THE WORKING OF MIRACLES

MEMORY VERSE: To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues. 1 Corinthians 12:10

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joel

1 Corinthians 12: 1 says, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.” As such, we will be looking at one of the spiritual gifts called ‘the Working of Miracles’. 1 Corinthians 12:10 says,” To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues.” What is a Miracle? A miracle is an event that seems to override or contradict the laws of nature. There is a difference between healings and miracles. If a person has a condition called otitis media which is inflammation of the middle ear, one can pray for it and it can be healed. But if a person has had the middle ear removed by surgery, you cannot heal a middle ear that is not there. A miracle, however, can restore the middle ear. Another difference (as stated by Derek Prince in his book titled: ‘Secrets of a Prayer Warrior’) is this, Miracles are often instantaneous and often visible, whereas healings are often invisible and gradual. Some of the typical miracles of the Old Testament are: the dividing of the Red Sea for the escape of the children of Israel (Exodus 14:21-31); the sun and moon standing still for Joshua (Joshua 10:12-14); the widow’s cruse of oil and barrel of meal that did not run out through the time of famine (1 Kings 17:8-16).

Jesus also performed a lot of miracles, and apparently not of all of them are recorded. John 21:25 says, “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.” Some examples of His miracles found in the scriptures include: turning water into wine (John 2:1-11), walking on water (Matthew 14:25-33), causing the storm to cease (Mark 6:45-52). Jesus’ miracles were performed primarily out of His compassion to meet human needs, and for practical purposes. When He miraculously fed the multitudes, it was because food was not available otherwise. When He turned water to wine, it was because there was a need at the wedding reception. It is well to note, too, that the miracle were not done to force or frighten unbelievers into believing – they were done to encourage those who already believed or wanted to believe. John 14:12 says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.” After the death of Jesus, Peter and Paul performed miracles. For instance, Paul miraculously struck Elymas the Sorcerer with a temporary blindness in order to keep him from opposing the Gospel (Acts 13:8-12). Evangelist Philip was transported bodily from Gaza to Azotus by the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:39-40). I will like to point out that this wasn’t astral projection. As believers, the Holy Spirit can manifest the working of miracles through any of us as far as we are yielded to Him. Christians do not expect miracles for the sake of miracles, but because God promised that they meet human needs and lead others to Jesus.

NOTE: What Jesus meant when He said that those who believe in Him would do “greater things” is that believers would do new miracles, they would be according to the pattern already set by the Lord, and would be according to the Scripture. There are plenty of weird events taking place these days, as men and women experiment with the occult and the Psychic, that is to say with the powers of Satan, and the Christian must not be deceived by them. The scripture tells us that the followers of the enemy will do “great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22).

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

“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

GOOD PEOPLE OBTAINS FAVOR FROM THE LORD

MEMORY VERSE: A good man obtains favor of the LORD: but a man of wicked intentions will he condemn. Proverbs 12:2

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 87-89

The word ‘good’ is relative. For example, to the French ‘white’ means purity, cleanliness and honesty. The bride, on her wedding day, puts on a white gown which symbolizes innocence and purity of the bride. In china, ‘white’ stands for mourning. During any festival or celebration, ‘white’ is avoided. If you want to give money to a newlywed couples or children, you are expected to use red envelopes. As you can see, ‘white’ is perceived in different ways. In the west it is good but bad in China.

Man’s definition of the word ‘good’ is relative. Man’s definition of the word ‘good’ changes with region (as you saw in our example of ‘white’ in the west and in china), time, instances, etc. According to man’s law, killing is a crime but in some instances it is not a crime e.g. mercy killing or Euthanasia. (Euthanasia is the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering). Although man’s definition of things keep changing and it will continue to change, God’s definition of things never changes. We live at a time where being good according to God’s own standard is gradually becoming a taboo. We live at a time where honesty is no longer rewarded. We live at a time where everyone is looking for short cuts and all that. We live at a time where the end justifies the means. How you get the result does not matter, just get the result. As a marketer, it does not matter how one gets customers, all that matters (to the people above) is just get customers. As a manager, it does not matter how one drives up the sales, all that matters is sales going up. As a student, it does not matter how one gets good grades, all that matters is get good grades. As a daughter or a son, it does not matter how one succeeds. All that matters is succeed and look after your family. Friend, it matters. How you get the result matters. As far as God is concerned, the end does not justify the means. As a marketer, how you get customers matters. As a manager, how you drive up sales matter. Proverbs 12:2 says, “A good man obtains favor of the LORD: but a man of wicked intentions will he condemn.” God will not favour the wicked. There are a lot of single men going to church because they are looking for a good wife. The honest truth is this; they are only wasting their time because the Lord will not give any of His daughters to men who are not ready to serve Him in spirit and truth. Many a time, such single men end up marrying someone just like them in church – a lady who is also in church to pick up a man too. God loves good boys and girls. He loves good men and women and He favors them. Wherever they turn to, they will find favor with God and with men.

QUESTION: This brings us to the question, are you a good man? Are you a good woman? Are you a good child? Are you a good student? David was a good man. Despite all Saul did to him, he never rebelled against him. Are you a good person? Do you hear both sides of the story before passing comments? Are you fair? Do you divulge confidential information people share with you when you have a misunderstanding with them?

