are full of wonders. You are wonderfully and fearfully created by God. You are loaded with abilities far beyond your imagination. You are not hopeless or worthless. There is a lot of good things in you.

Samuel Oluwatoki

WHO YOU ARE VS WHO YOU CAN BECOME

MEMORY VERSE: The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.1 John 4:8

Who you are (today) is not who you really are. You are who you are because of how you were raised, the area you grew up, the schools you attended, your current environment i.e. where you live, where you work, the church you go to if you a Christian, your circle of friends, to mention a few. You would have been a different person if you were raised differently, attended different schools, and are in a different environment. Your view of life will be different, your accent could be different, the language you speak will be different, how you pronounce certain words will be different, how you react to situations will be different, your religion could be different, to mention a few.

As you have seen, who you are right now is not who you really are. You can become a totally different person with the help of the Holy Spirit and your determination. You can become a better version of you. For instance, let us look at Apostle John, one of the disciples of Jesus Christ. Jesus named him and his brother (James) the son of thunder because of their thunder-like qualities. The author of Luke recorded an incident where they displayed their thunder-like quality. Jesus and His disciples were traveling through the village of the Samaritans on their way to Jerusalem, and the Samarians did not receive Him. The brothers out of anger approached Jesus for permission to call down fire from heaven to destroy the village (Luke 9:52-52). Jesus rebuked them sharply.  Through determination and working on themselves, they changed themselves. Today, we refer to John as an apostle of love because of the book of 1 John, 2 John and 3 John.

You too through hard work and determination can become a better version of yourself. The fact that you do not know how to cook today does not mean you were created not to know how to cook. You can work on yourself and learn how to cook and become the best cook in the world. You too can work on yourself to develop all those good qualities you see in people. The fact that you do not know how to do something does not mean you were created not to know how to do that thing. It will not be easy; it will not be achieved overnight. However, it is doable through the power of Holy Spirit and a rugged determination to become a better version of yourself.

Remember: All things are possible to him that believes.

Samuel Oluwatoki

ARE ALL RESULTS FROM GOD?

MEMORY VERSE: Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank. Numbers 20:11

BIBLE STUDIES: Numbers 20:8-11

If you are a true child of God, sooner or later the people around you will see the proof in your life. For instance, the sick will recover when you pray for them (Mark 16:17-20). Not only that, demons will obey when you command them to leave. As you work or study diligently, results will begin to flow in – you get good grades, good jobs, promotions, etc. As you work very hard, He will begin to show you ideas on how to solve problems. And as you solve problems, you become wealthy. Remember, the world richest men and women made their billions by solving problems.

Results alone are not proofs of a man or woman’s walk with God. Many of us naively believe that results are a proof of divine favour. Many of us do not believe that one can get results without God. You can definitely get results without God but the end will be terrible. An instance that comes to mind is that of Moses in Numbers 20:8-11. Even though God told him to speak to the mountain so that the rock will bring out water, He struck the rock twice and water gushed out. Although he produced results, he did it the wrong way and was severely punished for it. He did not enter the Promise Land.

NOTE: The point I am trying to make is this: don’t use results e.g. signs and wonders, prophecy, promotion, wealth, big ministry, big crowd, church building, connection, etc., as a yardstick to measure a man or woman’s walk with God. A man or woman can be as far as possible from God and still produce all these results. Don’t use results as a way to check if something is right or wrong. You could do the wrong thing and get what appears to be the right results. The only yardstick is godly principles based on the truth.

Samuel Oluwatoki.

READING YOUR BIBLE?

MEMORY VERSE: But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Psalm 1:2

 

As Christians, we receive blessings from God when we do certain things e.g. read the Bible. Revelations 1:3 says: "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand." You get a blessing from God every time you read your Bible or listen to it being read. A sister received a news about someone, and she became sad. Whilst thinking about the news she had just received, the Holy Spirit ministered to her to read her Bible. Whilst reading her Bible, a verse leaped up at her. Immediately, she felt peace in her heart. She shared the verse with the fellow who gave her the news and that one shared it with the person something happened to. Within three days, God took control and the matter was resolved.

