WHO IS BACKING YOU MATTERS

MEMORY VERSE: David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee. 1 Samuel 17:37

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: James 4-5

BIBLE READING: 1 Samuel 17:1- End

In 1 Samuel 17:8- 11, Goliath stood and challenged the armies of Israel. Verse 10 says, “And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” Why is he able to do this? It is simple. He had his four brothers – also giants – behind him (2 Samuel 21:15-22). Not only that, he had the whole nation behind him cheering him and backing him up. David, on other hand, had no one behind him except God. His brothers didn’t believe in him; King Saul politely advised him that he was not good enough. 1 Samuel 17:37 says, “David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.” David fought Goliath and killed him. There are several lessons we can learn from this story. Firstly, the fact that men are backing you does not guarantee victory. The reason is those that backed you today can decide to turn against you tomorrow. Those who shouted “Hosanna! Hosanna!’ to Jesus were the same bunch who shouted crucify Him! Crucify Him! Also, the fact that you don't have a backing does not translate into failure. After all, no one backed David yet he defeated Goliath. 

Secondly, who is backing you matters. Why? The amount of help or support you can expect  will be determined by who is backing you. Also, the fellow backing you  will only take you as far as he has gone. He can only take you to a height he has reached. He can only give what he has; what he doesn't have he can't give. Imagine getting marriage counselling from someone who is single or someone who is divorced. If i were you, i will look for someone whose marriage has worked by God's grace and is still working. You will only stand as long as the fellow backing you is standing. If he falls, God have mercy. The one backing you will determine how high or how far you will go in life. He will determine how high you will be promoted. The chairman of an organization can decide to make you his deputy -that's how high he can take you - but a team leader can only help you to become, at most, a supervisor under him. 

 Thirdly, the fact that something has never been done before does not mean it can’t be done. No one had ever defeated Goliath before and as such, no one knew his weakness. Because he had never been beaten before, no one knew how to beat him. The fact that no one you know has ever passed that particular exam does not mean you can’t be the first. God’s presence in your life cancels out all other factors that could work against you. David didn’t know how to use a sword and a shield yet he conquered Goliath. He never received any form of military training yet he prevailed over Goliath. The presence of the Lord makes all the difference. A lot blame their short stature or round stature or other things for the reason why they are still single. Only if I was slimmer… Only if I was taller…etc. All you need is God’s presence and His favor.  

NOTE: God will only back His children. If you have not given your life to Christ you better do so now. Also, He won't back a thief. If you have been stealing from Him through tithes and offering you better restitute your ways. 

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

LORD, HELP!

MEMORY VERSE: To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. Psalm 12:1

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Acts 1-2

Psalm 12:1 says, “To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.” What is drastically reducing in the world today is not the number of Christians. There are a lot of Christians who are pornographers. Oh Yes! A lot of them watch pornographic films. The sad thing is we now find this trend amongst Christian couples. Just yesterday, i was reading about a youth minister who needed to look at magazines of naked women before he can have sex with his wife. There are a lot of Christians who gamble. They go to church every Sunday, even minister but they buy lottery tickets and participate in raffle draws. Some of them bet on horse races or premier league teams. There are a lot of Christians who smoke and drink. There are a lot of Christians who are celebrities. It is their life that is celebrated not Christ. Also, we have Christians who are deceptive. Not to forget Christians who beat their wives or husbands. Or, Christians who steal from their parents. Personally, these people are only church goers to me not Christians. Christian means someone who is like Christ and a man who is always beating his wife is not like Christ in any way, shape or form. 

What is lacking today is not people who go to church, or people who pay offerings. It is not people who scream “amen... preach it pastor... common now...” when the pastor is preaching.  It is not people who have several versions of the bible on their Ipads or people with big bibles; the moment you see them you say here comes the man of God. What is lacking today is godly men and women. Men like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who would rather displease Nebuchadnezzar to please God. Men who will say to Nebuchadnezzar, “But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up” (Daniel 3:18). Men like Peter who will say to people who want to buy the gifts of God with money “Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money” (Acts 8:20). Men whose response will be “For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20), when rebuked for talking about Jesus. Men who will tell Araunah “but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing” (2 Samuel 24:24). Fathers like Joshua who will say “but as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord “(Judges 24:15). Women like Esther who will fast for the will of God to be done in their lands. Mothers like Hannah who will say to God "if you give me a child i will give him back to you". Brothers like Joseph who will say to Potiphar’s wife “how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). Brothers like Daniel who will purpose in their heart not to defile themselves with the king’s meat (Daniel 1:8). Honest men like Zacchaeus who will stand before the Lord and say, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold” (Luke 19:8). Men like the four lepers who would say “We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king's household (2 Kings 7:9)”. Men who will tell the king’s household i.e. their supervisors, managers about Jesus. Men and women like this are lacking in the land. The godly man ceaseth! There is nothing anyone can do except cry to heaven and say Lord, Help! 