PRAYER POINT: Father, please give me good heart

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

YOU AND YOUR STAR

MEMORY VERSE: Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. Matthew 2:2

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 69-71

BIBLE STUDY : Matthew 2

There is no man or woman who does not have a star. Matthew 2:2 says, "Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him." Just as that little baby had a star, you and i have a star. God was trying to show Abraham, that night when He took him out and told him to look towards heaven, the stars of his unborn children (Genesis 15:5). This 'star' is not something we can see with our physical eyes or with a telescope. It can only be seen with the spiritual eyes or the 'third' eye. Our stars reveal important information about our lives. Our star reveal God's plans for our lives . Our star also reveal who we really are. That baby in Matthew 2 was not an ordinary child; He was a divine child. To the parents of the baby He was just a child, but the wise men knew better. They knew He was the King of the Jews; this, they decoded from His star. No wonder when they saw Him, the bible records that they fell down and worshiped Him ( Matthew 2:11).

Just as those three wise men were able to see the star of that child, there are people who are able to see our stars. Many many years ago, an elderly woman met me as i was about to board a public transport and told me that one day i will travel abroad. At that time, i didn't have a passport talk less of have a visa to travel. Today, what she said has now materialized to the glory of God. That old woman saw beyond the physical. She saw my star. Thank God she was not a wicked woman. That young baby did not have any problem until Herod heard about His star. From the day he heard that the King of the Jews had been born, he started to plan how to destroy him. Herod represents spiritual wickedness. The problems some are facing started when the enemy saw their stars. Do you know the parents of this child lived in peace until Herod heard about the star of their child (Matthew 2:13)? There are parents facing attacks all because the enemy saw the star of their child. After Herod discovered that the three wise men did not return with the location of the child, he passed an evil decree that all children from two years old and under should be killed (Matthew 2:16). There are certain evil laws that are being made right as we speak all because the enemy has seen someone's star. The good news is that the enemy did not succeed over that young baby. Oh, they tried! They did all they could do but the Lord frustrated their efforts. Just as those wicked people who heard about the star of that child did not succeed, no man or woman will succeed in destroying you because of your star. Whether they will succeed or not will be dependent on whose side you are. Are you on the Lord's side? Have you accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and savior? Do you hate what He hates and love what He loves.

PRAYER POINTS: Father, please hide my star from the wicked one. Father, please destroy every Herod that is seeking to destroy me because of my star. Father, every challenge that is coming to me as result of what you want to do in my life, please put an end to them today.

WARNING: Be discreet. Watch who you share certain information about your life with.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

HOW GOD GUIDES PART 3

MEMORY VERSE: After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. Acts 16:7

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 48-50

In Acts 16, Paul and his companions wanted to enter Bithynia to preach the good news but the Holy Spirit would not allow them to. So they went a different way. Verse 7 says, “After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.” The Bible did not tell us how exactly the Spirit spoke to them, but it may have been in one of a number of ways. Yesterday, we discussed one of the ways the Spirit speaks to us. He often speaks to us as we pray through a thought coming into our mind. Obviously such thoughts need to be tested (1 John 4:1). Is it in line with the Bible? Does it promote love? If it does not, it cannot come from a God who is love (1 John 4:16). Is it strengthening, encouraging and comforting? (1 Corinthians 14:3)? When we have made the decision, do we know God’s peace (Colossians 3:15)?

God sometimes speaks to us by giving us a strong desire to do something. Several years back, during one of our mid-week services in church, I had a very strong desire to bless a particular sister financially. Fortunately, I had some money on me (although not much) so I put it in an envelope, gave it to her and left. Several minutes later, my phone rang and I picked it up. It was the sister, crying and thanking me for allowing God to use me. It was then I knew God had just used me to meet her needs. Philippians 2:13 says, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” As we surrender our wills to God, He works in us and often changes our desires. Sometimes people try to imagine the thing that they would least like to do and then assume that God will ask them to do exactly that. I do not believe God is like that. So don’t be frightened and say, “If i become a Christian, God will make me be a missionary.” If that is what God wants you to do, and your will is surrendered, He will give you a strong desire to do that.

God sometimes guides in more unusual ways. There are many examples in the Bible of God guiding individuals in dramatic ways. He spoke to Samuel as a small boy in a way in which he could hear with his physical ears ( 1 Samuel 3:4-14). He guided Abram (Genesis 18), Joseph (Matthew 2:19), etc, through angels. He often speaks through prophets both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament (e.g., Agabus – Acts 11:27-28). He guided through visions. For example, one night God spoke to Paul in a vision. He saw a man in Macedonia standing and begging him, “come over to Macedonia and help us”. Not surprisingly, Paul and his companions took this as guidance that God had called them to preach the gospel in Macedonia (Acts 16:9-10). There are also examples of God guiding through dreams (eg, Matthew 1:20; 2:12-13, 22). When we become Christians we are not called to abandon common sense. Psalm 32:9 says, “Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.” It is true to say God’s promises of guidance were not given so that we could avoid the strain of thinking. Common sense is vital when considering God’s guidance about our jobs, careers, choosing a partner for life and so on.

