TRUE OR LIES?

MEMORY VERSE: It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:5

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 140-142

READ: 1 Kings 22

As a Christian, honesty is non-negotiable. You cannot be a follower of Christ and be a liar. No. No. No. I heard that some ladies lie about their age and all that. If you want to make heaven then you must desist from telling lies. Firstly, anyone who tells lies, as far as God is concerned, is a child of the devil. John 8:44 says: “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” And as such, no child of the devil will be allowed in heaven. Revelations 31:8 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.” You must be honest to people and most importantly, to yourself. Asides from saying the truth, you must also love to hear the truth. Many are very good at telling the truth but they are not good at hearing the truth. It is true that the truth may hurt at times. It may even cause you to reflect on your own life; however, it is better than lies. Ecclesiastes 7:5 says: "It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools."

If you are going to reach the top in your career; if you are going to fulfil destiny and finish your race on this earth well; if you are going to make heaven (most importantly), you must surround yourself with people who will tell you the truth. When you go through the scriptures, you will find that majority of the great generals in the Bible surrounded themselves with men who told them the truth. Take David for instance, he had Joab around him. When he wanted to count the people of Israel Joab told him no. How about Naaman, he had servants who told him the truth in the most polite manner. When Elisha told him to dip in River Jordan, and he began to rant all over the place, the servant said to him, "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).” Had that man kept quiet, Naaman would have died a leper. You need to surround yourselves with people will tell you the truth at all times and you must also listen to them.You may lose out on something great if you don't.

A man who surrounded himself with liars - because he hated the truth - was King Ahab. When he wanted to go to war against Ramoth Gilead, he deliberately sent for prophets who would tell him what he wanted to hear - leaving out Micaiah. They came and began to say thus saith the Lord of host. Friend, not all "thus saith the Lord of Host" is really "thus saith the Lord of Host". Some are just thus saith my flesh. Thank God for Jehoshaphat; he asked for a real prophet. The moment Micaiah's name was mentioned, Ahab’s response was “he never prophesies anything good about me”. Ahab didn't argue with the fact that he was a honest man; he just didn't like him because he never says what he wanted to hear. If you are the type who always like people to tell you what you want to hear, then be prepared to hear  a lot of lies. Also, if you are the type who always love people to tell you what you want to hear not the truth, you will end up in a place where you don't want to be.

NOTE: The truth is always bitter at first but sweet at last whilst lies are always sweet at first but bitter at the end.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

EMBRACE THE TRUTH

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

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Acts 3-4

What is the definition of “truth”? According to John 14, Jesus Christ is the Truth. Verse 6 says, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” There are one or two things you need to know about the Truth. Whenever the Truth speaks, He speaks the truth. In other words, any word that comes out of the mouth of our Lord Jesus Christ is the truth! Why? Because the Truth cannot tell lies. If the Truth says He is with you, then He is with you. Numbers 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?” It is men that tell lies, the Truth does not tell lies. The Truth says, “lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world (Matthew 28:20)”. Friend, it does not matter what you are going through today, remember God is right by your side. Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” 

The truth cannot be hidden. Someone once said “three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.” Even if you bury the truth because you don’t like it, it will re-surface literally after ‘three’ days. You cannot hide the truth. The Lord asked Cain, after he murdered his brother out of jealousy, “Where is Abel thy brother?” He responded and said, “I know not: Am i my brother’s keeper?” He tried to hide the truth but unknown to him, the truth cannot be hidden. Genesis 4:10 says, “And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.” Ananias and Sapphira also tried to hide the truth. Acts 5:3 says, “But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?” You can neither hide the truth nor hide from the truth. No wonder the psalmist says  “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee (Psalm 139:7-12)". You can’t run from the truth no matter how fast you run. You cannot fight the Truth. Acts 26: 14 says, “And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” It is hard to kick against the truth; you will only hurt yourself by doing so. The only thing you can do is embrace it. You cannot fight the truth and win. Whenever someone tells you the truth about your character or your behavior, instead of getting angry humbly accept it and change. John 8:32 says, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Freedom comes the moment a man embraces the Truth. 

Question: How long are you going to run from the truth? 

NOTE: You cannot destroy the truth. And the truth is this, only Jesus can save. You will only be fulfilled when Jesus takes His place in your life. You will only know true peace when He becomes the Lord and Master of your life. 