PRAYER POINT: Father, please give each and every one of us a new heart.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

HELP OF THE HELPLESS

MEMORIZE: But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped Him. Mark 5:6

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Thessalonians 3 -4, Proverbs 27

BIBLE STUDY: Mark 5:1-19

It is a terrible thing to be alone. It is so bad, even God – Creator of Heaven and Earth, said, “it is not good that the man should be alone (Genesis 2:18).” There is a very big difference between being alone and being lonely. Do you know that one can be in the midst of people and still be alone? It is possible for one to be married and still be alone. There are a lot of married people who are alone. It is possible to live under the same roof with your partner, sleep in the same room, on the same bed, with your partner by your side and still be alone. To be alone is bad, but worse than being alone is being helpless. To be helpless according to Merriam-Webster dictionary means not being able to defend one’s self or being unable to make a situation better/ easier.

The moment we hear the word ‘helpless’, what comes to mind is ‘impotence’, ‘stagnancy’, ‘being stuck’, ‘regression’, ‘weak’, ‘sorrow’, and so on. In our bible study, we read about a man who was totally helpless. A legion demon – over 6,000 demons, decided to turn his body into their residence. They seized him and began to do what they pleased with him. These evil forces drove him out his home to live among tombs. When friends and families caught him and tied him up to help him, he broke the chains and ran away. In broad day light, these forces made him to take off his clothes and walk around naked. (This they did to disgrace him in public). At times, they made him pick up sharp objects and cut himself with it. When there was no sharp object around, he would use stones to cut himself. Imagine the pains he was going through.  These forces, far more powerful and stronger than him, were causing him to destroy his body. The forces inside him were making him to do things he would not normally do. There are many like this man today who are helpless in one area or the other. They have terrible bad habits they want to stop but they can't because they powerless. There are many who do a lot of shameful things – things they do in the secret, they have tried to stop but they can’t. It is as if something is pushing them to do these things. The moment that thing pushes them, that is it. They have tried everything possible – been to doctors, tried to use will power, psyche themselves and nothing seems to be working. For some it is anger, once they become angry they turn into another thing. They lose control of themselves, do and say terrible things – things they would later regret when they calm down. For some it is a habit like smoking and drinking. They can’t do without smoking marijuana daily. They know the side effects of these habits and want to stop but they just can't. For some it is looking at nude pictures. This man knew within himself that except God comes to his rescue, these demons would destroy him. Actually he was on the path to destruction. For some it is their body. They don’t have control over it at all. The moment the urge to sin comes, that is it. Some of what they do when the urges come, they cannot share it with a living soul even their pastor. They have battled these urges unsuccessfully. Helpless as this mad man was, he saw Jesus and he did something i want you to do if you find yourself in a position where you are helpless. Mark 5:6 says, “But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped Him.” Friend, run to Jesus today before that urge destroys you. He is ready save you.

THOUGHTS OF THE DAY: This man did not pretend when he saw Jesus. He did not act as if all is well when actually all is not well. He did not try to cover his weakness from Jesus. He ran to Him and worshipped Him.  

ACTION: The Help of the helpless is still very much alive. What He did thousands of years ago, He is still doing them today and He will do it for you too. Start by worshipping Him before asking Him to help. Run to Him now!

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

HELP, LORD;

MEMORY VERSE: Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. Psalm 12:1

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 John 3-5

Paul, in his letter to Timothy, wrote these: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.( 2 Timothy 3:1-7)” What Paul wrote is now happening today. There is a high level of moral decadence especially among the teens and youths. In some parts of the world, children as young as twelve are now becoming mothers. A few days back, i saw this young girl, between the age of twelve and fourteen, with two children – one was in the buggy and the other one by her. What some of these teens, especially those in the west, get up to these days is unbelievable. You hear of websites were teens go to share their nude pictures with other teens. Friend, i hope you regularly check your children’s computers and phones to see what they have on it. I pray you will not cry over them in Jesus name. Amen

Amongst the adults, it is worse. Many now love money to the extent that they can do anything to get it even if it involves killing. They are ready to do anything to anyone that stand in their way of getting money. The fear of the Lord is no longer preached in many of our churches. A life of holiness is gradually becoming a taboo. Every attempt to live holy will be met by an attack. Sex before marriage is now acceptable. It is openly practiced; i mean you see people joining a man and a pregnant woman in holy matrimony. How can we join a man and a pregnant woman in holy matrimony? The wedding bed is already defiled, so where is the holiness in such matrimony? Godliness is now a strange word. Godly men and women are fast becoming extinct. Even in our churches, those who put God first are very few. Yes, the church is packed on Sundays but how many are there to serve God? A fellow that is coming to serve God will not arrive in church at11am when the service finishes at 12pm. How many of us go to our place of work an hour to the close of the day? None of us. Just as it was in the days of the old, so it is now. Fornication and adultery are now normal. You hear stories of ‘men of God’ impregnating members of their church. Bribery and corruption is now ok. To raise godly children in this generation requires a lot of prayer. When things get to this level, there is nothing anyone can do except cry to God for help. Psalm 12:1 says: “Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.” I am of the opinion that believers are also to be blamed because we have failed to carry out the great commission. If we were winning souls, as we should, things will be a lot different. Unfortunately, we have left the great commission to pursue our selfish goals.

