TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

MEMORY VERSE: And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. Exodus 14:15-16

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Hebrew 1-4

Matthew 18:18 says: “Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” There are several lessons to learn from this verse. Firstly, the power to bind and lose have been given to you. Genesis 1:26 says, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” Sadly, man lost this dominion when he fell. However, when Jesus redeemed mankind He restored to us dominion through His name. Luke 10:19 says, “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Friend, you are not weak. You are not powerless. Jesus says, “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven”. In other words, if you take the step of faith and bind something on earth today, heaven will back you up. According to Matthew 17:20 you don’t need big faith to do this. Matthew 17:20 says, “And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”

Secondly, you are responsible  for binding and losing. In other words, whatever you permit is what God will  permit. Whatever you allow in your life is what He will allow in your life.  All you need to do is speak the word in faith and leave the fulfilment of the word to Him.  God will not bind or lose for you.  When Moses cried to God at the Red Sea asking Him to please part the Red Sea, the Lord responded and said “Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea”( Exodus 14:15-16). Friend, why are you asking God to chase away demons He has given you authority over?It is your job to do that. You are to ask them to leave in the name of Jesus not ask Jesus to drive them away. James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”  Thirdly, only a genuine child of God can bind and lose. Matthew 12:30 says,” He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.” You either for Him or against Him. You are either working for Him or working against Him. Not until you give your life to Christ, you are not for Him. And if you claim to have given your life to Christ and you are living with a man that you are not married to, then someone must be fooling himself or herself. Why not do the right thing and go to the altar and be joined in holy matrimony. Or if you claim to have given your life to Christ and you are fiddling with meter readings so that you don’t pay for electricity, i want you to know that Christ does not approve of that; no one who is for Him will do that. 

PRAYER POINT: I bind every spirit working contrary to the fulfillment of my destiny in the name of Jesus, under the blood of Jesus pack your bag and never return!

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

GOD CAN NEVER EVER TELL LIES

MEMORY VERSE: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Hebrews 6:18

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 114-116

God can never ever tell lies. Titus 1:2 says, “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.” There are several reasons why God can never ever tell lies. Firstly, He is not a man. Number 23:19 says, “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” Whilst man call blue  'black', God will say it as it is. It is man who makes promises he knows he can't keep. When the Most High makes a promise, He keeps it. Even when man makes a genuine promise,  due to circumstances beyond his control he may not be able to fulfil his promise; that's not so with the Holy One of Israel. There are no circumstances beyond His control. As such, when He says something consider it done. Psalm 33: 8-9 says, “Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.” 

 

Another reason why God can never ever tell lies is because He is the "Truth". 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.” It is not just that God has decided He will not lie – He cannot lie. Why? His word is truth! John 17:17 says, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” God’s word is the ultimate reality! More real, and lasting, than anything we can presently see. So, if He says it shall be well with you then it is going to be well with you. Regardless of how many mistakes you have made; regardless of how many times you have failed; regardless of your current circumstance, it shall be well with you.  

Whatever God says in His Word is the truth! When God said the earth was sphere in His word – Isaiah 40:22 says, “It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in” -  many big scientist argued against it. Some at that time even said the earth was on the back of some massive elephant. Today, the whole agrees that the world is sphere. If He says something is white take it as white. It may appear as yellow today but with time, you will find that it is indeed white. Hebrews 6:18 says, “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.” This is what makes the foundation of our relationship with God so solid – God has given us His Word – which cannot fail. If we are ever presented with evidence contrary to what God says, we can know we are being presented with a lie. For it is impossible for God to lie.

NOTE: God cannot lie because it is not in His nature, and because whatever He speaks will happen.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

MEMORY VERSE: Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. Psalm 27:14

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 6-10

Sometimes back,  a friend invited me to a restaurant. Because we were busy with a thing or two, he placed an order over the phone whilst we finish what we were doing. We arrived at the restaurant twenty minutes later expecting  our order to be ready ; unfortunately it wasn't. We waited patiently for another twenty minutes; still, it wasn't ready. So we checked with the waiter to know what the problem was. After speaking to the chef, she assured us that our orders will be ready shortly. My friend's order arrived and he began to eat. Five minutes later, my order was yet to arrive. Looking around the whole place, some of those who  placed their order after us have already been served. My friend had almost finishing eating; we had a lot to do, and i was yet to receive my order.  I decided to cancel my order as it seemed to me that the chef was too busy dealing with other customer's order. As i contemplated on cancelling the order politely, the waiter appeared with my order. The food tasted so nice that i forgave the chef for taking so long. The assorted meat was on point - exactly how i wanted it. 

