A HEART AFTER GOD

MEMORY VERSE: But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezra 1-3

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

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

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

Bro Samuel Oluwatoki

A CHRISTIAN REBEL?

MEMORY VERSE: And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Luke 6:46

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 26-30

Who is a lord? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a lord is one who has power and authority over others. An example of a lord is a ‘landlord’. Jesus is Lord (Romans 10:9). Isaiah 9:6 says: ‘For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.’ Jesus said in Matthew 28:18, ‘all power is given to Me in heaven and earth.’ Jesus is not only the Lord; He is the Lord of lords. All other lords bow down to Him. Revelations 19:16 says: ‘ And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’

Jesus must be obeyed because He is the Lord. Luke 6:46 says: ‘And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?’ Anyone who does not accept the lordship of Jesus is a rebel. Any intelligent person who does not accept the lordship of Jesus is an intelligent rebel. So also, a rich person who does not accept the lordship of Jesus is a rich rebel. We reject the lordship of Jesus when we disobey Him. Therefore, anyone who deliberately disobeys Jesus is indirectly rejecting His lordship, and such a person is a rebel. When a Christian deliberately or knowingly disobeys Christ, such a Christian is a Christian rebel.

QUESTION? Are you a Christian rebel? In what ways are you disobeying Christ? Which of the Ten Commandments do you struggle with? Ask the Lord to help you today.

 Samuel Oluwatoki

THE CHRISTIAN RACE

MEMORY VERSE: Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1

BIBLE READING: Numbers 11-13

Paul, the author of the book of Hebrews, likened Christianity to running in athletics. Hebrews 12:1 says: “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” Running events are divided by distance into sprints (short-distance), middle-distance, long-distance, as well as by type, which includes hurdles and relays or team races. The Christian race is a long- distance race as such it must be run with patience.

The Christian race and the marathon are similar. For instance, both have a start point and a finish point. We start the Christian race on earth and finish in heaven. There is a prize to be won in both. Revelations 3:21 says: “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” Both have organisers. Jesus is the organiser. Hebrews 12:2a says: “looking unto Jesus the author and the finisher of our race.” The organisers of both determine the track and the length of the track. Jesus sets the track on which Christians run. He designs the bends, the turnings, the hills, the slopes, etc.

Participants of both have to follow laid down rules. One of the laid down rules of the Christian race is "love your neighbour as yourself" . Mark 12:31 says: “And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these greater than these.” You will find it hard to lie to your neighbour if you truly love him. You will find hard to steal if love your neighbour . Do you know that if you truly love your neighbour as yourself you won’t fornicate, commit adultery, oppress people, delay your staff's salary, etc.? Another laid down rule is you must not harbour unforgiveness. Matthew 6:15 says: “But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Most importantly, you have to register to participate in both. You have to accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. John 3:3 says: “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” “What if I don’t,” someone asked. If you don’t you will go to hell. This afternoon, a brother I had been witnessing to for months complained that I was too hard on him. I asked him a simple question, “you expect me to scream at the top of my voice and call you back if I see you walking towards fire don’t you?” He nodded. I told him that’s what I am trying to do. The rules have not changed. Jesus is the only way!

QUESTION: Have you accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and saviour?

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world.

THE BEREAN CHRISTIANS

MEMORY VERSE: And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Acts 17:10-11

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Job 3:1- End

The author of the book of Acts, Luke, compared two Jewish Christians in Acts 17 vs 10-11: The Christians in Berea and the Christians in Thessalonica. The Christians in Berea were nobler than those in Thessalonica. They received the word of God when it was preached to them. They listened with rapt attention. The brethren in Thessalonica, on the other hand, didn’t receive the word of God. They challenged everything. “Sir, you need to be born again to enter into the kingdom of heaven.” “What do you mean”, they’ll say, “how about those that died without hearing the gospel”. They literally challenged everything even when it was backed up with scriptures. Not only did the Berean brethren receive the Word, they did with it ALL readiness of mind. In other words, they received it with an open mind. They came to church with writing materials to took down notes. Whilst others were busy on Facebook during service, they listened and pondered on the Word. Many can’t receive the Word because although they are physically present in the church, their minds are far away. Some spend the whole service planning how to deal with their wives because of what happened on their way to church. You’ll be amazed to know that whilst the pastor is preaching on godly living and holiness, many are planning how to steal from the offering baskets in the same service.

Just as it was in the days of Luke, so it is today in our modern day churches. Many of us don’t receive the Word with readiness of mind because the brother teaching is an ordinary deacon. Ordinary deacon? Imagine calling the Lord’s anointed an ordinary deacon? Some only pay attention when the church pastor is preaching. Anyone doing that is proud. God can use anyone – big or small – to speak to you. “I gave my life to Christ before him so why should I listen to him”, some say. Brother, you are proud! The brethren in Berea went home after service and studied their notes. Also, they searched the scripture daily. There is a difference between reading and searching the scripture. You can read your bible anywhere even whilst standing in a crowd. You need to literally sit down to search the scriptures. You cannot search the scripture in two minutes. As you search the scriptures, you will begin to unearth nuggets that will transform your life and everything around you. The Berean brethren studied their bible daily whilst those at Thessalonica only read them on Sundays. The Berean brethren quote the bible whilst those at Thessalonica quote books and big men of God. We thank God for great men of God. We thank God for their lives. However, you still need to know the scripture for yourself. You need to know what the bible says on various issues. The bible is your standard for living not a ministry. Today, many are taking America to be “the” standard. Whatever we see them do there, we copy. That should not be so. If it is not scriptural please drop it.

