EVEN THE LAWFUL CAPTIVE SHALL BE DELIVERED

MEMORY VERSE: Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children. Isaiah 49:24-25

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Acts 21-22

Certain important decisions were made for you and me before we were born. For instance, we didn’t choose our parents, the year we were born, our gender, our genotype or our complexion. God made those decisions for us for His pleasure. Revelations 4:11 says; “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” He is a God of purpose and He has a good reason why you were born in Zimbabwe not in Switzerland or in Pakistan not in New Zealand. You may not have had control of how you started life but you do have a control of how it will end. You may not have had an input in how you began; you do have an input in how it will end. Many would have loved to start their marriage in grand style – fairy tale wedding followed by honeymoon in the best resort in the world – but due to lack of resources, they started in a little box room. The fact that they started in a little box room does not mean the marriage will not end well.

It is a fact that how one starts matters. The bible even encourages us to start with the Lord. Ecclesiastes 12:1 says: “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.” However, it is not always the case that if you start badly you will end badly. The way one starts doesn’t always determine how one will finish.The bible is littered with several examples of people who started badly not as a result of their own doing and ending up very well. Esther is an example that comes to mind. She started as a slave girl and ended up as a queen. How you began will not determine how you will end. Job 8:7 says: “Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.” How you started may have informed your current position but it will not determine your end. There is a God who is able to turn lives around. According to 1 Samuel 2:8, He can raise up the poor out of the dust, and lift up the beggar from the dunghill and set them among princes. I don’t know where you are but where you are today will not determine your tomorrow. Even if your mistakes of the past or carelessness have informed your current position, the merciful God will help you and turn your life around. Isaiah 49:24-25 says; “Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.” As far as you have Jesus in your boat and you make up your mind to be diligent in all that you do, you will end well.

CONFESSION: My future is determined by Christ, not by my current situation. Because I have Christ in me, I will inherit glory.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

THE ATTIRE OF A HARLOT

MEMORY VERSE: And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. Proverbs 7:10

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 119:19-24, Proverbs 31:4, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

The words in the Bible are not the words of drunken men or someone hallucinating. 2 Peter 1:21 says this: “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (One of these days, if the Lord permits, we will discuss about how the Bible was written and you will see the process involved. God told the prophets when to start writing, when to stop writing, what they should write, etc. However, for the purpose of our studies today, I want you to know that “all scriptures is given by the inspiration of God (2 Timothy 3:16),” even the book of Songs of Solomon. Every single word was given by God’s inspiration. There is a reason for every illustration, example, parable, etc, used in the Scriptures. Because it was given by the inspiration of God, it “is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

In Proverbs 7: 6-23 is the story of a young boy who lost his life on his way to fornicate with a woman. Today, I want us to focus on a thing or two about this woman. Proverbs 7:10 says this: “And, behold, there met him a woman.............”There met him a woman implies that she was not a girl but an adult. The author did not tell us her name which meant that she could have been anyone - someone’s daughter, someone’s sister, someone’s wife, someone’s aunt, etc. The author was silent about her background, which meant that she could have come from any background. The author also did not talk about her race or the church that she attends, which meant that she could have come from any part of the world.The Bible says, "a woman" which meant that she could be single or married. It is safe to assume at this point that the bible could have been talking about any woman.

The bible then proceeded to tell us that she had the attire of a harlot. Proverbs 7:10 says, “And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of a harlot....” I believe this woman was not a harlot. If she were a harlot, the Bible would have said so. Although she was not a harlot, she wore the attire of a harlot. This implies that clothes do not make a person but they speak for the person or they ascribe an identity to the person. I thought the next thing after “there met him a woman with the attire of a harlot” would be a detailed description of what she wore. Although the bible did not tell us what she wore, we were told of the condition of her heart – “and subtle of heart” I.e. crafty heart. What she wore was a reflection of what was inside of her. She put on the "attire of a harlot" to get the attention of the opposite sex. She presented herself in a way that recommended her for sex. Am I advocating that women should wear drab clothes? NO! Actually, the virtuous women in Proverbs dressed nicely and dressed their family well too (Proverbs 31:21-22). Despite the fact that this woman was married (Proverbs 7:19-20), her clothes revealed her heart. Outward beauty does not always equate inward beauty.

