“AND THE WICKED COMETH IN HIS STEAD”

MEMORY VERSE: And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode. Acts 12:19

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 13-16

BIBLE READING: Acts 12:6-19

Proverbs 11:8 says, “The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.” There are two lessons to learn from this text. Firstly, the righteous will be delivered out of trouble. It does not matter how tough the challenge maybe, the Lord will deliver him. Psalm 34:19 says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.” Proverbs 24:16 says, “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.” Secondly, the wicked comes in his stead. In Acts 12:6-19 Peter (a righteous man) was put in prison by King Herod to be tried and mostly likely killed. They kept him in a secured prison chained in between two strong soldiers. In the middle of the night, an angel of the Lord walked into the prison and led Peter out whilst the soldiers slept. When the soldiers woke up the next morning and could not find Peter, they went to tell Herod. Acts 12:19 says, “And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.” The soldiers were killed in the stead of Peter. Isaiah 43:4 says, “Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.”

Several years back, i was writing an exam when the invigilator decided to conduct a random check to ensure that exam malpractice was not going on. Unknown to me, the boy who sat directly behind me brought in a paper that contained the answers to the exam questions. When the invigilator got to where i was sitting, he found a squeezed paper under my chair. He picked it, checked it and found it was the answer to the exam questions. (The boy behind me had thrown it there to get me into trouble). The invigilator excused me from the exam hall.  At the end of the day, the boy was caught and made to repeat the class while i was promoted. I don’t know what you are going through but one thing i know is that my God will deliver you. The righteous has nothing to worry about because it will be well with him (Isaiah 3:10). The wicked, on the other hand, needs to worry and his worry is justified. Those who are involved in fraudulent practices needs to worry. The wicked needs to worry for several reasons. For instance, if they fail to repent their peace will be taken away from them and that will happen very soon (Isaiah 57:21). Not only that , he or she will be used as a substitute for the righteous in the day of evil (Proverbs 11:8). This is why you and i must examine our lives. Have you accepted Jesus as your personal lord and saviour? Not until a man does that, He is not righteous before God. If one claims that he is saved and he is still indulging in exam malpractices, bribery, corruption, fornication, etc, that individual does not understand what it means to be saved.

NOTE: The reason why you need to witness like never before to people, especially members of your family, is that they could be used as a substitute for the righteous in the day of evil .

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

"AND THE PRAYER OF FAITH SHALL SAVE THE SICK"

MEMORY VERSE: Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. James 5:14-15

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: John 13-15

There are several ways to pray for the sick. For instance, you can lay hands on them . The “laying of hands” usually means touch the sick person’s head with one or both hands as you pray. Laying of hands is not magic, but it is scriptural. It provides a “point of contact” for the sick person to “release his faith”. It also can be a channel for real spiritual power. Jesus laid hands on the sick and healed them. Luke 4:40 says, “Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.” Jesus also promised that believers will lay hands on the sick and they will recover. Mark 16:18 says, “They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” What if i lay hands on the sick and the sick does not recover; won’t people make fun of me? Well, you are not the healer. Jesus Christ is the healer, you are just an agent. I have prayed for a lot of sick people and in all sincerity, not of all of them have recovered on the spot. There are times they will come back two months later to tell me that after praying with them they felt relieved or the pain subsided or they were healed.

The bible says that we may lay hands on the sick (Mark 16:18), and so we do. However, Jesus prayed for the sick in different ways. Sometimes He laid hands on them, at times on their eyes or ears; sometimes He made no outward gesture, but just spoke the word and they were healed. Often He commanded them to do something as an act of faith. There was a time He once put mud on a blind man’s eyes, and told him to go wash it off! Another time He simply said to some lepers: “Go and show yourselves to the priests” and as they turned to go they were healed. The “priests” in the olden days are the equivalent of the health department today. This, by the way, should be noted by those who are suffering from diseases that need to be controlled with medication. We do not encourage people to discontinue such medication (for epilepsy, diabetes, heart trouble, etc., for example) until they have “gone and showed themselves to the priests” – the doctors- and their cure has been verified. The same would apply to a person suffering from tuberculosis, or other communicable disease, who is healed by Jesus through the gift of healing. In the Epistle of James we read of healing in conjunction with “anointing with oil”. James 5:14-15 says, “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” The elders, the leaders of the congregation, are to anoint with oil as they pray for the sick of that particular congregation. The disciples anointed with oil as they prayed for the sick (Mark 6:13). Oil is one of the symbols of the Holy Spirit in the Bible. “Anointing” meant to pour oil (usually olive oil) on the sick person as prayer was said. Today the usual custom is to touch the forehead of the sick person with the oil.