 

Also, you receive a blessing when you meditate on the Scripture. Psalm 1:1-2 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. Instead, his delight is in the LORD's instruction, and he meditates on it day and night." A Christian mathematician tried to solve a maths question unsuccessfully. Whilst meditating on the crossing of the Red Sea, how God parted the Sea into two, the Lord ministered to him to divide the problem into two parts and solve each part. He did and got the answer.

 

QUESTION: How often do you read your Bible? How often do you meditate on Scriptures?

 

ACTION: Make it a point of duty to read and meditate on Scriptures daily.

 

Bro Samuel Oluwatoki.

A HEART AFTER GOD II

MEMORY VERSE: ‘And when he had removed him, he
raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. Acts 13:22

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezra 3-8

What qualified David to be king of Israel was not his military experience, his family background, his educational background, his years of service in the palace, or a special competency. What qualified him was the state and inclination of his heart. Acts 13:22 says: "And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will." There are some blessings that your academic qualifications, beauty, physical stature, money, experience, and achievements will not be enough to get for you- it will require a heart that is after God.

Before God, the state of your heart is more important that the state of your mind and hands. An educated mind and well-trained hands without a heart that desires after God, the things of God and building of character is nothing. As you educate your mind, acquire skills, build relationships with people, and spend even more time with God, desiring Him, knowing Him, and building Christ-like character. When you give God your heart, He will give you what man cannot give to you and qualify you for what man will not qualify you for. There are some things your educated mind and skilful hands will never get for you; it will take a heart that is leaned towards God, a heart of integrity, and character.

PRAYER POINT: Create in me a clean and pure heart.

Bro Samuel Oluwatoki

A HEART AFTER GOD

MEMORY VERSE: 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. 1 Samuel 16:7

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezra 1-3

Acts 13:22 says: ‘And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.’ ‘I have found' implies that a search had already taken place; and, David was the product.

What qualified David to be the king of Israel was not his military experience. Saul said to David when he volunteered to fight Goliath, ‘Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth (1 Samuel 17:33)’. In other words, you lack military experience. What qualified David to be the king of Israel was not his (family) background. Bible scholars told us that David was a product of fornication. David (himself) confessed and said, ‘Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me (Psalm 51:5)’. It was definitely not his educational background or his years of service in the palace or a special competency. What qualified him was the state and inclination of his heart. 1 Samuel 16:7 says: '...the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.'

QUESTION: What is the state of your heart? Is your heart after God or things?

Bro Samuel Oluwatoki

USELESS UNLESS DOMESTICATED

MEMORY VERSE: Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.Matthew 21:2

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 21-25

Domestication is the process of adapting wild plants and animals for human use. Domestic species are raised for food, work, clothing, medicine, and many other uses. Domesticated plants and animals must be raised and cared for by humans. Domesticated species are not wild (National Geography Society).

Below are some characteristics of a wild donkey (Job 39:5-8). It is free (verse 5). It does what it pleases when it pleases and where it pleases. It resides in the wilderness (verses 6). It is independent i.e. it belongs to no-one and is responsible to no-one (verse 7). Wild animals are unwilling to serve (verse 9). They are not teachable (verse 10). They are cannot be trusted (verse 11) and are unreliable (verse 12). A wild donkey is full of potentials. It can be used to cart things over a great distance. It can become a great guardian to herds of cattle, goats, and sheep. It can offer companionship to other animals. It can also be used to nanny other animals. A wild donkey has to be domesticated before it can realize its God-given potentials. A man has to be domesticated i.e. discipled/mentored before he can realize his God-given potentials.

NOTE: You must take the yoke of Christ if you want God to use you for His glory. Also, you must be humble and be ready to be discipled/mentored.

