REASONS TO GIVE

MEMORY VERSE: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again, Luke 6:38.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Num 23, Ps 64-65, Isa 13, 1 Pet 1

Today’s memory verse is one of the most popular verses in the bible. It is popular because it is used during offering collections and other special fund raising in the church. People by default don’t like to give because every time you give you lose something. There are many believers who doubts that it is more blessed to give than to receive. The questions is how is it a blessing to live in minus? If you own five units of any currency and you give a unit out, you are left with four units which mean you are short by one unit. How is it a blessing to be short by one?

Luke 6:38 says give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. When you give you, it will be given back to you. John 12:24 says verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. Whenever you give a gift, you are sowing a seed.A farmer who eats his seeds instead of sowing will inevitably go hungry. It is not a good thing to be tight fisted when it comes to giving. Proverbs 11:24 says that there is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. Micers end up becoming poorer instead of richer. Ecclesiastes 1:7 says all the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. It is those who give to God that God will give back to too.

The second thing you need to know is that when you give, you get more in return. This is why Luke 6:38 says you will get back in good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. The reason for the pressing down and shaking together is to create more room in the container or sack to receive more. When you sow a seed, you get a tree with fruits which contain several seeds in them. The third thing you need to know is that whatever you give on earth is converted to materials for building your heavenly homes. Matthew 6:19-20 says do not store your treasures on earth but in heaven where neither moth nor rust can corrupt, and where thieves do not breakthrough nor steal. One of the ways to store treasures in heaven is by investing in evangelism. The fourth and the most important thing you need to know is that giving prepares you for God’s blessing. Several years ago I began to hear what the Lord was doing in the lives of people especially in the area of finances and I wanted the same too. One evening as I knelt down to pray I saw a vision. In the vision I saw a woman holding a big cake. Standing in front of her was a little girl holding sweets in her hand. For one reason or the other the little girl could not receive the big cake because she had sweets in her hand. The Lord told me that the little girl needs to drop the sweets first before she can get the cake from her mum. In other words to receive those mighty things the Lord has in store for me, I need to release the little things in my hand.

PRAYER POINT: Father help me to release those things in my hands so I can receive what’s in Your hand.

GOD’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS ADOPTION

GOD’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS ADOPTION

MEMORY VERSE: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, Ephesians 1:5.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Num 21, Ps 60-61, Isa 10, Jas 4

God loves little children a lot and they love Him too. He gets very angry when people hinder them from coming to Him. In Mark 10:13-16, some parents brought their children to Jesus and the overzealous disciples sent them away. Jesus got very angry and scolded His disciples for hindering the children from coming to Him. Jesus does not appreciate parents who bring their children late to Him on Sundays. I pray Jesus will not scold you for bring your child late to church on Sunday. Jesus has great compassion for orphans and fatherless children too. Exodus 22:22 says ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless children. James 1:27 says pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. As believers, it is essential that we assist orphanage homes and widows. You can not be a friend of God if you hate children. This is why those who practice abortion needs to cry for mercy because they are killing children (God’s little friends).

God also loves and has compassion on the childless too. Psalm 113:9 says He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children. You might be feeling unloved because you are childless, please do not cry I want you to know that the Lord loves you and He will show you compassion. One of the questions people ask is, is it alright for a Christian to adopt a child? There is nothing wrong in Christians adopting. Some of the great bible characters were adopted for example Moses (Exodus 2:1-10), Esther (Esther 2:7) and Samuel (1 Samuel 1:22-28). Despite the fact that they were adopted, the Lord used them mightily. While waiting on God for the fruit of the womb, there is nothing wrong in you adopting a child before God gives you your own child. If you are rich and can afford to adopt, please consider adoption. 