There is always a waiting period between when you place an order and when the order arrives. Also, there is a waiting period between when you place an order to heaven and when your order arrives. The waiting period varies depending on the other. Meals with ordinary meat probably take around thirty minutes but meals like mine i.e. with assorted meat takes longer,  as such you must be prepared to wait a bit longer. If all you want is a man - just any man - you can meet one under six months. But, if you want a genuine child of God who is going places for Christ , you may need to wait longer.  Daddy Zechariah and Mummy Elizabeth had to wait till they were very old before God gave them John the Baptist - a man, greater than all the prophets of the Old Testament (Luke 7:28). If you want a child like John the Baptist you must be prepared to wait a bit. 

A lot will happen during your period of waiting. Some of your friends will receive their orders before you. Some will get jobs or life partners before you. Some of those who placed their orders after you may receive their orders before you. At times, your resolve will be tested. You will be pushed around. You will be frustrated. It may even appear as if our heavenly Father has forgotten your order. During this time, your brethren, like the brothers of Joseph, may sell you into slavery. The wife of Potiphar may even promise you heaven and earth if only you will lie with her. During this time, Saul may cast javelins at you. He may even give you impossible tasks just so you can fail. Don’t cancel your order because it is taking too long. Don’t cancel your order because those who placed their order after you have received their orders. Don’t compromise as it appears as if God has forgotten you. Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” God will surely visit you and make all things perfect in His own time.

NOTE: This is the word of the Lord to us this day: “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” (Habakkuk 2:3). The Lord has not forgotten you.

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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

“ACCORDING TO THE MEASURE OF THE GIFT OF CHRIST”

MEMORY VERSE: But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Ephesians 4:7

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 25

I will like to share something a brother sent to me. “If you leave a man with a vision and follow a man with a television you will soon be watching a man with a vision on your man's television.” Dear single sister, don’t marry a man because of what you can see now. Don’t marry a man because of his bank balance or what he owns today. Do you know the source of his wealth? Remember, wealth gotten by vanity or by fraud will dwindle away (Proverbs 13:11). Even if you know the source of his wealth, do you know tomorrow? According to Proverbs 23:5, riches do develop wings and fly away. If you marry a brother because of the big car he drives today or because of his wealth, and his wealth disappears what will you do? The fact that a brother is struggling today does not mean he will struggle forever especially if he is a genuine child of God. Let God guide you when it comes to the choice of who to marry and also listen to godly counsels. It will be well with you.

Ephesians 4:7 says, “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” Firstly, every one of us, Christians, is in receipt of grace (God’s unmerited favour). I have been given God’s grace, and you have been given God’s grace. This grace is defined as “the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit.” Secondly, this grace is given to every one of us according to the measure of the gift of Christ. In other words, we were not given equal amount of grace. Or, some were given more grace than the others. The grace given to me is different from the grace that was given to you. The level of grace i carry is different from the level of grace you carry. Who decides the level of grace each man receives? Jesus Christ. This decision was made even before the world began. 2 Timothy 1:9 says, “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” We were given this grace in a measure suited to His good purposes for us and for the body of Christ.

Although we were all given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ, none of us knows the amount of grace we received from Christ. I don’t know the amount of grace i received, you also don’t know the amount of grace you received. As such, you and i must never compare ourselves to anyone. The fellow you are comparing yourself with may carry a lesser grace than you. Maybe you have the grace to release twenty gospel albums and you are comparing yourself with someone who has the grace for only three albums. This is also why you must run your Christian race individually. This is why you must never serve God the way your friends are serving God or the way people around you are serving God. This is why you must never give to God the way your friends are giving to God. The grace we carry varies. As such, always strive to give your best to God. Recently, a brother stepped out and began to witness for Jesus. In 24 hours, he led two souls to Christ. Encouraged with the results, he began to witness to more people. Had this brother decided to keep quiet like most do, he would not have discovered that he was called to be an evangelist.

