CREATE YOUR WORLD WITH YOUR WORD

MEMORY VERSE: Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: Numbers 14:28

BIBLE READING: 2 Samuel 21-24

We live in a word’s world. It is a word’s world because of the reasons listed below. Firstly, the world was created by the Word. Who is the Word? Jesus Christ is the Word (John 1:1-3). Secondly, the world was created using the word (Genesis 1:1-3). Everything in the world responds to the word. For instance, mountains respond to the word (See Mark 11:23). In Mark 4:37-39, a great storm arose and beat against the ship. Meanwhile, Jesus was sleeping in the ship. His disciples woke him up in the middle of the storm and He rebuked it ( See Mark 4:39). Even the sun and the moon responds to the word. In Joshua 10:12-13, Joshua commanded the sun to stand still over Gibeon and the moon, over the Valley of Aijalon; and they stood still.

With your word, you can create your world. What you confess is what you will have (See Numbers 14:28). David said to Goliath, ‘this day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel (1 Samuel 17:46).’ Do you know that all David had when he spoke to Goliath was a sling and few stones? Before the end of that day, he severed the head of Goliath as he had prophesied. He slung a stone that knocked Goliath down. He ran to his unconscious body, grabbed his sword, the only sword big enough to cut off his head, and cut off his head. Your word can change or alter the chemical composition of things. As a result, the weak should say 'I am strong (Joel 3:10)'.

NOTE: When you say there are no good jobs, you are indirectly creating a scarcity of good jobs for yourself. If I were you, I will confess what I want, not what I see.
 
Bro Samuel | Reaching the world.

GOD’S WORD AS RAIN & SNOW

MEMORY VERSE: For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it brings forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater. Isaiah 55:10

BIBLE READING: Number 28-32

God’s Word brings His ways and thoughts to us. 2 Timothy 3:16 says: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” The Bible contains God’s view on various issues facing us today. For instance, God’s view on divorce is clearly documented in Scriptures. 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.” How about tattoos? Leviticus 19:28 says, “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.” There is a need to study and meditate on Scriptures regularly because it is a vehicle that brings God’s word.

God’s word is like water (Ephesians 5:26). God’s word comes down to us in two ways: Snow and rain. Isaiah 55:10-11 says, “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Whenever rain falls, it soaks immediately, enters the earth, and starts to produce results. However, whenever snow falls, it does not soak into the earth immediately. Many a time, it takes time; the temperature has to change to melt the snow to make the earth capable of receiving it. We are told that snow benefits the earth more than the rain. When God’s word comes as a rain, it is easy to bear. It is pleasant and soothing. However, whenever God’s word comes as a snow, it is difficult to receive. An example that comes to mind is when the disciples of Jesus heard one of His hard teachings (John 6). Verse 60 says: “Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?” My counsel is this, don’t react negatively to the “hard word”. Leave it. Let the grace and sun of God melt it. God’s Word produces bread and seed to anyone who receives it.

PRAYER POINT: Father, let Your Word produce results in my life.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world.

TYPES OF LOSSES

MEMORY VERSE: For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. Hebrews 12:17

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Amos 5-9

One of the plans of God for your life is to increase you. Psalm 115:14 says, “The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children”. God wants you to have the good things of life. There is no earthly father who does not want his children to prosper or increase. If earthly fathers, being sinful, wants their children to increase or prosper, how much more our Father who hath in heaven? 3 John 2 says,” Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth”. It is one thing for God to want to increase you, it is another thing to be in receipt of that increase. One of the reasons why many of us are experiencing the opposite of increase, despite all what God is doing in our lives is because we are robbing God. Malachi 3:8 says, “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.” One cannot rob God and expect to prosper. That’s impossible.