Many frown at adoption, they see it as lack of faith in God but the question is this, did God not adopt you? We were not born into the family of God, we were all adopted. The only Child God has is Jesus! Ephesians 1:5 says having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. Even though we were adopted by Jesus, He treats us as sons. Revelations 21:7 says he who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be His God and He will be my son. If God treats us (the adopted) as children, we are expected to treat our adopted children as our own sons not mistreat them. God loves adopted children a lot and one way to incur His wrath is by mistreating an adopted child. 

ACTION POINT: If you cannot adopt, support orphanage homes with gifts of food, clothes and other things.

SALVATION ABUSE

MEMORY VERSE: For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. 1 Thessalonians 4:7

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Num 20, Ps 58-59, Isa 9, Jas 3

Myles Munroe once said ‘when the purpose of a thing is not known, abuse is inevitable. What is then an abuse or what constitutes an abuse? Abuse is using a thing in a way that is not meant to be used or not as prescribed or not as advised by the author. The biggest challenge facing the world today is abuse. The reason why sexually transmitted diseases are so rampant these days is as result of people not knowing the purpose of sex there by abusing it. Teenage pregnancy, rape, fornication, adultery and other forms of sexual sins are all products of sex abuse. Another canker worm that has eaten deep into the fabric of our states, organizations and so on is the abuse of position. Many do not know the purpose of an office, so as a result when they get into public offices instead of serving the people, they enrich themselves while the common man suffers. 

Many today do not know the purpose of a marriage. This is why we have many divorces today. It is either the man is taking advantage of the woman or the woman is taking advantage or not appreciating the man. Today in the body of Christ, the most common abuse is salvation abuse. To avoid this we need to educate ourselves on the purposes of salvation. What are the purposes of salvation? John 15:16 says ye have not chosen me, but i have chosen you, and ordained you, and that you should go and bring forth fruit, that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, He may give it to you. One of the reasons for salvation is for you to bear fruits and ensure that the fruits remain. To bear fruits simply means to evangelize and the only way to ensure that the fruit remains is through follow up. Salvation is not for us to sit and not bother about the souls going to hell. We were not saved to be idle or be a bench warmer in the vineyard of God, we are saved so that we can become active in the things of God. If you are a believer and you cannot point to a soul you brought to the Lord in the last one year, I am afraid you are abusing your salvation. You need to repent immediately and ask the Lord for forgiveness. Not only that begin to actively work on bringing your first soul to Christ. As a believer you should witness to a minimum of a soul per month. If the number of souls you have witnessed to this year is below three then you have a lot of work to do.

The most important reason for salvation is for you to live a life of holiness. 1 Thessalonians 4:7 says for God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. This is why it is wrong to assume that once you are saved, heaven is guaranteed. To go to heaven, Salvation is the first of many steps. After Salvation you need to bear fruits that will remain, according to John 15:2 every branch that does not bear fruit will be cut down. To be cut down signifies death and hell is death. Not only that you are expected to live holy. Romans 12:1 says I beseech you therefore , brethren by the mercies of God , that ye present you bodies as a living sacrifice , holy , acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. When people tell you that you don’t have to be holy to get to heaven just ignore them. Once Jesus enters your heart, your conduct can either keep Him in or drive Him out. You were not saved to tell lies or do frauds. You were saved to a live a life of Holiness.

PRAYER POINT: Father , initiate the process of sanctification in my life.

YOUR AND YOUR IN-LAWS

MEMORY VERSE: and Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent, Exodus 8:7.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Num 19, Ps 56-57, Isa 8, Jas 2

BIBLE STUDIES: Exodus 18:6-24

Genesis 2:24 says therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. After marriage the bride and the groom becomes one. They no longer have two parents but a parent. The bride’s parent automatically becomes the groom’s parent and vice versa. In other words the groom sees his father and mother in laws as his own dad and mum and vice versa. Whatever the groom cannot do to his parent, he should never do it to his in laws because they are his parent. Exodus 20:12 says honor your father and mother; so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. The father and mother referred to in this passage are not only your biological parents but your in laws as well. Disrespecting your in- law is the same as disrespecting your parent and they both carry the same penalty. The question is this; how far in life can a brother who disrespects his in-laws (parents) go?  From our bible studies, you see that the Lord was able use Jethro to give Moses a life changing advice all because Moses took Jethro – his father in law as his own father.