NOTE: The bible says, “the prayer of faith shall save (heal) the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up...” (James 5:15). Take note of the unconditional nature of the promise! We have no scriptural warrant to end a healing prayer with the faith-destroying phrase, “if it be Thy will”! Jesus never prayed for the sick in a conditional manner. God perfectly made it clear in His Word that it is His will to heal the sick.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

DON’T BE PETTY

MEMORY VERSE: And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, 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

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Daniel 7-12

BIBLE READING: 2 Kings 5:10-14

It is one thing for God to bless an individual; it is another thing for the individual to receive the blessing. It is one thing for God to send help to an individual; it is another thing for the individual to receive the help. A man who is not spiritually sensitive may lose out on God’s blessing. Many of us have missed out on a lot of things due to our spiritual insensitivity. A man of God whilst chatting with his wife suddenly realized that their conversation was gradually turning into an argument which was uncalled for. To make matters worse, what they were arguing about was a very minor issue that didn’t even warrant any argument at all. The man sensed that it was an attack from the devil so he quickly changed the conversation. After, they prayed and went to bed. The next day, whilst eating in his office , the Word of the Lord came to him prompting him to make a call that led to the purchase of their church building. Imagine that he was not spiritually sensitive, their conversation would have grown into a full scale argument. He would have woken up and gone to work in a terrible mood. In that state of mind, he would not have heard the voice of God when the Lord spoke. Be spiritually sensitive at all times. Abstain from anything that could lead to arguments.

Also, a man who is petty may lose out on God’s blessing. In the case of Naaman, his pettiness almost cost him his long desired healing. When he and his servants arrived at the front of Elisha’s house, Elisha sent his servant to tell Naaman to go and dip seven times in River Jordan and he would be healed. Naaman became a petty. 5 Kings 5:11 says, “But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.” He took offence that the prophet could not even honour him by coming out to talk personally to him. How could the prophet send a servant to him? Besides, why River Jordan – a dirty river? Why not beautiful rivers like Abana and Pharpar? The question is does it really matter? What is more important, the prophet coming out to talk to him personally or getting the solution to his problem? What is more important, dipping in Abana and Pharpar or getting healed? Thank God for his servants.2 Kings 5:13 says, “And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, 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?” If one is not careful, pettiness can shut some of the doors that God has opened to one. How can one get angry because his host gave him a pillow to sleep with instead of two? That’s pettiness. It is pettiness to get angry because you called a person and the person didn't answer your call immediately. What if the person was in the toilet? Or to get angry because your call went to voice mail? Or to get angry because you sent a text message and you didn’t get a response within 5 minutes. If you need to get angry, at least hear the other person’s side of the story. You will find from time to time that people will not meet your expectation of them and when this happens, apply wisdom. There are some minor things you will just have to learn to overlook on your way to the top. There are times you just have to bite your tongue to save a relationship.

NOTE: No one loves to be around a petty person. Pettiness can rob a man of good things.

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“AND YE SHALL BE WITNESSES UNTO ME”

MEMORY VERSE: But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Acts 1:8

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 17-18

Who is a witness? A witness is simply one who bears testimony or gives evidence. Acts 1:8 says, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” The moment we hear the word ‘witnessing’, what comes to the mind of some of us is preaching on street corners or going from house to house to share the gospel of Christ. These are good things to do. However, there is more to witnessing than preaching on street corners with a loud microphone. There are several other ways of witnessing. You can witness to people by giving them tracts. You can either hand it to them by hand or put it through their letter holes or post boxes. You can witness by forwarding conversion stories on email to friends and family who are yet to meet the Lord. One of the ways the Holy Spirit has helped me to witness to people is by sharing my conversion story – how i gave my life to Christ after a dream i had – with friends and family.

You can witness by offering to pray with people when they are sick. The whole essence of witnessing is letting people know that Jesus saves. The Greek word translated “save” in our English Bible is sozo which means, according to the lexicon: “Sozo... preserve or rescue from natural dangers and afflictions.... save from death.... bring out safely from a situation fraught with mortal danger... save or free from disease...from demonic possession.... be restored to health, get well... keep, preserve in good condition...thrive, prosper, get on well... save or preserve from death....” By offering to pray with a sick person you are indirectly telling the person that Jesus saves. I have never known anyone to resent or reject or react badly to prayer especially when they are in trouble or when they are sick. Even those that don’t believe in God, if you offer to pray for them when they are going to through a challenge or when they are sick, they will gladly accept the offer.

You can witness to people by inviting them to church to hear about Christ. How did Andrew witness to Peter? He simply brought him to meet Jesus (John 1:42). How did Brother Albert McMakin witness to Bill Graham, the popular televangelist? He invited him to church. Brother Albert, just to get Billy Graham to church, gave him his truck to drive while he sat in the passenger seat. You can also witness by sharing church flyers either by hand or putting it through letter holes. Time will not permit but i can share testimonies of several people who met the Lord through this way. Someone who was saved through a church flyer is late Willie Mullan - Northern Irish Evangelist. Many were blessed around the world by his Tuesday night Bible class where several hundreds attended to hear the exposition of the word. People got saved from listening to the tapes from the Tuesday night Bible class in places like Iraq. Asides all these, you can also witness by your manner of living. The Christian who doesn’t pay his bills, who isn’t quite honest in his business dealings, who quarrels noisily with his family is not going to help the cause of Christ by his behaviour. The world is watching how you conduct yourself in lesser matters.

NOTE: Jesus did not say “and ye may be witnesses.” He didn’t say “and ye can be witnesses”. He said “and ye shall be witnesses!” It is a commandment. It is not negotiable. He said “ ye shall be witnesses unto me...” not witnesses unto denominations. We are to preach Christ not denomination.

QUESTION: How many souls have you brought to Christ since He saved you?

