DO NOT GET TIRED

MEMORY VERSE: and let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. GALATIANS 6:9

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Acts 13-17

In Paul’s epistle to the Galatians, he wrote, “and let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Galatians 6:9). Friend, i do not know what you are facing in your marriage or relationship but i want to encourage you, do not get tired. Do not get tired of that stubborn child. His teachers are always reporting him for bad behaviour. Other parents have warned their children not play with him because of his unruly behaviour. You have prayed and fasted, but nothing seems to be happening. As Paul encouraged the Galatians, i want to encourage you in the Lord, do not get tired. Over that child that is always sick, do not get tired. I join my faith with your faith, that child is healed permanently in Jesus name, amen.
Over that marriage, do not get tired. No matter what you do, your husband never appreciates it. He complains at every little opportunity, even when you cook and intentionally do not add salts, he complains that the food salty. I want to encourage you in the Lord, do not get tired. You are trying to lose weight, you have tried different weight loss plans, and nothing seems to be happening. You go to the gym twice a week, but it is taking forever to notice any changes in your outlook, i want to encourage you, do not get tired of trying. You have applied for several jobs, but no one has invited you for an interview, i want to encourage you, do not get tired of making applications. This is the fourth time you have failed your driving test, do not get tired of trying. Register and book for it again. This is the sixth time you have sat for F6 Taxation, ACCA Qualifications, do not get tired of trying, read, and book the exam again. In the name that is above every other name, your next effort will be the last time you will sit for that subject, Amen.

Do not be weary in showing love to that nasty family member. Do not get tired of interceding for that friend, family member, or colleague at work, who is yet to give his or her life to Christ. Do not get tired of praying for that husband of yours that is always returning home drunk at night. Do not get tired of witnessing to your colleagues at work about Jesus. Do not get tired of interceding for your nation. It may seem as if you are wasting your time praying for your country and the leaders. Friend, your prayer is keeping your nation. The prayer of the righteous is keeping this world. Let us not become weary in interceding for the leaders, kings, princes, head of states, presidents, founders and general overseers, pastors, leaders, etc. Do not become tired of life. Suicide is not the way out. Do not become tired of committing that relationship to God. It is true that you committed it to Him at the beginning, keep on committing it to Him. A man of God once said this, “if you remember to say it, God will remember to do it”

PRAYER POINT: Father, Help of the helpless, please help every one of us in the might name of Jesus.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

INTO A FAR COUNTRY

MEMORY VERSE:  And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. Luke 15:13

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Micah 7 – Nahum 1

BIBLE STUDIES: Luke 15:11-32

A young boy approached his father and requested for his own share of inheritance. Since he was of age, the father shared all he had between his two sons, and gave this young boy his inheritance.  There is nothing wrong in a son exercising his right of sonship. As far as the young man is matured, physically and mentally, the father can give him his share of inheritance. The same applies to us believers; there is nothing wrong in asking our Father in heaven to give us portion of His goods relevant to our ‘age’. Some of the portion of His goods is deliverance, healing, prosperity, breakthrough, revelations, divine wisdom, anointing, etc.

A few days after, this young man gathered all and left for a far country. Luke 15:13 says and not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. Asking our Father in heaven for legitimate things is right. There is nothing wrong in asking God for a new job, spouse, baby, house, gift of the Spirit, favour and so on, but taking them away to a far country is wrong. Many of us have taken God’s goods to a far country. The moment that large pay cheque arrived, we moved from the Father’s presence. The moment we got married, we stopped praying. The moment we got the job, we started missing midweek service. One thing we must know is this, whatever we take out of God’s presence into the world will waste. It does not matter what your bank balances is, if you continue to spend without any sort of income, you will go bankrupt. The same applies to spiritual resources like anointing; it will diminish if taken away from His presence. The only ONE who does not diminish is God. It is only in the presence of God that you and I, will be continually refreshed, replenished, and refuelled. Whatever you get from the presence of God, please do not take it out of the presence of God. The young man gathered everything, went to a far country, and wasted all on extravagant lifestyle. If you are earning 1000 pounds per month, do not go and buy a shoe of 950 pounds, that is an extravagant lifestyle. The fact that your friend has it, does not mean you must have it. Must you do a big wedding because that sister in church did a big wedding? Cut your coat according to your size. There is nothing wrong in a big wedding but remember, wedding is a day but marriage is a lifetime. After this boy spent all, a mighty storm arose in that land. Everyone had deserted him. Those that were calling him a ‘big boy’ disappeared. Friends, be wise, those that are calling you a ‘big boy’ or ‘big girl’ will desert when you run into problem. Brother, there is nothing cool in being a gangster, if you die as a gangster, you will go to hell.

