Thursday, 27th February WHAT CAN I GIVE UNTO THE LORD! (1)
MORNING Psalm 116:1-14
Dearly beloved, in less than 48 hours, February 2025 will be done away with for good. By no power of ours, we have known the preservation, blessings and goodness of the Lord. All these must not be in vain. Our lives must bring joy to God. The Psalmist must have felt the same way when he said in verse 12,”What shall I return to the Lord for all His goodness to me”? With this precious gift of life, we must resolve to serve God better, everyday of our lives.
Thought: Let us be deliberate about treating people well. These little acts of kindness in respecting God's creation is service to God our Creator.
EVENING 1 John 4:19-21
Loving our fellow human beings is a demonstration of our love for God. Verse 20 is very clear and direct. Truly, if we mean business about doing more for God with all He has done for us, then we must be deliberate in growing in love. March shall be a better month in Jesus' Name. Amen.
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today John 7 - 9
Friday, 28th February WHAT CAN I GIVE UNTO THE LORD! (2)
MORNING Luke 15:1-7
We will be causing joy in heaven whenever a soul comes to Christ. Soul winning brings joy to heaven and makes God glad. As we round up February in a few hours, let us resolve to live for what truly is important to God. Soul winning is the heartbeat of God. Let us share the gospel with any and every one who God brings our way .Have we done this in this outgoing month? If so, let us keep at it. If not, March is another opportunity to make heaven joyous. .
Memory verse: John 9:4.
EVENING Psalm 126:1-6
As we resolve to sow seeds of the love of God as we witness to those whom God brings our way, we shall doubtless return with rejoicing bearing the sheaves of the harvest of souls. God is waiting for us because the harvest is ripe. We thank God for the grace to see the end of February. March shall be a better month because the path of the righteous gets brighter and brighter as the Lord promised us in Proverbs 4:18. Glory to God. Sleep well.
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today John 10 - 14
Saturday, 1st March OUR GUARANTEE
MORNING 1 Kings 8:46-56
Generally speaking, a guarantee is an assurance for the fulfilment of a condition. The assurance works by a party undertaking to secure another with respect to an outcome or expectation. As we commence the journey of a new month, let us remember that our heavenly Father has given us the assurance (guarantee) of His Word. He is the God of integrity who always stands by what He says. He will fulfill every promise He has given us concerning this month. King Solomon understood this nature of Jehovah God and underscored it in verse 56 of our text. He gave Israel rest as He promised by keeping every promise He made to Moses concerning His people and not one of His Word can fail. Let us rejoice at the guarantee we have in and by His Word
Thought: God's integrity is in His Word.
EVENING Hebrews 6:15-20
Waiting in faith for the fulfilment of God's promises always pay off. This is because God's Word is loaded with inherent self-fulfilling power. Our text this evening highlights a significant aspect of God's divine nature: the immutability (or unchangeableness) of His counsel. In essence, when God expresses His desire, He does not go back on it. He follows through on it and ensures its accomplishment. We have that guarantee as His children. Glory!
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today John 14 - 15
Sunday, 2nd March RIDING ON THE HIGH PLACES
MORNING Deuteronomy 32:7-14
Good morning and happy Sunday! The month is still fresh and as such we are hopeful of great things in the course of this month. To ride on the high places is a phrase that means - to do exploits; to accomplish the impossible, etc. We see a demonstration of Jehovah's mighty power over His people from verse 7 of our text with each succeeding verse highlighting a specific deed of the Lord for His people. The summary of all these could easily be that Israel enjoyed covenant backing. This month therefore, on the strength of the backing of the covenant (ours being better than theirs), we shall ride upon the high places of the earth and accomplish the impossible verse 13. We shall do exploits in the name of the Lord and divide the spoil with the great. God's children, let us raise the bar of our expectations this month. Hallelujah!
EVENING Luke 6:33-38 KJV
Good evening. We want to look at the place of direct proportions where faith is concerned using verse 38 of our text as our focal point. The “b” part says- “for with the same measure that you mete out, withal it shall be measured to you again”. Yes, we understand the context of this being material giving However, there is a principle there which applies to faith. If you strongly believe that you will ride on the high places this month, no force can stop you from doing so because the measure of your faith defines the magnitude of your outcomes. Is someone listening?