QUESTION: What does your attire say about you?

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

ARE YOU FREE?

MEMORY VERSE: If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. John 8:36

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 John 1-3

BIBLE READING: Mark 5:1-20

Most young people clamour for freedom or independence. They want to be free from dad and mum or their guardians. They want to be responsible to no-one, report to no-one, answer to no-one, and take instruction from no-one. They want to able do their own thing without anyone questioning them. They don’t want to be told how to dress, speak, or conduct themselves in the public. They want to be free to express themselves especially through their appearance, actions, words, etc. They no longer want to be confined or tied down by so-called “constraints”. They argue that “freedom” is necessary for them to be creative and to maximise their potential. You don’t have to be free to be creative. You can be creative whilst you are being discipled. One of the most creative kings in the history of man is King Uzziah. 2 Chronicles 26:15 says: “And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.” He invented all those powerful engines whilst he was being discipled by Prophet Zechariah (2 Chronicles 26:5).

One thing I want you to know is that there are people whom God has ordained to disciple you. You need to be under certain people at certain times so as to become who God created you to be. If not for Eli, Samuel wouldn’t have learnt how to hear the voice of God. Just as you can’t be a medical doctor without going to the medical school, you can’t be who God created you to be without attending the school of disciples. It is a dangerous thing not to have someone you report to. A lot of social ills can be traced back to the lack of discipleship or mentoring. A man who is responsible to no-one may end up becoming irresponsible if care is not taken. From time to time, I hear people mention names of authors, they have neither met nor spoken to, as their discipler. That’s not possible. A discipler should be someone you can walk to and ask questions. A discipler should be someone who knows you personally. A man without a discipler is an easy prey for the enemy. Satan has put many, as a result of not being discipled, into bondage without knowing. A lot are in bondage without knowing. For instance, a lady who wears a short skirt she has to pull down every minute is not free. Or, one who can’t sit properly because of her skirt. Why make life difficult for yourself? Behind the clamor for freedom to do anything you want is the spirit of rebellion.

The first step in securing freedom is to accept that you are in bondage, just as the first step in solving any problem is to accept that there is a problem. God have been unable to help many because they have not accepted that they need His help. I hope our leaders will one day realise that they need God to solve our problems. The mad man of Gadara had to first accept that He was in bondage before Christ could help Him. The second step is run to Jesus. John 8:38 says: “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” That mad man saw Jesus and ran to Him. If you are yet to give your life to Christ, do so now. And if you have backslidded, you need to return to Him today. Once Christ sets you free, you need to walk in that freedom. One way to stay free is run from sin. Sin complicates your life.

QUESTION: Are you free? Not until you accept Jesus as your personal Lord and saviour, you are not free.

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YOUR ASSOCIATION CAN BRING YOU BLESSINGS

MEMORY VERSE: Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. Psalm 1:1

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Malachi

BIBLE READING: Psalm 1:1-3

It is very important that you select your friends wisely and carefully. Why? Your friends or association will determine whether you will be a success or a failure. Your friends or association will determine whether you will have a happy marriage or not. Your friends will determine whether you will do well in an examination or fail. Your friends will determine the quality of life you will have. God, and you friends, will determine your lot in this life. How? Firstly, your friends will inform your confession and your confession will inform your lot in this life. According to Romans 10:17, “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”. Just as faith comes by hearing, fear (opposite of faith) comes by hearing. Many today live in fear of people of certain religion because of what they have heard in the media... suicide bombing in this part of the world... suicide bombing in that part of the world... hate crimes being perpetrated by some members of this religion. This tiny group, within this religion, perpetrating this hate crime may not truly represent this religion; however, what we hear in the news about them has informed a lot of things. Everything you hear is a seed that will go into your soul and produce fruits. Luke 6:45 says: “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” Whenever you see a brother saying there are no jobs or there are no good women to marry or there are no opportunities in this country, go and check out his friends. You will find that, 9 out of 10 times, his confessions are similar to those of his friends. If there is a problem with your confession, there will be a problem with your life because whatever you confess is what you will have (Numbers 14:28). If you make sickly confession, you will become sick.