TO PONDER: Am i abiding in the presence of God or in far country?

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

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JONAH

MEMORY VERSE:  Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep. Jonah 1:5

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Micah 4-6

Christ did not save you, to live your life as you please. He does not save for the fun of saving. He saved us, so that you and i, can live a life pleasing to Him. After He saved the woman caught in adultery, He gave her an instruction. John 8:11 says she said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. That instruction, ‘go, and sin no more,’ is for all of us. Go, and fight no more, quarrel no more, curse no more, disobey your parents no more, accept bribe no more, participate in exam malpractices no more,  commit adultery/ fornication no more , steal no more , beat your wife no more. Christ is saying, ‘I have saved you, go, and do those things i saved you from no more.’

Yesterday, we saw what happens when a fellow boards a ship with a ‘Jonah’. At first, everything will be fine, after a while, a storm will arise. If the fellow is not prayerful, he may lose his wares and other valuable possessions. Today, we will look at the character of Jonah .The first thing, i want you to know is, anyone can exhibit these characters even Christians. God sent Jonah to Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire, to a people despised by the Jews. Jonah would rather that Nineveh be destroyed than that city have an opportunity to repent and be spared. The Assyrians were a cruel people who showed no mercy to their enemies, and Jonah wanted them out of the way. This man, Jonah, thought he had a choice or say in the will of God for the people of Nineveh. He forgot that the will of God is not an option: it is an obligation and an opportunity. Anyone who thinks (s) he has a choice in the will of God for his or her life or the life of others is a ‘Jonah.’ When we run from God’s will, we always go down. We may end up sacrificing safety for danger and peace for storm. Jonah is also a sleeping Christian. Whilst everyone prayed, Prophet Jonah snored. Jonah 1:5 says then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep. Are you awake? Do you observe the growing darkness on earth? Things that used to be an abomination 30 years ago are now what we celebrate today.  Twenty years ago, if a brother should fornicate, maybe he was at the wrong place at the wrong time, he will start to cry. Today, the same brother will pat himself on the back and gist his friends. The goal of every believer used to be heaven, but today, it is blackberry phones and the latest Range Rover. Can you tell the season we are in? Do you know we are at the end of the world? Do you still fast? Do you still have your quiet time? Do you still witness? Do you still give to the poor? Does your heart still prick you when you tell little white lies?

PRAYER POINT: Father, please wake your church up from her slumber.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

IN SHIP WITH ‘JONAH’

MEMORY VERSE:  And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah. Jonah 1:7

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Micah 1-3

One subject, the word of God lays emphasis on is association. Proverbs 13:20 says he that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. Who you walk, talk, live, invest, partner or travel with, can either make you or break you. Psalm 1:1 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. There are people you should not walk with, if you do not want problems. One of them is people that do evil. Psalm 34:16 says the face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 

