THEME: SOCIAL DEVIANTS!

DATE: SATURDAY 4 OCTOBER 2014

MEMORISE: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: 1 Peter 4:2

READ: ACTS 17:5-9

5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.

8 And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.

9 And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 SAMUEL 17:1-18:16 and PROVERBS 6:16-27

MESSAGE:

A Christian can be described as a little Christ. While on earth, Christ exhibited integrity in all His utterances and actions. He said His children would do greater works. Are you born-again? Are you a true child of God? With self-discipline and appropriate preparation, you can become effective in exhibiting integrity. Integrity as a way of life and our effectiveness in every field depends on the measure of our preparation. The more prepared we are, the more effective we become. Therefore, to become effective in exhibiting integrity, you must be prepared.

God’s standard for His children is perfection (Matthew 5:48). It is pathetic to note that many societies lack integrity. In a society where integrity has become a scarce commodity, a person of integrity is sometimes seen as a social deviant. Occasionally, efforts are made by bad elements of such societies to neutralise his or her influence. This can be by subtle or outright persecution, imposition of sanctions, or by a collective effort to undermine his or her personality. History confirms however that a person of integrity is always a winner. Why? He or she is consistent and credible. Are you a person of integrity? Credibility defines integrity. The benefit of integrity is confidence and the ability to influence others positively. The more credible you are, the more confidence people place in you, thereby granting you the privilege of influencing their lives. The contrast is also true. The less credible you are as a person, the less confidence people place in you, and the more quickly you lose your position of influence. Are you a Christian leader? The secret to rising and not falling is integrity. Integrity is germane to your success in ministry. There is no denying the fact that the more credible you are, the longer your staying power and the more successful your ministry will be. In the same vein, the less credible you are, the shorter your staying power and the less successful your ministry will be. Every leader needs integrity because it builds trust. A man must have followers in order to be a leader. In order to have followers, a leader must have their confidence. Hence, the supreme quality of a leader is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, whether it is in a church, on a football field, in an army barrack or in an office. If a man’s associates find him guilty of being a phony, if they find out that he lacks forthright integrity, he will fail. Your teachings and actions must square up with each other. Society may see them as deviants but the first great need of a Christian leader is integrity and high purpose. Are you viewed as a social deviant? Don’t lose your integrity.

KEY POINT:

A man’s character determines the character of his organisation. Be a person of integrity.

BEWARE OF THIS ENEMY: PROCRASTINATION

Wednesday October 1

Memorise:
Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
Proverbs 27:1

Read: Luke 9:59-62

59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.
62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Message:

One of the worst enemies of progress in life, business and ministry is procrastination. To procrastinate is to put off a currently required action until a future time. It means to defer or to postpone. Procrastination is an attitudinal problem. It is a character flaw that affects millions of people in every walk of life. While it is regarded as normal for people to procrastinate, it can become a problem that hinders progress in life. It affects critical decisions such as accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and many other important things. It is dangerous for a Christian to procrastinate because procrastination can result in loss of fellowship and opportunities. It can also cause loss of souls which should have been won. The dangerous effect of procrastination is lamented in Jeremiah 8:20:
“The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.”

There are many reasons why people procrastinate. First is because of their personal convenience (Acts 24:25). This is a major reason many people fail in life, education, business, family and ministry. It is also the reason many do not give their lives to Christ immediately they hear the word of God. Laziness is another reason for procrastination (Proverbs 26:13-16). Many people put off indefinitely what they could have done presently as a result of indolence. A slothful man has many flimsy excuses for procrastinating. These range from imaginary fear to complaints that he or she lacks encouragement. Another reason for procrastination is worldly entanglements (Genesis 19:16, Matthew 19:20-22). Consideration of family pressure at the expense of God’s business could also lead to procrastination of God’s business. A reader of this devotional, who has the call of God upon his life, finds it difficult to surrender his all to God and go into full-time ministry because of family pressure. God should be topmost on your scale of preference at all times. Family pressure, as serious as it could be, should not be considered at the expense of God’s business. Learn a lesson from Elisha. As soon as the mantle fell on him, he ran after Elijah, turning his back on his family business (1 Kings 19:19-20). Another cause of procrastination is environmental distractions. Procrastination can be solved through proper planning and constant reminders (Luke 14:28). Priorities should be set right. Self-discipline could also help against procrastination when applied in areas such as eating, talking, watching TV or movies, use of telephones and other sources of distractions. It is always better to seize the moment and maximize every given opportunity to complete tasks and achieve goals.