NOTE: You need to search the scripture daily because: 1) it contains God’s standard; 2) It shows you how to get to heaven and; 3) you will be judged solely by the word of God.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world.

CHRISTIANS AND HYPNOTISM

MEMORY VERSE: Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Thessalonians 4-5

What is hypnotism? Is it dangerous? Should a Christian under go hypnosis? What does the bible say about hypnotism? These are some questions Christians, all over the world , ask from time to time. Hypnotism is a form of therapy in psychology and psychiatry. There are instances where hypnotism has been used as an alternative to anaesthesia in medicine and dentistry. Hypnosis is a trance state characterized by extreme suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination. During hypnosis, one is fully conscious but tuned out of most of the stimuli around. The subject (the person being hypnotized) approaches the suggestion of the hypnotist, or his own ideas as if they were reality. During hypnosis, one is highly suggestible. If the hypnotist suggest that the subject’s tongue has swollen up to twice its size, the subject will feel a sensation in his mouth and may even have trouble talking.

We have taken time to explain what really happens during hypnosis so that you will appreciate the dangers involved. Hypnotism places the soul in a passively receptive state thereby opening the door to morbid spiritual influences that may bring oppression that last for years, until the person is delivered through prayer and exorcism. There have been several instances where the enemy has taken over people’s mind during hypnosis. For example, an eleven year old girl, some years back, came out of hypnosis a changed person. She started acting strangely and this continued for several years. At a point, she was involved in a car theft. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” Hypnotism is a no-go area for Christians because: 1) It involves the transfer of control away from ourselves to another person which is contrary to biblical teaching. As we follow the Spirit’s lead, He will give us the power to better control our own selves (Galatians 5:22-23). 2) During hypnosis the subject yields himself - body, soul, and spirit – to the hypnotist. We are to yield ourselves – body, soul, and spirit – to God not man (Romans 6:11-13). 3) Hypnotism is often promoted as a simple way of refocusing oneself and finding the answer within us. As a Christian, our focus is to our Savior, Jesus, not on ourselves or anything else (Hebrews 12:2). 4) Many of the techniques used in hypnosis are shared by mystical, philosophical, and religious systems, including the occult.

In one sense, everything we have been talking about - mind reading, astrology, fortune telling, Spiritism ,etc - are all forms of sorcery, for we may define sorcery as the effort to gain power and control in the ‘spiritual’ world as to get information, influence other people, get wealth and power, or other material advantages. The purpose of the believer is to get to know and love God. Fortunately for us, God desires to bless us in every way, and therefore we find, as we get to know Him that He wants us to ask and claim good things for ourselves and others. He delights to give them, as we believe for them, but He Himself is always the greatest Good and the greatest Gift.

NOTE: These occultic beliefs carry with them demonic power; if you have ever been involved in any of them, renounce them in the Name of Jesus. Ask God to forgive you. Claim the protection of the Blood of Jesus, and ask the Holy Spirit to fill every area where any false beliefs have been. There are instances where people with psychic and occult abilities try to bring these abilities to God to be used for Him. Although this is desirable, God does not need Satan’s second hand goods! If you have such ‘powers’, you must get rid of them, and let God give you His gifts.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

THE NEED FOR VISION

MEMORY VERSE: Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. Proverbs 29:18

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 10-12

Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” The reason why some do terrible things is because they have no vision. Why will a (single young) woman send her naked pictures to a man in the name of love? First of all, she needs Jesus in her life. Secondly, she lacks vision. What if the relationship turns sour and the man dumps her for another woman? Or, what if she becomes a respectable woman in the society and the man starts blackmailing her with the pictures? Why will a man tattoo a woman’s name on his body all in the name of love? Firstly, God categorically speaks against tattoos and body piercing (Leviticus19:28). I am always in shock when i see so-called prophet and prophetess flaunting their tattoos and body arts. That aside, what if the lady dumps him for another man? I think it is high time we intensify our prayers for the youths because some of them do things without thinking. Why on God’s green earth will a lady lend her school fees – money her parents suffered to get - to another man because she is in a relationship with him? Apart from the fact that she is a wicked child, she is unserious. A brother once said, “i will die if i don’t marry that girl.” Brother, you are unserious! You are naive. Why end your precious life because someone does not want to be with you? I see you don’t study your bible regularly and you don’t have a vision. That’s why you are coming up with such jargons!

When i see young boys joining gangs and the occult, i know they don’t have vision. When i see people hopping from one party to another, i wonder if they have vision. Or, when i see people going from one relationship to another, i know they don’t know what they want. As a sister, you don’t have to give your contact details to every man who asks for it. As a brother, you don’t have to give your time to everyone who demands for it. Time is one resource you don’t have much of so don’t squander it in the name of being humble. When i hear of couples who fight daily, i know they don’t have vision. Or when i meet couples who have different visions ( the husband is going towards the north and the wife is heading southwards), i know they won’t go far because they have not married their vision. The bible says, “Can two walk together, except they be agree?” (Amos 3:3).