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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

BUY THE TRUTH

MEMORY VERSE: Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. Proverbs 23:23

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 126-130, Proverbs 26

Proverbs 23:23 says this: “Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.” To buy something, you need to KNOW what you are buying, what VALUE you will derive from buying it, what are its USES, what are its IMPORTANCE, to mention a few. What is the truth? The truth is Jesus Christ. Jesus (Himself) said this in John 14:6, “I am the way and the TRUTH and the life.” Revelation 1:8 says this: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”Jesus is of inestimable VALUE. According to John 15:5, without Him you can do nothing. Some of the BENEFITS of having Jesus is that, at the mention of His name, every knee in heaven, on earth and under the earth bows (Philippians 2:10). The TRUTH, Jesus, is IMPORTANT because He sets people free. John 8:32 says this: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

“Buy the truth...” implies that the TRUTH will cost you something. To buy means parting away with everything for it that is required. It is not free; the TRUTH definitely comes at a price. Your relationship with Christ will cost you a lot. It will cost you some relationships; it will cost you some hobbies. You cannot be friends with Jesus and still visit stripper clubs or gamble /bet. No! That is not possible. It will cost you those fictional novels especially those ones with erotic contents. All these only fill one up with junk. It will cost you your time and energy. To be friends with Jesus, you need to spend time with Him regularly. You need to spend time with His word i.e. at His feet learning. He must come first in your life. It is a pity, many of the things God gave to us- our husbands, our wives, our children, our businesses, our works, our projects, etc – now comes before Christ in our lives. Many will rather stay at home on a Sunday morning to do their university assignment than go to church. Christ is not ready to take the second position in our life. This brings us to the other part of “buy the truth” which is “and sells it not.” The TRUTH is not to be sold upon any account, or for anything whatever. It should not be parted with neither for the riches, honors, and pleasures of this life, nor for the sake of a good name among men, nor for the sake of peace, nor for the avoiding of persecution. In the body of Christ today, some have sold the truth. We no longer preach against sex before marriage, fornication and adultery, divorce, pride, bribery and corruption because we do not want to offend certain people. Let us not part with the TRUTH just because we want to keep some families in the church. Let us not part with the TRUTH because we do not want to offend a big man in the congregation. Let us not part with the TRUTH because we want the church to grow. Let us not part with the TRUTH because we want men to give us an award. Christ is too valuable for anyone to lose. I will rather be lonely and make heaven, than have many friends and end up in hell. Let us not part with the TRUTH because we want to be married. Do not compromise because you want to keep a man.

THOUGHTS OF THE DAY: The truth can also be a collection of organized information, which can be found in books especially ones written by anointed men and women of God. These books contain truths about marriage and relationship, how to grow spiritually and so on. Invest in these books because inside them you will find wisdom, instructions and your understanding of life in general will increase

PRAYER POINT: Father, please give me the grace to put you first in all that i do.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

"AS HE WAS TELLING THE KING"

MEMORY VERSE: And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life. Second Kings 8:5

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Acts 18-20

It happened one day that the king was talking with Gehazi, ex servant of Elisha, he told him, "tell me, i pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done" (Second Kings 8:4). Gehazi began to narrate all the great things the Lord had done through the hands of Elisha. He told the king how the Lord healed the waters of Jericho through Elisha (Second Kings 2:19-22). He talked about how Elisha pronounced a curse on some children who mocked him and two she bears came out and tare forty two of them ( Second Kings 2:23-24). He spoke and spoke for a long time. As he was telling the king about the Shunamite woman whom Elisha raised her son from deathbed, the Shunamite woman walked in. Second kings 8:5 says "And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life."

I believe Gehazi must have boasted to the king about how he used to be Elisha’s personal assistant. While he was telling the king about the Shunamite woman, he must have boasted about how he used to carry Elisha’s staff and all that. Friend, what story are you telling? Is it a story of how you used to dream dreams? Is it a story of how you used to go to villages to preach when you were in the university? Is it a story of how you used to see angels when you were young? Is it a story of how the Lord used to touch people when you preach? Sister in Christ, what story are you telling? Is it one of how you used to sing and the spirit of the Lord will come down mightily? Brother in Christ, what story are you telling. Is it how used to pray all through the night?