NOTES: It is common sense to look at at least three very important areas when choosing a partner for life. Are we spiritually compatible? A Christian should only marry another Christian. Secondly, are we personally compatible? Obviously, our marriage partner should be a very good friend and someone with whom there is a great deal in common. Thirdly, are we physically compatible? By this i mean we should be attracted to each other.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please give me a hearing heart.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

ENDING WELL

MEMORY VERSE: Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Ecclesiastes 7:8

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Mark 13-14

It is one thing to start (at all); it is another thing to finish. It is one thing to begin a journey; it is another thing to complete the journey. It is one thing to start a course; it is another thing to finish the course. It is one thing to be joined together in Holy Matrimony; it is another thing to die at a ripe old age still married to the same person. It is one thing to become a champion; it is another thing to die as a champion. It is one thing to be zealous for the Lord now; it is another thing to be zealous for the Lord in forty years time or zealous for the Lord until death. It is one thing to be known as a child of God today, it is another thing to be known as a child of God on one’s death bed. It is one thing to be relevant today; it is another to be relevant in fifty years time (if Jesus tarries).

The ‘beginning’ of a thing is immaterial. The fact that you started small does not mean you will end 'small'. Job 8:7 says, “Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.” Many of the great people, we read about in the bible and in history books, started very small. Take for instance Elijah the prophet. The Jews are  proud of their heritage. When they want to write about a great figure e.g. Jesus, they will start with the family genealogy. This is why we have a lot of genealogies in the bible. When they want to write about people especially influential people or an important personality, they will start by mentioning the person’s name followed by the father’s name (for men) or husband’s name (for women). For instance, the bible introduced Elisha the prophet as Elisha the son of Shaphat (1 Kings 19:19) and Deborah the prophetess as Deborah, the prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth (Judges 4:4). Elijah’s father must have been so poor and insignificant in their community that the author of 1 Kings did not even bother to mention his father’s name. Yet this man ended as one of the greatest prophet in the Old Testament.

Starting big does not guarantee ending 'big'. According to Ecclesiastes 7, it is possible for one to start as a slave and end up as a wealthy prince. It is also possible for for one to start as a wealthy prince and end up as a slave. Verse 7 says, “I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.” There is nothing wrong in starting well; actually starting well in life is advantageous. What matters is not how one starts but how one ends his or her race on earth. Ecclesiastes 7:8 says, “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” The Most High God is not so much interested in how a brother or a sister starts. He is not so much interested in where you are today, or what you are currently doing in the body of Christ - as of now. What He is interested in is how you end. No wonder He says, “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13). In other words, he that finishes well. It is not unusual to be talented or gifted. There is nothing new in starting well. There is nothing spectacular about being the head at the beginning. Many started very well. Many started shining. Many started very hot for the Lord. Many started as terror to the kingdom of darkness. Many started winning a lot of souls for Christ. Many started operating in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The truth is this, not many finished ‘well’. Not many finished ‘shining’. Not many finished their race on earth as a terror to the kingdom of darkness. Actually, many who started as terror to the kingdom of darkness ended up as victims because of their carelessness. Not many finished as they started. Many, many champions ended up as ex-champions.

NOTE: To finish well, one must be determined. Secondly, one must be hard working. Thirdly, one must embrace a life of holiness and purity. Lastly, one must ask for the grace of God.

PRAYER POINT: Father, help me to finish well in life.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

GETTING BIG?

MEMORY VERSE: And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel? 1 Samuel15:17

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Mark 7-8

It is not a good thing to be reminded, by a colleague or a friend, of how one used to behave or carry his or herself before promotion. I will be cautious if a friend reminds me of how i used to be humble. If it comes from someone older or higher, then i will be concerned. If it is coming from my spiritual parents, i will be worried. If it comes from God, Creator of heavens and the earth, i would cry out for mercy. I know you will do the same too. This is similar to what happened when Saul returned from partially disobeying God i.e. disobeying God. In 1 Samuel 15:1-3, God sent him to destroy the Amalekites because of their wickedness. Several years prior, without being provoked or anything, the Amalekites attacked the children of Israel killing several of them. When he got to Amalek, he destroyed the worthless things and kept the good and valuable things for himself and his men. When he returned, the Lord sent Samuel with a message to him. 1 Samuel 15:17 says, “And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?” On hearing this, I thought Saul would bow his head and cry for mercy. I expected him to immediately put things right because it was obvious that the Most High was really displeased with him. Saul did not do any of this. Instead he gave excuses. At the end, he was replaced.

Are you like Saul? He never used to challenge his father in the Lord, Samuel, until he became king. Not only that, he used to obey God until he became king. You used to be small in your own eyes before you went to bible school. You never used to argue with your spiritual leaders i.e. pastors and bishops. You never used to challenge your pastors in public? Now that you have returned from bible school, you now see faults in virtually everything. You see faults in how the pastor preaches, you see fault in how he pronounces Greek names. Not only that, you are now beginning to challenge him in the open. Saul became familiar with the prophet when he became king - something that never happened before his ordination. He became so familiar with the man of God that he could tear his clothes. Have you now become familiar with your spiritual leaders that you now treat them as equals? Have you now become familiar with them that you no longer give them their due honour? Have you now become familiar that you now keep malice with them? Have you now become so familiar that they are now scared to correct you because you can do and undo? There was a time in Saul’s life when he used to fear God. There was a time when he used to put God and God’s work before anything else. Now, Saul had become so big and God had become so small in his eyes that he could now displease God to please man. What ‘man’ thought of him was more important to him than what God thought of him. How 'man' perceived him was more important than how God perceived him. Do you now serve God at your convenience? When God gives you an instruction, do you carry them out immediately or at your convenience? Pride starts from the heart before it manifests out in actions. What’s your heart like as you are reading this? How do you now treat the Word of God?