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

SERVICE AND PROSPERITY

MEMORY VERSE: If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.Job 36:11

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 96-98

It pays to serve in the vineyard of God. During one of our Sunday services in church, a young beautiful girl, 'D', ministered; she did choreography to a popular gospel song. ( Name of girl withheld) After her ministration, the man of God ( who was invited from abroad ) climbed the altar to preach. As he preached, he prophesied by the Spirit of the Lord: “The (Lord says that) the young girl that had just ministered is going to be a lawyer and she is going to receive scholarship to study law in ‘X’ university”. (Name of university withheld). He gave a powerful sermon, packed his bag and left. After the service, whilst chatting with ‘D’s’ dad, a brother approached the dad to confirm the prophecy. “Do you know ‘D’ told my wife, when she was at your house a week ago that she is going to be a lawyer when she grows up” he said. Wow! What a confirmation to the prophecy of the man of God. 2 Corinthians 13:1 says, “This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” I believe the brother must have thought within himself that the parents of ‘D’ were lucky.

Neither ‘D’ nor her parents were lucky. Were they favoured? Oh Yes! But God is not arbitrary. You can’t get something for nothing. You want to be able to resist the devil? First of all submit to God (James 4:7). ‘D’s’ parent served God, especially her dad, selflessly. He is part of at least 3 groups in the church; he is a sanctuary cleaner, outreach team member, usher, etc. When we go on evangelism, he brings ‘D’ and her sister with us and they participate. Actually, 'D' shares more tracts than the adults because she is not shy. D loved the Lord and Lord reciprocated the love. It is high time you considered your service to God. Job 36:11 says, “If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.“ Do you just go to church, listen to sermon, pay your tithes and offering, and go home? You are missing some serious blessings by not serving in God’s vineyard. Are you serving in God’s vineyard but not putting your best into it? You only serve when it is convenient or when you feel like? I want you to change because God is watching and He will reward each individual accordingly. Revelations 22:12 says, “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Have you been serving with all your heart and it seems as if you are getting nothing for it? ‘D’ parents have been serving selflessly for close to 14 years. God sees your efforts and He will reward you in due time. I Corinthians 2:8 says, “ But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” Your testimony will be different and bigger.

NOTE: It is not only about activities in the church. As you serve selflessly, run away from sin. Sin causes God to distance Himself from a family or an individual (Isaiah 59:1-2). You can’t be working in God’s vineyard and be fornicating at the same time, and expect God to prosper you. The fornication has to stop before He will prosper you.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world .

WHERE IS YOUR TIME?

MEMORY VERSE: My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. Psalm 31:15

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 25-27

There are three basic types of time: natural time, human time and God’s time. Naturally, all over the world, midnight marks the beginning and ending of each day. In other words, a day starts at 12am. With the human time it’s different and it varies with individuals. For some, their day starts at 5am; others start before 5am or after 5am. However, God’s day start in the evening. Genesis 1:5 says, “And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.” The same thing for the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh day.

Going by nature or natural time, a child becomes an adult when he is 18 years (age of consent). From this age, he is free to make his decisions. If he commits a crime, hopefully he doesn’t, he would be sent to prison. Humans, depending on culture and religious beliefs, put the age of maturity at different times. In some cultures, it is believed that once a girl enters puberty she can now be treated as an adult; some even become brides at that age. In some cultures, not until a man is 30 he is not regarded as an adult. According to scriptures, a child becomes an adult around the age of 20 (Leviticus 27:1-7). When it comes to serving God, there is natural time to serve God and that is the age of consent. The human time to serve God is when one is old - probably around 65 years. Between the age of 17 and the age of retirement is a time to concentrate on one’s career and enjoy life. This is why when people see a young brother actively serving in church and serving God with vigour, they say he is not ambitious. This is why when they see a young woman dressed modestly, no parts of her body exposed; they say it is too early to dress in that fashion. The expectation is that one should dress hot and sexy whilst one is young. Going by God’s time, no one is too young to serve God. 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.”

Going by nature, the time to get married is four years after a child enters puberty and this is around the age of 18. The human time for an individual to get married varies. The general consensus is once a man has a job and a house, he can consider marriage. However, God’s time for each individual to get married is different. There are instances where God may decide not to give a brother a wife until He trains him for his future and the training may not end until he is 30 years. In a nutshell, there are things nature expects one to have at certain times. Also, there are things humans expect one to have at certain times. When one does not have those things at the expected time, one may be regarded as a failure. The expectation is after 10 years in ministry, one's congregation should have grown to a certain number. One should be doing this and that. However, God does not work like this. He may decide to give one something before the human time or after the human time. Samuel started hearing God's voice from a tender age. Moses did not start his ministry until the age of 80. I want to encourage you to put your time in God’s hands. Let Him give you what He wants to give to you in His own time.

NOTE: A lot has destroyed their lives because they received certain good things at the wrong time.

PRAYER POINTS: Father, help me to be more patient.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

BE HUMBLE TO SEE

MEMORY VERSE: Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth! Psalm 113:6

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Philippians 3-4

What an individual sees or what an individual will see when he or she looks at a thing or in a direction, will be determined by a lot of things. For example, what an individual will see will be determined by what he or she chooses to focus on. In Number 13, Moses sent twelve men to Jericho to spy out the nation and bring back reports. When they got there, ten out of the twelve chose to focus on the stature of the inhabitants of the land. Numbers 13:33 says, “And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.” The other two chose to focus on the Word of God. The Lord told them before leaving that He had already given the land of Canaan to them. Numbers 13:2 says, “Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.” Ten chose to focus on impossibilities. Numbers 13:28 says, “Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.” They didn’t stop there, they said, “we be not able to go against the people; for they are stronger than we” (Numbers 13:31). They chose to focus on why it can’t be done. But, two chose to focus on possibilities. Numbers 13:30 says, “And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.”