Friend, what story are you telling? Many a time, when people tell me how they used to be this and that for the Lord, i wonder how about now? When i hear stories of how some brothers used to be fervent before they got married, i become sad. When i hear stories of how some sisters never used to miss choir practice when they were single, i become sad. Gehazi used to be Elisha’s PA, but today, he is a leper. Sir, what you used to be does not matter. You used to write powerful messages and post it on Facebook, good, but today, what do you do? You used to have time for church activities, thank you very much for that information, how about now. You used to lay hands on the sick and they recover, to God be the glory, but sir, how about now. They used to call you a brother, bravo, today what do they call you? You used to be innocent, to tell a small lie used to be a big problem, very good, how about today. Your conscience used to be very alive, the moment you think of anything bad, it will start to condemn you, nice, how about now. In the body of Christ, the story most of us are telling is what we used to do. Is your own story, how you used to fast every Wednesday or how you used to share tracts?　

PONDER: Peter said of Judas Iscariot, "For he was numbered with us" (Acts 1:17). Heaven used to recognise Judas as a disciple but later that changed. Does heaven still recognise you as a child of God?

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

WHY HAVE YE DONE THIS?

MEMORY VERSE: and ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars : but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this? Judges 2: 2

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Judg 3, Acts 6, Jer 16, Mark 2

BIBLE STUDIES : Judges 2:1-3

Psalm 24:1 says the earth is the Lord and it’s fullness thereof ; the world, and they that dwell therein. The Most High owns the whole world. He owns Germany, UK, Malaysia, Morocco, Somalia, just name it. Because He owns everything , He can decide to take a slave and make him a prime minister at any time. If you don’t believe me, read the story of Joseph and Daniel in the bible. Both of them started as slaves in a foreign land but the Lord turned things around and made them Prime Ministers. In my short time on earth, i have seen the Lord take a prisoner from death row and make him a Head of State in the same country. 

As the Lord had promised His friend ( Abraham) , He delivered his descendants from Egypt and gave them Canaan – a land flowing with milk and honey. Before He gave them the land, He warned them not to make league with the inhabitants of the land i.e. participate in the abominable practices of the land. Not only that, He warned them to continue to serve Him as they did in the desert. When the children of Israel got to Canaan ,they did the exact opposite . They Lord then sent an angel to ask them why they did that? The Lord was not asking a question, He was simply expressing His disappointment in the way they conducted themselves in Canaan.

Just like the Israelite of old, the Lord has brought many out of Egypt i.e. bondage, unemployment, sickness, lack, e.t.c to Canaan- a land flowing with milk and honey. Instead of serving God as they used to serve Him when they had nothing they suddenly become too busy with the activities of Canaan. Brothers who used to evangelize when they were in university no longer have time for evangelism because they are busy with work. The Lord is asking why have ye done this? Individuals who never used to miss church services when they were looking for visas to travel abroad now get abroad and forget the Lord completely. The Lord is asking why have ye done this? Sisters who never used to miss workers prayer meeting when they were looking to God for a life partner now come late or even miss it. The Lord is asking why have ye done this? 

QUESTION? Are you serving the Lord the way you used to serve Him before you got that breakthrough?

Abo

THE UNCHANGEABLE GOD

MEMORY VERSE: For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Malachi 3:6


BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Num 11, Ps 48, Isa 1, Heb 9


Heraclitus (Greek philosopher) once said nothing endures but change i.e. the only thing that is constant is change. Someone once said change alone is unchanging and that’s true. Everything in life is subject to change. Even the bible says to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven, Ecclesiastes 3:1. Seasons change from spring to summer, summer to autumn, autumn to winter or raining season to dry season depending on the part of the world you are from. People change for example in Matthew 26:33-34, we see Peter boasting that he will never deny Jesus. By the time we get to Matthew 26:69-74, we see the same Peter swearing that he had never met Jesus. Circumstances also change, I have seen a man on death row become the president of the same country. I have read the story of Joseph who went from a prisoner to become a prime minister in a single day, Genesis 41:1—end. I have also read the story of a barren woman who became a mother of six, 1 Samuel 1:1-21.I want to assure that as far as you remain in Christ, things could and will walk in your favor.