ACTION: Carry out a self assessment of your life. Is God still number one in your life? Are you still willing to go out of your way to please God?

PRAYER POINT: Father, help me never to become an ex-child of God.

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IT WILL SURELY COME TO PASS

MEMORY VERSE: For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Habakkuk2:3

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 48-50

There are a lot of agitations and palpitations all around us. The moment our single sisters enter into any social gathering or a church, unconsciously, they begin to glance around to see if there are any eligible bachelors there. Not that they intend to approach them or something, and most of them are very decent, they won’t stoop so low to do anything that is not befitting for a daughter of God. It is just an unconscious thing. They want to be settled as soon as possible. I know that most single brothers will pretend and say they don’t do this or they have never done this before, but many a time, the moment they see a sister, the first thing they do is check her finger to see if she is wearing a wedding ring. Also, it is an unconscious thing.These reveals the deep desire for the will of God, concerning their marital life , to come to pass.

There are a lot of inner cries to God. Oh Lord i am getting old, when will i meet that man? Oh Lord, my younger cousins have children, when will i meet that woman? Lord, when will those things you said about me come to pass? Oh Lord, when will the doctor take me off these medications? Father, when will i become a citizen of this land? Lord, when will those doors open unto me? Oh Lord, when will this business grow? Father, you called me to start this work, when will this ministry grow? When will our congregation grow? Father, i saw myself preaching to a multitude of people, healing the sick and raising the dead in a dream, when will this dream come to pass? I dreamt that i owned a business, when will that materialize in my life? Lord, i am getting old as a parent, when will my daughters and sons meet their partners? When will my son-in laws give birth? When will i become a grandparent? When will my son-in-law get a job? When will my daughter-in-law get promoted? When will my situation change? When will i get a job? When will i start to work with my degree? When will my abusive husband give his life to Christ? When will my husband begin to see my sacrifices and appreciate me? When will my children love me? When will my children begin to respect me and reciprocate my love to them? When will this siege be over in my life? These and many more are the cries of many hearts to God.What is the Lord saying this morning, in response to our cries to our Father in heaven? IT WILL SURELY COME TO PASS. Habakkuk2:3 says this: “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”

To those questions of ‘when will this be’ or ‘when will that be’? The Lord is saying to us this day, "wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” Sir, you will surely become a grandfather. Ma, you will surely become a grandmother. Friend, you will surely become a father. You will surely become a mother. God’s will for you in marriage will surely come to pass. Beloved sister in Christ, that brother will surely come. Beloved brother in Christ, you will surely meet that sister. That ministry will surely grow. You will surely work with your degree. You will surely be a citizen of that country. That siege will surely be over. God is working things out for you. You will surely be celebrated. You will surely give a testimony. The doctors will surely take you off that medication and declare you fit. You will surely pay off that debt. And to those saying, 'God, if only You will do this for me, this and that is what i will do for you' . God is saying, 'I will surely do that thing you have asked for ,for you'. God is the controller of seasons. Your season has surely arrived! You may have made a mistake and gotten pregnant, don’t abort that pregnancy. God will surely look after that child. That fellow will surely remember you. Those God has sent to help you will surely remember you and render the help. Those who are owing you money will surely pay.

NOTE: God has not forgotten you. Don’t compromise your faith because God will surely do that thing for you.

TO DO: Father, thank You for Your Word

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

MY TESTIMONY

My name is Samuel Oluwatoki but people call me Sam. I will like to share My TESTIMONY with you.

Late one evening, I way lying on the bed and the thought of what death felt like began to go through my mind. For some un-explainable reason, i was really curious and wanted to know what happens after death. Suddenly, something like a spirit left my body and i could see my lifeless body on the bed. I tried to touch it but i couldn't. It was as if i was trying to grab vapor. At this point, i knew something was seriously wrong. I began to panic. Am i dead?....does it mean that i will never see my beloved mum again? ... how will i get back into my lifeless body? All these thoughts began to pass through my mind. All of a sudden, i found myself in a small room. There was light in that room but i could not see any bulb. Somehow, i knew that small room was some sort of a waiting room. Two angels were on there way to pick me for judgement. In that small room, there was no concept of time. It was in that small room i understood the word 'eternity'. It was as if time froze.Psalm 90:4 says: " For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night." I began to feel cold and lonely. I can't find words to describe the quietness. It was frightening! I could hear my heartbeats. No friends, family, no one except myself and the records of how i spent my life.

As i stood there, feeling lonely, i began to think about my life. I remembered everything. I remembered the times i missed church services. I remembered how people witnessed to me about Christ and i didn't listen. I remembered the times i fornicated, told lies, fought with people, stole as a kid, etc. I remembered all the terrible things i had done and became scared. My heart began to beat fast. It was as if i was waiting for the result of an exam or a driving test. It was as if someone opened a file before me and was reading all my sins to me, one after the other. I tried to remember the good deeds i did but it was nothing compared to the terrible things i had done. Daniel 5:27 says,"TEKEL means that you have been weighed in the balance and found deficient." I was found wanting and i began to cry. It was in that small room i understood how big God was. I felt like an ant in the presence of a million foot tall man. I knew where i was heading to. With deep regrets, i knelt down and i began to cry and ask for another opportunity. All i wanted at that point was another chance to return to earth to put things right. Whilst i was crying like a baby, pleading for another chance, i woke up in sweat. That night gave my life to Jesus!