Secondly, your association will inform your behaviour. The elders have a wise saying: “show me your friends and i will tell you who you are.” If you really want to know who a person is, look at their friends. I am always wary of so-called “good people” who have a lot of bad friends. The simple reason is that, the Word of God says: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed (Amos 3:3)?” For the sake of argument, let’s say he does not agree with the bad boy lifestyle; he is only their friend to change them. 1 Corinthian 15:33 says: “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” There is a saying in Latin: “qui cum canibus concumbunt cum pulicibus surgent”. The meaning in English is this, “he that lieth with dogs shall rise up with fleas”. Judas Iscariot’s association with the Pharisees turned him into a rogue disciple. It is easier to turn a good person into a bad person than to turn a bad person into a good person. Your association will affect how you perceive life. It will affect your attitude to life. If you sit around those who whinge, moan and complain, after a while you will unconsciously begin to whinge, moan and complain too. If care is not taken, people will start to avoid you or distant themselves from you because no one loves people who whinge. Thirdly, your association will inform what you get from the Lord. According to Psalm 1:1-3, association with the godly will bring increase and fruitfulness. Verse 1 says: “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” However, association with the ungodly will cause the opposite.

NOTE: If you are going to be successful in life, make sure you associate with those who will tell you the truth not those who will tell you what you want to hear.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

THERE IS A SET TIME

MEMORY VERSE: For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. Genesis 21:2

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 137-139

God is orderly. He is highly organised. No wonder He put the world (after He created it) in the hands of time. Genesis 8:22 says: “ While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” Every activity/event/happening on earth is time bound. Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 says: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.”

Therefore, things have to be done in their own time. The age range for primary schools is five (5) through to eleven (11). A two (2) year old or a sixteen (16) year old in primary school will struggle. I will give another illustration to drive home this point. A friend works as an Enforcement Officer and part of his duties is ensure that businesses and establishments complying with certain regulations. One of the regulations is businesses must have a waste contract. (A waste contract is simply an agreement that a business has with a waste collector to collect his waste.) This enforcement officer would serve notices to business owners giving them fourteen (14) days - and an extra seven (7) days depending on the circumstance - to provide their waste contract. Failure to provide this notice will result in a fine or prosecution. Most business owners respond immediately they receive this notice. However, some business owners will leave it to the last minute. Many of them end up getting fined for not providing the requested documents within the time-frame game. 
Everything is time bound. If you don't do things when you should do them, you may be penalised or lose some of the benefits you are supposed to get as you saw in the example above. Your repentance, restitution, accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, making peace with your neighbours, redeeming your vows, etc., are time bound and the time is now.  2 Corinthians 6:2 says: “(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)” Today is the day of salvation, tomorrow maybe too late. The time to serve God is now – whilst you are still young. Ecclesiastes 12:2-4 says: “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: In the day when the keepers of the house (legs) shall tremble, and the strong men (shoulder) shall bow themselves, and the grinders (teeth) cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows (eyes) be darkened, And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low.” The time to chase after the things of eternal value is now!

QUESTION: How are you spending your time?

NOTE: Your time on earth is a very brief one and as such, only focus on important things.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

BEWARE OF ENVY 2

MEMORY VERSE: Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. Psalm 24:3-4

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Nehemiah 1-4

The presence of the Lord is the place to be. It is the safest place in the whole world. Recently, I read a report about the top 10 safest countries in the world and the safest country, according to that report, is New Zealand. Due to their tough and strict criminal justice system, the loss of lives in crimes is almost zero and the rate of crimes is also the least. You are safer in the God's presence than in New Zealand. You are safer in God's presence than in the White House in America, Buckingham Palace in Great Britain and other presidential villas and palaces of this world put together. Satan and his co-demons can enter any of those places to wreck havoc; one place they dare not enter is the presence of the Lord. In 1 Kings 18, some soldiers came to arrest a man of God in the presence of the Lord. Fire came from heaven and consumed them. The only place you can find real joy is in the presence of God. Psalm 16:11 says: “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” Many of us see the church as the presence of God. I want you to know that not everyone in church is in the presence of the Lord. Oh yes, there are many who are physically in church but there mind is somewhere else. Many are physically in church but truthfully speaking, they are not in church but on Facebook. They are busy on checking photos on Facebook whilst the pastor is preaching. Some are on BBM and instagram not in the church. In the presence of the Lord is deliverance. Obadiah 1:17 says: “But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.” The mad man of Gadara – the maddest man ever – got into the presence of God and was delivered (Mark 5:1-28). In the presence of God is breakthrough as seen in the case of Peter (Luke 5). In the presence of God is solution to challenges and problems that are beyond medical science.