Key Point:
The best way to do things is to do them at the proper time. Stop procrastinating.

FEAR NOT!

Tuesday September 30

Memorise:
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
Jeremiah 33:3

Read: Isaiah 43:1-7

1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.
5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;
6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

Message

Everyone has someone he or she turns to in the time of trouble. When trouble comes, some people turn to their friends, while some turn to their family. Some turn to witch doctors while others turn to idols. Some even turn to false prophets. In 1 Kings 18:26-29, the Bible tells us how some people called on the idol of Baal, but he did not hear them. Do not turn to idols that have mouths but cannot speak. Do not put your trust in a man of God. Put your trust in God only. The moment you trust in the prayers and powers of man, you are putting a curse on yourself (Jeremiah 17:5). Those who trust in the Lord when trouble arises are the ones who triumph. Long after the trouble is gone, they will still be standing (Psalm 125:1-2). It is only the Almighty God that is available at all times. Once in a while, we find ourselves in a situation where there seems to be no way out. If you are a true child of God, there is always a way out. God will make a way where there seems to be no way. When there seems to be no way, turn to the One who is the Way, and He will take you through locked doors, as He did in the case of Peter in Acts 12:10.

Whenever you call on the Almighty God, He does not delay in answering. There is only one reason why you may call and He will not answer; that is if there is sin in your life and you refuse to let go of that sin. David said in Psalm 138:3:
“In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.”
This is the way of God. God does not delay. He does not enjoy seeing His people in poverty, sickness or sorrow. He does not want you to suffer. If you let go of sin, there is no reason why your prayer will not be answered immediately. In today’s Bible reading, twice the Lord says to you: “Fear not”. This can mean several things. It could mean that there is something that can produce fear but the Almighty God is saying that you should not pay attention to it. Fear comes from something you can see or hear. In 2 Corinthians 5:7, the Bible says we walk by faith and not by sight. In order words, we refuse to look at things that bring fright. Faith also comes by what we hear (Romans 10:17). When others are bringing their evil reports from the devil, you are to hear the report of the Lord. You will have to decide on which one to choose. The report of the Lord is that, with Him, nothing shall be impossible. Therefore fear not.

Action Point:
Make this proclamation: “It doesn’t matter what may happen tomorrow, all will be well with me”.

CHILDREN OF LIGHT OR DARKNESS?

Sunday September 28

Memorise:
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1 John 2:15

Read: 1 Thessalonians 5:4-10

4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
Message

It is unfortunate to observe that sobriety is no longer a common feature in the lives of many twenty-first century believers. Instead, the characteristics of the night or darkness are the common trademarks of many so-called Christians. Apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:6 does not only admonish us to be sober-minded, he also warns us to beware of the sleep of death. We should not engage in spiritual slumbering, so that the coming of the Day of the Lord may not catch us unawares. We should not engage in the works of darkness as he enjoined us in Ephesians 5:4-5:
“Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”

Why do we have thieves in the Church today? Why are harlots singing in the Choir? Why are extra-marital wanderings common among both the laity and the clergy? The answer is not far-fetched: children of light are becoming children of darkness. Also, children of darkness are disguising as children of light. Furthermore, the children of light are making the spiritual environment (the Church) too comfortable for evil doers. The love towards the ungodly that they may be saved has been over-stretched to the point of deadly compromise. Sobriety is no longer popular. If you live soberly nowadays, you belong to the “old school”. You are looked upon as an idiot if you refuse to be fraudulent to get rich. Worse still, when you cannot dole money out like those who are fraudulent, you are inconsequential. How can we get out of our spiritual black-out? The answer is simple; the Bibles says,
“Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:”
Ephesians 5:7-8
The Bible also says that the night is far spent and the day is at hand. As a matter of fact, the Day of the Lord is at hand. So let us walk like children of light (Romans 13:12-14). May the second coming of the Lord not catch you unawares in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point:
Father, please give me the spirit of vigilance so that the coming of the Lord may not catch me unawares.