A lot of us put effort into our appearance which is good. We buy expensive suits, shoes, bags, perfumes, etc, which are not bad if you have the means but we don’t invest in our mind. You may dress nice but without a good character you are going nowhere. Expensive perfume cannot make up for bad character. When i see young men running after women because of their looks, i feel sorry for them because they don’t know what they are doing. Don’t marry a lady because of how she looks today or because of her figure. That beauty and figure you are looking at will fade away, either when she gives birth or when she grows old. A man or woman with vision marries for the future. That brother or sister may be able to bear burdens with you today, but will they be able to bear burdens with you in the next 30 years?

QUESTION: What is your vision for marriage? What is your vision for your life? What informs your decisions?

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST

MEMORY VERSE: Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:20

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ephesians 1-3

Who is an ambassador? An ambassador is the resident representative for the head of state of their country. An ambassador is a diplomat of the highest rank, sent by one sovereign state to another as its resident representative. The bible teaches that we are ambassadors for Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:20 says, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.” Firstly, although we are in the world we are not of this world. Jesus said, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:19). 1 Peter 2:11 says, “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.” Secondly, we belong to God’s kingdom. Ephesians 2:19 says, “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.” From the day we gave our lives to Christ, our citizenship changed. We are now citizens of Heaven. Praise the Lord!!!

As citizens of Heaven, we are here on earth to represent our King, the Lord Jesus Christ. I want us to know that ambassadors are very important people. If they don’t do their job correctly, a misunderstanding can easily develop – and possibly even war. An ambassador is supposed to be a good representative of their country. They are expected to communicate clearly what their country is about. It is unfortunate that the ambassadors of Christ, you and I, have not been doing a good job communicating this. The messages we are communicating to the inhabitants of earth are conflicting. We say we belong to a kingdom whose head is Jesus, the Prince of Peace, and we fight among ourselves. There is rancor and animosity in our midst. We claim that the president of our Kingdom is Jesus, the Lamb upon the throne, but we exhibit pride. Because Christ’s ambassadors have not always communicated the correct message to earth’s inhabitants, the people who are supposed to be enjoying the blessings of peace with God are at war with Him. Many of them don’t even want to hear about Jesus. This is why they are banning prayers in many assemblies today. Many think God wants to restrict them and make their life boring and all that, No!

A good ambassador for Christ must know the message of God, and speak His message – accurately. This is why we always encourage believers to study their bible. A lot of us don’t study it as often as we ought to. We spend more time reading newspapers than the bible. The message of Christ is to set people free not beat them down or put them in bondage. God has a message of love for mankind. He loves them and will help them, if they will only turn to Him. This message must be communicated clearly. As ambassadors we are to present Jesus to people as He truly was, and is- and people will be drawn to Him, because there is no fault in Him. An ambassador does not speak for himself or herself, he or she speaks the official policy and message of the country he or she represents. So we are not here to give our opinions, but to proclaim what God has said in His written Word, the Bible – Heaven’s official message.

NOTE: Ambassadors are expected to familiarize themselves with the Bible. The Bible should not be what we read only on Sundays or once or twice a week. It should be something we read daily.

CONFESSION: I will be a good ambassador of Jesus Christ, to represent Heaven, and speak His accurate message here on Earth.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

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.

“GOD SAID, IT IS NOT GOOD THAT THE MAN SHOULD BE ALONE”

MEMORIZE: and the LORD God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. Genesis 2:18 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 1- 5 

Our God is all knowing i.e. omniscient. Job 37:16 says, “Dost thou know the balancing of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?” God knew Adam before He created him. Jeremiah 1:5a says, “Before i formed thee in the belly I knew thee.” He knew what his needs were going to be so He made provisions for them. He knew Adam would need food so He created lots of trees in the Garden of Eden. He knew Adam would need to drink water after eating so He put a river in the midst of the Garden (Genesis 2:10). He knew Adam would not need clothes because His glory was going to be his covering so He didn’t bother to give him clothes. Whatever Adam needed, He created them either before creating him or after creating him. God in His wisdom knew that Adam was going to be alone in the Garden and would need a wife. The question is why didn’t He create a woman from the man immediately after He created the man? He obviously knew that the man He had created would be in need of a wife, why wait a while before giving him a wife? 

Adam went through several stages in his life and every man or woman reading this – especially single people- are presently in one of these stages. We find ‘stage 1’ in Genesis 2:7 – “and the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Adam – at this point – did not know where his life was going. He had no job or responsibility. God had not even showed him His purpose for his life. He was more like a floater in the Garden. At stage 1, God did not talk about giving him a wife because he was not qualified to be any woman’s husband. Then Adam moved to ‘stage 2’ in Genesis 2:15 – “and the LORD God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” Adam now had a job – he was responsible for dressing and keeping the Garden. If it was today, i would have said Adam was now earning salary. Yet at this stage, God did not give him a wife. He did not even consider it. Why? Although Adam was now gainfully employed, he still cannot be a husband because he had not learnt to walk with God. The fact that a man has a job does not mean he is a marriage material. The fact that he can put food on the table does not mean he is God's will for your life. Shortly after this, Adam moved to the next level, ‘stage 3’, in Genesis 2:16-17 – “and the LORD God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Adam now had a proper relationship with God. He was able to hear the voice of God and talk back to God. God was giving him instructions and he was following it. His relationship with God was growing. It was at this point God said, it is not good for the man, Adam, to be alone. Genesis 2:18 says, “And the LORD God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” The man was already in ‘stage 3’ before God decided that it was not good for him to be alone. The time of waiting on God for a marriage partner is not a time to go from party to party hoping to meet a man. It is not a time to give your mobile number to every random guy that speaks to you on the bus. It is a time to work on your relationship with God. It is a time to develop your spirit man because you will need it in marriage. 

