YOU NEED A KING

MEMORY VERSE: And Moses told his father in law all that the LORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the LORD delivered them. Exodus 18:8

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Thessalonians 1-3

READ: Judges 21:25 – Ruth 1:5

One of our biggest problems in this generation, especially amongst the teenagers, youths , young men and young women, is independence. Everyone wants to be independent. Everyone wants to live their life the way they want. They want to marry who they want, live where they want, go to church when they like, work when they like, do things when they like, dress how they like, eat how they like, drink what they want, talk how they like, watch movies they want, listen to songs they want, go to where they want, etc. They hate to take instruction. They hate to be accountable to anyone. They just love to be free and many quote 2 Corinthians 3:17 – “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty”. The liberty or freedom Paul was referring to here is not independence. It is not the freedom to do what you like. It is not the freedom to challenge authority, whether at home or in the church. Paul was not advocating for lawlessness or living an i-don’t-care life.

“And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” means where the Spirit of the Lord is, Spirit of illumination, there is freedom from former blindness and darkness. Where He (Holy Spirit) is a spirit of regeneration and sanctification, there is freedom from the bondage of sin, and captive of Satan. Where He (Holy Spirit) is as a comforter, there is freedom from the fear of hell, wrath, and damnation. Where He (Holy Spirit) is as a spirit of adoption, there is the freedom of children with a father. Where He (Holy Spirit) is as a spirit of prayer and supplication, there is liberty of access to God with boldness. Liberty does not mean one can eat any how or eat anything one wants. A man who does not watch his diet may end up with a health condition.

Judges 21:25 says, “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” Because there was no king i.e. someone in the position of authority, someone in charge, a leader or a discipler, every man did what he liked. Every man was independent. They went to church when they wanted. They married who they wanted. They did what they liked. A man who lives this way will not prosper. Even Jesus whilst He was on the earth only did what He saw the Father doing not what He wanted. Any man who will prosper must have a king over him. He must have someone who he reports to. He must be accountable to someone. As mighty as Moses was, he had someone he reported to which was his father –in- law Jethro. He would report to this man, this man would give him instruction and he would follow it. Exodus 18:7 says, “And Moses told his father in law all that the LORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the LORD delivered them.” Had it been that bro Elimelech had someone he reports to like a king, he would not have left the presence of God for a pagan nation where he lost his life and his two sons.

NOTE: The independent spirit does not recognize any authority over one’s life and it leads men to take steps to their own hurt. At times, they even jeopardize the lives of people under them.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

BUT MY GOD SHALL SUPPLY ALL YOUR NEED

MEMORY VERSE: Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:15 -19

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 119:25 - 32, Proverbs 31:5, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

A curse does not come without a cause. Proverbs 26:2 says, “As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.” So also is a blessing. When you study through the bible, you will observe that just as curses are provoked, blessings are also provoked. According to Malachi 3:8-12, if a man robs God in tithes and offerings, he will receive a curse. However, if he pays his tithes, the Lord says He will open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings to the fellow. Solomon did something before the Lord came to Him, by night in a dream, and said, “Ask what I shall give thee” (2 Chronicles 1:6-7). He provoked that with a thousand burnt offerings! Ephraim also did something before the Lord decided to destroy him. Hosea 4:17 says this: “Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.”

One of the most quoted verses of the bible is Philippians 4:19, which says, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” It is a prayer we all love to pray especially when we are in need of something. Frankly speaking, that prayer is not for everyone of us. There is a condition attached to that prayer i.e. before you can say, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus,” you are expected to have met certain criteria. Philippians 4:15-19 says this: “Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Whilst other churches did not bother about Paul’s welfare, especially catering for his personal needs, the church in Philippi took it upon themselves to provide for Paul’s ministerial needs. Paul said, “when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.” Because they made it a point of duty i.e. they took it upon themselves to meet Paul’s need wherever he went to, Paul prayed that prayer- But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus - for them.

QUESTION : What is your attitude towards giving to God? Are you a cheerful giver? What Is your attitude towards blessing ministers of God?

PRAYER POINT : Father , as I support your ministry and ministers, please supply all my needs according to your riches in glory.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

THE NEED FOR VISION PT2

MEMORY VERSE: where there is no vision, the people perish, Proverbs 29:18a 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Sam 14, Rom 12, Jer 51, Luke 19

BIBLE STUDY: 2 Kings 6:15-18

For the last two days we have been discussing around the subject of vision. The reason for this is that there is someone the Lord wants to open his or her eyes. Proverbs 29:18a says where there is no vision, the people perish. We have defined the word vision as seeing things through the eyes of God or seeing things as God sees them. According to John 4:24, God is a spirit: and they that worship Him must do so in spirit and in truth. Seeing things through the eyes of God simply means seeing things through the eyes of the spirit. There are many of us who see physically – we can see cars moving around, houses, people e.t.c but spiritually we are blind as a bat. When we talk of been able to see spiritually, we are talking of the ability to see things as they are not as they appear in the physical realm.