KNOW YOUR CALLING

Saturday September 27

Memorise:
Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
1 Corinthians 7:20

Read: 1 Corinthians 12:1-7

1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.
3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
Message

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, wrote to tell us in today’s Bible reading that he would not want us to be ignorant of the truth concerning our calling as children and workers in the vineyard. It is needless to emphasise the danger of ignorance as stated in Hosea 4:6. Our Lord Jesus Christ also emphasised the importance of knowing the truth for perfect freedom when in John 8:32 He said:
“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
In other words, falsehood can hold people captive! In Proverbs 22:29, we read that a man who is diligent in business shall stand before kings. In what business did the Bible refer to? In his own business of course! What happens if a person is found in other people’s business? No doubt, it will be an exercise in futility or an unprofitable venture. You have to be diligent in your own business, which is where you will be rewarded. The Bible in Songs of Solomon 1:6 says:
“…my mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.”

Take to heart the following lessons from today’s Bible reading. First, it is possible for Christians to be ignorant of facts about spiritual gifts. Secondly, there are many gifts in the body of Christ, but no one can or should lay claim to having all of the gifts. Thirdly, it is the Holy Spirit who distributes gifts to every believer as He chooses. Fourthly, as there are differences in administration of the gifts, so also is there division of labour among those these gifts are administered to. A believer should therefore beware of arrogating all the activities in the Church to himself because it will be counter-productive. Fifth, though there are differences in operations from believer to believer, the same Holy Spirit works in all genuine believers. Sixth, the Holy Spirit gives different assignments to different believers to profit with. This means the gift is for the edification of the entire Body of Christ. It is not for the fun of it that believers are endowed with one gift or another; neither is it for self-gratification. The seventh lesson is that no gift is superior to another; neither is any inferior to another. For this reason, Paul further wrote to warn us against discriminating in the use of spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:15-17). Therefore beloved, let us work together as many members, but as one indivisible Body of Christ, with everyone playing his or her role as enabled by the Lord. We shall not miss our reward in Jesus’ Name.

Action Point:
Examine your life and find out what area of the ministry the Lord as endowed you with gifts for. Dedicate yourself and be diligent in it.

CONSISTENT CHRISTIAN LIVING

Friday September 26

Memorise:
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
John 15:4

Read: John 15:4-8

4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
Message

Today’s scripture reading reveals a great secret of not only fruitfulness but also of God being with us. Emmanuel is not real to many so-called children of God because they are on their own. This is why they are caught in many horrible acts, and terrible things attend to their daily living. This scripture reveals the part we need to play for us to experience God as the present help in times of need (Psalm 46:1). He has promised not to leave nor forsake us. We must remember that the Almighty God is forever faithful. Though the world may deny Him, He cannot deny Himself. Though the whole world may be unfaithful, He remains faithful to His words and even to His creation! What is our part in this bargain? We must abide in Him. In other words, we must consistently live our lives as Christians. We should never take a break from living holy.

In light of this revealed truth, it is pertinent for all children of God who want to enjoy the presence of Emmanuel, to abide in Him so that the ever-willing Heavenly Father may be with them. How do we abide in Him? Ecclesiastes 12:13 says:
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
We must fear God and keep His commandments. Today, some people overstretch the grace we enjoy in the New Testament. Mischievously, they often say that we are no longer under the dispensation of the law, hence they can now do whatever they like. They seem to be saying: “Let us commit sin the more so that we can make maximum use of the available grace!” They are ‘practical atheists’ who believe in God with their mouths but fail to acknowledge Him and His Holiness. They do not see Him as the Consuming Fire. Paul in Romans 6:15 asked:
“What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.”

When we experience God as “God with us”, this attracts multiple blessings. One of these is the opportunity to pray and receive instant answers to our prayers. Jesus in John 15:7 said:
“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”
Thus, let us abide in Him because He is willing to make His abode with us and give us comfort.

Prayer Point:
Father, help me to be consistent in my Christian living in Jesus’ Name.

DEFEATIST VOICE

Thursday September 25

Memorise:
And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
Numbers 13:30

Read: 1 Samuel 17:33-39

33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.
34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.
36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.
37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.
38 And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.
39 And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.
Message

A backslider is known by his or her language. When you listen to the vocabulary of someone who is no longer with God, you will know very quickly that the fellow is a backslider. King Saul had become a backslider when he met David and God had already rejected him. When the problem of Goliath came, as big as he was, he could not stand before Goliath (1 Samuel 10:23). He felt that since he could not face Goliath, this would be true of everyone else. He however received the shock of his life when David showed up. For somebody reading this devotional, the Lord will make you a standard where others have compromised, in Jesus’ Name. In Numbers 13:31-33, we have the story of the ten spies. When they came back from the land flowing with milk and honey, they said “The land is good; however, we cannot take it because of the presence of giants there”. Backsliders always think negatively. There are people who for example believe it is not possible to enjoy divine health all the days of one’s life. There are some people who believe God cannot supply all of their needs without the need to cut corners or play smart. Whenever you hear someone saying “We cannot go forward, let us go back”, you should know you are listening to a backslider. Whenever someone decides to change from doing good to doing the opposite, the person has backslidden.