Many sisters today dislike their mother-in- laws with a passion. Some will do anything to avoid their mother-in-law. The daughters of the devil will even wish death for their mother-in-laws. No true child of God will dislike her mother-in-law, talk less dishonoring her. Asides that how much can a lady who dishonors her mother (in law) amount to? She will amount to nothing. A prime example is Ruth and Orpah the daughter-in-laws of Naomi. Ruth loved her mother-in-law but Orpah could barely stand her; both of the ladies were Moabites. After the death of their husbands, Orpah used that opportunity to get as far as possible from her mother-in-law but Ruth was wiser. She stayed to look after the poor old woman –Naomi. At the end, God looked at the actions of Ruth and made her the great grandmother of David (a man after the heart of the Lord). One of the reasons why God is yet to answer the prayers of some sisters concerning life partners is because of what they intend to do to their mother-in-laws. Some of have sworn that they will give their mother-in- law a tough time. No problem, just remember that the Most High too will not give any mother a daughter- in- law from hell. Asides all these, sisters remember that one day you will become a mother too and the bible says give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again, Luke 6:38. I know you will love your mother –in- law and the Lord will bless you for that. At the end, there was nothing to write about Orpah who disliked her mother –in-law. As a matter of fact, from the moment she ran from her mother-in-law the bible kept silent about her. 

ACTION POINT: Go back to your in laws and settle any quarrel with them.

CRITERIA FOR PROMOTION PART 2

MEMORY VERSE: Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine, Exodus 19:5 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Num 15, Ps 51, Isa 5, Heb 12 

What is promotion? Promotion is simply a movement from a level to a higher level. What are the sources of promotion? They are humans, the devil and God. Humans most of the time promote for their own agenda or selfish gains. As far as there is something in it for them, they will promote you. The day they find out that you are no longer useful they bring you down and promote someone else. Thank God for real children of God - they never engage in this type of practices. A man can only lift you as high as his human hands can reach in other words when humans promote you, your promotion is limited. Humans can only offer you temporary promotion, the day your promoter goes down you go down. The devil can also offer what seems like a promotion but it is a regression in disguise. He gives promotion and steals your peace or gives an apple but inside that apple are deadly worms. The only true source of promotion is God. While the devil’s promotion comes with sorrow, God’s promotion comes with no sorrow added. Proverbs 10:22 says the blessings of the Lord, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it. 

Men don’t need any criteria to promote you because at the end of the day, they are the one to benefit from your promotion. For a fellow to be considered for promotion by God, that fellow needs to meet certain criteria. Firstly, he needs to be willing. Isaiah 1:19 says if ye be willing and obedience, ye shall eat the good of the land.  Secondly, he needs to be diligent and hardworking. God considers a lazy fellow as a waster of resources. Proverbs 18:9 says he also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster. Proverbs 12:27 says slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting. There is a slang that lazy people use, they say let us waste time. How can you waste time? You can’t waste time because time waits for nobody! 

The third criterion for promotion is Holiness which is also obedience to God. Obedience reveals love. John 14:15 says if ye love me, keep my commandments. Every form of promotion from God requires holiness. All the promises the Lord made to the children of Israel (and we are spiritual Israelite), came with a condition which is ‘if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all His commandments’ which also means obedience to God. In Deuteronomy 28:1 He says obey Me and I will set you high above all nations of the earth; Exodus 19:5 – obey Me and you will be my special treasure; Exodus 15:26- obey Me and I will heal you; Exodus 23:22 – obey Me and I will be an enemy to your enemies; Isaiah 1:19 – obey Me and you will eat the good of the Land e.t.c. All His blessings come with this condition. A fellow, who is not obeying God, is just undoing himself. You can bring all the sacrifice in the world , even an offering of a billion dollars, without obedience the Lord will tell you to take away your money.1 Samuel 15:22 says to obedience is better than sacrifice. Half obedience is no obedience. He demands full obedience. 