ADVISE: If you have a friend, a brother, a sister or child that is of marriageable age who is yet to be married, please do not put pressure on them. A lot of us indirectly put unnecessary pressure on single people and these causes them to fall into the wrong hands. The best way to help our single brothers and sisters is to pray for them not put pressure on them or remind them that they are getting old. 

PRAYER POINT: Father, please provide our single brothers and sisters with the bone of their bones and flesh of their flesh. 

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus. 

PRACTITIONERS OF THE WORD

MEMORY VERSE: But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. James 1:22

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Hebrew 4- 6

The world is where it is today because a lot of us are hearers of the Word not doers of the Word. Statistics show that the population of Christians in the world today is over 2 billion, which means, 31.0 % of the world population are Christians. Out of this 2 billion, over a million are born again, spirit filled, tongue speaking, Christians. They, the million, have been Christians for over twenty years. They go to church at least ten times a month – two to three times week. In the last twenty years, each of them have listened to nothing less than 2080 sermons. They have heard sermons on Forgiveness, Evangelism, Repentance, Justification, Heaven and Hell, Crowns and Heavenly Rewards, Sowing and Reaping, Holy Spirit, Baptism, etc. If this group of people had done 15 % of what they have heard in sermons, the world would have been a better place. In fact, if this million were committed to winning a soul to Christ each month, within 10 years, more than 75 % per cent of the world would have given their lives to Christ.

Friend, the point i am trying to make is this, most of us only go to church, listen to sermons and make notes, but we do not put to use what we have heard or read. Many of us have heard sermons about praying. We sing Choruses about praying. For example, Prayer is the key x 2, Prayer is the master key, Jesus started with prayer, and ended with prayer, Prayer is the master key. Many of us can preach a full sermon on prayer, yet we do not pray. An average Christian spends only 5 minutes praying to God daily. Most of us only pray on Sundays. Even when we pray, all we ask God to do is kill our enemies – people we are not in talking terms with. If we are not praying to God to kill our enemies, we are asking Him to do A or B. We rarely ask for His will to be done in our lives. Many of us have heard sermons on forgiveness, and yet, some of us are yet to forgive. Some wives are yet to forgive their husband because of a comment he made during their honeymoon in 1982. Some pastors are yet to forgive their workers. They claim to have forgiven the brother, but they are hostile to him. The moment he raises his hands to contribute, the pastor will shut him up and yet the brother has been forgiven. We all know the importance of love, why are some of us still keeping malice. Why is that you cannot stand that sister? Friend, are you a practitioner of the Word? Are you practicing what you are preaching? As the wife of a pastor, you teach women to submit to their husbands, are you submissive? As a marriage counselor, you advise men to “dwell with their wife according to knowledge, giving honour unto their wife” but you give your wife physical counseling. At any slight provocation, you give her a dirty slap. If Christ should slap you, will you live to tell the story? Despite the fact that the Lord says, “Do not be afraid” 365 times in the bible, many of us still live in fear. Some of us are expert worriers. We worry for the sake of worrying. When there is nothing to worry about, we look for something to worry about. Friend, be a practitioner of the Word. Unless we practice what we have heard and read, our situations will not change.

TO DO: Practice casting your ‘cares’ on Jesus.

PRAYER: Father, please help me to be a hearer and doer of the Word.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

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DO NOT GET TIRED

MEMORY VERSE: and let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. GALATIANS 6:9

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Acts 13-17

In Paul’s epistle to the Galatians, he wrote, “and let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Galatians 6:9). Friend, i do not know what you are facing in your marriage or relationship but i want to encourage you, do not get tired. Do not get tired of that stubborn child. His teachers are always reporting him for bad behaviour. Other parents have warned their children not play with him because of his unruly behaviour. You have prayed and fasted, but nothing seems to be happening. As Paul encouraged the Galatians, i want to encourage you in the Lord, do not get tired. Over that child that is always sick, do not get tired. I join my faith with your faith, that child is healed permanently in Jesus name, amen.
Over that marriage, do not get tired. No matter what you do, your husband never appreciates it. He complains at every little opportunity, even when you cook and intentionally do not add salts, he complains that the food salty. I want to encourage you in the Lord, do not get tired. You are trying to lose weight, you have tried different weight loss plans, and nothing seems to be happening. You go to the gym twice a week, but it is taking forever to notice any changes in your outlook, i want to encourage you, do not get tired of trying. You have applied for several jobs, but no one has invited you for an interview, i want to encourage you, do not get tired of making applications. This is the fourth time you have failed your driving test, do not get tired of trying. Register and book for it again. This is the sixth time you have sat for F6 Taxation, ACCA Qualifications, do not get tired of trying, read, and book the exam again. In the name that is above every other name, your next effort will be the last time you will sit for that subject, Amen.