Bro Samuel Oluwatoki

KNOWING JESUS IV

MEMORY VERSE: That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. Ephesians 1:17

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 15-20

In Luke 24:13-21, two disciples of Jesus, whilst on their way to Emmaus, talking about the death of Jesus and the news of His resurrection, were joined by Jesus and they couldn’t recognise Him. Luke 24:15 says: ‘And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.’ I wonder if we can blame these disciples for not recognising Him. When in the 31st verse their eyes were opened, they recognised Him.

There are one or two lessons we can learn from this story. Firstly, a personal revelation of who Jesus is and all that He is comes from God alone. Matthew 16:15-17 says: ‘He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.’ Secondly, knowing Jesus does not come through simply reading the Bible. It comes through prayer and the spirit of wisdom and revelation. No wonder Paul the Apostle prayed: ‘That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him (Ephesians 1:17).’ Friend, you can be a Christian but lack the spirit of wisdom and revelation and therefore not know the fullness of Jesus Christ.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please give me the spirit of wisdom and revelation that I may know all about Jesus.

Bro Samuel Oluwatoki

KNOWING JESUS III

MEMORY VERSE: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 13-14

After the death of Jesus, two disciples were on their way to a village known as Emmaus and were talking about the death of Jesus and the news about His resurrection. Jesus joined them and talked with them on the seven miles journey but we are told that they were kept from recognizing Him (Luke 24:13-31). Verse 16 says:’ But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.’

Who is Jesus? Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. John 14:6 says: ‘Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’ Firstly, these disciples were kept from recognizing the way because Jesus is the way. A man who is kept from recognizing the way will definitely miss the way. Also, such a man will waste his resources and fall into the hands of thieves. Secondly, they were kept from recognizing the truth because Jesus is the truth. A man who is kept from recognizing the truth will definitely fall for lies. Worse still, such a man will end up in chains, his progress hampered, because the truth sets one free. John 8:32 says: ‘And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ Lastly, they were kept from recognizing ‘the life’ because Jesus is the life. As death is the opposite of life, a man who is kept from ‘the life’ will end up in the cold hands of death.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please give me a deeper revelation of Jesus.

Bro Samuel Oluwatoki

KNOWING JESUS

MEMORY VERSE: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death. Philippians 3:10

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Chronicles 25-29

After the death of Jesus, two disciples were on their way to a village known as Emmaus and were talking about the death of Jesus and the news about His resurrection. Jesus joined them and talked with them on the seven miles journey but we are told ‘they were kept from recognizing him (Luke 24:16).’ These men talked about Jesus and then walked and talked with Him but they did not know it was Him. They knew Jesus and believed Him; yet, they could not recognize Him.

There are different levels of revelation about Jesus. There are four categories of people in this regard. Category one: Those who are yet to hear about Jesus. Whether you believe it or not, there are people who have never heard about Jesus. These people don’t know anything about Jesus. We need to go into the world, leave our comfort zones and witness to them. Category two: Those who have heard about Jesus. These people have heard about Jesus through Bible stories, their parents, a friend, media, etc., but they have not accepted Jesus Christ so they don’t have a personal relationship with Him. They don’t really believe in Jesus and have not encountered Him. We need to continue to witness to them and pray for the salvation of their souls. Category three: Those who know and believe in Jesus. This group refers to those who have gone beyond hearing about Him to believe in Him; therefore, they have had a personal encounter with Him. A personal encounter with Him is not enough. Category four: Those who have a deep revelation of Him; as such, they can recognize Him at any time and anywhere. They can identify when He is present, when He speaks, His likes and dislikes. They understand why He came and what they stand to gain from His coming. Philippians 3:10 says: ‘That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.'

PRAYER POINT: Father, please open my eyes that I may recognize Jesus and His presence in every area of my life.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

twitter@BroOluwatoki

GOLIATH FELL II

MEMORY VERSE: And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.1 Samuel 17:43

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Chronicles 13-16

In 1 Samuel 17 is the story of how Goliath was defeated. Knowing how and why he was defeated is important. One of the reasons why Goliath was defeated was because he underestimated his opponent (David). It is impossible to adequately prepare for an enemy one underestimates. 1 Samuel 17:43 says: ‘And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.’ Goliath thought David was a weak young boy; unknown to him, David was a lion and a bear killer (1 Samuel 17:37). Goliath was fooled by David's appearance and stature. Before Goliath knew what was happening, he was on the floor lying unconscious.