PRAYER: Father, please help me to maximize Your grace upon my life.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

"CAUGHT UP TO THE THIRD HEAVEN "

MEMORY VERSE: I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 2 Corinthians 12:2

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 21-24

BIBLE READING: 2 Corinthians 12:1-4

Paul in his second epistle to the Corinthians wrote thus: “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven” (2 Corinthians 12:2). There are one or two truths we can glean from this verse. Firstly, there is more than one heaven. Several verses in the scripture bear testimony to this fact. 1 Kings 8:27 says, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the ‘heaven and heaven of heavens’ cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?” Isaiah 55:9 says, “For as the ‘heavens’ are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” If there is a third heaven, then there is a first heaven and a second heaven. You cannot a have third without having the first ‘two’. One thing we are sure of is that there are at least three heavens ( and some call it three levels of heaven). Some have taught about seven heavens; this view has no basis in scripture.

Secondly, the third heaven is the highest point or the top heaven. It is the location of Paradise and the place of God’s personal dwelling, the most sacred place in the universe. The third heaven is the ultimate destination of all sinners who have truly repented and who have persevered in the life of faith. The second heaven could be the mid heaven or midst of heaven. Revelations 8:13 says, “And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!” The second heaven also known as the mid heaven is where spiritual warfare takes place. Ephesians 6:12 says,”For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” It was in the mid-heaven that angel who was sent to Daniel was withstood (Daniel 10:13). Finally, the visible heaven – the heaven that is visible to our natural eyesight – is the first heaven. Genesis 1:8 says, “And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.” This is where planes fly or birds fly. All earth’s inhabitants are familiar to some degree with this heaven. The teaching of three different levels of heaven, a level for “super-committed Christians” or Christians who have obtained a high level of spirituality, a level for “ordinary” Christians, and a level for Christians who did not serve God faithfully has no basis in Scripture.

QUESTION: How ready are you for the Master? Remember He is coming to take us home. Hope your garment is not soiled with sins. The Master is coming!

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

THE GIFT OF FAITH 2

MEMORY VERSE: To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:9

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Amos 1-4

As we mentioned yesterday, there are three kinds of supernatural faith. The first, which we looked at yesterday, is the 'saving faith'. The second kind is faith as a 'fruit of the spirit'. Galatians 5:22 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.” This, kind of faith, comes as a result of our salvation: union of Christ. According to John 15:5, Christ is the Vine, and we ,Christians, are the branches. Anyone that abides in Him and He in them, the same will bring much fruit. From the time of our union with Him (the Vine) we have the potential of bearing fruit. Our faith (trust, belief) in Jesus is the work of God the Holy Spirit, and it is He who supplies the faith as we go along in the Christian life. Our part is to respond to Him. Faith in Jesus, both initial faith and continuing faith, is the basis for all other fruit and gifts of the Spirit. The fruit of the spirit called faith is brought about through the process of time. One doesn’t plant a tree, and the next day pick fruit, No! The tree must be cultivated, fed, and watered. This is exactly what ‘abide’ means which is to take up permanent residence. The result of abiding in Him is the fruit of a Godly Christian character.

The last kind is the gift of faith. It is a potential in the believer from the time of receiving Jesus, but like the other gifts, it becomes much more active after the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Unlike faith the fruit mentioned earlier, the gift of faith is given instantaneously. It is a sudden surge of faith, usually in a crisis, to confidently believe without a doubt that as we act or speak in Jesus’ name it shall come to pass. The gift of faith is distinct from the working of miracles though it may produce miracles. If the disciples in the storm-based boat had remained calm and assured in spite of their dangerous situation, they would have been manifesting the gift of faith. As it was, Jesus had to still the storm by a miracle. If Daniel in the lion’s den had slain the dangerous animals with but a gesture it would have been the gifts of the miracle. As it was, he rested unharmed in the presence of the fully active lions, showing an even greater amount of faith. Several years ago in Tanzania, some Christians gathered for Easter services, when suddenly an enraged lioness in a wild mood dashed out of the jungle, attacking everything in her path. She killed several domestic animals, then a woman and a child and headed directly for the assembled believers. She stopped only few yards from them, snarling ferociously. The people trembled with shock! The preacher shouted, “don’t be afraid – the God who saved Daniel from the lions is here – the risen Christ of Easter is here.” He turned to the lioness, and cried, “You lion, i curse you in the name of Jesus Christ!” From the scattered clouds, without a sign of rain, a bolt of lightning struck the lioness and she dropped dead. That day, seventeen people gave their lives to the Lord Jesus. The level of faith in which we are living may ebb and flow. Sometimes we find that we are strong in faith; the Holy Spirit in our spirit is allowed to work, and wonderful things happen in our lives. At other times the ‘hang-ups’, doubts, fears, and the ‘debris’ in our souls that the Holy Spirit is working to remove get in the way, and we are not able to function as we.