Why is it important that an individual sees? It is important because whatever one sees is what one will get. If you can see it, either with your physical eyes or with the eyes of your heart, then you can have it. The Lord told Abram, “For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever” (Genesis 13:15). To see one must be humble. Psalm 113:6 says, “For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.” What is hindering many of us from seeing is nothing but pride. A proud person thinks he or she knows it all. Sir/ ma, no one knows it all. No one has the monopoly of knowledge. Many of us cannot see because we are not teachable. God has put people around us, young and old, literate and illiterate, men and women , to teach us a thing or two, but we don’t give them the opportunity because we are not teachable. Few select those they can learn from. ‘I cannot learn anything from that brother because he is just an ordinary usher’, they’ll say. When a man or woman is teachable, people will point out things to him or her. They will give him or her ideas. Many of us need to be taught how to see. “You mean there is way to see”, someone asked? Yes, there is a way to see.

QUESTION: How teachable are you?

PRAYER POINT: Father, please give me a teachable spirit.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

THE THREE RELATIONS THAT GOD SUSTAINS TOWARDS US

MEMORY VERSE: Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. John 14:17

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 9-4

The bible teaches that God sustains three relations with His us (Christians). The first one is God is for us. Romans 8:31 says, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”The answer is no one can be against us if God be for us. Isaiah 54:15 says, “Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake." He went on further to say, "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.” (Isaiah 54:17)". He didn’t stop there, He said, “Because you are precious in My sight and honored, and I love you, I will give people in exchange for you and nations instead of your life” (Isaiah 43:4). If God before you, there is nothing anyone in the world can do to harm you. I will never forget an incident that happened to a brother in his place of work. He was suspended for something He knew nothing about. The manager was so sure that she was going to get rid of him that she replaced him weeks after he was suspended. Because God was with this brother, she did not succeed and the brother returned to work. Few months later, she applied for her job (because she had been acting in that role for two years) and was not even shortlisted for interview. She had to leave out of shame.

The second one is God is with us. John 14:17 says, “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” This should give us confidence and hope. In any situation we find ourselves we must always remember that God is there with us. Matthew 28:20 says, “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”Things may not be going as planned at the moment, business may not be doing well, you may be struggling in ministry but i want you to know that God is with you. And because He is with you, you will succeed. That is a guarantee. It does not matter what you are going through now, as far as you a Christian God is with you. The third one is God is in us. This is where each and every one of us needs to be very careful. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” Your body is not yours but the Lord. That is why you can’t use your body anyhow. This is why you can’t draw tattoos on your body. This is why you can’t bleach your skin. This is why most importantly one must run from all forms sexual immorality. How can one carry God inside him or her and go about fornicating or committing adultery?

NOTE: God is the best friend any man can have and the worst enemy any man can have.

QUESTION: Are you God’s friend? Do you do the things that please Him?

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WHO IS A WISE WOMAN?

MEMORY VERSE: Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands. Proverbs 14:1

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 13-18

Proverbs 14:1 says, “Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.” Who is a wise person? A wise person is someone who fears the Lord. Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” What does it mean to fear the Lord? Proverbs 8:13 says, “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.” A God-fearing sister will not sleep with a man she is not married to. The bible clearly states that fornication and adultery are sins. 1 Corinthians 6:18 says, “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.” If you are having sex and you are not married, you are not God-fearing. Even if you are in courtship, you must not sleep with each other. It does not matter whether you can speak in tongues or not, if you are married and you are sleeping with a woman who is not your wife, you are not God-fearing. A wise woman is a woman who is at first 'God-fearing'. A wise woman will encourage her husband to have nothing to do with bribes.

Who is a wise person? A wise person is someone who properly applies his or her knowledge. A wise woman is a woman who properly and practically applies what she knows, especially things written in the Holy Scripture. A wise woman recognizes these two things: a man is not superior to a woman and God expects the man and the woman to play certain roles in marriage. The role of the man is to lead as the head of the family and the role of the wife is to submit to the head. Ephesians 5:22 says, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” As a woman, even if you are more educated than your husband, earn more salary than your husband, or older than your husband, you are to submit to your husband as unto the Lord. There are a lot of women who submit to the pastor but not their husband. Those women, according to the Ephesians 5:22, cannot be regarded as wise women. There are some sisters whose husbands are afraid of; i want you to know that those sisters are not God-fearing at all. If your husband is afraid of you that means you have not submitted to him. There are some sisters who the husband cannot correct talk less of rebuke, they are not wise at all. They are not also God-fearing. It does not matter what post a woman is holding in the church, if she is not submitting to her husband she is not God-fearing. As a man of God, it is important that you get permission from a woman’s husband before ordaining her into positions. That is her head - the man who God has put her under. If the man says no – it does not matter how spirit filled the woman is- please don’t put her into any position.