You cannot defeat an enemy you underestimate because you will be under-prepared. Many have been defeated because they underestimated the enemy, Satan. Satan is not a fool. He is wiser than you think. He is also very sly and cunning. If care is not taken, he can catch one unawares. As such, you must run from sin and continually live a life that is pleasing to God. Don’t underestimate the power of confessions. Proverbs 18:21 says: ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.’ Your confession can make or mar you. The wrong confessions can bring you pains, losses, untold sufferings, even untimely death. A story that comes to mind is that of a man who always referred to the small growth on his face as cancer. To him, it was only a joke; also, to everyone it was a joke. One day, he had cancer (for real) and died. Don’t underestimate the power of the things you listen to. Firstly, they inform your confessions. 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.’ Secondly, they inspire faith or fear in you. Faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17); also, fear comes by hearing. Don’t underestimate the power of relationships. The right ones can draw you closer to God and the wrong ones, far away from God. The right one can bring you up and the wrong one can bring you down.

CONFESSION: I shall not be defeated.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

twitter@BroOluwatoki

SIDES TO EVERY BATTLE

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

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Chronicles 5-8

Man is tripartite in nature. In other words, he has three parts: spirit, soul, and body. The spirit is the part of him that relates to the unseen spiritual world. The soul is the part of him that relates to the mental realm; viz., his reasoning and intellectual faculty. The body is the part of him that deals with his physical environment. The challenges we face has three sides to them; viz., the spiritual side, mental side, and the physical side.

Goliath fought David spiritually, mentally, and physically. Spiritually: Goliath attacked David using black magic and witchcraft. 1 Samuel 17:43 says: ‘And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.’ Thank God, David was a man of the spirit, a prayer warrior. He responded using the name of the Lord. 1 Samuel 17: 45 says: ‘Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.’ Mentally: Goliath employed fear i.e. he tried to intimidate David by issuing threats to him. 1 Samuel 17:44 says: ‘And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.’ David responded using faith and making positive confessions. 1 Samuel 17:45 says: ‘This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands.’ Most of the life’s battles are won or lost in the mind. You are defeated the moment you give into fear. Our fear can stand in God’s way of doing wonders in our lives. Peter began to sink the moment he panicked. One of the reasons why Jesus succeeded in ministry was because He was courageous; and, courage is a thing of the heart. Physically: He used a sword and shield but David’s stone brought him down.

NOTE: Had David gave in to fear, he would not have slung that stone that brought Goliath down.

PRAYER POINT: I receive divine boldness in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

twitter@BroOluwatoki

BE SLOW TO SPEAK II

MEMORY VERSE: For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. James 3:2

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Kings 23-25

James 1:19 says: ‘Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.’ There are several reasons why you need to be slow to speak. Asides, the obvious fact God will judge you by your words. Matthew 12:36 -37 says: ‘But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.’ Humans will judge you by your words too. Proverbs 18:6 says: ‘A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.’ That Amalekite man was killed because he claimed to have killed Saul (1 Samuel 1:2-16). Verse 15-16 says: ‘And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died. And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD'S anointed.’ Humans will judge you by what you preach or what you profess. As such, make sure you know your topic very well.

You should be slow to speak because in the multitude of words sin is not lacking. Proverbs 10:19 says: ‘In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.’ In other words, ‘When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable(NASB).’ James 3:2 says: ‘For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.’ Another reason why you should be slow to speak is that your words will outlive you. You don’t want to be remembered for the careless words you uttered when you go to be with the Lord. What do we remember Thomas for? Long after the death of Thomas, why do we still call him doubting Thomas? We call him doubting Thomas because of his words. John 20:25 says: ‘The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.’ Despite the fact that he repented and took the gospel to India, we still call him doubting Thomas because of the statement he made.