You must stay away from anything that can annoy God. The more you see His miracles in your life, the closer you must draw to Him. When you separate yourself from God, you will see how vulnerable you can be. You will not be a victim of situation and circumstances in Jesus’ Name. Caleb followed God fully and therefore he could say “We are able”. The song of the steadfast is always full of words like: “I can do it”, “It is possible”, “There is hope”, “I know with God on my side, there is no mountain I cannot climb”. When a man is in contact with God, he sees problems as stepping stones to testimonies. Everyone who is linked with God will be able to say as Paul said in Philippians 4:13:
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
Those who are close to God are always singing songs of victory in the face of trouble. They will prefer to go through fire than to bow to compromise, because they know they can’t burn.

Action Point:
Check in what areas of your life you have a defeatist attitude; arise and proclaim what the word of God says about it.

NO SUBSTITUTE

Monday September 22

Memorise:
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
Proverbs 22:29

Read: 1 Samuel 17:34-37

34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.
36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.
37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.
Message

There is not a single person whose story cannot change in life. David was an unknown man – at least to the army, yet, within a very short period of getting to the battlefield on a visit, he was already standing before King Saul. This is a manifestation of the scripture in Proverbs 22:29. If David had not been a diligent person, when his brother rebuked him, he would have been discouraged (1 Samuel 17:28). Consequently, he would not have represented the nation of Israel against the enemy. There are many of us, who retire after praying for five minutes. There is no substitute for doing it right because nobody gets a miracle that way. There are students who study once and say they already know it all. No wonder they keep on failing. Some people become discouraged after failing an examination once or twice and spiritualise it by saying God did not want them to pass. Our God is a God of success and He has no substitute for excellence and great accomplishment in the lives of His children. If David had not been diligent, he would have ended up like any other ordinary soldier. To make it to the top, you have to be diligent. You need to apply yourself to the things of God for Him to take you to where you ought to be. If you are a hardworking person, there is no doubt about it, God will reward you. God does not bless the lazy. If you have failed as a carpenter, you cannot succeed as a pastor. There are people who feel that ministry is an escape route from the realities of life. Far from it! If you cannot work with people successfully, how do you think you can please the Lord? You must be diligent to be successful (Proverbs 21:5). God never calls a lazy fellow.

It takes diligence to get to the top and it takes diligence to remain there. The problem many people have is that they work hard to get to the top, but when they get there, they relax. You need to work twice as hard to remain at the top than was required of you to get there. This is true both in the secular and in the spiritual world. Many Christians were diligent when they became born-again, but as they matured spiritually, they relaxed. To remain where you are, you have to keep running. If you do not keep moving, those who are behind you will catch up with you and surpass you. More importantly, you have to be diligent to make it to Heaven. 2 Peter 3:13-14 says,
“Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”

Key Point
If you don’t want to die in poverty, you must be diligent.

DREAMS AND VISIONS

Sunday September 21

Memorise:
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:14

Read: Habakkuk 2:1-3

1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.
2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
Message

There are the two paramount things that will keep you on course in achieving your destined greatness. First, you need to have a specific dream of what you want your future to look like, and then keep the dream alive by having a focus or vision. It is rightly said in the Bible that where there is no vision, the people perish. Set specific and workable goals for yourself and endeavour to work towards actualising them. Refresh yourself daily on your dream and vision through consistent and devoted quiet time. Be an ardent worshipper of God and give your best to the Master’s service. As you do these, you will see the Almighty elevating you in all areas. The Spirit of God can brighten your dream and refocus your vision. Maybe you even have small dreams and vision, the Almighty can boost them beyond your imagination. Prior to becoming the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, I was the Head of Department of Mathematics at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria. I was living in a mansion with a two-bedroom guest quarters. I also had a servant’s quarters with four bedrooms. All these were not part of the main house. But when I became the General Overseer, I had to live in a one-room apartment at Mushin (a poor neighbourhood in Lagos). I left my wife and children at Ilorin as a result of my mission in the church. Due to my deplorable living condition at that time, I had to tidy up things before my family could join me. Before bringing them over, I went to God in prayers and explained the challenges I was facing to Him. I told God to build a house for me. Left to me, I did not mind using the one room apartment, but the thought of housing my entire family in one room posed a challenge to me. God’s response to me was: “Son, don’t ask for a house, because I have decided to build you a city”. That response was beyond what I could comprehend. After this encounter, I began to dream of a city where everybody would be a Christian. A city where there would be no form of molestation. A city where there would be no power failure or water shortage. God began to stretch my mind to see a city where His praises would fill every mouth.