Another reason why many are experiencing the opposite of increase is because they are careless with the things He has given to them. Many of us are not managing the resources God has put under our care well. Friend, how are you managing the resources that God has put under your care? How are you managing your time? How are you managing your own personal finance? Are you an impulse shopper? Are you a spendthrift? The fact that you have money does not mean you have to spend it. If you don’t manage what God has given to you very well, you will lose them. There are two basic types of losses. They are retrievable losses and irretrievable losses. If you misplace your wallet, you can find it. If you lose money in a business venture, you can make it back. Most material things are retrievable if you lose them. Although many a time, the effort required to get them back are so much that it is better that one did not lose them in the first place. Some things are irretrievable e.g. one’s birthright. Isaac exchanged his for food. Hebrew 12:17 says, “For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.” Although he repented, cried and all that, he did not get it back. There are some mistakes that your repentance cannot correct. It is just like a lady who losses her virginity before marriage. If she confesses her sin and ask for forgiveness, the Lord will forgive her, but what is lost is lost. As such, young woman be careful. Had Joseph fornicated with Potiphar’s wife, he would never have become a prime minister in Egypt. Samson’s hair grew back but his eyes didn’t. That was an irretrievable loss. One of the reasons why we lose things is because we don’t value them. Sir, hope you value your spouse. Ma, hope you value your spouse. Bro and Sister, hope you value your pastor. Pastor, hope you value your members. Anyone who does not value what he or she has is in danger of loosing them. Some of our sisters have lost good men because they were proving hard to get to men. Those men are gone forever but you can ask for mercy today and the Lord will bring another good man.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please have mercy.

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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

RIGHTEOUSNESS VS SACRIFICE

MEMORY VERSE: To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. Proverbs 11:25

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 22-26

BIBLE READING: Matthew 5:23-24

Lovers love giving gifts to each other. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” He did not give because He was held to ransom, No! His decision to give His son for our sins was motivated by love. Everything He does for us is motivated by love and mercy. So whenever we give back to Him, although we give out of the much He has given to us, no matter how small it is, He appreciates it. All Abraham did was host Him for few hours (Genesis 18). While He was there, He ate bread, meat and milk, and He said “thank you”. Abraham gave a meal and He received a son! Whenever you give to any child of God, I want you to know that it is God you have given to (not man) and He will say thank you no matter how small. When we give something big to Him, He responds and says ‘a big thank you’. Oh yes! King Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings to Him and He said thank you by giving the young man a blank cheque (1 Kings 3:3-13). Verse 5, “In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.” It is not so much the size of the gift but the cost of the gift. That poor widow in Luke 21:1-4 gave the least, yet the Lord said she gave the most. Why? All the big men in the church gave out of their abundance, but this poor woman gave all she had which was two mites. Regardless of the cost of the gift, one must give cheerfully. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

God loves generous people. Proverbs 11:25 says, “The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.” The key to financial prosperity is giving. When you look at countries that are prospering, e.g. England, although they are small in population, they give foreign aids to so many countries. Not only that, they give to the elderly and look after their citizens. While most of the countries that receive foreign aids from them  are struggling financially, they are wallowing in riches. The secret to their prosperity as a nation is giving. They give to charity a lot. Proverbs 21:3 says, “To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.” The Lord is more interested in Christians living a life of purity and holiness than giving big offerings. No wonder He says peradventure whilst giving an offering, we remember a brother or sister who we are not in talking terms with, we should drop the offering, run to the person and be reconciled with the fellow. One cannot keep malice and expect God to accept his offering, No! One cannot fornicate and expect God to accept His service in the church, No!

NOTE; Obedience to the word of God is better than fat donations.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please bless me so that I can be a blessing to others.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

ENDING WELL

MEMORY VERSE: Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Ecclesiastes 7:8

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Mark 13-14

It is one thing to start (at all); it is another thing to finish. It is one thing to begin a journey; it is another thing to complete the journey. It is one thing to start a course; it is another thing to finish the course. It is one thing to be joined together in Holy Matrimony; it is another thing to die at a ripe old age still married to the same person. It is one thing to become a champion; it is another thing to die as a champion. It is one thing to be zealous for the Lord now; it is another thing to be zealous for the Lord in forty years time or zealous for the Lord until death. It is one thing to be known as a child of God today, it is another thing to be known as a child of God on one’s death bed. It is one thing to be relevant today; it is another to be relevant in fifty years time (if Jesus tarries).