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today John 16 - 19
Monday, 3rd March DARING FAITH
MORNING Hebrews 11: 1-10
Daring faith is actually the same as faith since faith involves risks which are discounted on the strength of the overriding confidence we have in God's Word. Faith, for it to be faith, therefore has to be daring. Faith again refers to our confidence in and actions based on the inspired Word of God. It is acting on the Word without fear. In verse 1 of our text, we see that “faith is the substance (or foundation) of things hoped for. The word foundation in the Greek is the word hipostatis which means, that which sits under. In other words, something must be under before faith can be built on it. The only thing that faith can be built upon is God's Word. Once it is not premised on God's Word, it is not faith. Simple. Peter understood this principle about faith and he told the Master- if it be thou, bid me come unto thee (Matthew 14:28). Ordinarily, and out of excitement, he could have jumped out of the boat, but he knew there must be a foundation first, before he dared step out of the boat. Thought: Faith does not work in isolation. It must have a premise.
EVENING I Samuel 14:6-10;13-14
Jonathan and his armour bearer were very daring with their faith. They had just one sword and decided to break into a military garrison belonging to the enemy. There was a premise on which they both acted and it was God's Word. He said in 1 Samuel 14:6c for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few. That was their motivation and that day, they slew a thousand men within a space of half an acre of land. What a feat!
Thought: Feats happen where faith happens!
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today John 20 - 21
Tuesday, 4th March FAMILIARITY
MORNING John 12: 20-30
Familiarity suggests being close to someone. It is to be well acquainted with someone. From our text, our Lord was at a very significant point in his earthly ministry as the imminence of His sacrificial death confronted Him. He resorted to communing with His Father in prayer asking Him to glorify His name and a voice proceeded from heaven saying “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again”. What an experience this was for everyone present with some saying it was thunder and others saying an angel spoke to Him. The point is that the people weren't acquainted with the voice and so were guessing what could have happened. The Son however knew it was His Father who spoke. This was because. He knew the voice intimately on account of His familiarity with the Father. This month, we must seek to be more familiar with the Father so that we can always discern His voice and His will.
EVENING 1 Samuel 3:6-11
As we saw in the morning, it takes familiarity to recognise the Father's voice and to discern His will. From our story, Samuel was yet to be acquainted with the Lord's voice and His ways. He therefore needed Eli's help (who had experience from his walk with the Lord in the past) to handle the situation. We notice that it was not until Samuel recognised the voice as the Lord's and said -“speak for thy servant heareth” did the Lord revealed what He had in mind for him. Being familiar with Jehovah's voice opens us up to His plans. Let us get more intimate with the Lord this month.
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today Leviticus 1 - 4
Wednesday, 5th March YOUR ASSIGNMENT
MORNING Acts 22:1-10
Apostle Paul's encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus was not a coincidence. It was deliberate and intentional on God's part to meet with Saul (also known as Paul) in a very dramatic manner and redirect his pursuits. The fact is: God has an assignment for every child of His in the Kingdom. That assignment is not at the instance of man. No, it is always at the instance of the Almighty God. Looking at verse 10 of our text, Saul was told “Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are APPOINTED (emphasis the writer's) for you to do”. This verse clearly shows us God's design for us all where His assignments for our lives are concerned. The Apostle's assignment chose him and in the same manner, your assignment chose you. Actually, your assignment precedes you in life and you don't get to choose it. It chooses you! The wise will obey the Lord and run with their assignment. SELAH..
EVENING Exodus 2: 5-10
Our God is a forward planner and a Master strategist. Whereas the devil distorted the dynamics of peace enjoyed by Israel in Egypt, the Lord ensured that Moses' identity was shielded by Pharaoh's might and that Moses (who was to oppose Pharaoh later) was trained in Pharaoh's court with Pharaoh's money. What an irony. The lesson is this: God will go to any length for the sake of His assignment. We must however cooperate with Him for in our obedience lies our rewards. Let us consider verse 3 of Exodus 11:3 (KJV) “And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people”.
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today Leviticus 5 - 8
Thursday, 6th March THE SPOTLIGHT OR THE CLOSET
MORNING 1 Samuel 15:24-31
Good morning. Today, we shall be looking at two places of interest as highlighted in the title. The spotlight refers to the public place, the place of attention and adulation accorded an individual because of position or status, while the closet is a private chamber or a place of recess. The two words therefore stand out in explaining the topic this morning the public view or the private place. We see from today's text that even after Prophet Samuel had pronounced a devastating judgment against king Saul -verses 26-29, the king was more concerned about his public image before the people. The spotlight mattered more to him than making up with the Lord. In all likelihood, if king Saul had chosen the closet by withdrawing from the crowd and seeking the face of the Lord in genuine repentance, he could have been forgiven.