NOTE: Though the gifts of faith may be active from time to time in our lives, it should not surprise us if we also experience times of doubts. This should only serve to remind us of the scripture: “it is God who works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Expect the Lord to manifest his wonderful gift of faith through you, just as you expect the other gifts.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

THE GIFT OF FAITH 1

MEMORY VERSE: To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:9

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 23-24 

What is faith? Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” In other words, faith is believing before seeing. You have not been invited for that job interview but you already believe the job is yours. No brother has approached you for your hands in marriage but you know that you are going to be someone’s wife very soon. Faith brings substance to what you have believed. According to Hebrews 11:1, faith is now. It is present tense; hope is future tense. Faith is not passive but active.

There are two basic kinds of faith: Natural faith and Supernatural faith. People have faith in the things of this world through the experience of the five senses. It takes natural faith to turn on the TV, and to believe we will see and hear something of interest. Even though the average person doesn’t understand the electronics of television, he still has a faith enough to turn it on. Natural faith is simply trusting in something or someone you can see, hear, or touch. “Seeing is believing”. Now you don’t need to be a Christian to have this kind of faith. Even atheists have this kind of faith. The other kind of faith, Supernatural faith, comes from God, or is above the natural senses. 

There are three kinds of supernatural faith. The first is “saving faith”. Might i at this point say this: “Faith is simply believing.” Just as you see something, and thus know that you have sight; you believe something; and thus know that you have faith. The bible makes it abundantly clear that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Salvation does not come from our good deeds but from our faith in Jesus Christ. Acts 16:31 says, “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” The key to Christian faith is not “seeing is believing,” but “believing before seeing.” Although Jesus is not evident to our physical senses, by the Holy Spirit we are able to experience His love and fellowship here and now. The saving faith is a gift of God not something you and i manufacture (Ephesians 2:8-9). This saving faith comes by the proclamation of God’s Word. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Once we have received Jesus, the Scripture says that each Christian has been given “ the measure of faith”.  Romans 12:3 says, “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

NOTE: We all start out with an equal measure of faith, yet some continue to grow in faith and some don’t, but the choice is ours.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

LET THY HEAD LACK NO OINTMENT

MEMORY VERSE: Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment. Ecclesiastes 9:8

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 108-110

The bible uses seven symbols to describe the person and work of the Holy Spirit. These symbols show the nature, character and the work of the Holy Spirit. Today, we will talk about the Holy Spirit as oil. The oil serves several purposes. For instance, it helps to keep components in an engine working smoothly together. What the engine oil does in the engine is exactly the same thing the ‘anointing of the Holy Ghost’ does in the life of the believer. In other words, the ‘anointing of the Holy Ghost’ is to the believer what the engine oil is to the engine. Just as it is literally impossible to run an engine without the oil, it is impossible to do God’s work, run a ministry or occupy a ministerial post, without the anointing of the Holy Ghost. As such, whenever God calls people into ministry or gives them an assignment, the first thing He does is anoint them with the Holy Spirit. The ‘anointing of the Holy Spirit’, which is known as the ‘oil’ on a minister’s head makes it easy for the minister to do God’s work or run a ministry. We are able to write this daily devotional because of the ‘oil’ on our head. That sister or brother who led praise and worship in church last Sunday is able to do that because of the oil on their head.

