AND LOT ALSO, WHICH WENT WITH ABRAM

MEMORY VERSE: And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. Genesis 13:5

BIBLE READING: Numbers 5-7

Walking with God brings prosperity. A look at Abram’s life, before and after he met God, glaringly shows that it is profitable to walk with God. All he had before he started to walk with God, despite the fact that he was a hardworking man, was a little substance. Genesis 12:5 says:“And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.” Within a short time, Abram went from a man with a little substance to become a man who was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold (See Genesis 13:2). There is a big difference between being rich and being very rich, just as there is a big difference between being a millionaire and being a billionaire. Abram was not just rich; he was very rich.You cannot please God, the Possessor of heaven and earth (Genesis 14:19), the Owner of silver and gold (Haggai 2:8), by obeying and serving Him in spirit and truth, and remain poor. I have a good news for everyone who is serving God in spirit and truth, very soon people will begin to refer to you as a rich brother or sister and you will use the wealth to promote the gospel and help the less privilege.

Lot, Abram’s relative who was living with him at the time, also prospered. Genesis 13:5 says:“And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.” Lot was a young man who prospered as a result of his association with Abram (a man who walked with God). As a result of his association with Abram, he went from being a pagan to become a righteous man. 2 Peter 2:7 says: “And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked.” Let me ask, how many people presently read their Bibles daily as a result of their association with you? How many go to church regularly as a result of their association with you? How many have stopped fornicating as a result of their association with you? How many have stopped committing adultery as a result of their association with you? How many have given their lives to Christ as a result of their association with you? How many men have stopped beating their wives as a result of their association with you? How many wives submit to their husbands as a result of their association with you? How many have stopped accepting bribes or giving bribes as a result of their association with you?How many have stopped telling lies as result of their association with you? Someone said, “but am not a pastor.” You don’t have to be a pastor to make a difference in the lives of the people around you. Naaman, one of the military top brass in Syria, began to serve the God of Isreal because of a little slave girl in his house. Lot prospered as a result of his association with Abram. How many people have prospered as a result of their association with you? Abram gave Lot the opportunity to grow. Do you give the people around you the chance to grow? Brother in Christ, is your wife a better Christian as a result of her marriage to you? Sister in Christ, is your husband doing well as a result of your marriage to him?

QUESTION: What do you want to be remembered for?

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“BUT EVERYONE IS DOING IT”

MEMORY VERSE: I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Psalm 32:8

BIBLE READING: Numbers 1-4

A “way” is simply a path to a destination. The destination can be a physical one, a spiritual one, an emotional one, a mental one, etc. It can be one in your career, marriage, relationship, ministry, personal life, etc. Psalm 32:8a says: “I will instruct thee and teach thee in THE WAY which thou shalt go.” The phrase “the way” implies there are several ways. There are several ways before us; however, not all of the ways lead to God’s destination. There is a “way”, according to Proverbs 14:12, that seems right but the end of it is death. The flesh has its ways. It wants sugary drinks and processed foods. These leads to Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. The flesh hates discipline or exercise. The flesh does not like to pray or fast. This leads to a weak spiritual life. Romans 8:8 says: “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” The world has its ways; e.g., the world dress, talk, behave, raise children, treat husbands or wives, start a relationship and even serve God in a certain way. The Bible clearly teaches that our body is the temple of the living God; the Lord will destroy anyone who destroys His temple ( See 1Corinthians 3:17). You can not be a friend of the world and a friend of God at the same time (See James 4:4).

Some of the ways of the world; include, scheming, using what you have to get what you want, covering up sins, etc. The Bible says, “he that covers his sins will not prosper (Proverbs 28:13)”. Your friends have their ways and most of the time, they are at variance with the Scriptures. Your friends may be fornicating and committing adultery. There is also a popular way; viz, the reigning thing. You do things simply because everyone around is doing it. For instance, you play the lottery or bet on horses because everyone is doing it. Exodus 23:2 says: “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment.” The fact that everyone is doing a thing does not make it right. Child bride is popular in certain parts of the world, does this mean that child bride is good? NO! The excuse many of us give is “but everyone is doing it.” You, as a sister, should not wear clothes that expose your cleavage because everyone is doing it. You, as a brother, should not engage in sex before marriage because everyone in the choir is doing it. The fact that it is popular does not mean it is right. Your parents may have their own ways. They may want you to put them before your wife which is against the Scriptures. They may even want you to put your brothers and sisters before your wife which is again against the teachings of the Holy Bible. Your manager probably has his ways: he probably wants you to dress in a way that will attract male customers to the bank or the restaurant. There are many ways (before us) but only one will take us to God’s destination for our lives. Psalm 32:8 says: “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” Search the Scriptures to discover the way you should go. Also, seek Him in spirit and in truth.