Lesson: Never place the spotlight over the closet. Rather, always allow the closet to put you in the spotlight.
EVENING Galatians 1:6-10
By his example, the great Apostle Paul laid out in clear terms where our priorities should be- with our Commanding Officer or with men. As we saw in the morning, king Saul chose men. Apostle Paul chose God and that is a wise move any day. Pleasing men will disqualify us from pleasing God. We are to seek to please the Lord always for He called us and we are answerable to Him and not to men. May we always esteem the place of intimacy with God over the spotlight in Jesus' Name. Meditate on: Galatians 1: 10b.
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today Leviticus 9 - 12
Friday, 7th March TALK IT TO WORK IT
MORNING 1 Samuel 17:40-51
Good morning friends. Our topic this morning is speaking directly to us. If we are not talking, our faith is not working. It takes declaring the Word of God that has been quickened to us for our faith to be activated. Faith is never quiet. It is expressive. It is bold, deliberate and intentional. We see this principle demonstrated when little David advanced towards Goliath on the day of battle verses 45-50. Notice that David kept speaking. He kept declaring what would happen to Goliath and he ran towards him in boldness. His faith instructed him no doubt and he used his sling and brought Goliath down. Serious! That sling and stone must have been seasoned in the oven of God's Word and had become lethal against the enemy. Friends, it is the faith that talks that works. Keep saying what you believe over that situation.
You will testify.
EVENING Mark 5: 25-30
This evening, we are considering once again this popular story in the Bible. To receive her healing the woman with the issue of blood (name not mentioned) activated the principle of “talking it, to work it”. Verse 28 in the Amplified Classic Translation says “for she kept saying, if I only touch his garments, I shall be restored to health “.Well it happened exactly that way as she went home healed that day after twelve years of haemorrhaging. Faith works! Hallelujah!!
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today Leviticus 13 - 16
Saturday, 8th March EXEMPLARY CHRISTIANITY
MORNING 1 Thessalonians. 1:1-10
To be exemplary is to be distinct. It is to be different in a highly special way. From our text, we see that the believers in Thessalonica were exemplary. They manifested distinction in their walk with the Lord. They were not shoddy or indifferent where matters of the Kingdom were concerned. They were totally sold out to the Lord in their service, consecration, commitment and diligence. They must have been praying daily, studying and meditating on the Word, living according to the Word, evangelising, living holy and walking in love generally. These are no doubt the attributes that made them stand out so much so that their faith was proclaimed everywhere (verse 8). For the avoidance of doubt, these same attributes will make us stand out as real believers in Christ. We should seek to be exemplary as God's children.
Thought: The Thessalonian Christians made the work of evangelism simple for Apostle Paul and his team because their lives preached Christ!
EVENING Nehemiah 7:1-4
We said in the morning that to be exemplary is to be different in a highly special way. We see an example of an exemplary man in verse 2 of our text this evening. Nehemiah reported that he gave the charge of the whole city of Jerusalem unto two men Hanani and Hananiah but he said of Hanani “for he was a faithful man and feared God above many.” This meant Hanani was in a class of his own where matters of Kingdom commitment were concerned. The Lord seeks men (and women) to whom He can commit Kingdom responsibilities, men and women who can be trusted with the lives of countless souls. Are we available? If yes, He will use us!
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today Leviticus 17 - 20
Sunday, 9th March WE NEED THEM
MORNING Psalm 106: 13-23
Prayers, petitions and entreaties made on behalf of others represent intercession. Intercession is therefore not about the intercessor, but about another person or entity. Intercessors therefore can be said not to mind their own business! This assertion should not sound odd because that is what intercession is all about. The intercessor carries a burden for others and seeks God's intervention on their behalf. The sins of the nation of Israel were as numerous as they were grievous. They had forgotten how the Lord delivered them from Egyptian slavery and how the Lord brought them out of Egypt with a high hand. In their folly, they embraced all forms of idolatry to the extent that the Lord said He would destroy them verse 23. Thank God for Moses, an intercessor indeed. He stood between Israel and the Lord and turned away the judgment that would have come upon them. With the way things are in our country, we need men and women who will stand to make up the breach
in the land. We need them!