The Engine oil also serves as a lubricant. It lubricates the moving
parts of an engine. It keeps them cool by lowering friction and carrying the heat away. After a while, the heat in the engine causes the oil to become gummy so that it doesn’t lubricate properly again. The longer it is in the engine, the dirtier and drier it gets. If the oil is not changed in time, the engine may develop problems or ‘knock’. Therefore, the engine oil needs to be changed from time to time. The fresh oil lubricates and cools better. The same thing with the ‘oil’ on a minister’s head, it helps him manage the pressures involved in ministry. It helps him bear the heat, pressure and meet the demands of the ministry. However, there is a need for spiritual servicing and the Most High God is the one who does the servicing. In other to start and finish well in ministry, one’s head must never lack oil. Ecclesiastes 9:8 says, “Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.” In other to run this Christian race, one must ensure that his or her head does not lack oil. As such, one must always visit the holy hill of God regularly to get one’s head oiled. These are some of the few signs that your head may be lacking ‘oil’, firstly sweating. The moment you begin to find the work of God tedious, difficult and unbearable, it is a sign that your head is lacking oil. Another sign you need to watch out for is dryness in the spirit. For instance, you read the bible but you don’t get any revelation or insight. Anytime you lead prayers it is very dry. Your ministry is no longer impacting lives any more. These are some signs that you need oil. Another sign is the lack of ‘flow’. Maybe songs don’t flow as they normal do when you lead praise and worship. Or you observe that preparing sermons is becoming a burden. Ideas and points no longer flows as it used to. It is an indicator that your head is lacking oil. Instead of trying to make it work or forcing it, please return to the holy hill for some fresh oil.

PRAYER POINT: Father, pour your fresh oil upon me.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

A RESPECTER OF PRINCIPLES NOT OF PERSONS

MEMORY VERSE: Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons. Acts 10:34

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: NUMBER 17-20

Physical laws operate based on certain principles. Take for instance the law of gravity. Gravity is simply a force pulling together all matter (which is anything you can physically touch). The more matter, the more gravity, so things that have a lot of matter such as planets and moons and stars pull more strongly. Mass is how we measure the amount of matter in something. The more massive something is, the more of a gravitational pull it exerts. As we walk on the surface of the Earth, it pulls us and we pull back. But since the Earth is so much more massive than we are, the pull from us is not strong enough to move the Earth, while the pull from the Earth can make us fall flat on our faces. If you throw an apple up gravity (from the earth) pulls it down. Now, the law of gravity is not a respecter of persons. If a white man jumps up, the law of gravity will pull him down. Also, if a black man jumps up, the law of gravity will pull him down.

God is not of a respecter of persons. Job 34:19 says, “How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands.” Acts 10:34 says, “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.” Romans 2:11 says, “For there is no respect of persons with God.” However, He is a respecter of Principles. They way up is ‘down’. John 12:24 says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” Unless a corn of wheat falls to the ‘ground’, it will not germinate and grow. Not until you humble yourself, the Lord will not lift you up. James 4:10 says,“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”

Jesus descended 7 steps before He ascended 7 steps back ( Philippians 2:6-9). Firstly, He made himself of no reputation. Secondly, He took upon Himself the form of a slave. Thirdly, He was made in the likeness of men. Fourthly, He was fashioned as a man. Fifthly, He humbled Himself. Sixthly, He became obedient unto death. Seventhly, He became obedient even to the death of the cross, the death of a slave. On reaching rock bottom, He ascended 7 steps up to Glory. Firstly. He was given a name that is above every name. Secondly, at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. Thirdly, of things in heaven. Fourthly, of things on earth. Fifthly, of things under the earth. Sixthly, every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Seventhly, finally His image returns to God the Father so that God is again, all in all to the glory of God the Father. This brings us to the question, how low are you willing to go just to humble yourself ? The reason is that the more humbler you are, the higher God will lift you.

NOTE: John 3:5 says, “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” This is another principle. It does not matter how much offerings a man give on Sundays or during mid week services. Except he gives his life to Christ he will not enter into the kingdom of God. The fellow may be as harmless as a dove. He may be as cool as a cucumber. It does not matter how many charity work he does or how much he gives to the poor, if he is not born again he will not enter the kingdom of God.

QUESTION: Are you born again? Are you saved? If you are, then from what where you saved from? Is it anger, malice, unforgiveness? Are you humble? How humble?