NOTE: A woman who is not ready to submit to her husband will not submit to church authority. We should not even permit a sister who is not ready to submit to her husband or a sister that is rude to her parents to lead us in praise and worship.

QUESTION: Are you a wise woman?

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

WHAT PROFIT SHALL THIS BIRTHRIGHT DO TO ME?

MEMORY VERSE: And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? Genesis 25:32

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 72-74

If a man has something and does not value it, if care is not taken he may lose it. So also a woman, if she has something and does not value it, she may lose it if care is not taken. If an organisation or establishment has something probably dedicated staffs or an advantage and they do not value it, they will lose the staffs or the advantage if care is not taken. An example of a fellow who lost something he did not value was Esau. In ancient times, the birthright was a very important and sacred thing. It belonged to the firstborn. The family name and titles were to pass along to the eldest son. He would also receive a chief portion of the inheritance. But it was more than just a title to the physical assets of a family. It was also a spiritual position, and in the case of the people of God, God would lead the family through patriarchs, or fathers (Hebrews 1:1-2). Additionally, in the special case of Esau and Jacob, that meant the one to whom belonged the birthright was the one through who the covenant promise made to their grandfather, Abraham, would be realized. Ultimately, the Messiah would come through the holder of the birthright and bless the nations of the earth. Esau was the firstborn, and the birthright was his. Unfortunately, he didn’t think much of his birthright. Genesis 25:32 says, “And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?” He so belittled his birthright that he traded it for a pot of red porridge. Hebrew 12:16 says, “Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.” Although the birthright was his by default, he lost it because he didn't value it.

Had he valued his birthright, he would have protected it and kept it. Had he cherished it, he would have rather chosen to die of hunger than trade it for food. Another person who did not value what she had was Queen Vashti. Her husband, King Ahasuerus (Xerxes), was the supreme ruler of the Persian Empire. Her husband ruled over a kingdom which had 127 provinces. As such, she was the number one woman in the Persian Empire. Because she didn’t value her husband, the king, she disobeyed him when he called for her (Esther 1). Before she knew it , she was replaced with an orphan girl who valued the king. I pray that you will never lose something valuable in the name of Jesus. This bring us to the question, do you value what you have? Do you value your God-fearing wife who submits to you? A lot take advantage of their God-fearing wives who submit to them. Instead of loving her with the love of Christ, they beat her up at any provocation. Do you value your God-fearing husband who loves you? Instead of submitting to him, do you nag him? Instead of submitting to him, do you abuse him? As a church pastor, do you value the workers in the vineyard of God? As a member, do you value the pastor and his wife? Do you know that many of them stay awake to intercede for you and your family whilst you are asleep? One way you can show that you value them is by supporting the good work they are doing.

QUESTION: Do you value that connection? Do you value that opportunity to grow your spiritual gifts? Do you value that neighbour who watches after your kids when you are at work? Do you value that neighbour who collects your parcels for you when you are not at home? Do you value your business associates? Do you value the grace of God on your life? Do you value the gifts of the Holy Spirit?

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WHEN RESOLVING ISSUES

MEMORY VERSE: Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 14-18

Misunderstandings are inevitable in human relationships. When they occur, those involved should seek to resolve it as soon as possible. When the people involved sit to resolve the issue, they must be solution-focused. They must seek to save and strengthen the relationship not bring the other party down or make them feel guilty. The conversation should be geared not at apportioning blames. Only words that will build each other up according to their needs should be used. Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” Also, those involved should try to understand what the other person needs.The parties involved must resist the temptation to bring up previously confessed offences; drag up other people in; use wisecracks about people’s weight, height, colour, IQ, physical, mental and emotional limitations; or bring up totally unrelated things that could cloud the issue. All these keep one from finding a solution. Shouting or raising one’s voice in order to intimidate and manipulate other party is a no no.

Whilst trying to resolve a misunderstanding, the individuals involved must seek a solution not a ‘victory’. Calling each other names and ‘diagnosing’ others only make things worse. The focus should not be on what the other person did or what the other person did not do, but on what you can do together to resolve it. The individuals involved should admit their own flaws- where they went wrong, and ask forgiveness immediately. It takes two to tango , acknowledging our own imperfections makes it easier for someone else to acknowledge theirs. Every time you take a “swing” at someone, offer them a positive “stroke”. Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” For each of the difficulties addressed, a compliment must be given. A good one could be, “I am sure this wasn’t easy for to you hear. Thanks for listening to me so graciously.” Being solution-focused gives people something to live up to, not down to!

NOTE: Trying to score points off each other does not help resolve issues. Allowing each other to make their points without being interrupted is very good.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

DEAL WITH TODAY’S PROBLEMS -TODAY

MEMORY VERSE: Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath. Ephesians 4:26

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 4-6

That recent incident (where you were wronged) doesn’t have to destroy the relationship that you have built over the years. I learnt this from a great man of God: “there are no permanent enemies and there are no permanent friends. That fellow who wronged you today could become your life-saver tomorrow. ” As we discussed yesterday, let’s be honest with our anger. There is no point pretending or denying our anger. This does not help resolve the matter in any way. Also, let's avoid the blame game. Watch your words when you are angry. Remember, with our tongue we can start a war and also with the same tongue we can bring an end to war. Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” We say, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me,” but it’s not true. A person can die of a crushed spirit, and the one who spoke the words can live to regret the damage that they inflicted and may never get a chance to undo it. On the other hand, anger properly handled never needs to be repented of.