EVENING 1 Timothy 2:1-5
The Kingdom of God runs on the strength of prayer as prayer is a connection between the invisible realm and our visible world. Our text this evening underscores the responsibility of every believer to pray for all men especially those who hold the reins of power otherwise there will be chaos, disruptions and breakdown of law and order everywhere. As we saw in the morning, praying for others is intercession and from this evening's text, intercession is the general responsibility of every believer. Every hand therefore must be on deck where intercession is concerned as the peace of our communities depends on this important act. We all must enlist.
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today Leviticus 21 - 24
Monday, 10th March EXPLOITS OF THE ANOINTING
MORNING 1 Samuel 17:32-42
Exploits refer to uncommon and unusual feats by an individual, while the anointing is the representation of God's power or presence upon an individual or an object in order to achieve God's purpose. The anointing, as we know, is primarily for service. As a young man, David demonstrated this when he went beyond the call of duty by going after the lion that had seized a lamb from the flock. He not only delivered the lamb, he went on to kill the lion! See verses 34 and 35 again! This was not an accident by any chance. It was a deliberate exploit that David carried out under the influence of nothing short of the anointing Recall, that these events took place after Prophet Samuel had poured the anointing oil upon him for his assignment as Israel's king. The anointing breeds power and confidence for exploits. As believers, we must always walk in the
consciousness of the power of the Holy Spirit in us.
EVENING Acts 20:9-12 (KJV)
As we saw in the morning, the anointing equals the power and presence of Jehovah God in the believer to accomplish His purpose. In our text, Apostle Paul was delivering a long departure speech at Troas and young Eutychus fell asleep and fell out through the window from the third floor. That ordinarily looked final. However, we see that the Apostle went down, fell on him and embraced him before declaring “trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him”. This writer believes that it was a release of the anointing into Eutychus that brought him back to life as the Apostle embraced him and made the inspired declaration. Again, we see that exploits and the anointing are inseparable.
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today Leviticus 25 - 27
Tuesday, 11th March LATE? NEVER!!
MORNING 1 Samuel 23: 19-29
Whereas man may arrive late in his quest to keep an appointment due to unforeseen circumstances, our heavenly Father is never late. He is always on time! In John 11:21, Martha told the Lord by implication that He arrived late; that if He had come earlier, Lazarus wouldn't have died. At the end of that story, we know that the Lord raised Lazarus from the dead after four days! In today's text, king Saul had finally closed in on David whom he wanted dead at all cost. In the natural, David was “cooked”. There was no hope of avoiding king Saul's grip this time, But as we see in verse 27- a divine intervention occurred. A messenger came to inform king Saul that the Philistines had invaded Israel and off he went to fight the enemy leaving David safe. Of a truth, our God is never late and faith in Him never fails. Stay with His Word which He has given to you. You will rejoice ultimately..
EVENING 2 Kings 4:1-7
The widow in our story must have asked the creditor for a little more time for her to run around and raise his money. The creditor, on his part, must have been imagining how he would take the widow's two sons and make them his slaves. Jehovah God showed up for the woman right on time and the prophetic word gave her specific instructions and multiplied the oil she had in the pot! The miracle was timely, complete and life-changing. Of a truth, our God is an on time God.
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today Acts 1 - 4
Wednesday, 12th March ATTITUDE
MORNING 1 Samuel 30: 1-10
Having a positive attitude or mindset to life is a game changer any day. Battles, as we know, are won or lost in the mind. The ability to respond positively in the face of dire situations is an advantage for us any day. When David and his men returned to Ziklag, they found their camp overrun and all their loved ones carried away. Curiously, as we see in verse 6, the people (his men) spoke of stoning him. That was their response to the situation. Interestingly however, David's response was to encourage himself in the Lord, his God. This is very instructive for us today. Negative circumstances and the challenges of life are not to define us. Rather, our confidence in the Lord in the face of challenges should be unshaken. He knew, within himself, that with the Lord there was a way out. He went on to pursue, overtake and recover all as the Lord assured him verse 8.
Thought: Your attitude to life should always be regulated by God's Word.
EVENING: Galatians 2: 11-16
As anointed and matured as Apostle Peter was, we find him manifest a “below par” attitude in today's text. He withdrew from the Gentiles and stopped eating with them because some Jewish brothers from James were around, thus rekindling the Jesus/Gentiles dichotomy which Christ, by His sacrifice, had removed. As a rule, we must always watch against negative mindsets which have no place in God's Word in our daily lives. The Lord will help us.