CONFESSION: I will not speak hastily.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

twitter@BroOluwatoki

HE STILL CONSUMES!

MEMORY VERSE: For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrew 12:29

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Kings 15-18

The Bible puts a premium on knowledge. The lack of knowledge can lead to one’s destruction. Hosea 4:6 says: ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.’ If the lack of knowledge is bad, half knowledge is worse. A story that comes to mind is that of a woman who thought that ‘LOL’ meant ‘Lots of Love’. One day, the mother of a dear friend of hers passed away so she sent a text message to her. The text message read, ‘Sorry to hear about the death of your dear mother, LOL.’ For some reason, her friend did not respond. As God will have it, one of her sons was visiting. She showed him the text message she had sent to her dear friend. ‘Mum, what is the meaning of ‘LOL,’ he asked. ‘Lots of love,’ she responded. He explained to her that ‘LOL’ means ‘laugh out loud,’ not ‘Lots of love’. You can imagine how embarrassed she felt on realising that she had used the wrong abbreviation. The lesson is, don’t use a word you don’t know its meaning.

God is a mystery. He is the Lamb upon the throne (Revelations 5:13). Also, He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelations 5:5). How can one be a lion and a lamb at the same time? According to 1 John 4:8, He is love. Also, He is a consuming fire. Hebrew 12:29 says: ‘For our God is a consuming fire.’ How can a loving person be a consuming fire at the same time? That is the mystery of God. The men of Bethshemesh committed a terrible sin by opening the ark of the Lord to see what was inside (1 Samuel 6). Verse 9 says: ‘And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.’ Many of us have forgotten that the Lord is still a consuming fire. You can't fornicate and come to church to lead praise and worship or play musical instruments.No! Anyone who does that is offering a 'strange fire' to God; let it be known, God does not take such lightly.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please have mercy on your church.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

twitter@BroOluwatoki

LOSING YOUR SALTINESS

MEMORY VERSE: Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Matthew 7:13

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Kings 11-14

Jesus makes it abundantly clear that it is possible for salt to lose its saltiness. Matthew 7:13 says: ‘Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.’ It is possible for a believer to lose his influence. We can lose our position as God’s agent of influence or change on the earth. Actually, sadly, it is already happening. Our ability to influence the world is dependent on our connection with the source of influence (God). We are able to influence the world as long as we remain in Christ. 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.’

Salt loses its saltiness once its chemical composition is changed or altered. A believer who is influenced by the world will lose its saltiness. Also, the moment a believer begins to question his Christian values, belief, and principles of Christianity, he begins to lose its saltiness. A believer who refuses to live holy will lose his saltines. It is a terrible thing for salt to lose its saltiness. Asides from the obvious fact that the Lord will cast such salt away - Matthew 7:19 says: 'Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire'; men will trod upon such salt under foot.

PRAYER POINTS:
• Father, please help me never to lose my saltiness
• Father, please give me the wisdom of a serpent to know how to live as salt on the earth
• I come against every agenda to destroy my faith.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

twitter@BroOluwatoki

INSULATION, NOT ISOLATION

MEMORY VERSE: Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Matthew 7:13

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Kings 7-10

According to the Salt Institute, ‘the multiple chemical and physical properties of salt make possible 14,000 known uses. Its largest use is invisible to the public: about 40% of salt worldwide is used as the raw materials that chemical companies transform into chlorine and soda ash, the foundations of inorganic chemistry.’ Therefore, the usefulness of salt transcends common domestic use we know of to science and industry. In the same vein, believers' influence transcends the four wall of a church. No wonder, Jesus called us the ‘salt of the earth.’ Matthew 5:13 says: ‘Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.’ We are the salt of the earth i.e. salt of families, educational institutions, business organizations, communities, governments, and nations. Just as Joseph and Daniel were positive influences, believers must be positive influences in their families, school, at work, and any other place they find themselves.