The ‘beginning’ of a thing is immaterial. The fact that you started small does not mean you will end 'small'. Job 8:7 says, “Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.” Many of the great people, we read about in the bible and in history books, started very small. Take for instance Elijah the prophet. The Jews are  proud of their heritage. When they want to write about a great figure e.g. Jesus, they will start with the family genealogy. This is why we have a lot of genealogies in the bible. When they want to write about people especially influential people or an important personality, they will start by mentioning the person’s name followed by the father’s name (for men) or husband’s name (for women). For instance, the bible introduced Elisha the prophet as Elisha the son of Shaphat (1 Kings 19:19) and Deborah the prophetess as Deborah, the prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth (Judges 4:4). Elijah’s father must have been so poor and insignificant in their community that the author of 1 Kings did not even bother to mention his father’s name. Yet this man ended as one of the greatest prophet in the Old Testament.

Starting big does not guarantee ending 'big'. According to Ecclesiastes 7, it is possible for one to start as a slave and end up as a wealthy prince. It is also possible for for one to start as a wealthy prince and end up as a slave. Verse 7 says, “I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.” There is nothing wrong in starting well; actually starting well in life is advantageous. What matters is not how one starts but how one ends his or her race on earth. Ecclesiastes 7:8 says, “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” The Most High God is not so much interested in how a brother or a sister starts. He is not so much interested in where you are today, or what you are currently doing in the body of Christ - as of now. What He is interested in is how you end. No wonder He says, “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13). In other words, he that finishes well. It is not unusual to be talented or gifted. There is nothing new in starting well. There is nothing spectacular about being the head at the beginning. Many started very well. Many started shining. Many started very hot for the Lord. Many started as terror to the kingdom of darkness. Many started winning a lot of souls for Christ. Many started operating in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The truth is this, not many finished ‘well’. Not many finished ‘shining’. Not many finished their race on earth as a terror to the kingdom of darkness. Actually, many who started as terror to the kingdom of darkness ended up as victims because of their carelessness. Not many finished as they started. Many, many champions ended up as ex-champions.

NOTE: To finish well, one must be determined. Secondly, one must be hard working. Thirdly, one must embrace a life of holiness and purity. Lastly, one must ask for the grace of God.

PRAYER POINT: Father, help me to finish well in life.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

CALL TO INFLUENCE

MEMORY VERSE: Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:13-16

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 9-12

Christians all other the world, Baptist, Methodist, Seventh Day Adventist, Catholic, Pentecostals, etc, are called, by Jesus, to influence the world. Jesus said to His disciples: “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:13-16).” We are called to be different i.e. to live a radically different lifestyle from the world, so that we may be effective as salt and light in it.

How are we to influence the world? Firstly, by being the salt of the world. There are several uses of salts, but today we will look at the use of salt to prevent decay. Many centuries back before refrigeration was invented salt was used to keep meat wholesome, and to prevent decay. As Christians, we are called to stop society going bad. One way to go about this is by our words. We need to speak out about moral standards, and moral issues. Some of the things that used to be a taboo twenty years ago are now normal today. It used to be a shameful thing several years back to be caught fornicating, or committing adultery, but today people fornicate, or commit adultery and even record it on their mobile phones to share it with their friends. It used to be a shameful thing to go to prison years back. Actually people used to dread prison but now, it is normal. Especially amongst our youths, once you go to prison you become a celebrity. We can also use our influence to bring about God’s standards in society around us. As we play our part as citizens aiming to create better social structures, working for justice, freedom, and dignity for the individual, and by helping to abolish discrimination, we can stop society going bad.

Secondly, by being the light in the world. Jesus calls us to be light – to allow the light of Christ to shine through us. We do this by what Jesus calls ‘your good deeds’ – everything that we do or say because we are Christians. Living out the Christian life is the most appropriate way of passing on the good news to those who live in very close proximity to us. This certainly applies to our family, colleagues at work, and flatmates. If they know we are Christians, that fact alone puts them under a degree of pressure. To be continually speaking about our faith may backfire. They are more likely to be affected by our genuine love, and concern. At work people should notice our consistency, honesty, truthfulness, hard work, reliability, avoidance of gossip, and desire to encourage other people. At home, parents, family and flatmates will be influenced by our service to others, our patience, and our kindness, far more than our words. Being ‘lights in the world’ does not just involve our lifestyle. It also involves our lips. Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

QUESTION: Are you promoting decay or preventing decay by your speech, conduct and lifestyle?