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today Acts 5 - 8
MORNING Psalm 116:1-14
Dearly beloved, in less than 48 hours, February 2025 will be done away with for good. By no power of ours, we have known the preservation, blessings and goodness of the Lord. All these must not be in vain. Our lives must bring joy to God. The Psalmist must have felt the same way when he said in verse 12,”What shall I return to the Lord for all His goodness to me”? With this precious gift of life, we must resolve to serve God better, everyday of our lives.
Thought: Let us be deliberate about treating people well. These little acts of kindness in respecting God's creation is service to God our Creator.
EVENING 1 John 4:19-21
Loving our fellow human beings is a demonstration of our love for God. Verse 20 is very clear and direct. Truly, if we mean business about doing more for God with all He has done for us, then we must be deliberate in growing in love. March shall be a better month in Jesus' Name. Amen.
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today John 7 - 9
Friday, 28th February WHAT CAN I GIVE UNTO THE LORD! (2)
MORNING Luke 15:1-7
We will be causing joy in heaven whenever a soul comes to Christ. Soul winning brings joy to heaven and makes God glad. As we round up February in a few hours, let us resolve to live for what truly is important to God. Soul winning is the heartbeat of God. Let us share the gospel with any and every one who God brings our way .Have we done this in this outgoing month? If so, let us keep at it. If not, March is another opportunity to make heaven joyous. .
Memory verse: John 9:4.
EVENING Psalm 126:1-6
As we resolve to sow seeds of the love of God as we witness to those whom God brings our way, we shall doubtless return with rejoicing bearing the sheaves of the harvest of souls. God is waiting for us because the harvest is ripe. We thank God for the grace to see the end of February. March shall be a better month because the path of the righteous gets brighter and brighter as the Lord promised us in Proverbs 4:18. Glory to God. Sleep well.
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today John 10 - 14
Saturday, 1st March OUR GUARANTEE
MORNING 1 Kings 8:46-56
Generally speaking, a guarantee is an assurance for the fulfilment of a condition. The assurance works by a party undertaking to secure another with respect to an outcome or expectation. As we commence the journey of a new month, let us remember that our heavenly Father has given us the assurance (guarantee) of His Word. He is the God of integrity who always stands by what He says. He will fulfill every promise He has given us concerning this month. King Solomon understood this nature of Jehovah God and underscored it in verse 56 of our text. He gave Israel rest as He promised by keeping every promise He made to Moses concerning His people and not one of His Word can fail. Let us rejoice at the guarantee we have in and by His Word
Thought: God's integrity is in His Word.
EVENING Hebrews 6:15-20
Waiting in faith for the fulfilment of God's promises always pay off. This is because God's Word is loaded with inherent self-fulfilling power. Our text this evening highlights a significant aspect of God's divine nature: the immutability (or unchangeableness) of His counsel. In essence, when God expresses His desire, He does not go back on it. He follows through on it and ensures its accomplishment. We have that guarantee as His children. Glory!
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today John 14 - 15
Sunday, 2nd March RIDING ON THE HIGH PLACES
MORNING Deuteronomy 32:7-14
Good morning and happy Sunday! The month is still fresh and as such we are hopeful of great things in the course of this month. To ride on the high places is a phrase that means - to do exploits; to accomplish the impossible, etc. We see a demonstration of Jehovah's mighty power over His people from verse 7 of our text with each succeeding verse highlighting a specific deed of the Lord for His people. The summary of all these could easily be that Israel enjoyed covenant backing. This month therefore, on the strength of the backing of the covenant (ours being better than theirs), we shall ride upon the high places of the earth and accomplish the impossible verse 13. We shall do exploits in the name of the Lord and divide the spoil with the great. God's children, let us raise the bar of our expectations this month. Hallelujah!
EVENING Luke 6:33-38 KJV
Good evening. We want to look at the place of direct proportions where faith is concerned using verse 38 of our text as our focal point. The “b” part says- “for with the same measure that you mete out, withal it shall be measured to you again”. Yes, we understand the context of this being material giving However, there is a principle there which applies to faith. If you strongly believe that you will ride on the high places this month, no force can stop you from doing so because the measure of your faith defines the magnitude of your outcomes. Is someone listening?