As useful as salt is, one cannot realize any of its benefits unless it is applied. For instance, you need to add salt to food to experience its seasoning benefits. The further salt is from the food, the further is its ability to season it. As believers, to influence the world we need to interact with the world. The further we are from the unsaved world, the further our ability to positively influence the unsaved world. A lot of us have adopted the posture of isolation in our bid to avoid being negatively influenced by unbelievers. As genuine as this concern is, the isolated Christian is not an influential Christian. Remember, although salt mixes and dissolves in the food, the food does not influence the salt; rather, the salt influences the food. If you are really a salt and you are determined to maintain your saltiness, no one will succeed in influencing you. Besides, what we need, as the salt of the earth, is insulation, not isolation. Insulation comes through staying continually in the presence of the Lord.

PRAYER POINTS: Father, give me the wisdom to be all things to all men so that I may win some.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

twitter@BroOluwatoki

GRANULES OF SALT 2

MEMORY VERSE: Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Matthew 5:13

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 22-2 Kings 2

Matthew 5:13 says: ‘Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.’ Salt has various uses – over 14,000 to be precise. Asides the obvious fact that salt is used for seasoning, it is also used as a cleaning agent. Salt is an excellent cleaning agent, either on its own or in combination with other substances. If an iron pan is dirty, you scour it with coarse salt and then rinse well to clean it. Our responsibility as Christians is to become a cleaning agent. The earth is very dirty; there is a lot of uncleanness; viz., defiling practices like pornography, masturbation, fornication, oral sex, bestiality, etc. Wherever we find ourselves, we must discourage these practices. We must not judge those who indulge in them but with love, pray for them and lead them to Christ.

Another function of salt is to hold back corruption. In the days before refrigeration, people preserved meat by salting it. Likewise, it is our responsibility to hold back the forces of corruption – moral corruption, social corruption, political corruption – until God’s purposes of mercy and grace have been worked out for this world of ours. Now, suppose we fail in our function as salt –to give flavour, to clean and to hold back corruption. Listen to what Jesus said: ‘…..but if the salt have lost his savour…. It is thenceforth good for nothing...’ If we are not doing what we are supposed to be doing, we become good for nothing! We might expect ‘to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.’ How would you feel if that happened? It is a sobering fact that millions and millions of people across the earth’s surface today would count it their greatest privilege to trample Christians underfoot – particularly, the Christians of England, America, Nigeria, etc. God is not going to come down and trample us underfoot Himself, but He will turn us over to those who hate Christianity and all that it stands for. And the most bitter reflection of such a moment will be, ‘we deserved it. Jesus warned us. We didn’t listen. He said that if we did not serve as salt, we would be thrown out and trampled underfoot.’

PONDER: If you look all around the world, this is gradually beginning to happen. This is a wake- up call to every Christian.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

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THE DANGERS OF HAVING WHAT GOD DOES NOT WANT YOU TO HAVE

MEMORY VERSE: And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land. 2 Chronicles 26:21

BIBLE READING: 1 Kings 9-12

BIBLE READING: 2 Chronicles 26:18-23

One of the names of the Lord is ‘Father’. Luke 11:2 says: 'And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.' As a genuine loving father, He wants the best for His children. As such, there are things He does not want His children to have at all for their good. The Lord knew that a certain type of knowledge would destroy Adam and Eve; as a result, He warned them not to eat the forbidden fruit. Genesis 2:17 says: ‘But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.’ Adam and Eve ate what God did not want them to eat, and they died. There are things the Lord does not want you to have or do at all because they will destroy you e.g. communicate with the dead. There are courses the Lord does not want you to sit for because He knows that they will not be profitable to you. I beg you, please don’t fight for a position God has not given to you. King Uzziah tried to be a priest against God's plan and he became a leper (2 Chronicles 26:21).