NOTE: The fact that a practice is popular does not mean the practice is right.

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“LEAN NOT UNTO THINE OWN UNDERSTANDING”

MEMORY VERSE: Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

BIBLE READING: Exodus 38-40

Two men lived in a land. Both were shepherds; they served the Lord and as a result, the Lord increased their substances to the extent that the land could no longer contain them. One day,they decided to part ways. The first man lifted up his eyes and chose what he saw. Genesis 13:10-11 says: “And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.” Lot leaned on his own understanding and as a result, he became a neighbour to God’s enemies (Genesis 13:12-13). He and his wife were taken captive shortly after their move (Genesis 14:11-12). Out of mercy, the Lord delivered him and he moved to Sodom. Many years later, the Lord destroyed Sodom and he lost all – his wife, home and properties (Genesis 19). Lot became homeless and began to dwell in rocks.

The other person, on the other hand, choose what he was shown. Genesis 13:14 says: “And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward.” As a result, Abram became a deliverer – the Lord used him to deliver Lot. He had children; his lineage continued even to this day. Abram became a blessing to many generation. We cannot run from making decisions (if we want to continue to live). Even plants make decision – they bend towards sunlight when kept in a dark room. Decision-making is inevitable. Deuteronomy 30:19 says: “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” We have no other choice than to make decisions and face the consequences of our decisions. Many single brothers choose their wives based on sight. They married ladies who could cook, who appeared quiet, etc.; they were not led by God into those marriages. They discovered after marriage that these ladies cooked only when they were happy ( and they are rarely happy). They were quiet only when they had their ways. They (these brothers) discovered all sorts – these women argued a lot, never forgave and complained of everything – after marriage and wished they were single. The same with sisters, they married brothers based on their looks, bank balances and assets. They discovered after marriage that these brothers were wife-beaters, serial womanisers, drug addicts,unusually stingy,etc. Many of us choose careers, jobs, apartments, churches to attend, schools to send our children,etc. by sight. Make sure you are led by God because it is dangerous to choose by sight. Remember, not all that glitters is gold.

NOTE: Things always appear attractive until you move closer. The fig tree looked great until Jesus moved closer and discovered it had no fruit.

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“AND THE IRON DID SWIM”

MEMORY VERSE: And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim. 2 Kings 6:6

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 33-37

2 Timothy 3:1 says: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” The perilous times Paul spoke about is here. As such, we must be careful. Guard the things God has given to you, jealously. Why? Firstly, it can be taken from you. Revelations 3:11 says: “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” There are agents of the devil out there who want to empty you of everything the Lord has given to you. Secondly, it can be lost due to carelessness. You may lose your salvation if you play with it or buy into the "eternal salvation" theory. There are several examples of fervent brothers who lost their salvation in the bible e.g. Demas, Hymenaeus, etc. According to Holy Scriptures, a man is known by his fruits (Matthew 7:16). Paul would have selected a co-worker who showed lots of it. Paul instructed Timothy and Titus on how to go about appointing elders, by making sure the selected persons were truly qualified and had a high level of morality, so we can only expect that Paul obeyed his own instructions. For instance, in Acts 15:37, Paul rejected John Mark due to his past. I am sure, Paul would not have appointed Demas as a co-worker in the ministry if he was not saved and bearing fruits. This brother later lost his salvation and went back into the world. 2 Timothy 4:10 says: “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.”

Thirdly, the Lord (who gave it) can decide to take it back if abuse it or don't use it. The master of the servant who failed to use his talent took it back from him and gave it to the servant with ten talents (Matthew 25:14-30). The Lord warned the children of Israel whilst on their way to the promise land to run from sin or else, He would drive them from the land like He did to those before them. Leviticus 18:28 says: “That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.” Is it possible for one to lose his or her spiritual gifts? Yes, especially if one falls into the sin of fornication or adultery. An example that comes to mind is that of a sister who fornicated. After fornicating, she lost the gifts of praying in tongues and her spiritual life went down. She had hit rock bottom when we met her. Our of mercy, the Lord restored the gift after she repented and we prayed. Guard the things God has given to you, jealously. If you have lost something due to your carelessness or for any other reason, God can restore it. However, it is better not to have lost it in the first place. I pray that He will have mercy on you and restore what you have lost. The One who retrieved an axe head from the River Jordan, a muddy river, is alive and able to retrieve the irretrievable (2 Kings 6:1-6). Verse 6 says: “ And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.”

NOTE: Don’t give up. If what you have lost is irreplaceable which is rarely the case, He will give you something better. Trust in the Lord. God wants you to be happy.