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

ITCHING EARS

MEMORY VERSE: For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. 2 Timothy 4:3

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: John 16-18

In Paul’s second letter to his son-in-the-Lord, Timothy, he warned him of certain things that will happen in the last days. 2 Timothy 3:1-4 says, “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, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.” We do not need anyone to tell us that we are in the last days because all of these are happening around us. It has gotten to the point where our sisters are now being persecuted for covering their hair in church or during prayer. If you, as a lady, have decided not to cover your hair during prayer, there is no problem with that, but why persecute those who cover their hair during prayer? Or worse still, why make it your duty to make life difficult for sisters who don’t use jewelries?

Paul went on further to warn him of a time - like the one we are in at the moment- where people would no longer want to hear the truth. 2 Timothy 4:3 says, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.” He warned him of a time where sound doctrine would become a taboo. He warned him of a time where certain portion of the bible would be discredited by the so-called religious leaders. We have heard of "men of God" who said that some of what Paul said is not relevant in 21st century. Some even said Paul was sexist; he was always asking women to keep quiet in church and all that. To say that Paul, the apostle, was sexist is to say that God is sexist. The bible clearly states thus: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

What did Paul mean when he spoke about itching ears? To have an itching ear means to desire massages rather than messages – sermons that charm rather than challenge, entertain rather than edify, and please rather than preach. People with itching ears love sermons that excite not the unadulterated word of God that pierces a man’s heart causing him to repent. They want to hear about God’s promises not sin and repercussions of sin. They love to attend seminars where nothing is said about sin or holiness. They love talks where nothing is said about submitting to one’s husband as the church submits to Christ. They love sermons where nothing is said about honoring one’s parents. They love sermons where nothing is said about enduring suffering as a soldier of Christ. They love single meetings where nothing is said about fornication and abortion.

QUESTION: What kind of messages do you enjoy? Is it ‘preach-it-pastor’ type or the ones that causes you to reflect on your way of life? Is it those that leads to brokenness or those that excite? Great man and woman of God, what type of messages do you preach? Popular messages that people embrace or those that cause people to bow their heads to God and ask for mercy and grace to live a life that is pleasing to Christ.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

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

SEXY CHRISTIANS

MEMORY VERSE: God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:24

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 22

What does it mean to be sexy ? To be sexy means to be sexually appealing, attractive or exciting (Merriam Webster dictionary). There is this new trend, although it is not so new, of Christians wanting to serve God in spirit and truth (as advised by Jesus in John 4:24) and also wanting to be worldly. They want to be spiritual but not too spiritual. They want to be worldly but not too worldly. They want to be associated with Christ and also with the world at the same time. They want to be accepted by Christ and also by the world at the same time. They want to be Christ-like and world-like at the same time. Firstly, Christ and the world don't mix just as light and darkness don't mix . The bible categorically states that "they that are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans 8:8). Unfortunately appearing sexy is nothing but being worldly. It is impossible for one to serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). You will either serve one and hate the other, or hold one and despise the other. You cannot be a Christian and be worldly at the same time. Am i encouraging people to appear scruffy and unkempt? No! Although i was not there when Jesus walked on the face of the earth, i am sure He didn’t appear scruffy. Few brethren who have seen heaven (either in a vision or a dream) told us that heaven is a very beautiful place. Everything thing there, they said, is sparkling clean and tidy.

I hear people say that they are modern day Christians or civilised Christians. I don’t know what that means but God is not modern or civilised. No wonder the bible refers to Him as the Ancient of Days. The Lord Himself said in Malachi 3:6 “For I am the Lord, I change not.” The argument that many put up is we now live under grace and as such all those things do not matter. Are you trying to say Christ died so that we can throw modesty into the bin? Christ died to restore our relationship, which was broken as a result of sin, with God. Sin causes (and will always cause) separation between us and God (Isaiah 59:1-2).

The line between gospel songs and secular songs have now become so thin that we no longer know the difference. Gospel songs have now become so worldly that people now rock it in clubs. The line between a gospel artist and secular artist is so thin, now , that we no longer know the difference. Unfortunately, some of our Christian gospel artists are the ones promoting looking sexy as a Christian. Not all Christian songs help people get closer to God. Here is how you can test actually if a song is inspired by God, the flesh or Satan as describe by Bro Mack Major. When you hear your favorite gospel song being played, what does it make you feel like doing? Does it inspire you to worship God with all your heart and soul or are you really just moved to dance and gyrate? When you see your favorite gospel artist on stage performing or ministering, are they dressed in a way that speaks to holiness and godliness? Or do they awaken and excite feelings of lust, sensuality and worldliness? Appearing sexy as a Christian will only lead to sexual sins. We are to present our bodies holy and acceptable to God not sexy (Romans 12:1).