On Tuesday 13 August 2011, I had another dream. I was in a small town. We were all expecting something. Terror was written all over our faces. All of a sudden, people started running helter and skelter. Some climbed on tall trees, others a dug a huge tunnel and hid there. Few boarded trains going to the next city. I have never seen commotion of this magnitude before in my life. Parents ran off leaving their children behind. Husbands ran to the left and the wife to the right. There were a lot of screaming children in the streets. The chaos was too much. As this was going on, i walked into a small house where some soldiers held some people captive. They had every one - those that hid in tunnels, those that climbed on trees, those that boarded trains, etc. They caught everyone. There was something else in the room but i didn't see it. I immediately ran to the next town to warn them. They began to made fun of me. They laughed me to scorn. Out of anger i screamed "death is coming" and i woke up. When i slept back, i saw the beginning of something. There were groups of people working in a small office. Some of them were working very hard whilst others played around. Since no one was watching, everyone did what they liked. After a while , some took the hard working ones to a palace to meet a very rich king. I was taken to where the king sat and i saw a group people around him rejoicing. They gave the hardworking ones a tour around the palace. As they went round , i woke up.

The Master is coming soon. Isaiah 1:3 says, "the ox knows its owner, the donkey its master's crib but Israel does not know, my people do not consider." Revelations 22:12 says, "behold I am coming quickly and my reward is with me, to give to everyone according to his work."
It was in that small room, waiting to be taken for judgement, that i understood that everything in this present world is vanity. Ecclesiastes 1:2 says, "vanity of vanities, says the preacher; vanity of vanities all is vanity." If you have not given your life to Christ, repent today and give your life to Him today. Repent whilst there is still time. Make restitution whilst you can now. Once Christ returns that will be it.

John 3:16 says,"for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believe him will not die but have everlasting 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." The only way to heaven is by accepting Jesus Christ as your personal lord and savior. Romans 10 :9, "says That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. "

If you are ready to give your life to Christ, please pray this prayer with me. Lord Jesus, I give myself to you, for you to be my only Lord and Savior. I renounce and repudiate all other loyalties, and I desire no other Lord but You. Please come into me and take control of my life. Mold me to your will and to your use.I ask that you drive out all other spirits which conflict with you in anyway. I want to belong only to you, to be subject only to you. I make this prayer to you,in your name, the name of Jesus. Amen.

Brethren please forward this to all your friends and family.

HIS RETURNS

MEMORY VERSE: Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD. Haggai 1:8

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Mark 1 - 2

God, like every other businessman, expects 'returns' on His investments. He has invested a lot into our lives. He gave us mouth to speak, nose to breath, eyes to see, legs to walk, ears to hear, a sound mind, functioning brains, etc. What kind of 'returns' does He expect from us? Praise and thanksgiving. Psalm 139:14 says, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” How often does He expect these 'returns'? At all times. Psalm 34:1 says, “A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed. I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” The fact that you bathe yourself this morning is a reason to thank God. The fact that you are able to feed yourself is a cause to thank God. The fact that you have children that are always making the house dirty is a reason to thank God. Sick children don’t make the house dirty because they are always in the hospital or lying down on their bed. Praise and thanksgiving is one area we are all lacking. We spend little or no time thanking Him. We praise Him too little and when we do it, we are in a haste to get it over and done with as soon as possible. Whenever one brings Him the returns of praise and thanksgiving, He makes them whole. Out of the ten lepers that were healed, only that leper who returned to give thanks to God was made whole (Luke 17:11-19).

Another investment He has made into our lives is the power to get wealth. Deuteronomy 8:18 says, “But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.” That you are gainfully employed is God. That you have a job at all, even if it is part time, can only be God. Asides these, the strength needed to work comes from Him. A sick person cannot run a ministry or a business. In addition, no employer wants a sick staff. This is why employers sometimes request for HR files of those they want to employ (which contains their sickness record) from their former employers. What kind of 'returns' does He expect from this investment? Offering and tithes. Malachi 3:10 says, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” He has promised to open the windows of heaven and pour down His blessings to those who bring these 'returns'. And to those robbing Him? A curse (Malachi 3:9). Another ‘returns’ He expects is payment of building funds. Haggai 1:8 says, “Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.” Do you owe building funds? Pay it up. We build God’s house by being faithful in the payment of our building funds. You can also buy a microphone, a speaker, musical equipment, etc. Neglecting God’s work or the building fund can cause every effort made in other areas not to yield results (Haggai 1:4-7). Also, out of the much He has given to us, He expects ‘returns’ in the form of helping the poor and needy around us. Deuteronomy 15:7 says, “If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:” It is our duty to help the less privilege around us. For all He has given to us, He expects something back. One major ‘returns’ He expects is soul winning. Someone preached to you and led you to Christ, you have to preach to someone and lead them to Christ.

NOTE: A lot of people find it difficult to witness because they are shy and they don’t know how to go about.