In like manner, God can give you great dreams of greatness and visions of uncommon glory. Can you see yourself completely whole? Can you see yourself not struggling to catch a bus but sitting comfortably at the back of your chauffeur driven car? If you can, then you will have it. Do you have a dream of making a phone call to a bank manager to come and collect the money you have? Why not have a dream of driving to the airport to board your own private jet? The vision of greatness should be so much in your mind that your spiritual growth will be beyond limitation.

Action Point
Father, give me visions of uncommon glory and dreams of greatness.

NOT A VICTIM

Saturday September 20

Memorise:
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1 Peter 5:8

Read: 1 Peter 5:8-10

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

MESSAGE

One lesson every believer must learn is that the devil can never repent. Hence we are not to joke with the devil. If you don’t want to be devoured by the devil, you must resist him and all that he represents steadfastly. As soon as the devil knew that David had been anointed as king, he decided to eliminate him. The devil knows that God wants to do wondrous things in your life. He knows that your tomorrow will be alright, and he is unhappy about all these great promises for your life.

“He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.”
Psalm 121:3-4
Do not underestimate the devil. He is no doubt a liar, and he is very stubborn. However, the good news is that we have a God who can deal with him effectively. If God is on your side, and you are on His side, there is nothing the enemy can do. Every effort the devil makes to put you to shame will always turn out for your good as long as He is on your side. The devil cannot mess around with you and get away with it except the hedge has been broken. This is why every child of God must protect his or her relationship with God. The devil will always want to make you a victim, but God will always ensure you remain a victor because you are operating on a higher covenant.

Sometime ago, a lady received the shock of her life in London. A man proposed to marry her, and all necessary arrangements were made for their wedding. However, on the day of the wedding, gaily dressed, the lady went to the registry to wait for her fiancé who never showed up. What shame, shock and sorrow she got! She passed through deep emotional distress because of the disgrace she faced. After a while, this lady got through the period of pain and later married a man who became a military governor of a state in Nigeria. The man who dumped her became an aide-de-camp (ADC) to her husband. So, anytime she wanted to travel, the man who jilted her was always at her back to open the door for her to come in and go out. If God can do this in the life of someone, you can be sure He is no respecter of persons. Everyone the devil has caused to suffer one form of disappointment or the other will receive divine visitation in Jesus’ Name. Whatever injury, crises or turbulence you might have gone through, the arm of the Almighty God will be revealed in your life to cause a change in your situation and turn it to a great testimony.

Prayer Point
Father, by your power, let everything working against me begin to work for my good.

PROVOKING POSITIVE CHANGE

Memorise:
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Ephesians 3:20

Read:
Matthew 15:21-28

21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.
27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
Message

Change is one event that is constant in life. Change denotes movement from one state to another. There are two categories of change: positive and negative. Due to the fact that change can either be positive or negative, Africans would say: “Change is good for the poor but bad for the rich”. Change in life is constant, certain and inevitable. Sometimes, change in a certain direction can be provoked, prolonged, shortened, averted or delayed. In today’s reading, we are told of how a particular woman experienced positive change. She was a Canaanite woman. She had a daughter who was grievously vexed with a devil. She desired a positive change – recovery and wholeness for her daughter. Her expectation was almost dashed until she provoked positive change. This season, you will provoke positive change from the Most High God in Jesus’ Name.

From this story of the Canaanite woman, we can learn a few lessons. The first thing to note is that she cried for mercy. She told the Lord how things were with her. She did not pretend like some people do. In 2 Kings 2:19-22, the inhabitants of Jericho provoked positive change from the Most High when they confronted Elisha with their situation of helplessness. Again, when faced with discouragement and apparent delay, the Canaanite woman persisted in worshiping the Lord. True worship will provoke positive change. John 4:23 says,

“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.”