PRAYER POINT: Father, help me to be light and salt in this world.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

UNSURE ABOUT YOUR SALVATION?

MEMORY VERSE: All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Job 29-30

What individuals experience after giving their lives to Christ or after rededicating their lives to Christ vary greatly. Pastor Willie Mullan in his book ‘Tramp after God’ said he felt a tremendous urge to tell someone what had just happened to him – how the Lord had just saved a tramp like him. He was very excited and could not keep still. Another fellow said he was so full of love that he felt like hugging everyone. I remember when I gave my life to Christ, all I felt like doing was praying. The urge to pray was so great. Some immediately know a difference in their life. For others it is more gradual. I want you to know that what matters is not so much the initial experience but the start of a new relationship with God. The fact that you didn't feel anything, probably a tingling sensation in your tummy after saying the sinner’s prayers or after confessing your sins and asking the Lord to come into your life, does not mean you are not saved. No! If we were to rely on our feelings we could never be sure about anything. Our feelings go up and down depending on all sorts of factors, such as the weather or what we have had for breakfast. They are changeable and deceptive. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

The assurance of our relationship stands on these three things: the word of God, the work of Jesus and the witness of the Holy Spirit. Firstly, the word of God. The promises in the Bible, which is the word of God, do not change and are totally reliable unlike our feelings. There are many great promises in the bible that assures us that once we open the door of our hearts to Jesus, He will come in and dine with us (Revelation 3:20). In addition, He has promised to be with us until the end of the world (Matthew 28:20). He went on further to promise us eternal life (John 10:28), which is a quality of life that comes from living in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ (John 17:3). Secondly, the work of Jesus. What Jesus did on the cross enables Him to give us eternal life as a gift (John 10:28). We do not earn a gift. We accept it with gratitude. On the cross, He took all our wrong-doings upon Himself. This had been clearly prophesied in the Old Testament in the Book of Isaiah. Isaiah 53:6 says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” What the prophet was saying is that we have all done something wrong and those wrong-doings have caused a separation between us and God (Isaiah 59:1-2). This is why at times God can seem remote. On the other hand, Jesus never did anything wrong. There was no barrier between Him and His Father. On the cross, God transferred our wrong-doings onto Jesus. That is why He cried out on the cross, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' ( Mark 15:34). At that moment He was cut off from God – not because of His own wrong-doings but because of ours. This made it possible for the barrier between us and God to be removed. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Lastly, the witness of the Spirit. When someone becomes a Christian, the Holy Spirit comes to live within them. When the Holy Spirit comes in, He transforms from within. He produces the character of Jesus in our lives which are also known as the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). We become more loving, more joyful, more peaceful, etc. Also there will be changes in our relationships- both with God and with other people.Asides these changes which can be noticed in our lives, the Holy Spirit also brings an inner experience of God. He creates a deep, personal conviction that we are children of God. ( Romans 8:15-16). This is the third way in which we are assured of our relationship with God, and that we are forgiven and have eternal life.

NOTE: It is one of the privileges of being a child of God: to be able to be absolutely confident about our relationship with our Father, to be sure of the fact that we are forgiven; to be sure that we are Christians , and to know we have eternal life.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

SPREAD IT BEFORE THE LORD

MEMORIZE: And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. Isaiah 37:14 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Revelations 16-22, Proverbs 21 

BIBLE STUDIES: Isaiah 37:10-14 

King Hezekiah received a letter that troubled him greatly, one morning.  I do not know what letter you have received. You may have received a letter from your lawyer; your wife of over fifteen years is filing for divorce. You may have received an email informing you that you were unsuccessful at a job interview. It could be that your exam results arrived and you performed poorly. Maybe you received a letter from your son’s school; they want to have a meeting with you to discuss something terrible your son did. You may have received a letter from your bank informing you that your loan application was refused. Yours could be a letter informing you that your permit application, to go and live with your husband abroad, has been rejected. Probably your letter has nothing to do with visa application or loan application; what happened was you received a notice of foreclosure on your mortgage. You may have received a letter from your doctor inviting you for a meeting; from the tone of the letter, you know all is not well. I remember a time in my life when i dreaded letters. I was out of job for few months so i could not keep up with my direct debits. Every letter i received reminded me of missed direct debits, failed standing orders, charges, bailiff, etc. I knew i was in debt and that really made me sad but the tone of the letters i was receiving, especially court orders, was as if someone was hitting the face of a wound. 