ACTION: Ask the Lord to give you the spirit of boldness and ideas on how to witness. Speak to your pastor or the outreach leader in your church about evangelism. I want you to know that not everyone you witness to will give their lives to Christ the first time you speak to them. It took me up to six months to win a particular sister to Christ.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

TRUST HIS WISDOM

MEMORY VERSE: And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came. Genesis 12:5

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 24-27

Don’t marry a brother or sister out of pity. You don’t marry a brother because a lot of sisters have disappointed him. Also, you don’t marry a sister because a lot of brothers have broken her heart. It will be a naive thing to do. It is never too late to stop a relationship if you are not sure if it is God’s will. It is not a pleasant thing to do, actually, it can be very demanding and a lot of emotions are involved. But, if you have prayed and you are convinced that the brother or sister is not God’s will for your life, stop the courtship. It does not matter how far you have gone in the relationship, as far as you are not married and there are no kids between the two of you, i will advise you both to go back to the prayer room. Don’t marry a brother or sister because of what you can see in that brother or sister’s life today. When it comes to the decision of who to marry, wait to hear from God.

Genesis 12:1 says, “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:” Abram moved out of his country, his kindred i.e. his tribe or clan, but not from his father’s house. Genesis 12:5 says, “And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.” There was a reason why God told Abram to leave his nation, his kindred and his father’s house. There is always a reason behind God's instruction. The reason(s) may not be obvious at the time of the instruction, but i want you to know that God will never ask you to do something without a reason, and most likely it is always for your benefit. In the case of Abram, God saw what Abram could not see. The Most High saw the future; He saw the fight between Abram’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen even before Lot was born (Genesis 13:4-6). He knew Lot was going to turn against his uncle, Abram, so He told Abram to move out and take no one with him – including Lot. Abram didn’t understand God’s instruction.  To him, Lot was just a boy. Actually, at the time God spoke, Lot must have been a well behaved young man for Abram to have taken him along.

Abram never envisaged that Lot was going to turn out to be an ingrate.  It never, for once, crossed his mind that Lot will become a thorn in his flesh.  When God warns you against a particular relationship or a fellow, please take heed. At the time of warning, you may not see anything wrong in the relationship or with the fellow. Actually, the person may appear very hot for the Lord and you think the fellow is a saint. It is until later that you will realise that God was right. John 7:24 says, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”Trust God’s judgment of a fellow or a situation, because He knows more than you do. If you don’t take heed when He warns you, you will have yourself to blame. I hope you will take heed so that it will be well with you.  God knows what people will do at a time in the future, so He warns us in advance. Abram thought He knew Lot but He didn’t. God knows that sister more than you do. God knows that brother more than you do. God knows that business more than you do. By the time the real Lot came out, Abram was dumbfounded.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: When you allow people who are not meant to be in your life into your life, what is not meant to happen to you will happen.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please uproot every tree you have not planted in my life.

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HE MADE IT AGAIN ANOTHER VESSEL

MEMORIZE: Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. Jeremiah 18:5-6

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Philippians 1-2, Proverbs 22

BIBLE STUDIES: Jeremiah 18:3-6

Prophet Jeremiah, as instructed by the Lord, went to a potter’s house. When he got there, he saw the potter making a vessel and he sat down to watch the whole process. The potter sat by his potter’s wheel, working away, labouring hard with his hand, trying to create a useful and durable vessel. Unfortunately, the vessel did not turn out as he had hoped. I thought the potter was going to discard that vessel, get new clay, knead it properly and make another vessel from the new clay but he did not. The bible says, “And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it” (Jeremiah 18:4). Instead of discarding the vessel, the potter worked again on the clay and made a new vessel. Just as the prophet was admiring the patience of this potter, the Lord spoke. Jeremiah 18:5-6 says this: “Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.”

The potter in this story is Jesus and we, you and i, are the clay. The Lord is working tirelessly, pouring His resources – time, energy, love, etc - on us to make us vessel unto honour but in the process, some have become marred in His hand. I do not know how you have become marred in the hands of the Lord. Maybe you used to be fervent, you loved the Lord and things of God, you used to evangelize but when you got into the university, you fell into the sin of fornication and everything died in you. Maybe you used to be a youth leader, God was using you mightily in the ministry, anytime you preached people will become convicted and begin to cry, but you got pregnant out of wedlock and it all ended. Maybe you have made a mistake in marriage and it has not only affected your music ministry, it is gradually destroying your spiritual life to the extent you cannot even pray. Maybe when you were in the university, you had the gifts of dreams, God used to show you things before they happen. You used to see visions and hear the voice of God regularly but ever since, you went for work placement all that stopped partly because you have now started to drink and smoke. Maybe before you lost your virginity, whenever you lead praise and worship, healing takes place. Back then praying was something you loved because you always felt His presence but ever since you lost it, it is as if there is a gap between you and God. It is true that you have repented, but you know deep within yourself that you are not where you used to be. You became marred when you committed adultery or when the pressures of life made you to run to a herbalist. Whatever it is that has made you marred in the hands of Christ, He is saying to you today, “cannot I do with you as this potter?” Just as the potter did not cast away the clay, Christ has not cast you away. It is true that you are marred in His hands but He wants to build you into another vessel. You have suffered enough. It is not over for you. Christ is not finished with you yet, regardless of whatever you ever done, even if you have had an abortion, He will forgive if you return to Him today. Regardless of your situation, God can still make something glorious out of your life.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Abram became marred in His hands when he had Ishmael. Yet, the Lord did not cast him away but he restored him.