Do you want to provoke positive change? Make up your mind to worship God in spirit and in truth. Matthew 15:7-9 presents a category of people who are hypocritical in worship. These are the people whose hearts are far from God. I pray that you won’t be among those whose hearts are far from God. Another lesson from this story is faith. The woman provoked positive change by her great faith (Matthew 15:28). To emphasise the importance of faith, God in four separate places said: “The just shall live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38). Faith is acting on the word of God (James 2:18). Are you passing through a negative situation? Are people aware of your predicament but no one seems to care? God cares. If you don’t lose faith, there will definitely be light at the end of the tunnel.

Action Point:
Pick an area of your life where you need positive change and follow the example of the Canaanite woman to provoke positive change in this area.

REASONABLE SERVICE

MEMORISE:
The gold for things of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and for all manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers. And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the LORD?
1 Chronicles 29:5

READ:
Hebrews 7:26-28

26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

 

MESSAGE

Service is good, but no service is acceptable before God without the servant working with Him. Working with God is serious business. It requires consecration i.e. setting apart an object or person to the worship and service of God. For a true believer in Christ, this is a life of service and worship that follows our commitment to take up our cross and follow the Lord Jesus. This denotes giving ourselves up to Christ as persons bought with a price and no longer our own. 1 Peter 1:18-19 says,

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”

Consecration is not necessarily volunteering for full-time service, though that might come up along the line. In Romans 12:1-3, we learn that there are three characteristics of consecration. These are:
1. Consecration is a voluntary decision.
2. Consecration is a personal decision.
3. Consecration is a sacrificial decision.
These three elements of consecration involve two actions. The first is giving up the will or sacrificing one’s will to God (Hebrews 10:7). The second action is God’s acceptance of the sacrifice which has been made (Romans 12:1). When you give up your will for God’s will, you will hear the voice of God (Act 13:2), set yourself apart from sins and devote yourself and your substance to God (Isaiah 52:11, Micah 4:13). God expects that a believer’s total life would be consecrated to the Lord Jesus Christ. This includes the feet to carry the gospel everywhere, the hands to help victims of circumstance, the ears to hear the cries of demonically and economically oppressed people and the use of time for the glory of God (Ephesians 5:16). Consecration results in a life governed by the wisdom of God and controlled by the Holy Spirit. It results in a joyous and happy life of victory over sin, self and Satan. God should come before gold. Your life is not meant to be spent on self-indulgence and career advancement alone. Your life is a privilege and a responsibility to be lived according to the will of God through consecration. This is your reasonable service.

KEY POINT:
Our service becomes acceptable when we consecrate our all to God.

REFLECTING GOD'S IMAGE

MEMORISE: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them       "Genesis 1:27"

READ: PSALMS 8:3-6

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 14, Psalms 125-126

MESSAGE:
The work of creation as recorded in the book of Genesis reveals God's great variety, beauty, exactness, accuracy, power and order. Man was the epitome of God's creation. He was made last of all the creatures and as soon as he was made, he had the whole beautiful creation before him to enjoy. It is also interesting to know that man was made in the image of God and after his likeness. God gave him authority over other creatures and made man His representative on earth.
    "Thou madest man to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou has put all things under his feet."  Psalms 8:8

In spite of all this, many people are living in ignorance. they roam about the surface of the earth without fulfilling their destiny. As God's representative on earth, you have been honored with an open cheque. You have the right to exercise authority over God's creatures. It is your duty to reflect the image of God. In what ways should you reflect the image of God? taking cursory look at Genesis 1:26, It is logical to conclude that the soul of man bears the image of God. The soul is no doubt the sit of knowledge, emotions and instinct. These faculties can be described as the brightest and clearest looking-glass in nature through which we see God.
Since like begets like, the soul of man should be God-like to reflect the image of God. In effect your soul must be regenerated. One way to reflect the image of God is by being born again and by living in holiness on a daily basis (1 Peter 1:14-16).
God is holy and we can reflect His image by living holy. In His purity and rectitude, God's image upon man consists in knowledge, righteousness and true holiness. A true child of God should reflect God's image in his or her discussion. Again we should ensure that our righteousness is intact in Christ and we should abstain from all appearances of evil. Another way to reflect the image of God is by walking in love. As Christians, we should love one another. You reflect the image of God when you put off anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy and filthy communication out of your mouth. You reflect the image of God when you do not allow your decisions and actions to be clouded by tribalism, racism, nepotism. You reflect the image of God when, if any man has a quarrel you forgive the person even as Christ forgave you. Finally, you reflect the image of God when you are thankful and allow the word of God to dwell in you in all wisdom ( colossians 3:16)

KEY POINT:
The soul of a regenerated person bears the image of God.

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