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today John 16 - 19
Monday, 3rd March DARING FAITH
MORNING Hebrews 11: 1-10
Daring faith is actually the same as faith since faith involves risks which are discounted on the strength of the overriding confidence we have in God's Word. Faith, for it to be faith, therefore has to be daring. Faith again refers to our confidence in and actions based on the inspired Word of God. It is acting on the Word without fear. In verse 1 of our text, we see that “faith is the substance (or foundation) of things hoped for. The word foundation in the Greek is the word hipostatis which means, that which sits under. In other words, something must be under before faith can be built on it. The only thing that faith can be built upon is God's Word. Once it is not premised on God's Word, it is not faith. Simple. Peter understood this principle about faith and he told the Master- if it be thou, bid me come unto thee (Matthew 14:28). Ordinarily, and out of excitement, he could have jumped out of the boat, but he knew there must be a foundation first, before he dared step out of the boat. Thought: Faith does not work in isolation. It must have a premise.
EVENING I Samuel 14:6-10;13-14
Jonathan and his armour bearer were very daring with their faith. They had just one sword and decided to break into a military garrison belonging to the enemy. There was a premise on which they both acted and it was God's Word. He said in 1 Samuel 14:6c for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few. That was their motivation and that day, they slew a thousand men within a space of half an acre of land. What a feat!
Thought: Feats happen where faith happens!
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today John 20 - 21
Tuesday, 4th March FAMILIARITY
MORNING John 12: 20-30
Familiarity suggests being close to someone. It is to be well acquainted with someone. From our text, our Lord was at a very significant point in his earthly ministry as the imminence of His sacrificial death confronted Him. He resorted to communing with His Father in prayer asking Him to glorify His name and a voice proceeded from heaven saying “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again”. What an experience this was for everyone present with some saying it was thunder and others saying an angel spoke to Him. The point is that the people weren't acquainted with the voice and so were guessing what could have happened. The Son however knew it was His Father who spoke. This was because. He knew the voice intimately on account of His familiarity with the Father. This month, we must seek to be more familiar with the Father so that we can always discern His voice and His will.
EVENING 1 Samuel 3:6-11
As we saw in the morning, it takes familiarity to recognise the Father's voice and to discern His will. From our story, Samuel was yet to be acquainted with the Lord's voice and His ways. He therefore needed Eli's help (who had experience from his walk with the Lord in the past) to handle the situation. We notice that it was not until Samuel recognised the voice as the Lord's and said -“speak for thy servant heareth” did the Lord revealed what He had in mind for him. Being familiar with Jehovah's voice opens us up to His plans. Let us get more intimate with the Lord this month.
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today Leviticus 1 - 4
Wednesday, 5th March YOUR ASSIGNMENT
MORNING Acts 22:1-10
Apostle Paul's encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus was not a coincidence. It was deliberate and intentional on God's part to meet with Saul (also known as Paul) in a very dramatic manner and redirect his pursuits. The fact is: God has an assignment for every child of His in the Kingdom. That assignment is not at the instance of man. No, it is always at the instance of the Almighty God. Looking at verse 10 of our text, Saul was told “Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are APPOINTED (emphasis the writer's) for you to do”. This verse clearly shows us God's design for us all where His assignments for our lives are concerned. The Apostle's assignment chose him and in the same manner, your assignment chose you. Actually, your assignment precedes you in life and you don't get to choose it. It chooses you! The wise will obey the Lord and run with their assignment. SELAH..
EVENING Exodus 2: 5-10
Our God is a forward planner and a Master strategist. Whereas the devil distorted the dynamics of peace enjoyed by Israel in Egypt, the Lord ensured that Moses' identity was shielded by Pharaoh's might and that Moses (who was to oppose Pharaoh later) was trained in Pharaoh's court with Pharaoh's money. What an irony. The lesson is this: God will go to any length for the sake of His assignment. We must however cooperate with Him for in our obedience lies our rewards. Let us consider verse 3 of Exodus 11:3 (KJV) “And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people”.
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today Leviticus 5 - 8
Thursday, 6th March THE SPOTLIGHT OR THE CLOSET
MORNING 1 Samuel 15:24-31
Good morning. Today, we shall be looking at two places of interest as highlighted in the title. The spotlight refers to the public place, the place of attention and adulation accorded an individual because of position or status, while the closet is a private chamber or a place of recess. The two words therefore stand out in explaining the topic this morning the public view or the private place. We see from today's text that even after Prophet Samuel had pronounced a devastating judgment against king Saul -verses 26-29, the king was more concerned about his public image before the people. The spotlight mattered more to him than making up with the Lord. In all likelihood, if king Saul had chosen the closet by withdrawing from the crowd and seeking the face of the Lord in genuine repentance, he could have been forgiven.