PRAYER POINT: Father, the grace to obey you fully please give to me.

WATCH YOUR ASSOCIATION

MEMORY VERSE: He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. Proverbs 13:20

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Lev 26, Ps 33, Eccl 9, Titus 1

There are several reasons why you - a heaven bound believer needs to watch your association or the circle of friends you keep. The type of friends you keep speaks a lot about your personality. Amos 3:3 says can two walk together except they agree? The elders have a saying ,' show me your friend and I will tell you who you are. Lazy people make friends with fellow lazy people whilst hardworking people make friends with hardworking people like them. People who smoke or use drugs always get along with fellow smokers or drug users because they speak the same language and if care is not taken they might have the same end.

One of the reasons why you need to watch your association is because bad company spoils good morals. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. It is easier for a fellow who is on the ground to pull down the fellow who is standing than the fellow who is standing to pull up a fellow who is on the ground. It is easier for an unbeliever to make a believer backslide than for a believer to make an unbeliever receive salvation. Bad company always spoils good morals. If your friends are the type that abuse their husbands very soon you will begin to do that. If your friends are the type that beat up their wives, God help your wife. If the type of friends you keep are the ones that make dirty jokes, unconsciously you will join them and before you know it you too will start making dirty jokes.

Another reason why you need to watch your association is because your association determines your future. A wise man once said, ‘show me your friends and I will show you your future’. Proverbs 13:20 says he who walks with the wise shall be wise. When you see a fellow whose circle of friends fears the Lord, you are looking at a fellow who will inherit glory. 

ACTION POINT: I saw this somewhere and I think it is very valuable . Write down the names of 7 people who influences your life or people whose counsel you listen to. Look at the 7 people carefully because you are looking at your future.

NB: The single greatest influence on your life is the people you allow to influence you – your life will never be better than the average of the people you associate with.

CONFESSION BRINGS PROSPERITY

Proverbs 28:13 he that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ex 22, John 1, Job 40, 2 Cor 10

 

BIBLE STUDIES: Genesis 3:6-13

 

In Genesis 3:6-13 is a story we all know. Adam and Eve sinned against God by disobeying Him; they ate from the forbidden tree. Suddenly their eyes were opened and they saw that they were naked. They began to run from the same God they use to sit and fellowship with. The Lord knew what they had done so He asked Adam if he had eaten from the tree He commanded them not to eat from. Instead of Adam answering in the affirmative, he tried to cover up his sin by telling God that it was the woman He gave to him that gave him of the tree and he ate. He tried to play a fast one on God by trying to shift the blame on God. Eve (wife of Adam) did exactly the same thing when the Lord asked ‘what is this that thou hast done?’ Instead of confessing and asking for mercy she tried to cover her sins by blaming the serpent. Because they refused to confess their sins, their relationship with God began to suffer. Instead of blessings they received curses.

 

Proverbs 28:13 says he that covereth his shall sins not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. A man cannot cover his own sin. It is only God who can cover a man’s sins and it would be an instance of His grace. It is also right in one good man to cover the sins of another, reproving him secretly and forgiving him; but it is wrong in a man to cover his own sin. What God expects is when a fellow is charged with sin, and reproved for it by his fellow Christian; such fellow should not cover it to save their honor. He expects them to own up to it. Failure to acknowledge a sin you committed when confronted is an attempt to cover the sin. Denying the sin you committed which is covering a sin with a lie is like adding sin to sin. Justifying sin as if you have done the right thing is an attempt to cover up a sin. Worse still giving excuses for a sin you committed or imputing it to others that they made you sin is an attempt to cover up sin like Adam did.Prospering in soul or body, in things spiritual or temporal is almost impossible for a fellow who covers us his sin. Such a fellow would not have peace of mind and conscience. Every covered up sin robs one of God’s mercy. How much can a man achieve without God’s mercy? If you successfully manage to cover it on earth, it will be reveal on the Day of Judgment. Luke 8:17 says for nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither anything hid, that shall not be known and come abroad. On the Day of Judgment every secret will be revealed. If you have cheated on your partner or stolen from the church, you better go to your pastor and confess to Him. Not only that also confess to your partner because whether you like it or not he or she will know one day. The reason why many have not been able to walk in to their prepared prosperity is because of covered up sins.