Keep your anger current. Storing anger in our hard drives only hurts us. Some of us are angry with one of our siblings or a friend for something they did or said in the past. The fellow who wronged you or made you angry probably can’t remember the incident but you are still angry and hurt. You are the one who is losing emotional energy, not them. They are living life with zest and you are still hurt. Why not let go. There are some of us who are angry with the dead. The dead doesn’t know you are angry, unfortunately, he or she can’t return to apologize for the wrong done. Why not let go and ask the Lord to help you get over it. What happens when we download old resentments and start to rehearse them is that we grow bitter. When you are angry deal with it quickly. Don’t passively allow time to decide your options or sit around hoping the other person will see the light and apologize. Problems do not go away. They must be worked through or else they remain, forever a barrier to the growth and the development of the spirit. Matthew 18:15 says, “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.” If someone offends you, try to resolve it and restore the relationship. When you repress it you add one more skeleton to your closet. Sooner or later, doctors say it’ll be at your stomach lining, attack your immune system, and predispose you to heart problems, cancers, and other physical, social and emotional disorders. In the meantime, it’ll preoccupy you, dissipate you to heart problems, cripple your creativity, and hinder your fellowship with God, your friends and fellow believers; not to mention that it denies the offender an opportunity to clear their conscience, repent and get right with God and you. Lets’s stop dragging up the past, trying to blackmail the guilty by hauling skeletons out of closets at “auspicious” moments, plotting revenge, and passing down resentments for the next generation to carry.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please give me the humility and courage to deal with today’s problems – today.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

IS YOUR LOVE FOR HIM UNDER ATTACK?

MEMORY VERSE: All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days. Esther 4:11

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 1-3

Esther 4:11 says, “All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.” The state of Esther’s relationship with King Ahasuerus (her husband) in Esther 4:11 can be compared to the state of our relationship with our ‘Husband’- our Maker. Isaiah 54:5 says, “For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.” For Esther, she did not hear from her husband for thirty days. For some of us, we have not heard from our Husband (our Maker) in weeks and some, months. Some of us have not heard His voice in weeks. Some cannot even remember the last time we experienced His overwhelming presence. Many of us cannot remember the last time we saw a vision. Back in those days, He used to reveal things to us, either in a dream or vision, before it happens. Back in those days, He used to tell us what the pastor will preach on and the bible text he or she will use before we get to church. Some of us were so close to Him that He used to open our eyes and we will see His angels all around us but today it is not so.

The question is this, what happened? Could it be that you have now put on weight and your Husband (your Maker) is no longer interested in you? A type of weight some of us have put on is 'pride'. Could it be that you have stopped putting effort into looking good for Him? Is you garment of righteousness not stained with sin? It could be that your garment is now torn. When you appear before Him, you come in rags. Have you not allowed bitterness and unforgiveness in your heart? These things do tear one's garment apart. Could it be that your priority has now changed? Is your number one priority still to please Him? Is your number one priority still to obey Him not caring about the cost ? It may not be any of these. You may even be living a life of holiness and you observe that things are not what it used to be between you and your Maker. It could be that your love for your Husband (your Maker) is now under attack. You don’t know why but you just don’t feel as excited as you used to feel when you study the bible. You no longer have time for bible study or bible study has now become boring to you. You now arrive at church late or sometimes you don't go at all. Praying and fasting have now become very tedious that you can't even remember the last time you fasted. Winning souls and follow up are no longer your hobby. The farther we are from God, the closer we are to a life of pain and hardship. The farther we are from our Husband, the closer we are to unusual challenges and disappointments.

NOTE: The biggest risk a man can take is to stray away from the presence of God

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PRAYER POINT: Every attack on my love for my creator, back to sender in Jesus name.

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ATTACK ON LOVE

MEMORY VERSE: All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days. Esther 4:11

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Luke 11-12

Love is powerful. Lovers give gifts to each other. Because God so loved the world He gave His only begotten son (John 3:16). Because Jesus loved His friends, He gave His life for them (John 15:13). In addition, lovers love to spend time with each other. They will pay any price to be together. Jacob so loved Rachel that he was willing to pay any price to have her, by him, all the days of his life. Genesis 29:20 says, “And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.” King Ahasuerus chose Esther to be his queen because he loved her. Esther 2:7 says, “And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.” He could have picked any of the virgins presented to him but he picked Esther out of love .

Esther 4:11 says, “All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.” For thirty days, Esther did not set her eyes on her husband. The king did not set his eyes on her too and he didn't bother to send for her. Why? This is unusual between two lovers. What some of our sisters are facing is similar to what Esther faced back then; it is as if they no longer exist to their husbands. It is so bad, some husbands don't even notice when their wives make a new hairstyle talk less of compliment her.