Do not be weary in showing love to that nasty family member. Do not get tired of interceding for that friend, family member, or colleague at work, who is yet to give his or her life to Christ. Do not get tired of praying for that husband of yours that is always returning home drunk at night. Do not get tired of witnessing to your colleagues at work about Jesus. Do not get tired of interceding for your nation. It may seem as if you are wasting your time praying for your country and the leaders. Friend, your prayer is keeping your nation. The prayer of the righteous is keeping this world. Let us not become weary in interceding for the leaders, kings, princes, head of states, presidents, founders and general overseers, pastors, leaders, etc. Do not become tired of life. Suicide is not the way out. Do not become tired of committing that relationship to God. It is true that you committed it to Him at the beginning, keep on committing it to Him. A man of God once said this, “if you remember to say it, God will remember to do it”

PRAYER POINT: Father, Help of the helpless, please help every one of us in the might name of Jesus.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

JONAH

MEMORY VERSE:  Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep. Jonah 1:5

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Micah 4-6

Christ did not save you, to live your life as you please. He does not save for the fun of saving. He saved us, so that you and i, can live a life pleasing to Him. After He saved the woman caught in adultery, He gave her an instruction. John 8:11 says she said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. That instruction, ‘go, and sin no more,’ is for all of us. Go, and fight no more, quarrel no more, curse no more, disobey your parents no more, accept bribe no more, participate in exam malpractices no more,  commit adultery/ fornication no more , steal no more , beat your wife no more. Christ is saying, ‘I have saved you, go, and do those things i saved you from no more.’

Yesterday, we saw what happens when a fellow boards a ship with a ‘Jonah’. At first, everything will be fine, after a while, a storm will arise. If the fellow is not prayerful, he may lose his wares and other valuable possessions. Today, we will look at the character of Jonah .The first thing, i want you to know is, anyone can exhibit these characters even Christians. God sent Jonah to Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire, to a people despised by the Jews. Jonah would rather that Nineveh be destroyed than that city have an opportunity to repent and be spared. The Assyrians were a cruel people who showed no mercy to their enemies, and Jonah wanted them out of the way. This man, Jonah, thought he had a choice or say in the will of God for the people of Nineveh. He forgot that the will of God is not an option: it is an obligation and an opportunity. Anyone who thinks (s) he has a choice in the will of God for his or her life or the life of others is a ‘Jonah.’ When we run from God’s will, we always go down. We may end up sacrificing safety for danger and peace for storm. Jonah is also a sleeping Christian. Whilst everyone prayed, Prophet Jonah snored. Jonah 1:5 says then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep. Are you awake? Do you observe the growing darkness on earth? Things that used to be an abomination 30 years ago are now what we celebrate today.  Twenty years ago, if a brother should fornicate, maybe he was at the wrong place at the wrong time, he will start to cry. Today, the same brother will pat himself on the back and gist his friends. The goal of every believer used to be heaven, but today, it is blackberry phones and the latest Range Rover. Can you tell the season we are in? Do you know we are at the end of the world? Do you still fast? Do you still have your quiet time? Do you still witness? Do you still give to the poor? Does your heart still prick you when you tell little white lies?

PRAYER POINT: Father, please wake your church up from her slumber.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

THE IMPORTANCE OF RECORD KEEPING

MEMORY VERSE: And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. Revelations 20:12

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Amos 4-8

In heaven, there are books. The Psalmist referred to some of those books in his psalms. Psalm 56:8 says thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? These books contain records. Revelations 20:12 says and I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. In Genesis 12:4-5, we read, what Heaven recorded against Abram’s name at a particular period of his life. His age was mentioned (as a proof that Heaven had a record of when he was born); Sarai and Lot were mentioned (as a proof that Heaven had a record of his family); Haran was mentioned (as a proof that Heaven had a record of his location) and so on. Just as Heaven kept records of Abram’s life, Heaven keeps a record of your life and my life. I encourage you not to relent in doing good. Do not get tired of serving in the vineyard of God, Heaven has a record of your labour of love, man may not appreciate you but God, THE REWARDER, has it all recorded and He will reward you.

Just as Heaven keep records, you and I need to keep a proper record of our life in every department of it. Retail stores keep various records – records of items sold, profit made each month, expenditures, etc. These records are used for decision-making and financial projections. Not only that, these records are used to measure performance and so on. The same thing applies to us, keeping records of events in our life is essential for success. Records highlight milestones or landmarks on our journey to  become who God created us to be. It is important that you know, the day you gave your life to Christ, when you began to speak in tongues, how many souls you have won for Christ, etc. Not only that, you also need to be able to say , this and that happened, when I gave that special offering; on this particular date , this is the dream I had ; on that particular date, this was the vision God showed to me ; in that year , this iswhat God said to me and so on and so forth. If you do not keep records, measuring how you are performing in Christ will be difficult. Your records will tell you, the last time you won a soul for Jesus; the last time you worshipped and felt the mighty presence of God all over you; the last time you heard from God and so on. When you keep records of God’s dealings with your life, monitoring your direction and progress in life becomes easy. In addition, your records will show you, how you spend your time, how often you pray, study the Word, and other important spiritual activities. A good record will open your eyes to see some of the unnecessary activities you waste your time on. Managing your life and time becomes easier when you keep records.

ACTION: Get a book and start recording your dreams. 

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

BEING HATED?