Lesson: Never place the spotlight over the closet. Rather, always allow the closet to put you in the spotlight.
EVENING Galatians 1:6-10
By his example, the great Apostle Paul laid out in clear terms where our priorities should be- with our Commanding Officer or with men. As we saw in the morning, king Saul chose men. Apostle Paul chose God and that is a wise move any day. Pleasing men will disqualify us from pleasing God. We are to seek to please the Lord always for He called us and we are answerable to Him and not to men. May we always esteem the place of intimacy with God over the spotlight in Jesus' Name. Meditate on: Galatians 1: 10b.
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today Leviticus 9 - 12
Friday, 7th March TALK IT TO WORK IT
MORNING 1 Samuel 17:40-51
Good morning friends. Our topic this morning is speaking directly to us. If we are not talking, our faith is not working. It takes declaring the Word of God that has been quickened to us for our faith to be activated. Faith is never quiet. It is expressive. It is bold, deliberate and intentional. We see this principle demonstrated when little David advanced towards Goliath on the day of battle verses 45-50. Notice that David kept speaking. He kept declaring what would happen to Goliath and he ran towards him in boldness. His faith instructed him no doubt and he used his sling and brought Goliath down. Serious! That sling and stone must have been seasoned in the oven of God's Word and had become lethal against the enemy. Friends, it is the faith that talks that works. Keep saying what you believe over that situation.
You will testify.
EVENING Mark 5: 25-30
This evening, we are considering once again this popular story in the Bible. To receive her healing the woman with the issue of blood (name not mentioned) activated the principle of “talking it, to work it”. Verse 28 in the Amplified Classic Translation says “for she kept saying, if I only touch his garments, I shall be restored to health “.Well it happened exactly that way as she went home healed that day after twelve years of haemorrhaging. Faith works! Hallelujah!!
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today Leviticus 13 - 16
Saturday, 8th March EXEMPLARY CHRISTIANITY
MORNING 1 Thessalonians. 1:1-10
To be exemplary is to be distinct. It is to be different in a highly special way. From our text, we see that the believers in Thessalonica were exemplary. They manifested distinction in their walk with the Lord. They were not shoddy or indifferent where matters of the Kingdom were concerned. They were totally sold out to the Lord in their service, consecration, commitment and diligence. They must have been praying daily, studying and meditating on the Word, living according to the Word, evangelising, living holy and walking in love generally. These are no doubt the attributes that made them stand out so much so that their faith was proclaimed everywhere (verse 8). For the avoidance of doubt, these same attributes will make us stand out as real believers in Christ. We should seek to be exemplary as God's children.
Thought: The Thessalonian Christians made the work of evangelism simple for Apostle Paul and his team because their lives preached Christ!
EVENING Nehemiah 7:1-4
We said in the morning that to be exemplary is to be different in a highly special way. We see an example of an exemplary man in verse 2 of our text this evening. Nehemiah reported that he gave the charge of the whole city of Jerusalem unto two men Hanani and Hananiah but he said of Hanani “for he was a faithful man and feared God above many.” This meant Hanani was in a class of his own where matters of Kingdom commitment were concerned. The Lord seeks men (and women) to whom He can commit Kingdom responsibilities, men and women who can be trusted with the lives of countless souls. Are we available? If yes, He will use us!
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today Leviticus 17 - 20
Sunday, 9th March WE NEED THEM
MORNING Psalm 106: 13-23
Prayers, petitions and entreaties made on behalf of others represent intercession. Intercession is therefore not about the intercessor, but about another person or entity. Intercessors therefore can be said not to mind their own business! This assertion should not sound odd because that is what intercession is all about. The intercessor carries a burden for others and seeks God's intervention on their behalf. The sins of the nation of Israel were as numerous as they were grievous. They had forgotten how the Lord delivered them from Egyptian slavery and how the Lord brought them out of Egypt with a high hand. In their folly, they embraced all forms of idolatry to the extent that the Lord said He would destroy them verse 23. Thank God for Moses, an intercessor indeed. He stood between Israel and the Lord and turned away the judgment that would have come upon them. With the way things are in our country, we need men and women who will stand to make up the breach
in the land. We need them!
