Sunday School Guide: First Thing First, 28 January, 2017

Sunday School Guide NCSCSCW

Sunday 28 January, 2018

Topic: First Thing First
Text: 2 Chronicles 20:1-21, Matthew 6:19-34
Memory Verse: Matthew 6:
[33]Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need(NLT).

Bible Discourse: Matthew 6:21 "Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be".

INTRODUCTION
Jesus knew that a time is coming and is now, that people will be conscious of material and mundane things of the world, thereby making the kingdom of God less valuable. Materialism has diverted the attention of the so called people of God, and many have involved themselves in so many fetish things and have committed all sorts of atrocities, ignoring the warning that Jesus gave that we should lay our treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust will corrupt and where thieves will not break through nor steal.

There are procedures and processes of life. Bible has its own standing rule, where when you key into it, everything will work out . You cannot be admitted into a University of higher learning without going through the processes of obtaining your Waec/GCE, then your Jamb. The same procedure is applicable to Christians. Our toiling is in vain without doing the first thing first. "Matthew 6
[25]“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?.
Everything we need in life is in God's warehouse, but we cannot have it unless we obey His instructions. Matthew 6
[32] "These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs".

Bible Exploration: Luke 5:1-9 NLT
[1]One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God.
[2]He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets.
[3]Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.
[4]When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”
[5]“Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.”
[6]And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear!
[7]A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.
[8]When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.”
[9]For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him.

Bible Focus:
1 John 2
[16]For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.

Bible Application: John 4
[34]Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.

Reflection: Psalms 16
[6]The land you have given me is a pleasant land.     What a wonderful inheritance!

Question: Does this generation or the so called Christian seek the first thing first.

Happy Sunday!

The God of the Here and Now By Ray Stedman, January 28, 2018

Read the Scripture: John 11:1-54
"Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:21-26)

Martha greets Jesus with a phrase that must have been frequently on all of their lips when Lazarus was sick: "Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died." I do not believe this is a word of reproach. Martha is not saying, "Lord, why didn't you come sooner? We sent for you. If you had responded we wouldn't be in this pickle." It is clear that she realizes the message did not reach him until Lazarus was dead. There was no way he could have responded and gotten there before Lazarus died. Martha's word is not one of reproach, but rather one of regret: "Lord, I wish you could have been here, because if you had, my brother would not have died."

Then she goes on to say, "But even now, whatever you ask of God, he will give it to you." Many ask at this point, "What does she expect? What is it that she wants from him?" Some say that she really did expect Jesus to raise Lazarus from the dead. But they seem to miss the point because the very next word of Jesus is, "Your brother will rise again." If Martha had any idea that that would happen then, she would have said, "How wonderful, Lord! That is exactly what I expected you to do now that you have come." But she does not say that. What she says is, "Yes, I know. He will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." No, Martha is not looking for the immediate resurrection of her brother.
What, then, is she looking for from Jesus? What does she mean by the words, "Even now, whatever you ask of God, God will give it to you?" We have to conclude that she is looking for his comfort, for the release that God can give to a heart that is burdened and saddened, torn with grief, anticipating the loneliness and emptiness of the days ahead. God can give marvelous inward peace. Many have testified to that.
As we listen to this we can see that Martha's faith is placed right where ours often is, in what she thought would happen, not in who Jesus is and whom she is dealing with. How many times have you said to yourself, "I know God has worked in the past, and I know that he will work again in the future, but today, well, this is not the day of miracles?" In the daily grind of life our world seems to be so barren of miracles that we think,
"Those days have gone. God can't work now. He will work again, though..." This is Martha's faith—in the future, at the resurrection of the last day. Her theology is accurate, but she has forgotten that God is right there in the here and now.
That is what Jesus brings to her attention. Notice how he shifts the focus back from the program to his Person, in the words, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" Even in the grammar of this passage the focus is on the first word, "I, I am the resurrection and the life." Jesus is saying that wherever he is, then anything God ever did or can do can happen! That is where faith ought to be fastened. That is what we ought to remember.

Prayer
Thank you, Father, for this encouraging word, this reminder of the mighty power of our Lord, he who is Master of life and of death.
Life Application: Do our theological boxes serve to limit our expectations and/or experience of God's wisdom and sovereign power? Do we live each day with joyful trust in His agenda?