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THE POWER TO CREATE YOUR WORLD

MEMORY VERSE: And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. Genesis 2:15

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 29-34


Genesis 2:15 says: “And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof." The task of giving names to the creatures God created was not a small one. Firstly, it was a time-consuming task. As of today, according to BBC, there are 8.7 million species of animals. Secondly, it was a task that required a great knowledge of animals and divine wisdom because the names had to be in consonance with God’s purpose for the animals. The Lord brought these living creatures – animals, fishes, birds, etc. - to Adam to give them names for two main reasons: To distinguish one from another, (and point at something in them that was natural to them, and made them different from each other) and to put them into his hands, and give him authority over them.

There are few things I will like to point out in Genesis 2:15-16. Firstly, God gave Adam free hand to give names to the living creatures He was putting under him (See Genesis 2:15a).  Secondly, He didn’t interfere with the whole process. He allowed Adam to give them names that pleased him. Thirdly, the living creatures answered to the names that Adam gave to them (Genesis 2:15b). Just as God gave Adam free hand to give names to the living creatures He was putting under him, God has also given you a free hand to give names to the children He gave or will give to you. Not only that, He has given you a free hand to describe your life and give a name to your situation. God will not interfere with the names you give to your children, yourself, business, company or situation. Lastly, your children, business, company and situation will answer to the names you give to them. If I were you, I will never call a situation a hopeless situation because, as God lives and His Spirit lives, that is what that situation will be –it will definitely become a hopeless one. If I were you, I will never call my child a good-for-nothing boy or girl. You may have done it out of anger but you have also damaged the destiny of that young boy or girl. Thank God, you can reverse those names.

NOTE: The power to define your world is in your words so use it wisely.

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ONLY IN FULL MEASURE

MEMORY VERSE: And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 23-28

One of the names of our Lord Jesus Christ is Wonderful (See Isaiah 9:6). Wonderful simply means full of wonders. Another name of Jesus Christ is Merciful (full of mercy). Exodus 34:6 says: “And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.” He is also called Faithful (1 Thessalonian 5:24).

You will observe from His names mentioned above that He is full of good things. Hence, James said, “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from Him (James 1:17).” The Lord deals only in FULL measures. He gives His Spirit in FULL measures. He anointed the Psalmist with oil and his cup RAN OVER ( See Psalm 23:5). Jesus, BEING FULL of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, was led by the Spirit into the wilderness (Luke 4:1). Stephen, BEING FULL of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:55). The Lord FILLED Bezalel with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship (Exodus 31:3).

He FILLS His children with blessings (See Proverbs 3:10).  He COMPLETELY heals; i.e., He makes whole. Luke 17:19 says: “And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.” He gives FULL protection to His children (See Psalm 125:2). He destroys ALL the enemies of His children. The Moabites, the Ammonites and the Meunites waged war against Judah ( 2 Chronicles 20). Verse 24 says: “And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.” He FILLS children with peace. Romans 15:13 says: “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” What does the Lord expect in return? He expects His children to love Him with ALL their heart, soul and mind ( See Matthew 22:37). He expects FULL service/ commitment from His children (1 Samuel 12:24).

NOTE: It is either you seek Him with everything in you or you don’t because you will only find Him when you seek Him with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13).

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PRAYER: A MASTER KEY

MEMORY VERSE: Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. James 5:14-15

BIBLE READING: 1 Kings 5-8

There is a song we used to sing back in Nigeria: ‘Prayer is the key. Prayer is the key. Prayer is the master-key. Jesus started with prayer and ended with prayer. Prayer is the master-key.’ How true are the lyrics of this song? Jesus started His ministry with prayer (in the desert) and ended it with prayer (on the cross). One of the secrets of Jesus' success whilst He was on the earth was prayers. He prayed regularly. Prayer is a prerequisite for greatness.

Anyone who wants a change of story, a change of circumstances, victory, a breakthrough, etc., must pray. By praying for the sick, God can heal them. James 5:14-15 says: ‘Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.’ Fervent prayer can turn a situation around. James 5:16 says: ‘Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.’ There was a conspiracy at work to get rid of me some years back. At a point, it was certain that I was going to be sacked because they recruited someone to replace me. I reported the matter to God and He turned the table around. The person that led the conspiracy was demoted and she left out of shame. Others were sacked. Prayer draws angels closer to you. Jesus prayed and angels came to minister to Him (Luke 22:39-43). Prayer diffuses fear and imparts unshakeable confidence. Acts 4:31 says: ‘And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.’ However, one thing is required for your prayer to be answered and that is faith. Hebrews 11:6 says: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’

NOTE: Prayer draws you closer to God.

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