THOUGHT: When was the last time you told someone about Jesus? When was the last time you won a soul for Christ?

PRAYER: Father, please help the body of Christ to unite and pursue the great commission.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

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CREDIT WITH GOD

Psalm 20:3 says may He remember all your offerings, and accept your burnt sacrifice.

In Acts 9:36-42 is the famous story of Dorcas. She loved the Lord and loved helping people. She helped the sick, the broken hearted and everyone who needed help around her. When she died , they sent for Peter .When Peter arrived they began to show him the good works Dorcas had done . Peter seeing all these had no other option than to beg God to release her from heaven back to earth and God answered. From reading this story, we see God relaxing His rule for Dorcas. As a matter of fact the bible says in Hebrew 9:27 that it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this judgment. The same God who declared that it is appointed unto men to die once had to suspend this rule because of Dorcas’ credit with Him. When we talk of credit with God, we are not talking of tithe and offering. We are talking of something major the Lord can look at and decide a case in your favour.

A king who had good credit with God was Hezekiah. The bible records in 2 Kings 18:2-6 that he did what was right in the sight of God. Verses 5 and 6 of 2 kings 18 says He trusted in the Lord God Israel, he held fast to the Lord and did not depart from following God but kept God’s commandment which the Lord had given through Moses. On his death bed in 2 Kings 20:1-6, God was so happy with his service that he added another fifteen years to his life. This brings us to the question, can God look at our walk with Him and decide to add fifteen years to our life. Have we served God to the extent that he will relax some of his rule? It is a rule that whoever sees God will die but because of Moses’ credit with God, God arranged a way for Moses to see Him without seeing death. As big as the bible is, there is only a record of God leaving heaven to dine with a family and that was the family of Abraham in Genesis 18.This happened because of Abraham’s record with God. He had touched God with his faith. It is not an easy task to convince God to come and dine with us, but it is something that can happen if we are prepared to work hard.

ACTION POINT: Take your service to God to another level today, so that you can have good credit with Him.

crying to God

James 5:16 says Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

There is nothing that moves a parent like the cry of their children. The same thing applies to God. When we cry to Him, things definitely happen. One of the reasons why the children of Israel stayed so long in Egypt was because they were quiet. Immediately they cried to God, He moved. This shows there is a disadvantage in been quiet because one might suffer unnecessarily. If ten people lined up to seek for help or to see the doctor , the one who cries most is likely to be attended to first. There are many of us who still think suffering is God’s way of testing us. There are many who still believe it is ok to suffer. It is ok to endure temptation actually James 1:12 says blessed is the man who endures temptation but the next verse which is James 1:13 says God does not tempt His children with evil actually God does not tempt anyone. Many still believe that been sick is good. Many still believe they need to be poor to get to heaven. Sickness is not God’s plan for your life, 1 Peter 2:24 says by His stripes we have been healed. Poverty is not a criterion to go to heaven, Salvation and living a life of holiness takes a man to heaven not bank balances.

Why do we have to cry to God in prayers? Crying gets the attention of God and makes Him to remember His promises – Exodus 2:23-24. From studying Exodus 3:7-22, one will come to the conclusion that crying causes God to pay us a visit

, causes God to make up His mind to help us, causes Him to be an enemy to our enemy, causes Him to send us help, causes Him to bring us in favor with our enemies, causes Him to be with our helpers so that they will not fail in their attempt to help us and many more. Crying to God causes Him to arise on our behalf and we know from reading Psalms 68:1 that when God arises, all His enemies are scattered. When we cry to God in prayers, we should not do it like a gentleman or a lady. Our prayers should be hot and aggressive. James 5:16 says the effective fervent prayers of the righteous avails much. Matthew 11:12 says and from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. The prayer that causes one to sweat is not a gentleman’s prayer, talk less of sweat becoming like drops of blood. If Jesus who was the son of God, prayed fervently until His sweat became like drops of blood what is our excuse not to pray that way today. Before we go to God in prayers, let’s make sure our standing with God is good. Psalm 66:18 says if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.

ACTION POINT: Cry to God today over that issue and I can assure you He will send help.