 

KEYWORD: Every covered up sin robs one of God’s mercy. How much can a man achieve without God’s mercy?

Promotion and Demotion

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

When the Most High is involved in an individual’s life, He takes them from rock bottom and sets them at the very top.1 Samuel 2:8 says He raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifts up the beggar from the rubbish, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, and he has set the world upon them.In 1 Samuel 10:1, He took Saul- an unknown farm boy and made him the king of Israel.Within 24hrs , He turned Joseph- a prisoner to a prime minister.

When He is involved ,age does not matter. Uzziah was only sixteen years when He made him king over Jerusalem.Moses was around eighty years when the Lord met him. Gender means nothing when He is involved.The Most High lifted Deborah so high to the extent warriors begged her to go to war with them- Judges 4:8.Also status ,creed means nothing. Daniel was a slave in a foreign land ,yet the Lord made him one of the three generals in the empire. He took David from the back of the forest and made him king.Because He was involved in the life of Mordecai, death sentence turned into promotion. Haman went to the king to request for the head of Mordecai, he came back pulling the horse Mordecai was riding screaming “thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!”

One thing we need to remember is when He is involved, sky is the limit but when He withdraws His support such a man will fall to the mud. It does not matter how high an individual has risen when He withdraws His support that’s the end.He lifted Uzziah very high at a very tender age.No king could look into the eyes of Uzziah but pride set in and he became a leper - 2 Chronicles 26:1-end. Immediately Saul became a king , no one could talk to him again , he could now decide what part of God’s instruction to obey . God left him and demons began to torment him on the throne. Miriam the prophetess suddenly began to disrespect the man of God because she had the gift of prophecy , well the one who gave her that gift took back the gift and she never prophesied again until she died.

PRAYER POINT: Father , help me not offend you .

How valuable is our word

Matthew 24:35 says Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
According to Psalms 33:8-9 ,one reason why we should fear God is because of His words- once He speaks ,it is done.Jeremiah 23:29 compares His word to a hammer that breaks rocks and a fire that consumes.Hebrew 4:12 says His word is sharper than two edged sword.Psalm 107:20 says His words has the ability to heal.
One of the reason why God’s word is so powerful and efficient is because of how God takes His words. Psalm 138:2 says He has exalted His word above Himself, no wonder Isaiah 55:11 says his words will not return to Him void but it shall accomplish  what pleases Him and prosper in the thing He has send it.God will go to any length to keep His words -why?  because He values them.
The value we put on our words is the value the world,challenges,situations will put on our words.Those who value their words will go to any length to keep their word.God went out of His way to use the dry bones of Elisha to perform the 14th miracle for Him in 2 Kings 13:20-21 since he carried double portion of anointing of his predecessor.
To what extent are prepared to go to keep our words?if we want mountains to move at our commands ,we must treasure our words! If we do not value our words no one will even mountains.Another reason why we need to value our word is because only those who value their words can walk with God.Psalm 15:4 says only those who swears to their hurt and does not change can abide in the tabernacle of God.
Have you said “I DO” to anyone on the altar and you are considering changing that? or have you giving your word to God that you will serve Him all your life with all your strength or have promised to do a thing or the other if He helps you ? God expects all His children to value their words.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT:if we do not value our words ,no one will even mountains.
PRAYER POINT: Father, from now onward help to keep my word at all cost.