On reading the letter, heaviness of heart fell on the king. It was as if someone zapped life out of him. He must have looked up to heaven and tears began to flow down his cheeks - utterly confused, not knowing whether to cry or scream or keep quiet. The contents of the letter made it look as if the Lord had forgotten him. King Hezekiah was a righteous man. He loved the Lord just like many of us and yet he received such a letter. After reading the letter, he did something wise. Isaiah 37:14 says, “And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.” The ‘spreading of letter before the Lord’ means utter surrender. The king was saying, "Lord, i know what Your word says. The content of this letter are not in consonance with Your Word. Please oh Lord; turn things around. This letter was meant to bring me sadness but Oh Lord, arise and give me joy.” He spread the letter before God in faith and prayed. Before he finished praying, the Lord spoke and fought for Hezekiah. Friend, spread that letter, you received, before the Lord in faith and pray to Him. Start by praising Him, (the devil wants to make you sad but disappoint him by praising Jesus – the Helper of the helpless). Thank Him for the things He has done for you in the past and pour out your heart to Him. Every time i received a letter of this sort, as i have received them in times past, i spread them before God and cry to Him. One way or the other, He would move people, situation, circumstances, and laws of the land, in my favour. The same God who did it for Hezekiah is still alive. He is still in the business of helping people and He will help you. 

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Someone out there has gone through what you are going through now or gone through something worse and the Lord delivered him. If He has done it before He will do it again. 

PRAYER POINT: Father, as many as are down, please lift up their heads. 

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus. 

WHY GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME?

MEMORY VERSE: Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Philippians 2:12

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 119:121-144, Proverbs 31:11, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Philippians 2:12 says, “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” There are many reasons why you and I need to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, but the most important one is that you and I are going to stand before the judgment seat once. Hebrews 9:27 says this: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” There will be no second chance. The moment judgment is passed, that is it. You can repeat a class if you fail. You will be permitted to re-take a paper or an exam if you do not meet the cut off mark. If you lose an election, there will be another opportunity in four or five years, depending on the country, to campaign and give it another shot. In heaven, judgment will hold once and after that is reward or punishment. (After judgement, it is either “depart from Me for i know you not” or “welcome good and faithful servant.”) There will be no chance to return to earth, after judgement, to give your life to Christ, make amendments, or live holy. This is why you and I must obey God’s words to the letter. Brethren, if you are not sure of anything maybe a doctrine or a practice, do not follow it. Many people ask me if it is right for a Christian woman to put on trousers, pray with their hair uncovered and other things. My answer is this, it is better not to do any of those, get to heaven and be told that it does not matter than do them, get to heaven only to find out that God disapproves of it. Be on the safe side.

Also in marriage, my single brothers and sisters, make sure you get it right the first time. Just as there will be no second chance after judgment, there will be no second chance after marriage. You only have one short at it. You may say, “If i get it wrong the first time, i can divorce and re-marry again.” The only condition for divorce is adultery – God does not accept irreconcilable difference as an excuse for divorce. Anyone who has gone through divorce before will tell you it is not a good idea. Divorce will leave you with a deep emotionally scar that may never heal up. Divorce means a part of you will have to die. Once a part of you dies, a form of death has entered into the equation of your life. If care is not taken, death – financially, emotionally, martially - will spread to other areas of your life. This is why, dear sisters and brothers, if you are not sure about a brother or sister - it does not matter how far you have gone in the relationship - stop it and go back to the prayer room. Do not marry anyone out of pity. It is true that breaking a relationship or courtship is very painful, but the pains cannot be compared to that of a failed marriage or worse still divorce. The only way to get it right the first time is to do things the right way - now that you are still single or in a relationship. Do not allow a man to introduce you to his friends as his fiancée when you have not heard from God. Do not go to parties with him or social functions with him when you have not heard from God. Until you are joined together in holy matrimony, you are not his wife and he is not your husband. Do not behave like his wife or give him the ‘green light’ until you have heard from God. Many do this to keep a man whilst waiting to hear from God. If you have not heard from God concerning him, sister, there is no point talking with him every night on the phone except you want to get married without hearing from God and that is not advisable. Part of getting it right in your relationship is avoid discussing intimate things like sexual positions, weak points, how you sleep at night, etc. Many under the disguise of getting to know a lady ask these questions. If you want a man to appreciate you in marriage, sister, avoid those topics before marriage. If you want God’s presence in that relationship, you must do it right. Once God leaves, you can be rest assured that Satan will come in with full force and cause problems after problems.