MEMORY VERSE: and when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. Genesis 37:18

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Hosea 1-3

A wise man once said, ‘if you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.’ Do you know that, nine out of ten times, opportunities do not appear as opportunities at first glance? This is why many of us miss it. Who would have thought, the agenda to wipe out tiny Judah in Chronicles 20, was a divine opportunity to enrich them? Opportunities can also come disguised as persecution or hatred for no good reason. A typical example of this can be found in Genesis 37. The brothers of Joseph hated him for no good reason. Genesis 37:8 says and when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. What a world! Thank God, Reuben rescued him from their hands; otherwise, they would have beaten him to death. At the end, they sold him to slavery. The brothers thought, they had succeeded in putting an end to his dream. Unknown to them, they were fulfilling God’s plan. In Egypt, Joseph became a prime minister and a father to Pharaoh. Had it been, they left him alone, he would have remained at home and end up as a nobody. That persecution in your place of work could be an opportunity for you to start your own business.

Recently, an ex- NASA scientist (now a pastor), shared with us an incident that changed his life forever. Whilst in secondary school, back in Africa, his mathematics teacher gave the class an exercise from the mathematics workbook. On completing the exercise, he took the workbook to his maths teacher. After marking his work, the teacher asked why he did not complete the Part B of the question. ‘Oh sir, you only asked us to do Part A,’ he responded. The man, huge peace corps from USA, stood up and gave him a dirty slap. He went back to his seat wondering, what he did wrong. Whilst everyone made fun of him because of the dirty slap, he sat quietly and wondered what he did to deserve the dirty smack in the face. Suddenly, it dawned on him; the teacher expected more from him because he was the best. The next day, at class again, the man gave another exercise from the same workbook. This time around, he completed all the exercise in the workbook. Whilst in form 4, the man told him to get the mathematics workbook for form 5 and complete all the exercise. That was it! He graduated from secondary school with distinctions. He graduated from university with a first class; NASA heard about him and employed him. All of these, came at the cost of a dirty slap whilst in secondary school. That thing you are facing could be what God wants to use to prepare you for your glorious future. That persecution in ministry is your desert experience, it is your opportunity to learn to depend on God for virtually everything.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please open my eyes so that I will not miss any opportunities again in life

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

OPPORTUNITY DISGUISED

 
MEMORY VERSE: The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute. Proverbs 12:25
 
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:  Daniel 4-8
 
Whether that prophesy or dream will come to pass in your life, will be determined by how you treat the opportunities that come your way. Also ,whether that prophesy or dream will come to pass in your life, will be determined by how you treat your wife. Asides God, you need your wife to succeed. Focus on her strengths not weakness. The more you focus on her strength, the less of her weakness you will see. Deciding not to eat at home after every little quarrel is not the best way to run a family. Most importantly, comparing her to your mother or big sister is a big no no. Remember, mama or big sister have been married for a while , they appear perfect because they have had a lot of practice. Comparing someone who have been married for ten years with another who have been married for thirty years is wickedness.
 
One of the reasons why people miss opportunity is because it is disguised as hard work. Ann Landers once said, “opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people do not recognize them.”  The reason why many are where they are, is because they hate hard work. They love to do nothing and get big results. Life does not work that way. One of the greatest inventors of all time, Thomas Edison, said and I quote , “opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”Hard work and diligence pays. Proverbs 12:25 says the hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute. While everyone saw working in the palace as demanding, tedious, hard , something to avoid, Jeroboam saw working in the palace as an opportunity to please the king. 1 Kings 11:28 says and the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious , he made  him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph. Promotion always come disguised as a new , harder, tougher challenge. That master’s degree you are seeing as a hard work is an opportunity in disguise! While many see professional qualifications like ACCA, CCNP, PRINCE 2 , etc as extra hard work , some see it as an opportunity to add value to themselves. While others saw Sanctuary keeping as degrading especially for professionals , myself and some friends saw it as an opportunity to get God’s attention. One day while cleaning, the man of God turned up and said, ‘God has specifically asked me to come and pray for you brothers.’ Those who saw it as a waste of time missed out that day. During the days of Thomas Edison, many saw sciences has hard work but this man saw it as an opportunity to invent something. Today, the whole world has, is and will continue to benefit from the hard work of Thomas Edison.
 
PONDER: That thing you are calling hard work, to others, it is an opportunity for breakthrough.
 
Bro Samuel| Reaching the world for Jesus.

FOR HE DOTH NOT PROPHESY GOOD CONCERNING ME, BUT EVIL.

Memory verse: And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so. 1 kings 22:8

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 11-13

One of the mistakes some of us make is, when we are given counsel, we twist the counsel and claim that we are being insulted. A man, who had just acquired a property, was speaking to his friend who was looking to acquire a property. As they conversed, the one who had just acquired a property asked his friend (who was looking to acquire a property), how much deposit do you have for the mortgage? (The man bought the property on mortgage and the friend was seeking to do the same too). The friend mentioned the figure, (it was enough to get a mortgage), the fellow who had just acquired the property counseled his friend to shelve the idea for a short while and save more. The friend who was looking to acquire a property went ballistic, oh…. what are you trying to say…. Are you calling me a poor man…. Is it because I asked you a question, that’s why you are insulting me...Bla, Bla, Bla. At the end, he stormed out angrily. All the friend said was, you do not have enough funds to secure a mortgage, he took it personal and twisted it to mean that the friend was calling him a poor man. He stopped talking to the friend, later he did something he should not have done and that landed him in jail.