The servant of Elisha woke up early to run errands for his master, on his way he saw that the city had been surrounded by horses and chariots so he ran back home to inform his master. When he told Elisha what he saw, that one just laughed and prayed that God should open his eyes. The Lord opened the eyes of this servant and he saw that the surrounding mountains were full of horses and chariots of fire.

There are one or two lessons to learn for this passage. Firstly when a fellow cannot see, instead of progressing he may start to regress; instead of moving forward, he may start to go backwards; instead of reaching his destination, he may return to where he started from. The servant of Elisha was going somewhere, immediately he saw the chariots he ran back home. If his spiritual eyes were functioning as it should function, he would have continued his journey. Secondly when a fellow cannot see spiritually, he may become confused. The first thing the servant of Elisha said to Elisha when he returned home was Alas, my master! How shall we do (2 Kings 6:15)? This statement reveals confusion. Confusion comes when we cannot see. Lack of vision can lead to indecision – indecision is birth by confusion. When a student cannot see, he will be confused when it comes to the choice of a career. Thirdly when a fellow cannot see spiritually, he may start running when no one is chasing him. The army came for Elisha not the servant but because he was blind spiritually he began to run. The shocking thing was the armies did not even say a word to him. 

TO PONDER: Vision aids decision.

THE NEED FOR VISION

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

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deut 11, Ps 95-96, Isa 39, Rev 9

The first question is what is vision? Vision is simply seeing things as God sees them or seeing things through the eyes of God. Hebrew 4:13 says neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do or whom we must give a word of explanation. Psalm 139:4 says for there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether in other words before is word in on my tongue, He knows all about it. Nothing is hidden before God, when you see things as God sees them nothing will be hidden from you.

Proverbs 29:18 says where there is no vision, the people perish; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

The bible says ‘where there is no vision’, this could be anywhere. It could be the church, an organization, a government parastatals, a community, a family, a nation just name it. Anywhere in the world and I repeat anywhere in the whole world where people do not see things the way God sees them, death (financial, spiritual, material, physical, mental) is inevitable. How does God see divorce? Malachi 2:16 says for the Lord, the God of Israel ,saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts; therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously. 1 Corinthians 7:10 says and unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, let not the wife depart from her husband. God hates divorce.

A man without a vision is a man without a future. How does an ordinary man become extraordinary? Vision. How did a young slave boy in Egypt become the father to Pharaoh (Genesis 45:8)? Vision. Vision is power. A fellow without vision is the equivalent of a blind man. Thank God for vision impaired technology but the truth is this if you put a blind fellow on a race track with a fellow with eyes sight, the fellow with eyes sight will obviously get to the finish line before the blind fellow. To attain God’s vision for your life in His own time, you need vision.

PRAYER POINT:Father, please help me to see things as you see them.

THE NEED FOR HONESTY

MEMORY VERSE: and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free, John 8:32

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deut 5, Ps 88, Isa 33, Rev 3

BIBLE STUDIES: John 4:4-43.

Today the world has broken lies into several categories; there are white lies; broken promises; fabrication; bold-faced lie; exaggeration; deception, plagiarism; compulsive lying e.t.c. A lie is a lie regardless of what category it falls under. God does not condone dishonesty, and those who tell lies he disapproves of. Why is lying so serious? First of all, anyone who tells a lie no matter how small is the child of the devil. According to John 8:44, the father of all lies is Lucifer or the devil. Not only that, a liar is a wicked fellow, Psalm 58:3. Parents please do not turn your children to wicked children by encouraging them to lie. Don’t ask them to tell visitors that you are not home when you are actually at home.

In our bible studies is a story we all know. Jesus was by a well resting; a Samaritan woman came to draw water from the well. During the course of conversation with her, Jesus told her to bring her husband. This woman has had five husbands in the past and the man she was currently living with was just a boyfriend not her husband. Jesus knew all about her past but decided to check if she was the honest type or not. She came out clean and told Jesus, she had no husband. Because of her honesty, she became the first Samaritan to receive Jesus. Not only that, she became a great 
evangelist for Jesus because through her almost everyone in Samaria received Jesus.

Honesty opens doors. No one wants to associate with a dishonest person. Because the Samaritan woman was honest with Jesus, the door of salvation that had been locked to the Samaritans was opened. Honesty sets a man free. John 8:32 says ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Honesty sets a man free but dishonesty puts him in bondage. Once you tell a lie, you will need another lie to cover the first lie. Not only that you will always need another lie to cover the previous lies and before you know it, you become a serial liar. Psalm 16:11 says in the presence of God is fullness of Joy. A dishonest fellow will never experience fullness of joy because Psalm 101:7 says those who tell lies shall not tarry in the presence of God. Dishonesty is sign of immaturity in the Lord. A mature Christian will rather tell the truth and let the devil be ashamed.

PRAYER POINT: Father I repent of all dishonesty today. Please give me the grace to be honest at all times.