TO DO: Make amendments immediately where required.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please help me so that i will not end up in hell.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

JESUS ENDURED THE CROSS

MEMORY VERSE: Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 141-145, Proverbs 29

The moment one hears the word ‘endure,’ what comes to mind is pain, hardship, sorrows, suffering, to mention a few. Hebrew 12:2 says this: “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” “ ...Him (Jesus) endured the cross...”, implies that the cross experience, which later led to His glorification, was not a palatable experience. If the Holy Spirit opens your eyes to see what Jesus went through from the point of His arrest to His crucifixion, you will be forever grateful to Him. He was scourged until He began to bleed badly from the back, face, neck, legs, chest, etc. After that, He was forced to carry a cross - a heavy piece of furniture - to Golgotha. (Mind you, the wound He sustained from the scourging was not dressed). He was hungry and thirsty, as He had not eaten or drank anything in more than 24 hours; He was tired and weary, as He had lost a lot of blood; He was in great pain as His wounds were fresh. (I think He must have passed out a couple of times). Jesus, at this point, could have easily called down angels to defend Him and destroy the armies. This would mean that humanity is doomed but He did not. He endured the pain, torture, shame, etc. Philippians 2:9 says this: “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:”

Just as Christ endured a lot – pain, shame, sorrow – on His way to His glorification, you and I must endure these and many more too. In our Christian walk, we will be required to endure a lot of challenging situations, especially as we await the second coming of Christ. There are times in my life where i have had to eat cooked rice with no stew or soup or any seasoning, just cooked rice for many days because i had no food at home. Even the rice was a gift from someone. I did not complain or refuse to go to church because of that. Neither did i resolve to sin to get food. Thank God, things have now changed but my point is, even in your Christian walk, you will have to endure things. I do not know what you are facing now, but i want to admonish you to endure. Are you in full time work and studying at the same time? Do not give up on your education and focus on your work alone. Endure it; you will graduate soon. Are you struggling in your marriage, there is constant argument and it is taking a toll on you? Divorce is never the solution. Whatever it is that is happening, endure it because Christ is working in the background to restore peace into your marriage. Are you of a marriageable age and there is pressure to compromise? Please do not do that! Are you facing persecution at work due to your faith? Are people calling you names like 'Mother Mary' or 'Sister Martha' because you have made up your mind that your beauty will not be of outward adorning but the hidden man of the heart ( 1 Peter 3:3-4)? Endure whatever name they are calling you. Remember, you are not trying to please man or meet man’s standard of dressing. Let everyone wear whatever they like, you - daughter of the Most High - stick to godly ways of doing things. The master is coming and in that day, you will get your reward.

THOUGHTS OF THE DAY: It is not enough to endure briefly, we must endure to the end (Matthew 24:13)

PRAYER POINT: Father, please give me the grace to endure to the end.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

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.