PRAYER POINT: Father, we ask for restoration.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

THEY DID THE RIGHT THING AT THE WRONG TIME

MEMORIZE: But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and Moses, departed not out of the camp. Numbers 14:44 

BIBLE STUDIES: Numbers 14:40-45  

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Revelations 11-15, Proverbs 20 

It is possible for a man to do the wrong thing at the wrong time. For instance, that big minister - lord on whose hand the king leaned (2 Kings 7:1-19) - did the wrong thing at the wrong time. There was terrible famine in the Land and Elisha, as directed by the Holy Spirit, prophesied of abundance. Of all responses, he replied and said, “behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this things be?”  Firstly, what he said was wrong. How can a mere mortal challenge the words of the Immortal God? Secondly, the timing was not appropriate. There was chronic famine; the people were low in spirit and needed words of encouragement not words that will depress them. Because he doubted the Word from the Lord, he saw the fulfillment of the Word but did not partake in it. It is also possible for a man to do the wrong thing at the right time. An example of a fellow who did the wrong thing at the right time was King Saul in 1 Samuel 13.8-9. Samuel told the king to wait at a place for seven days, after that he would return and offer sacrifices on his behalf.  On the seventh day, Samuel did not return as promised so King Saul decided to offer the sacrifices himself. This singular act cost him his throne. Although, the timing for the sacrifice was right, it was wrong for Saul to offer sacrifice because that was the job of a priest not a king. 

It is possible for a man to do the right thing at the wrong time. This is exactly what the children of Israel did in Numbers 14:40-45. There is nothing wrong in going to posses the promise land. In other words, it was the right thing to do, after all God had promised to give them the land. The problem was the timing, which was obviously wrong. Their leader and servant of the Lord, Moses, told them not to go because God will not go with them but they refused.  Numbers 14:44 says, “But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and Moses, departed not out of the camp.” They went and regretted it. Friend, if God says do not do something, please do not do it. Even if that thing is the right thing to do, please do not do it. The time you have chosen to do it may not be appropriate. We all know that entertaining visitors is good. Hebrew 13:2 says, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” If whilst praying, the Spirit of God warns you against allowing a particular fellow to pass the night at your place, please look for an alternative place for the fellow to pass the night. In addition, please do not take the fellow to be an evil person. The fellow may not be a witch; it could be that God wanted you to be at that hotel, where you probably would have lodged him, at 2 pm the next day and the only way to get you there was to have someone you know pass the night there. Whatever the reason maybe, if God says do not do something, please do not do it.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Whenever God says do not do something; He is either protecting you from something and that thing could be sudden death or trying to show you something. 

PRAYER POINT: Father, please give me a hearing heart.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus 

YOU MINISTER TO THE LORD; HE MINISTERS TO YOUR PROBLEMS

MEMORIZE: Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. Zechariah 1:3　

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Revelations 5-6, Proverbs 17　

There are many lessons to learn from the story in 2 Chronicles 20:1-37. Three mighty nations came together to exterminate the inhabitants of Judah. When Judah heard the news, the Ammonites, Moabites and people of Mount of Seir were on their way, they turned to the Lord in fasting, praying and praises. As they praised God, singing and dancing, the enemy began to kill themselves. Without lifting a finger, the Lord gave them victory over their enemies. It does not matter how big, connected, resourceful, influential your opponent is, once you have God on your side, victory becomes inevitable. Judah was outnumbered. Their enemy had all the military apparatus one could think of; they had all the man power one could wish for, despite all these, Judah still emerged victorious. Also, God never fails those that truly depend on Him. Many claim they depend on God but they have plan B and C just in case. From Jehoshaphat’s prayer, we can deduce that he fully depended on God. 2 Chronicles 20:12 says, "O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes　are　upon thee." Take note of this statement: "but our eyes are upon thee." In other words, we have no plan B or Plan C.　

If you forget everything we have shared so far, do not forget this : if you minister to God, He will minister to your problems. When we talk of ministering to God, eye service is not ministering to God. Neither is serving for recognition seen as ministering to God. When we talk of ministering to God, we are talking of serving in spirit and in truth; service that comes from the heart not out of compulsion; spend and ‘be spent’ kind of service. The inhabitants of Judah ministered to God, in prayer, praises and worship, and God ministered to their problems. Verse 19 says, "stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high." I will share a story that will give - I hope - an idea of what ministering to the Lord means. A single sister, around the age of 23 at that time, joined a ministry. From the first day she joined, she made up her mind to serve God and minister to Him in every way possible. She joined virtually all the groups in the church. She was part of the choir, outreach team, prayer warrior, sanctuary keeper, women drama group, church drama group, etc. On Saturdays, her friends, brothers and sisters in the church, would go to parties hoping to meet someone but she would go out with the outreach team to share flyers and tell people about Jesus. To people, she was wasting her life. "Why would a young beautiful girl spend the whole day in church when she should be going out to increase her chance of meeting a man," people thought. Not long after that, a brother joined the choir. Today, they are married with a child. She ministered to God and God ministered to her problem which was loneliness. Zechariah 1:3 says: "Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts." Friend, no one turns to God and regrets it because, the moment you turn to Him in repentance or to serve Him, He will turn to you. No one has ever served God genuinely and regretted it.　