Ahab was guilty of this too. Any time the prophet gave him a counsel that was not what he wanted to hear, he would twist it to mean something else. Because Micaiah had not been saying things he wanted to hear, he told Jehoshaphat that Micaiah hated him. 1 Kings 22: 8 says And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so. Before Micaiah arrived at the scene, Ahab had concluded in his heart that Micaiah would prophesy evil about him. Most of the counsel, Micaiah gave to Ahab was about his future. Micaiah told Ahab, go back, the Lord will not go with you. Ahab took it personal, and jailed Micaiah. At the end, he went and was defeated. Not only that, he perished. What advice, have you been given, that you have twisted and taken personal? Your pastor said, don’t marry that guy, you said your pastor hates you. You were counseled to study Economics instead of Medicine; you got angry and said, oh they are indirectly telling me that I do not have the brain to study Medicine. The pastor counseled you to submit to your husband, you said he is calling you a rebellious woman. The enemy uses this mindset to put a lot of people in bondage and get them in trouble. I remember a particular sister was denied visa, she got angry and said things are always working against her. Meanwhile, she was the one who did not fill the form correctly. Your boss advised you to smile more; you twisted it to mean that he is saying you are not friendly. Someone asked you for a receipt, you got angry and said the fellow is calling you a thief.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please help me to accept the truths that will transform my life.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

BUT I SAY UNTO YOU

Memory verse: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. Matthew 5:32

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 44-46

Yesterday, we talked about what God said concerning Jesus. He said: “this is my beloved Son, in whom i am well pleased (Matthew 3:17).” Jesus is God’s Son and God is well pleased with Him. In Matthew 17, the Lord gave the same testimony but this time around, He added an instruction. Matthew 17:5 says While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. The Most High is instructing you and i to listen to Jesus. Friend, saying the sinner’s prayer is not enough to get you to heaven. You must listen to Jesus too. If He says forgive, please forgive. If He says you must witness, please witness.

In Matthew 5 Jesus preached a powerful sermon, I want us to look at some of the things He said. According to the Law of Moses, adultery is a sin. Matthew 5:28 says But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. The moment you look at a woman and imagine things, you are already guilty of adultery or fornication. If the bible says a man is guilty of adultery if he lusts after a woman, as a woman, should you encourage men to lust after you through the way you dress? Dress modestly so that men will not see you and begin to imagine things. To the men that feed their eyes by looking at women, you are not feeding your eyes but committing adultery.

According to the Law of Moses, once you don’t like a woman, issue her a divorce letter. Matthew 5:32 says but I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. You cannot divorce because of irreconcilable difference. The only ground for divorce is adultery and you cannot just wake up one morning and accuse your husband or wife of adultery without being able to proof it. You cannot divorce your wife because your mother said so. You cannot divorce a woman because she has failed to give you a male child. It is not your wife that gives a male child, it is God. So also you cannot divorce your wife because she has failed to give you a child, it is not your wife that gives children, it is God. You cannot divorce your husband because He has changed. Before you start courting that divorced man or woman, investigate what happened. If you marry someone who left her husband because of irreconcilable difference, you will be guilty of adultery.

ACTION: Let us remember marriages that are going through storm that the Lord will restore peace.

Bro Samuel – Reaching the world for Jesus.

BUILD ACCORDING TO PATTERN

MEMORY VERSE: Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, see, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. Hebrew 8:5

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 37-40

When God wanted to dwell among the children of Israel, He commanded Moses to build a tabernacle for Him. A tabernacle is a place of worship. God loves worshippers. He loves those who worship Him in truth and in spirit not those after Him for bread and butter. It is easy to worship God when you have just gotten a raise in your salary. Shouting Hallelujah comes naturally, when you have just passed your driving test. Worshipping God in the beauty of His holiness is easy when your wife finally gets pregnant after five years of delay. Praising God becomes extremely difficult when you receive a letter of redundancy from your place of work. Shouting Hallelujah becomes difficult when your visa application has just been refused. A true worshipper will still praise God even after he has lost his job.

Before building the tabernacle, the Lord called Moses up to a mountain and gave him the pattern of the tabernacle. Just before work started, God reminded him to build according to the pattern shown to him. Exodus 25:40 says and look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed in the mount. God wants to build you to become His tabernacle. He wants you and I to be His residing place. He wants to change the world through us but to do that; we must build our life according to pattern. Who are we to pattern our life after, Jesus Christ. He spent 33 years on earth showing us how to live our lives, how to conduct ourselves, how to relate to our parents, how to speak, how to behave in marriage, how to relate to God. Are you building that relationship after the pattern of Jesus when you and your fiancé kiss and do all sorts when alone? You said he has never slept with you but you undress before him. He has never slept with you but he touches you in inappropriate places. Would Christ have built that way?

The only way to build according to the pattern of Jesus is by doing what Jesus did and avoiding what he did not do. Jesus lived a life of prayer. He prayed at all times. Anyone doing what Jesus did not do or doing what Jesus will not do is building his life after his own pattern. Many build their life after the pattern of a great man of God. They want to talk like the man of God, behave like the man of God; there is no problem in this as far as you know the man of God is building his life according to the pattern of Jesus. However, the truth is, we are not to build our life after any great hero, not even after Martin Luther, John Wesley or John Calvin. Building our life after a particular man or woman is dangerous. If they get it wrong, you will get it wrong also. Jesus never for once got angry unnecessarily; He never said a wrong word once. If someone cuts Jesus in traffic, I can assure you; He will not swear at them or show them the middle finger. Jesus will not see black and call it white. Jesus will not attend a nightclub or go to a strip club. Jesus will never get into a physical fight or verbal abuse. He will never use the ‘F’ word, the ‘C’ word, or any offensive language. Jesus was not a rebellious youth; He was into neither the pop culture nor punk culture. He was not a Rastafarian. Many of our youths today are building their lives according to the pattern of a rock star. Many are building their life according to what they see on soap operas and movies. We cannot build our life after the pattern of a character in a secular soap opera or romance novel and expect the Lord to make us His tabernacle.