SEVEN THOUSAND PREPARED REPLACEMENTS

MEMORY VERSE: Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.1 Kings 19:18

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 91-95, Proverbs 19

We do not know much about Elijah’s background except that he was a Tishbite who resided in Gilead (1 Kings 17:1). One thing we know is that he came from a humble background. The Jews are very proud of their heritage so when they want to write about a great figure e.g. Jesus Christ, they will start with the family genealogy. This is why you see a lot of ‘A’ begat ‘B’, 'B' begat 'C' and 'C' begat 'D', 'E', etc in the bible. If the person is a prophet/prophetess, a king, or some important personality, they will start by mentioning the person’s name followed by the father’s name for men and husband’s name for women. For instance, the bible introduced Elisha the prophet as Elisha the son of Shaphat (1 Kings 19:19) and Deborah the prophetess as Deborah, the prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth (Judges 4:4). Elijah’s father was poor and so insignificant in their community that the author of 1 Kings did not even bother to mention his father’s name. Despite his humble background, he became a man who even the king could not ignore. Despite his not-so-fortunate background, he became a man who God used to start a national revival. At the end of his ministry, God sent a chariot from heaven to bring him home. He was one of two men- the other one is Enoch – who did not die. Friend your background means nothing when God is with you.

Through Elijah’s ministry, we saw the impossible become possible. In 1 Kings 17:11-16, he told a woman who was about to prepare her last meal that her jar of flour shall not spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty and it happened as he said. For many months, without any source of income, the woman fed herself, her son and the prophet without borrowing because her jar of flour was not spent. In 1 Kings 17:17-22, he prayed for a dead boy and he woke up. He was so anointed that he could shut the heaven and there will be no rain for many years (1 Kings 17:1-2). In addition, he could open a shut heaven on his knees (1 Kings 18:46). At the height of his ministry, this prophet began to see himself as indispensable. He began to have an exaggerated view of himself. One day something happened and he told God, “and I, even i only, am left(1 Kings 19:14).” In other words, You (God) are stranded without me (Elijah). The Lord replied and said: “Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.(1 Kings 19:18)” In other words, I have seven thousand people who i could pick one from to replace you. God had prepared an excess of seven thousand people who He could pick to replace one of the greatest prophet of the Old Testament. If God had seven thousand men who He could pick from to replace Elijah, how many do you think He could pick from today to replace you and i, if we allow pride in our hearts or become too big for Him to carry? Friend, you are not indispensable. You are what you are, where you are because of Him. If the Lord is using you in any capacity, please take it as a very big privilege. I want you to know that He had many people to pick from before giving you an opportunity.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: When we talk of giving to God, many of us think that we are doing God a favor when we give to Him. God can touch the heart of any billionaire to give to Him if He needs money. Besides, He owns the whole world – the gold mines, oil wells, etc. He asks us to give so that He can multiply whatever we give to Him and return it to us.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please help me never to become too big for you to carry.

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LEARN SIMPLE OBEDIENCE

              

MEMORY VERSE: Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.1 Samuel 15:3

                                          

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 66-70, Proverbs 14

The people of Israel practiced the law of retaliation, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, in Old Testament times. This law was in place to restrict compensation to the value of the loss. Although this law provided one or two advantages, its disadvantages outweigh its advantages. For instance, this old law leaves everyone blind and toothless. The law of retaliation shuts the door of God’s mercy on us. 2 Samuel 22:26 says: “With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright.” The law of retaliation shuts the door of divine forgiveness on us. Matthew 6:14 says: “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:” The law of retaliation also puts one in spiritual bondage. According to Matthew 18:21-35, the fellow who fails to forgive will be handed over to tormentors i.e. the devil and demons. To cancel out the law of retaliation, Jesus introduced the law of love. Love your neighbour as yourself. He also introduced forgiveness.

In Exodus 17:8, without being provoked in any way, shape or form, the Amalekites attacked the children of Israel and killed many of them – young, old, pregnant, nursing mothers, lame, weak, etc. As the law of retaliation demands, the Amalekites had to be paid back in their own coin. (Remember it was an eye for an eye and a tooth for tooth in those days). The Lord sent Saul, through Samuel, to destroy the Amalekites i.e. child killers, nursing mother killers, etc. 1 Samuel 15:3 says: “Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.” The instruction that Saul received was quite simple. It was unambiguous, easy to understand and simple. God told him, “go and destroy all.” When he got to Amalek, he kept Agag (the king of Amalek), the people with him kept the best of the sheep, oxen, fatlings, lambs and all that was good and destroyed the rest. When he returned to Israel, he received the shock of his life. 1 Samuel 15:23 says: “………..because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” Anyone God rejects is doomed for life. When we say God has rejected a fellow, what we are saying is God has banished the fellow from His presence. In the presence of God is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11), outside of His presence is sadness. We run into problems when we disobey God. Doing God’s work does not exempt us from the rewards of disobedience. Majority of the problems we find ourselves in today has its root in our disobedience to God’s words. Some years back whilst sharing tracts from house to house, the Lord drew my attention to some groups of young boys who were walking towards me. The Lord told me to greet them nicely but I did not. Since I was older, I expected them to greet me first not the other way round. I walked past them, they did not say a word to me, and I did not say a word to them. I thought that was it. As I walked into a street, I saw these boys standing outside a property I wanted to drop some tracts into their letter box. As I opened the gate, I greeted them nicely and they started to swear at me. They even threatened to attack me. God foresaw this, that was why He instructed me to greet to them earlier. Thank God they did not attack me.