NOTE: If it won’t draw people to Christ then don’t indulge in it.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

THE TIME TO FAVOUR

MEMORY VERSE: Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come. Psalm 102:13

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 105-107

Psalm 102:13 says, “Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.”  Someone once defined favour as when a single brother goes out in the evening and returns with a wife; i couldn’t agree more. Isaac went out one evening, as a single man, to meditate and returned with a wife ( Genesis 24:63-67). Proverbs 18:22 says, “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.” Favour is simply getting what you have not worked for. There are several lessons to learn from our memory verse. For instance, there is a time for divine favour. Psalm 102:13 says, “.........for the time to favour her.....” Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” This (time of divine favour) has been set. “........yea, the set time ...” By who? God. Psalm 31:15 says, “My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.” All an individual needs to do, then is exercise patience and continue to serve the Lord in spirit and truth until his set time .

Two things usually happen when an individual's  time of favour comes. Firstly, according to Psalm 102:13, God arises on behalf of the individual. Before your time of favour, it may appear as if God has forgotten you. You may have prayed, fasted, sown seeds, served, lived a righteous life, worshiped and yet, nothing seems to happen. During this time, you may even be subjected to abuse, ridicule and all that. When God arises (from His throne) on behalf of an individual, the individual becomes unstoppable. Let the whole world gather against such an individual , they will fall flat. When God arises on behalf of a man, things will suddenly begin to work in His favour; those who have not taken notice of him will start to take notice of him. When David’s time of favour came, God commanded Samuel, a great prophet, to go and visit him at home and anoint him as king (1 Samuel 16). When Samuel told Jesse to bring his children out, he didn't bother to get David from the field where he was tending sheep.You see when your time of favour comes, men's opinion of you would not matter. Even evil schemes against you will fail. 

Secondly, also according to Psalm 102:13, God  shows mercy to the individual who is to be favoured. What is mercy? It is not getting what you deserve. David by birth didn't deserve to be a king. He was not the son of a king and he didn't come from a royal family. Asides this, according to bible scholars, David was a product of adultery. He himself even confessed and said:  “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. ( Psalm 51:5)”.  This better explains why the old man didn't bring him out when he was told to bring out his children. The law of Moses states that no bastard should be allowed in the temple (Deuteronomy 23:2). When David's time of favour came, God had mercy on him. A bastard who was not allowed anywhere near God's house was suddenly anointed king over Israel. God poured His oil on this boy and his cup ran over. When your day of favour comes, God's mercy will cancel out all the points against you. 

NOTE: Whilst you are waiting for your time of favour, you need to be patient.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

“BUT THE FEARFUL”

MEMORY VERSE: But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelations 21:8

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Chronicles 20-24

Bible scholars have told us that ‘fear not’ is repeated 365 times in the bible. I suspect it is so because God wants to daily remind us to live every day being fearless. This is what God has to say to those who are living in fear, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10). He continued and said, “Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.” (Isaiah 41:11). He went further still and said, “Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought” (Isaiah 41:12). However, the Lord is not speaking to everyone through the text, Isaiah 41:10-12, that we have just read. No, No, No! For example, if you have just fornicated and you have missed your period, you need to worry. The text, Isaiah 41:10-12, is not for you if you are single and you are in a relationship with a married man or woman, No! Also, the Lord is not speaking to you through Isaiah if you are into fraud whether internet fraud or spam emails. If you don’t repent, very soon you will be exposed. If you are a drug dealer, you need to worry because if you refuse to repent the long arm of the law will soon get hold of you.