There are things the Lord does not want you to have at the moment because of your spiritual maturity. The father of the prodigal son didn’t want him to have the inheritance and freedom he asked for because he wasn't mature enough to handle such responsibility ( Luke 15:11-32). The father was correct; he squandered his inheritance. As a single brother/sister, the Lord does not want you to engage in pre-marital sex because it may bond you to the wrong person. Besides, your judgement of things will become clouded once you begin to sleep with people you are not married to. Going through the Scriptures, you will find that everyone who had what God did not want them to have regretted it e.g. Adam, Eve, Abram, Hezekiah, Judas, etc. Abram had a wife God did not want him to have and lost his peace.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please let me never have something you don’t want me to have.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world.

THE WEAPON OF PRAISE PART ONE

MEMORY VERSE: and when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth forever. 2 Chronicles 20:21

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Mark 11 – Mark 13

What is a weapon? According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, a weapon is something used to injure, defeat, or destroy. If there is something the enemy does not want you to know, it is this, ‘praise is a weapon.' A revered man of God once said, ‘if prayer fails, try praise.’ Friend, you can pray amiss. James 4:3 says: 'ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon lusts.' You can pray amiss, but you can never praise amiss. If only you will start praising God over that stubborn child, God will touch his heart and he will change. If only you will stop worrying about that relationship and start praising God, the storm will seize. In 2 Chronicles 20, three mighty nations - the children of Ammon, Moab and mount Seir - came together to invade tiny Judah. When Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, heard the news, he was perplexed. In his prayers, he said to God, ‘we have no might against this great company that cometh against us (2 Chronicles 20:12).'

The Lord spoke after He heard his confession: 'but our eyes are upon thee (2 Chronicles 20:12). One of the reasons why God has not sent help to some of us is because we are too strong. Friend, God is not interested in helping a strong man or woman. The bible calls Him, ‘the helper of the helpless (Psalm 10:14)', not the helper of the mighty or strong. He told Paul: “my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Jehoshaphat did not come to God as a strong king; he said, ‘my eyes are on you’ and God arose on his behalf. Friend, you need God. You cannot do it without Him. Are you not tired of struggling on your own and not getting results? Are you not tired of trying different medications and all to no avail? Are you not tired of using your brains, yet no results? For God to help you, you need to agree that you are weak, first. Accept that you are weak and let God help you. You cannot win the battle on your own or using self-will. Cry to Him today and He will come to your aid.

PRAYER POINT: Let us pray for those suffering from one form of addiction or the other that as they surrender to God, He will help them and heal them.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

FOR THEY SAID, HE IS OUR BROTHER’

MEMORY VERSE: And his mother's brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother. Judges 9:3

BIBLE READING: 2 Samuel 17-20

After the death of Gideon, one of his sons, Abimelech, hatched an evil plan to kill his brothers and become the king. Because he didn’t have the resources to carry out his evil agenda, he approached his mother’s relations for help (Judges 9:1-3). His mother’s relations spoke to the men of Shechem who agreed to help him because he was their brother (See Judges 9:3). These men contributed money and gave it to him. He hired some thugs and made his way to his father’s house. He killed his step-brothers; only Jotham, the youngest, escaped.

Judges 9:3 says: ‘……and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.’ His mother's relations knew that what Abimelech was about to do was wrong; however, they supported him because he was their brother. They knew that Abimelech was going to kill innocent people, but they supported him because he was their brother. They knew that Abimelech did not deserve to be the king because he was not the firstborn; yet, they encouraged him to carry out his evil agenda regardless. Don’t support an evil cause because it will favor your brother. Even, if that evil cause will favor a Christian and disfavor a non-Christian, please don’t support it. God is a righteous judge and He will not support evil. The men of Shechem could have rebuked Abimelech, instead,  they supported him because his evil action won’t affect them. Many of us don’t speak against evil practices because we will not be affected by them. If you are in the position of authority, and you are a Christian, God expects you to represent Him there. He expects you to be His mouthpiece, speaking against evil practices and fighting for the weak.

NOTE: You are indirectly supporting what you don’t speak against.

REMEMBER: What is wrong is wrong regardless of who is doing it.

Samuel Oluwatoki