TO PONDER: What are the things you are doing that you know Christ will never do , repent immediately and turn a new leaf.

Bro Samuel – Reaching the world for Jesus.

SAYERS OR DOERS

Memory verse: Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 7:21

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 34-36

BIBLE STUDIES: Matthew 21:28-32

In our bible studies, Jesus told the story of a father and his two sons. One day, the man approached his first son and said: “Son, i need help in my vineyard, go there and work for me.” The boy answered and said: “Dad i am tired, please send my brother.” The old man said no problem and left. Shortly after this, being convicted by his conscience, he repented and went straight to the vineyard. The old man then approached the second son and said: “i need your help in my vineyard.” Oh, that is not a problem, he said. The moment the old man turned his back, he continued his business. The question is this, which of these two boys did the will of their father, the one who refused but later repented, or the one who promised to go and never went? Which of these two deserved a reward, the “sayer” (the fellow who promised to go but never went) or the “doer” (the fellow who refused to go but later repented)? Obviously, the “doer” i.e. the son who refused at first but later repented.

There is a popular saying: “actions speak louder than words.” It is not what a man says that matters, but what he does. A lot say A but do B. Matthew 7:21 says not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Jesus is not interested in those who will quote the Word alone; He wants believers who will do what the Word says. Are you a “sayer” or a “doer”? Not everyone that says the sinner’s prayer will enter into the kingdom of heaven but those who do the will of God.

In what ways are you and I, saying Lord, Lord but not doing the will of the Father? The Lord said in Romans 12:19, vengeance is mine and I will repay, you said no way, you must pay that fellow back in his coin. Are you doing the will of God when you pay that brother back in his own coin? The bible says pursue peace with all men (Hebrews 12:14), you said you will never speak to that sister –in-law who called you barren because you experience delay in childbirth. Is that the will of God? God promoted a family friend, instead of rejoicing with them; you started envying them. Is that how you do the will of God? You are not married to that man but you live together under the same room, are you doing the will of God? The whole church calls you a brother, but you secretly steal from the offering bag. Is that how to do the will of God? You said you wanted to build an orphanage, people contributed towards the project, you took the money and married a second wife. Is that how a Christian should behave? You were tasked to go and pay some money into the company accounts; you took the money and ran away. Is that the will of God?

TO PONDER: Are you a doer of the Word?

Bro Samuel – Reaching the world for Jesus.

WHAT TYPE OF REPENTANCE?

Memory verse: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Joel 2:13

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 31-33

In Exodus, God sent Moses to Pharaoh with a message: “let my people go.” When Pharaoh heard, he was wrath. Exodus 5:2 says And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will i let Israel go. Every attempt to convince Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go was ignored. Because he refused to let them go, the Lord began to plague Egypt. He started by turning their water to blood (Exodus 7:19); Pharaoh was unmoved. The Lord plagued the land with frogs (Exodus 8:2-4); Pharaoh did not budge. The Lord sent lice (Exodus 8:16), because his magicians were able to reproduce these plagues, he ignored the plea to let the children of Israel go.

The Lord sent flies (Exodus 8:21), these flies began to trouble all the Egyptians, Pharaoh repented and called for Moses and Aaron. He said; i will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: intreat for me (Exodus 8:27).” This is called “EMERGENCY REPENTANCE.” Pharaoh permitted the children of Israel to go and sacrifice because he was suffering, the moment relief came; he changed his mind. Since he refused to change, the plagues kept on coming. Their livestock perished (Exodus 9:3); they were inflicted with boils (Exodus 9:8); thunder and hail destroyed their fields (Exodus 9:18); locust destroyed their plantations (Exodus 10:4). When the plagues became unbearable, he repented again. This is time around, he permitted only the men to go and sacrifice, leaving the women and children behind. This is called “INCOMPLETE REPENTANCE.” There are many who have repented from robbing the Lord in tithes, instead of paying a tenth of their earning, they pay a fifth of their earning. As far as God is convinced, this is not repentance.

The plagues continued, the Land was covered with thick darkness (Exodus 10:21) and then the Lord killed all the firstborn of the Egyptians (Exodus 11:4-5). This time around, he repented and took an action; he literally chased the children of Israel out of Egypt. One would have thought that Pharaoh had finally repented but it was a “FALSE REPENTANCE,” after the children of Israel left Egypt, he went after them to bring them back to Egypt.God is interested in genuine repentance not repentance by mouth. Is your repentance an emergency one, an incomplete one, or worse still a false repentance? You said you have repented, no more fornication and adultery again, after a while you called your ex to come and pass the night at your place. Is that repentance? Because you wanted something desperately from God, you vowed never to do certain things again, the moment the Lord answered your prayers, you went back and continued in them. You said you have turned a new leaf but not completely, you no longer smoke but you drink. You no longer watch pornography but you look at nude pictures. Is that repentance?

ACTION: Pray that the Lord will truly give you a change of heart.

Bro Samuel – Reaching the world for Jesus.