To get into the presence of the Lord certain conditions must be met. One of the conditions is you must have a pure heart. Psalm 24:3-4 says: “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.” You must have a clear conscience towards all. Envy will destroy you. It will destroy your relationships with people. It will cloud how you see things. Rachel saw her blood sister’s sons as her rival’s sons instead of her own sons. Envy will cause you to behave in a bad way to people. And as a result, you begin to beg for what should be yours. Had Rachel not misbehaved to her sister out of envy, Reuben would have given her some mandrake when he returned home. But because of her behavior towards his mum,Leah, Reuben only brought mandrake for his mum; Rachel had to beg to have some of this mandrake (Genesis 30:14 -15). Envy leads to unhappiness. It leads to sadness. Envy will cause you to start reading meaning to everything – even things you should not read meanings to. Envy will cause you to see your friends as your rivals. It could lead to hate. As i said the last time, envy will inform evil and ungodly ideas in you. The idea to give her slave to Jacob came as a result of Rachel’s envy. Envy makes one desperate. Aside all these, it will prevent you from being allowed into the presence of God. A man who has a pure heart does not envy people. He rejoices with people when they rejoice.

NOTE: Envy causes one to say what he should not say and the bible says for by your words you will be justified, and by your words will be condemned.

PRAYER POINT: Any harm I may have done to my destiny and my life as a result of envy, Father please reverse them and free me of envy.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

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BEWARE OF ENVY 1

MEMORY VERSE: For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. James 3:16

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 20-22

Genesis 30:1 says: “And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.” “And when Rachel saw .....” implies that Rachel had been looking. What was she looking at or in this particular verse who was she looking at? Her sister Leah. Rachel and her sister, Leah, got married the same week. In less than 5 years, Leah had given birth to four boys and Rachel, none. Rachel, just like many do today, began to compare her life with her sister’s life. She began compare what God was doing in Leah’s life with what God was doing in her own life. This led her to envy her senior sister. What really informed her envy was that she felt that Leah was in a better position than her. She felt that Leah was better off because she had four boys and she (Rachel) had none. Many today are doing exactly what Rachel did. They are busy comparing their lives with the lives of their friends or the people around them. Brother A has bought a car and i am yet to buy a car. Sister A is married with children and i am yet to be married talk less of have children. Let me share what i read somewhere: “My mates are getting married. My mates are getting good jobs. My mates are succeeding. My mates are living overseas. My mates are buying cars. My mates are building houses. My mates are this... My mates are that..... It’s a pity that you literally forgot about your mates in the mortuary; your mates in the psychiatric homes; your mates roaming on the streets; your mates that are jobless, hungry, blind, dear..... You might not be where you want to be but you have obviously transcended where you were yesterday.” Instead of getting yourself all worked up because of what is happening in the lives of the people around you, thank God for the little you have. Besides, what you are calling little is massive in the eyes of others.

Why is envy dangerous? Envy destroys a relationship. When envy is activated within a friendship, the friendship can experience significant tension and conflict. The word of God tells us that where envy is, every evil thing you can think of you will find there. James 3:16: “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” Envy can destroy a family, a long-term relationship, an organisation, etc. Rachel’s envy almost destroyed her family. Her envy literally drove her family apart. Because of envy, her relationship with her senior sister was strained. Not only that, it affected her behaviour towards Leah’s children. It even affected her behaviour towards her husband. Rachel’s envy affected her decisions also. Envy gives birth to evil desires. It makes people to think and act irrationally. How can a woman stoop so low as to give her maid to her husband? Naturally, no woman wants to share her husband with any woman talk less of stooping that low to give her maid to her husband. Envy divides a family. Jacob’s family was broken into two – Leah, her children, her maid and her children & Rachel, her child, her maid and her children. Envy leads to confusion.

NOTE: Envy left unchecked can destroy anything.

PRAYER POINT: Spirit of envy I. bind you in the name of Jesus , under the blood of Jesus, leave my life and return no more.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world