EVENING 1 Timothy 2:1-5
The Kingdom of God runs on the strength of prayer as prayer is a connection between the invisible realm and our visible world. Our text this evening underscores the responsibility of every believer to pray for all men especially those who hold the reins of power otherwise there will be chaos, disruptions and breakdown of law and order everywhere. As we saw in the morning, praying for others is intercession and from this evening's text, intercession is the general responsibility of every believer. Every hand therefore must be on deck where intercession is concerned as the peace of our communities depends on this important act. We all must enlist.
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today Leviticus 21 - 24
Monday, 10th March EXPLOITS OF THE ANOINTING
MORNING 1 Samuel 17:32-42
Exploits refer to uncommon and unusual feats by an individual, while the anointing is the representation of God's power or presence upon an individual or an object in order to achieve God's purpose. The anointing, as we know, is primarily for service. As a young man, David demonstrated this when he went beyond the call of duty by going after the lion that had seized a lamb from the flock. He not only delivered the lamb, he went on to kill the lion! See verses 34 and 35 again! This was not an accident by any chance. It was a deliberate exploit that David carried out under the influence of nothing short of the anointing Recall, that these events took place after Prophet Samuel had poured the anointing oil upon him for his assignment as Israel's king. The anointing breeds power and confidence for exploits. As believers, we must always walk in the
consciousness of the power of the Holy Spirit in us.
EVENING Acts 20:9-12 (KJV)
As we saw in the morning, the anointing equals the power and presence of Jehovah God in the believer to accomplish His purpose. In our text, Apostle Paul was delivering a long departure speech at Troas and young Eutychus fell asleep and fell out through the window from the third floor. That ordinarily looked final. However, we see that the Apostle went down, fell on him and embraced him before declaring “trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him”. This writer believes that it was a release of the anointing into Eutychus that brought him back to life as the Apostle embraced him and made the inspired declaration. Again, we see that exploits and the anointing are inseparable.
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today Leviticus 25 - 27
Tuesday, 11th March LATE? NEVER!!
MORNING 1 Samuel 23: 19-29
Whereas man may arrive late in his quest to keep an appointment due to unforeseen circumstances, our heavenly Father is never late. He is always on time! In John 11:21, Martha told the Lord by implication that He arrived late; that if He had come earlier, Lazarus wouldn't have died. At the end of that story, we know that the Lord raised Lazarus from the dead after four days! In today's text, king Saul had finally closed in on David whom he wanted dead at all cost. In the natural, David was “cooked”. There was no hope of avoiding king Saul's grip this time, But as we see in verse 27- a divine intervention occurred. A messenger came to inform king Saul that the Philistines had invaded Israel and off he went to fight the enemy leaving David safe. Of a truth, our God is never late and faith in Him never fails. Stay with His Word which He has given to you. You will rejoice ultimately..
EVENING 2 Kings 4:1-7
The widow in our story must have asked the creditor for a little more time for her to run around and raise his money. The creditor, on his part, must have been imagining how he would take the widow's two sons and make them his slaves. Jehovah God showed up for the woman right on time and the prophetic word gave her specific instructions and multiplied the oil she had in the pot! The miracle was timely, complete and life-changing. Of a truth, our God is an on time God.
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today Acts 1 - 4
Wednesday, 12th March ATTITUDE
MORNING 1 Samuel 30: 1-10
Having a positive attitude or mindset to life is a game changer any day. Battles, as we know, are won or lost in the mind. The ability to respond positively in the face of dire situations is an advantage for us any day. When David and his men returned to Ziklag, they found their camp overrun and all their loved ones carried away. Curiously, as we see in verse 6, the people (his men) spoke of stoning him. That was their response to the situation. Interestingly however, David's response was to encourage himself in the Lord, his God. This is very instructive for us today. Negative circumstances and the challenges of life are not to define us. Rather, our confidence in the Lord in the face of challenges should be unshaken. He knew, within himself, that with the Lord there was a way out. He went on to pursue, overtake and recover all as the Lord assured him verse 8.
Thought: Your attitude to life should always be regulated by God's Word.
EVENING: Galatians 2: 11-16
As anointed and matured as Apostle Peter was, we find him manifest a “below par” attitude in today's text. He withdrew from the Gentiles and stopped eating with them because some Jewish brothers from James were around, thus rekindling the Jesus/Gentiles dichotomy which Christ, by His sacrifice, had removed. As a rule, we must always watch against negative mindsets which have no place in God's Word in our daily lives. The Lord will help us.
To Study Through The Bible This Year, Study Today Acts 5 - 8