A lot 'could have' contributed to Esther loosing relevance before the king or his dwindling love for her , for instance, maybe Esther stopped putting effort into looking good for the king. Dearest sister, do you still put effort into looking good for your husband? Maybe Esther's priority changed. Her number one priority used to be to please the king but now it is something else. Maybe her number one priority used to be to serve the king but that has now changed? Beloved sister, could it be that your priority has now changed? Your career or children are now your number one priority not your king i.e. husband. It could be that Esther became familiar with the king. It could be that she took the attention he showed to her for granted. It could be that she began to treat the king as her equal not her head. Sister, do you now talk to your husband any how? Do you now shut him up and disrespect him? Esther was a good and respectful woman. She could not have been guilty of any of these. What happened was the enemy attacked her marriage. The enemy is still in the business of attacking Christian marriages. He attacks the husband's love for his wife and vice versa. The enemy wanted to destroy the Jews. He knew the only way to succeed in the task was to attack the king's love for her so that she will not be able to stop the destruction of the Jews.Thank God she prayed and the attack was repelled.

PRAYER POINT: Father, we come against every attack of the enemy on Christian marriages and courtship.

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ACCORDING TO THEIR KIND

MEMORY VERSE: Then God said, "Let the earth produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that crawl, and the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds. And it was so. Genesis 1:24

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 5-9

It is what a man or woman sows that he or she will reap. Galatians 5:7 says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” We have discussed few things about sowing and reaping for instance, the harvest is always greater than the seed planted. If one sows few orange seeds, one will get an orange tree in return. Not only that, we reap in a different season than we sow. One don’t harvest corn the same day one plants it. There is always a waiting period. Plants don’t grow overnight. Also, Rome was not built in a day.

Also on the subject of ‘sowing and reaping’, we reap the same kind as we sow. As we continue in this ‘sowing and reaping’ series, please take note of what the Lord is revealing to us. God determined in creation that all will multiply after its kind. Genesis 1:24 says, “Then God said, "Let the earth produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that crawl, and the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds.” Just as sheep reproduce after their own kind, goats also reproduce after its kind. Just as eagles reproduce after their own kind, chickens also reproduce after its kind. You will never find an eagle giving birth to a chicken. John 3:6 says, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

When we go through the Bible, we will find that people have always reaped the same kind of what they have sown. In 1 Kings 17:7-16, the widow of Zarapheth fed the prophet of God with her last meal and the Lord fed her and her child all through the famine. In 1 Samuel 1-2, Hannah gave her only child, Samuel, to God and in return she got 5 children (3 boys and 2 girls). That boy who sowed his meal (five bread and two fishes) and received in return twelve baskets of bread and fishes ( Mark 6:30-44). In 1 Kings 21, Ahab killed Naboth and took his land. The Lord sent a message to him saying “ Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, in the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine” (1 Kings 21:19). By the time we get to 1 Kings 22:38, we read about dogs licking the blood of Ahab at the same spot where Naboth’s blood was licked. It does not matter what one sows, one will reap the same kind as one has sown. In 2 Samuel 11, David coveted another man’s wife, committed adultery with her, killed the man, and stole the man’s wife. He reaped the same kind. Had it not been God's mercy he would have been murdered.Do you know that if an individual hears a person crying for help and the individual pretends as if he or she cannot hear, that individual will also cry for help one day and people around will pretend as if they cannot hear. Proverbs 21:13 says, “Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.”

QUESTION: Are you sowing into the flesh or into the spirit? Remember, those who sow into the flesh will reap corruption whilst those who sow into the Spirit will reap eternal life.

PRAYER POINTS: Father, Let your death on the cross not be in vain over me.

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SOWING AND REAPING: WE REAP ONLY WHAT HAS BEEN SOWN I

MEMORY VERSE: Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.Psalm 51:5

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Luke 9-10

Except something is sowed, there will be nothing to reap. What we reap was either planted naturally or purposely, either by God or by man, and either for positive or for negative results. Firstly, we reap fruits from the labours of others. John 4:38 says, “I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.” We reap blessings from the seeds others have sown. For instance, the seed of the blessings of Abraham we are reaping today was sown over 4000 years ago (Genesis 22). Verse 16-18 says, “And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.”

Several years back, in late 1800s a Scottish missionary, a young woman, sowed a powerful seed in Calabar area of Nigeria, West Africa. Prior to her arrival in Calabar, Natives considered the birth of twins an evil curse. They feared that the father of one of the infants was an evil spirit, and that the mother had been guilty of a great sin. Unable to determine which twin was fathered by the evil spirit, the natives often abandoned both babies in the forest. It was known as the ‘twin murder superstition of the Dark Continent’. A lot of young twins were killed during this period. Whilst working in Calabar, someone brought a twin which had been left for dead in the forest to this lady missionary. She took the child into her home as her own. This marked the beginning of a marvelous career of twin-rescuing which finally resulted in the natives abandoning the practice entirely. Today, many families are reaping from the seed she sowed over 100 years ago. A lot of twins born in that part of Nigeria have now become doctors, surgeons, lawyers, etc. The young woman’s name is Mary Slessor. This brings us to this soul searching question, 'what are you sowing today that the next generation can benefit from' ?

We reap blessing because of what God has done on our behalf. One of the blessings we reap from what God did on our behalf is that of common grace. Matthew 5:45 says, “that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” The Lord is good to all (believers and unbelievers) and everyone benefits from His goodness even atheists. Every good gift we enjoy comes from God. James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” Had He not given them to us, we would not have been in receipt of them. John 3:27 says, “John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.”

QUESTION: What are you sowing into you spiritual life? How is your quiet time with the Lord? Do you still read the bible? What do you want to be remembered for when the Lord calls you home? What are you sowing today that your children can reap from?