The Lord was speaking through Isaiah, in Isaiah 41:10-12, to His own children. Are you a child of God? Have you accepted the Lord as your personal Lord and saviour? There are several reasons why you and i must not entertain fear in our hearts. For example, fear is one of Satan’s greatest weapons which he uses against children of God. According to 1 Peter 5:8, he goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. He roars to cause fear. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Fear causes stagnancy and regression. It leads to indecision. It causes one to loose battle. Fear is contagious. Fear hinders one from entering into Canaan land. God has a Canaan land for every of His children but right inside Canaan land, there are giants who must be dislodged first before one can occupy the land. The bigger the breakthrough, the bigger the opposition you will face. This is why in boxing, a cruiser-weight boxer is matched against cruiser-weight boxer and a heavyweight boxer against heavyweight boxer. If you are a heavyweight, expect a heavyweight opposition. The fearful can never be a friend of God. Why? Fear is the opposite of faith and the bible says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrew 10:38a says, “Now the just shall live by faith”. Fear causes doubt and the Lord says, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord ”( James 1:6-7). Fear can cause a man to deny God or disobey God. Fear can push a man to do the unthinkable. Fear, if not dealt with, can lead a man to hell. It is fear that causes a man to lie. No wonder the bible says, the fearfully will not make heaven. Revelations 21:8 says, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please rid me of fear.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

"AND THE PRAYER OF FAITH SHALL SAVE THE SICK"

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

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: John 13-15

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

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

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

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

DON’T BE PETTY

MEMORY VERSE: And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father,if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? 2 Kings 5:13

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Daniel 7-12

BIBLE READING: 2 Kings 5:10-14

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

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

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

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world.

“AND YE SHALL BE WITNESSES UNTO ME”

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

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 17-18

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

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

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

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

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

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

SERVICE AND PROSPERITY

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

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 96-98

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

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

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

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world .

“AND HE CHANGETH THE TIMES “

MEMORY VERSE: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding. Daniel 2:21

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Chronicles 5-9

BIBLE READING: John 2:1-11

God has kept everything He created in the hands of time (Ecclesiastes 3:1-11). This is why the preacher says: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Every human being is limited by time. Some of us wished we had 32 hours instead of the regular 24 hours available to everyone. Even Jesus, whilst He was on earth, was in one way or the other limited by time. John 9:4 says, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” This is a proof that He was fully human when He was on the earth. There are other proofs that Jesus was fully human when He was on the earth. For example, He had a human body. He was born (Luke 2:7). He grew (Luke 2:40,52). He grew tired (John 4:6), and got thirsty ( John 19:28), and hungry ( Matthew 4:2).  He became physically weak ( Matthew 4:11; Luke 23:26). He died (Luke 23:46), and He had a real human body after his resurrection ( Luke 24:39; John 20:20, 27).

Also, He had human emotions. When Jesus heard the centurion’s words of faith, “he marvelled” (Matthew 8:10). He says in Matthew 26:38 that His “soul is very sorrowful, even to death.” In John 11:35 He wept. John 12:27 says, “Now is my soul troubled", and in John 13:21, He is “troubled in his spirit.” According to Hebrews 5:7 “He offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears”. He even had a human mind. Luke 2:52 says, “Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favour with God and man.” Mark 13:32 says, “concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Do you know He even had a human will? The proof is found in Matthew 26:39 when He said, “not as i will, but as you will”. 

John 2:4 says, “Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.” There are several lessons to learn from this verse. Firstly, Jesus, whilst He was on the earth, was limited by time. Every man too , whilst on this earth, is limited by time. There was a serious need  but the need could not be met because of time (John 2:1-4). Secondly, Jesus had His own time. John 2:4 says, “.......mine hour is not yet come”. Also, you and i have own time. I am not talking about owning a wristwatch. I am talking of a time the Lord has set apart to either visit us or meet our needs.I am talking of a time God has set apart to work through us or answer our prayers or for an important event to take place in our life. Only God knows our time, as such we must be patient with Him. Thirdly, time can be moved. It can be fast forwarded, paused, or reversed.  Because God wanted to meet the needs of that newlywed couple, He fast forwarded Jesus' time so that He was able to perform that miracle. So also dear brethren, God is able to fast forward our time. He can give a man 2018 blessing in 2015. One may wonder, what will now happen in 2018? Well, in 2018 He will give the fellow another blessing again. 

PRAYER POINT: In the name of Jesus, spirit of delay i bind you in my life, under the Blood of Jesus, pack you bag and never return.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world