Another one is ‘Jonah’. In Jonah 1:1-3, God sent Jonah to Nineveh, a wicked city, to preach to them. Instead of going to Nineveh, he went to Joppa and boarded a ship going to Tarshish. As they travelled, the Lord sent a mighty storm that almost broke the ship (they were travelling in) into two. Panic broke out in the ship; everyone began to run helter skelter. To lighten the ship, people started throwing their wares into the sea. You see, lightening a ship stabilizes it in rough seas. When that did not work, they cried to God. It is funny how people only remember God when they face challenges. Whilst crying to God, the Lord opened the eyes of one of the mariners. Jonah 1:7 says And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah. They took Jonah and threw him into the sea. Immediately, the storm seized. Sadly, they could not recover the wares they had lost. There are many suffering today because they are in ship with ‘Jonah’. There are many, who are going through pains because they are in ship with someone, who is not supposed to be on that ship. (By God’s grace, tomorrow, we will talk about the man Jonah). As singles, pray very well so that you do not get married to ‘Jonah’. Before going into business with anyone, pray so that you will not be a business partner with ‘Jonah’. Not until the people prayed, the Lord did not reveal ‘Jonah’ and as long as ‘Jonah’ was in the ship, they will never know peace. The following, indicate the presence of ‘Jonah’ in a ship:  Presence of storms; loss of peace of heart; loss of properties; lives at risk; etc.Right from the day, that fellow moved into your house, you started having problems at work. From the day you employed that staff, your customers started complaining.  From the moment that customer started doing business with you, your business started going down. From the moment, that brother proposed to you or that sister came into your life, you have been going from one challenge to another. These are all indicators that you are in ship with ‘Jonah’.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please open my eyes, so that i can see all the ‘Jonahs’ in my life. Also, give me the wisdom needed to path ways with them.

QUESTION: Are you still keeping records of your life?

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

NINEVEH OR TARSHISH?

MEMORY VERSE:  Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. Jonah 1:2-3

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jonah 2-4

God is merciful. According to Psalm 103:8, He is plenteous in mercy. Psalm 103:11 says for as heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. Many of us are alive today, courtesy of God’s mercy. If God were to mark iniquity, the sins we committed before we gave our lives to Christ – the lies, fornication, adultery, abortion, etc, none of us will be able to stand. The town of Nineveh was known for wickedness, Heaven even testifies to this. Before destroying this city, the Lord gave them a chance to repent. What have you done with all the opportunities, God gave to you to repent from that secret sin? Repent from stealing from the offering basket. Repent from cheating on your spouse. Your husband may not know, your wife may not know, your pastor may not know but God knows. The Lord called Jonah and sent him to Nineveh. Jonah 1:2-3 says Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. 

Nineveh represents God’s will for Jonah. It represents God’s will for your life and my life. It stands for God’s will for our family, ministry, work, business etc. Tarshish on the other hand, represents Jonah’s will. God wanted him to go to Nineveh, but he went towards Tarshish. It also represents ‘your’ will. Which one of these two, takes precedence in your life - Nineveh or Tarshish, God’s will or ‘your’ will? Nineveh represents God’s heart desire while Tarshish represents Jonah’s heart desire. Brother in Christ, are you working in God’s will for your family and business or your own will? Nineveh represents a step in the right direction while Tarshish represents a step in the wrong direction. Are you moving towards God’s or away from God? Tarshish is in a direction opposite to the will of God for your life. It leads down and away from the presence of God. If you study the whole chapter, Jonah 1, you will observe that as Jonah moved in the direction of Tarshish, a storm arose. Storms are inevitable when one moves away from God’s presence. Challenges after challenges are inevitable when one is operating in his own will instead of God’s will. It is impossible for one to travel to Tarshish and prosper. Some of the indicators that one is travelling on the wrong path are lack of peace of heart. Another is frustration and fear. Sometimes a calamity or misfortune indicates a wrong direction. Are you considering Nineveh or Tarshish? I besiege you in the name of the Lord, stay in God’s will for your life. Have you started making your way to Tarshish? Worse still, are you already in Tarshish? Before you are stuck, why not repent today and return to Nineveh.

NOTE: The absence of peace of heart is a strong indicator that something is wrong. If you are unsure about the route you are on, go to God in prayer, and ask Him to reveal His will to you.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

DON’T FEED THE PIGEONS

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: Amos 9- Jonah 1

Not too long ago, I saw an inscription on a wall that caught my attention. It says, ‘Don’t feed the pigeons’. I looked around and saw pigeons everywhere. There were children having fun, chasing after the pigeons and screaming for joy. ‘Why on earth will anyone have problems with feeding these harmless pigeons,’ I thought to myself. As I looked closely, I saw pigeon droppings all round – on walls, railings, windows, etc. It dawned on me that these pigeons were a problem. The cost of maintaining the properties alone, getting people to clean the droppings from time to time, is something. Not only that, who would want to live or set up a business in an area with pigeon problems? No one. The only way to solve this pigeon problem is, stop people from feeding the pigeons. As the food reduced, these pigeons began to migrate to another area.　