PRAYER POINTS: Father, please make me a world changer for Jesus.

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HOW GOD GUIDES PART 4

MEMORY VERSE: Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellers they are established. Proverbs 15:22

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Job 33-34

There are some very important points I will like to remind you of. Firstly, guidance springs out of our relationship with God. He has promised to guide those who are walking with Him. Before you look up to Him for guidance on any issue, first of all check your walk with Him. Secondly, His guidance is always in line with scriptures. He will not guide one to do something contrary to scriptures. As mentioned yesterday, one of the ways God speaks is through prophets. We find examples of this both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament (e.g. Agabus- Acts 11:27-28). He also speaks through pastors. Several months back I had a serious challenge at work. With the way things were back then, it was obvious that I was on my way out so I reported the matter to God. One evening I sat back to watch a live program over the internet. Whilst the man of God was preaching, he quoted Isaiah 41:10 - Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Then he said, “God says I will help you, I will strengthen you and uphold you with my right hand.” Immediately he made that statement, something snapped in my spirit. I knew God was speaking to me. Several minutes later he repeated himself and said “God says i should i tell you, I will strengthen you and uphold you with my right hand.” I held onto it and God confirmed the word of His servant. As He promised, He helped me and i didn't lose my job.

He also guides through the counsel of the saints. Proverbs 15:22 says, “Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellers they are established.” While seeking advice is very important, we need to remember that ultimately our decisions are between us and God. They are our responsibility. We cannot shift that responsibility onto others or seek to blame them if things go wrong. The ‘counsel of saints’ is part of guidance – but it is not the only part. Sometimes it may be right to go ahead in spite of the ideas of others. If we are faced with a decision where we need advice, whom should we consult? The best advisors are usually godly Christians people with wisdom and experience whom we respect. (It is also wise to seek the advice of parents whom we are to honour, even if we are past the age of being under their authority. Even if they are not Christians, they know us very well and can often have important insights into situations).

The people whom we ask for advice should not be chosen on the basis that they will agree with what we have already planned to do. Sometimes one sees a person consulting countless people in the hope that they will eventually find somebody who will endorse their plans. Such advice has little weight and simply enables the person to say, ‘and I consulted X and he or she agreed.’ We should consult people on the basis of their spiritual authority or their relationship to us, regardless of what we may anticipate their views to be. Another way God guides is through circumstantial signs. God is in ultimate control of events. Sometimes God opens doors (1 Corinthians 16:9) and sometimes He closes them (Acts 16:7). Sometimes God’s guidance seems to come immediately it is asked for (e.g. Genesis 24), but often it takes much longer: sometimes months or even years. Sometimes we hear God correctly, but we get the timing wrong. Sometimes, like Abraham, we try to fulfill God’s plan by our own wrong methods and get it into trouble.

NOTE: God is able to restore you to the years which the swarming locust has eaten (Joel 2:25). He is able to make something good out of whatever is left of our lives – whether it is a short time or a long time- if we will offer what we have to Him and co-operate with His Spirit.

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CALL TO INFLUENCE

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. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:13-16

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 9-12

Christians all other the world, Baptist, Methodist, Seventh Day Adventist, Catholic, Pentecostals, etc, are called, by Jesus, to influence the world. Jesus said to His disciples: “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. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:13-16).” We are called to be different i.e. to live a radically different lifestyle from the world, so that we may be effective as salt and light in it.

How are we to influence the world? Firstly, by being the salt of the world. There are several uses of salts, but today we will look at the use of salt to prevent decay. Many centuries back before refrigeration was invented salt was used to keep meat wholesome, and to prevent decay. As Christians, we are called to stop society going bad. One way to go about this is by our words. We need to speak out about moral standards, and moral issues. Some of the things that used to be a taboo twenty years ago are now normal today. It used to be a shameful thing several years back to be caught fornicating, or committing adultery, but today people fornicate, or commit adultery and even record it on their mobile phones to share it with their friends. It used to be a shameful thing to go to prison years back. Actually people used to dread prison but now, it is normal. Especially amongst our youths, once you go to prison you become a celebrity. We can also use our influence to bring about God’s standards in society around us. As we play our part as citizens aiming to create better social structures, working for justice, freedom, and dignity for the individual, and by helping to abolish discrimination, we can stop society going bad.

Secondly, by being the light in the world. Jesus calls us to be light – to allow the light of Christ to shine through us. We do this by what Jesus calls ‘your good deeds’ – everything that we do or say because we are Christians. Living out the Christian life is the most appropriate way of passing on the good news to those who live in very close proximity to us. This certainly applies to our family, colleagues at work, and flatmates. If they know we are Christians, that fact alone puts them under a degree of pressure. To be continually speaking about our faith may backfire. They are more likely to be affected by our genuine love, and concern. At work people should notice our consistency, honesty, truthfulness, hard work, reliability, avoidance of gossip, and desire to encourage other people. At home, parents, family and flatmates will be influenced by our service to others, our patience, and our kindness, far more than our words. Being ‘lights in the world’ does not just involve our lifestyle. It also involves our lips. Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

QUESTION: Are you promoting decay or preventing decay by your speech, conduct and lifestyle?

PRAYER POINT: Father, help me to be light and salt in this world.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.