QUESTION: Friend, has God asked you to do something?  Has He told you to go and make up with a sister you are not in talking terms with? Has He told you to apologize to your wife? Has He was warned you to stop walking with some group of people? Repent today and do what He has asked you to do.

PRAYER POINTS: Father I repent today, please forgive me and give me a second chance to put things right.

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PUT A PREMIUM ON THE WORD

MEMORY VERSE: And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. Luke 10:41-42 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Revelation 11-15 

BIBLE STUDIES: Luke 10:38-42 

Jesus entered into a certain village, with His disciples, and a woman by the name Martha invited Him to her house. Within minutes, rumour began to spread that Jesus, the great teacher, a miracle worker, was around. Before you know it, Martha’s house was filled with people – men, women, single, married, young, old - who came to listen to the powerful teaching of Jesus Christ. Mary, Martha’s sister, was part of the crowd. She sat very close to Jesus. As Jesus taught, the people listened with rapt attention. The whole area was quiet. Suddenly, someone began to open and close the drawers in the kitchen. Who could this be? Sister Martha. She was getting the pots and pans out to prepare food for Jesus. Imagine, Jesus was teaching people things of eternally value; Sister Martha was busy in the kitchen frying meat and cooking stew. (If it were to be in Jamaica, i would have said she stayed in the kitchen to make some saltfish and ackee with fried dumplings. If it were to be in India, i would have said, she was in the kitchen making chicken biryani.) People were in the sitting room crying, confessing and repenting of their sins; this sister was in the kitchen making snacks. The Spirit of God was moving mightily in the sitting room, healing was taking place, broken marriages were being repaired; Sister Martha was in the kitchen adding salt to the soup.

Whatever it is she was doing, she did not put premium on the Word of God. Many of us are like Sister Martha in that we do not put premium on the Word of God. While service is going on in the church, we busy ourselves with unprofitable activities. Because of a La- Liga match, Real Madrid vs. Barcelona, many of us, especially young men, miss mid-week service. Because of a cricket match, Sri Lanka vs. India, many miss Friday night vigil. Some miss Sunday Service all because they want to prepare food for a family friend that is coming from outside town. All these point to the fact that we do not put premium on the Word of God. It simply means we do not regard God. Will you stay at home to watch a football watch, Manchester United vs. Manchester City or Arsenal vs. Chelsea, when you should be at work? No. While service is going on in the church, some are busy shopping for food items. Friend, if you are shopping for food items when you should be in church, it simply means you do not put premium on the Word of God. Sister, how can you miss church service because you went to do your hair? 

 Within minutes, the noise from the kitchen drowned the voice of Jesus. The reason being that, she made a lot of noise as she moved around in the kitchen. In addition, the aroma of the soup she was making filled the whole house. Her business in the kitchen became a hindrance to the work of God. To cap it all up, after cooking, she came to the sitting room to ask Jesus to release Mary to come and help her serve. It was at this point Jesus literally told her she was unserious. Luke 10:41 – 42 says: “And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”  

WORD OF THE DAY:  Do not put your pedicure and manicure before Choir practice (if you are a Choir member). Do not put ‘washing’ of your car before Sunday school. If you are a worker in the church, your service in the vineyard of God must come before your manicure. You do not barb your hair when you are supposed to be at work so do not barb your hair when you are supposed to be cleaning the church.

PRAYER POINT: Father, we pray for seriousness in the body of Christ.

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