This principle applies to every area of our life. Fear, faith, anger, resentment, envy, strife, etc, are living ‘organisms’. If you feed them, they will grow; if you starve them of their food, they will die. If you feed your fears, it will grow big. If all you listen to is what the specialists have to say about your condition, you will become scared. Stop listening to what the experts have to say about the economy. If you feed your faith too, it will grow big. If you spend quality time, listening to messages by anointed men and women of God, studying the word of God and exercising your faith, your faith will grow big. Feed your faith today by looking to Jesus, not the challenges. Hebrews 12:2 says 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. A lot of us struggle with our flesh, we have fed it and it has become so big, now we are struggling to keep it under control. Fasting is now a problem, prayer is gradually becoming a burden, spiritual activities are now boring to us. What you are doing when you listen to secular songs – songs about sex, crime, drugs, etc, is, you are feeding your flesh. You are also feeding the flesh, when you read all sorts of novels; watch ungodly programs on TV – pornography, soap operas celebrating unruly children and so on. If you continue to feed your flesh, it will grow so big and begin to control you. Instead of feeding your flesh, why not feed your spirit by praying in tongues, singing in tongues, fasting, reading the Word, etc. Stop feeding that anger. Stop feeding that resentment. Feed peace by saying sorry. Feed your marriage by investing time and resources in it. Do you know, it is also possible for you to feed the fear of others? Instead of feeding the fear of others, feed their faith by encouraging them in the Lord. When someone wrongs you and you keep going over it repeatedly, you are feeding your anger. In that marriage, do not feed strife by arguing with your husband. Do not feed bitterness, by refusing to forgive that sister. I want you to know this, every time you feed your fear, your faith dies. Every time you feed your flesh, your spiritual life suffers. Every time you feed strife, peace disappears.

TO PONDER: what are you feeding　- love or hatred?

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.　

AND SHE CONSTRAINED HIM

MEMORY VERSE: And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.2 Kings 4:8

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Amos 4-8

In 2 Kings 4:8-37, the bible talks about a great woman in Shunem. The Amplified bible describes her as a rich and influential woman. The NIV (New International Version) describes her as a well-to-do woman. Some translations of the bible, describes her as a wealthy and prominent woman. All these, point to one fact, she was a very successful woman. The bible deliberately described this woman has been great, rich and influential, wealth and prominent, (depending on the version of the bible you are reading from) for a reason. Otherwise, the bible would have described her as a woman of Shunem. As a woman, you can be great. You have the potential to be successful. As a Christian, you can be rich and influential. You can write books that will change the world. Through your character, you can put your town on the map. The great woman of Shunem, through her deed, put Shunem on the map. If not for this woman, we probably would not have heard about Shunem today. If Christ does not return in 100 hundred years, people will continue to talk about Shunem because of what this woman did. As a woman, you can make a difference. You can invent something, solve a problem, start a business and so on.

2 Kings 4:8 says And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. As great as this woman was, she was humble. She saw a prophet of God passing by, she left everything she was doing, went to him, and invited him for lunch. The prophet rejected the offer; one would have thought that, this woman would turn back and say, ‘how can an ordinary prophet reject my offer?’ She did not, the bible records that she constrained him. In other words, she did not take 'no' for an answer. I can imagine her telling the prophet, ‘sir, you must eat at our place .... i know you are not hungry but at least come in, sit down and i will wash your feet.’ This woman was stubbornly good. Are you the type that takes 'no' for an answer? When you go to God for something, if you do not get an answer after a week, do you stop asking and sort it out yourself? At times, people invite you for a meal or offer to help, hoping that you will say no. With this woman, it was not so, she really wanted to host the man of God. When was the last time you hosted a man of God? Whether you do it or not, the Lord will feed his prophets. Matthew 10:41 says He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. How you treat people will determine what you will get. If someone comes to stay at your place, treat them well because you do not know what that person will become tomorrow.

NOTE: When you offer to help, people may turn it down to see if you really want to help or pretending.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.