QUESTION OF THE DAY: If you were the pastor of your church, will you because of tiredness not attend church service? If you were the pastor of your church, will you because of a misunderstanding between you and your partner refuse to go to church on Sunday? If you were the pastor of your church, will you because of a football match miss church service?　

PRAYER POINT: Father, remember my labor of love.　

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

JESUS WAS TEACHABLE

MEMORY VERSE:　And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. Luke 2:46　

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 119:49-72, Proverbs 31:7, 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8

Knowledge is one of the keys to living. 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." When the Lord said "my people," He was referring to His children – those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savoir. 1 John 2:23 says, "Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father:　(but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also." The Lord said, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" not the lack of praying and fasting or lack of going to church or lack of giving offerings or lack of prophesying. Friend, you need knowledge in certain areas to become who God wants you to be. You need knowledge to posses your possession. One thing with knowledge is that no one knows it all. Even Paul - a man of great revelations - confessed and said, "For we know in part, and we prophesy in part" (1 Corinthians 13:9). The more you know, the more you find out that you really do not know. The way God does things is that, He gives brother ‘A’ knowledge/revelations/ideas in this area and brother ‘B’ knowledge/revelations/ideas in that area. He gives sister ‘C’ more of ‘G’ and less of ‘D’ and gives sister ‘U’ more of ‘D’ and less of ‘G’. If sister U is humble, He may even add ‘X’,’Y’ and ‘Z’. I think He does this to keep everyone in check and encourage knowledge sharing. There are revelations God has given to some people in the area of marriage and relationships that He has not given to you. Also there are revelations God has given to some in the area of deliverance that He has not given to you. Likewise, there are revelations He may have given to you, maybe in the area of business and investment or holiness and purity, which He has not given to others. To gain knowledge in a particular area, you need to go and meet those He has given knowledge in that area. This is why investing in books, seminars, tapes by anointed men of God is greatly encouraged.

Anyone who wants to increase in knowledge must be teachable. One of the secrets of great men and woman is that they are teachable. Jesus whilst on earth, as a young boy, was teachable. Luke 2:46 says this: "And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions." Teachable people are always seeking an opportunity to learn. Many have stunted spiritual growth because they are not teachable. The moment they see a younger brother teaching, they switch off. Some have stunted growth because they are too big to learn from a woman. Who says a woman cannot teach you? Teachable people listen first before asking questions. Un-teachable people are always talking and arguing. By the time we get to Luke 20:21, Jesus had grown to become someone people call ‘Master.’ Only teachable people gain mastery. Another reason why many have stunted spiritual growth is that they do not listen to anyone they think they are better than or their subordinates. No matter how much you read there will be things –maybe a thing or two- your child or wife or subordinates will know that you do not know. Apollos a big teacher knew a lot about the baptism of John but had limited knowledge in the way of God. Because He had a teachable spirit, a couple – Aquila and Priscilla- took him aside and taught him. By the time we get to 1 Corinthians 3:6, Apollos had become a contemporary of Paul. Paul was planting and He was watering.　

　

QUESTION: How teachable are you? 　What is the value of knowledge to you?

　

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

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.　

PERSECUTION FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS VS JUDGMENT FOR WICKEDNESS

MEMORY VERSE: Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. Luke 21:36

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 119:13-18, Proverbs 31:3, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

If anyone tells you that once you give your life to Christ you will never face any challenges, they are telling you a big lie. Jesus, whilst on earth, said to His disciples, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world, ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (John 16:33).” (In the world, ye SHALL have tribulation not ye MIGHT tribulation). It is a guarantee that you will face challenges in your walk with Christ; it is also a guarantee that you will be victorious every time a challenge arises, as far as you remain in Him. You have no reason to fear challenges because the One who can solve all problems is with you. (Long before the challenges arrives; He would have prepared a way of escape.) You see in John 16:33 that almost immediately after He said “ye shall have tribulation,” the next thing He said was, “but be of good cheer; i have overcome the world.” One of the things that will come your way, as you consecrate yourself for the use of the master and live holy, is persecution for righteousness. Even as you witness about Jesus Christ in your offices or colleges, people will challenge you. Sometimes back, a sister was sharing with me how her managers, at work, were persecuting her for not dressing sexy. They wanted her to wear tight clothes and expose parts of her body that is meant to be covered and she said no. They started calling her names. When that did not work, they began to threaten to move her to another department. We thank God for not permitting the enemies to have their way over her job. The moment you decide to really take your Christian life serious and obey God to the letters, people – friends, family, colleagues – will persecute you. What are you expected to do? Endure it. Matthew 5:10 says this: “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Something very similar to persecution for righteousness is judgment for wickedness. Whilst persecution for righteousness comes upon the righteous from the wicked, judgment for wickedness comes from God, who is righteous, upon the wicked. We, believers, are all called to endure persecution. None of us who are believers, however, should ever endure God’s judgments upon the wicked. Luke 21:36 says this: “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” Jesus indicated that it was the will of God for His disciples – you and I - to escape the judgments of God that were coming upon the wicked earth. However, His disciples – you and I- better watch and pray, otherwise we will not qualify to escape. Were we worthy to be saved? No, we were saved by grace. You and I neither merit it nor deserve it. However, now that we have been saved, we are required to lead such a life of righteousness that it would be unrighteous of God to judge us with the wicked.

QUESTION: Are you still leading a life of righteousness?

PRAYER POINT: Father, please keep my household from evil.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.