The only One who does not change is God. Hebrew 13:8 says He is the same yesterday, and today, and forever. He does not say ‘yes’ today and ‘no’ tomorrow like men. James 1:17 says He does not change like shifting shadows. If He promises to do something, He will do it; nothing can stop Him. According to Psalm 138:2, He exalts His words above Himself. If He promises to bless a fellow and that fellows goes into sin, He will still keep His part of the promise which is to bless the fellow but you can be rest assured that the sin the fellow committed will rob him of the blessing and he will end up with nothing. This is why we all need to run from sin because it hijacks and withholds good things from us, Jeremiah 5:25. If the Lord promises to do something for an individual and that individual doubts, God will still do what He has promised to do because He is faithful to His word but the enemy will block it and the individual will get nothing. The enemy will petition God and remind Him of 2 Chronicles 20:20 which says believe in the Lord your God, so ye shall be established. The enemy will then say this fellow cannot be blessed because he does not believe and has doubted God. In cases like this, God has no other option than to be faithful to His word.

The reason why a fellow living in sin can still manifest the gifts of the Holy Spirit is because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, Romans 11:29. Once He gives something to you, He does not take it away. What most people don’t know is that when you sin against God, you become naked like Adam and Eve which means you are exposed to any attack from the enemy. You might still be able to see vision and prophesy, but you are at the mercy of the enemy because that covering of God has left because of sin. Malachi 3:6 says for I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Do you know that the Lord does not change with time? It is man that gets civilized, God remains the same. His expectations during the bible days still remain the same. According to 1 Corinthians 11:1-15 , God expects every woman to cover their head when they are praying and prophesying, what makes you think it is suddenly okay today to pray with your head uncovered or walk into the church with your head uncovered? When a wife prays with her head uncovered don’t you know that such woman is embarrassing her husband in front of the angels? People might be doing it but is it biblical? Please read your bible and see God’s stand on jewelry, make up and trousers.


PRAYER POINT: Father, help me stop following the multitude to do evil.

GOD’S DRESS CODE

Genesis 3:21 unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ex 20, Luke 23, Job 38, 2 Cor 8

 

After Adam and Eve sinned, their eyes were opened and they found out that they were naked. The Lord made coats of skin for them to cover their nakedness. Let us briefly focus on what type of clothes was made for them. The bible records that He made coats of skin or tunic for them. There are three things about these coats of skin or tunic. Firstly, it was not transparent; secondly, it was not tight or it did not reveal their body shape; thirdly and most importantly it covered their nakedness. The fashion world advises otherwise but the reason why God created clothe for man was to cover his nakedness. Bible scholars have actually pointed out that the coat was from their shoulder to their ankle. This is the first occasion in the bible we see God giving humans a dress code. As a child of God, whatever we wear must satisfy at least these three: 1- not transparent; 2- not tight fitting or expose body shape & 3- must cover our nakedness.

 

God is not only interested in covering our physical nakedness but our spiritual nakedness too. The danger of been spiritually naked is that it exposes one to attack. Ephesians 6:12 says 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. The question is what is our spiritual dress code? Ephesians 6:11 says put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. According to Ephesians 6:14, we should gird our waist with truth and put on a breastplate of righteousness. John 4:24 says God is a Spirit; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 2 Corinthians 6:4-7 says but in all things approving yourself as minister of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and left. Ephesians 6:15 says we should shod our feet in peace. James 3:16-18 says where envying and strife (opposite of peace), there is confusion and every evil work. Ephesians 6:16 says our shield should be of faith. The moment our faith weaver Satan wins. Ephesians 6:17 says our helmet should be a helmet of salvation and our weapon which is the sword – a sword of the spirit which is the word of God. The bible records in Matthew 8:16 that Jesus casted out the spirits with His words. To be fully clothed spiritually one need to put on the whole armour of God. Any fellow studying the word of God but not living in peace is spiritually naked because he is not putting on the whole armour of God. Putting on the helmet of salvation without the breastplate of righteousness is as good as  naked. This is why we need to give our lives to Christ; live a life of righteousness; live in peace with everyone; study the bible regularly; build our faith by hearing by the word of God e.t.c. These are our spiritual dress codes.

 

PRAYER POINT: Father, greatly increase my faith.