We hope you were blessed by this daily devotion.

From your friends at www.RayStedman.org

UCB Word for Today: A small change can make a big difference 28 JANUARY 2018

Does anyone dare despise this day of small beginnings?’  Zechariah 4:10 MSG Imagine the temple lying in ruins, and having to be rebuilt from the ground up. That’s what things were like when Zechariah shared his vision with the people of Israel. Some thought it couldn’t be done, and others thought that their particular contribution would make no difference. So Zechariah challenged them in these words: ‘Does anyone dare despise this day of small beginnings? They’ll change their tune when they see Zerubbabel setting the last stone in place!’ In 1963, MIT meteorologist Edward Lorenz presented the hypothesis that became known as the butterfly effect. He theorised that a minor event, like the flapping of a butterfly’s wings in Brazil, could conceivably alter wind currents sufficiently to cause a tornado in Texas. Lorenz came to the simple yet profound conclusion: ‘Minuscule changes in input can make macroscopic differences in output.’ That simple discovery has the power to change your life. It can radically alter your spiritual, emotional, relational, or financial forecast. It can change the atmosphere of your organisation or your marriage. One decision. One change. One risk. One idea. That’s all it takes. You don’t have to make one hundred changes. All that does is divide your energy by one hundred, and results in a 1 per cent chance of success. You have to be 100 per cent committed to one change. It will take an all-out effort. It will probably be the hardest thing you’ve ever done. But that one change has the potential to make a 100 per cent difference in your life.

Bible in a Year: Luke 1:57-80, Psalm 10-12

S.O.S. Prayers DAILY DEVOTION BY JENTENZEN FRANKLIN, JANUARY 26, 2018

One day a woman was driving through the countryside when she saw a tornado approaching, so she hid behind her car and watched as it demolished a nearby house. Running over to what was now a hole in the ground, she saw a man hunkered down with his eyes closed. “Are you okay? Is there anybody down there with you?” she asked. “No,” he replied. “Just me and God having an urgent conversation!” Nothing fuels prayer like real need; in a crisis even unbelievers will pray. 

There are some issues in life we simply can’t resolve on our own, hence the Psalmist wrote, “When I am in trouble, I pray, knowing you…listen” (Ps 86:7 CEV). Sometimes our prayers are simply cries for help meant for God’s ears only. When you’re out of options, your faith develops fast and emergencies become opportunities to experience God’s grace and power in a greater way. 

So if you’re in an S.O.S. situation today, here’s a prayer God will answer: “Father, it feels like I’m in an impossible position with no way out. Let me feel Your presence and the encouragement of Your Spirit, reminding me that with You all things are possible to those who believe. Send the answer from heaven to my earthly situation. From where I stand, things look hopeless. But You are the God who created the earth from nothing, and rolled back the Red Sea so Your children could cross over safely. You made the blind to see, the lame to walk, and the deaf to hear. Today I thank You that You’re my God, and that You are ‘always ready to help in times of trouble.’”

5 Ways to Receive the Power of the Holy Spirit

A child of God needs the enabling power of the Holy Spirit to live victoriously. The power of God is vital for the challenges that we face when we spread the gospel of Jesus. And, certainly this power that Jesus speaks about is not a one-time phenomenon. In fact, the Bible talks about how the disciples repeatedly sought God from time to time for refreshing.

1. Consume the Word of God

God equips you with His power to enable you to proclaim His word successfully. Therefore, it is important that one must soak himself in His Word, which is life in itself. John 6:63 Jesus said, “It is the Spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.” The Bible is the Word of God and when you read it, you are reading the life-giving power of the Spirit. By soaking in God’s word, we activate our faith that helps us walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.

2. Pursue God’s Face

We need to seek the face of God diligently and pursue His presence relentlessly. The more we wait on God, the more we renew power to walk this life in the Spirit. Acts 1:13 “All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer.” It was only when the disciples devoted themselves to prayer in Jerusalem during the ten days of waiting in the Upper Room that the power of the Holy Spirit fell on them.

We must also take time few hours in every day, few minutes in every hour, and few seconds from every minute to withdraw from the world around us to seek His face. Bible says Jesus came with full of power after His 40 days of fasting. Extended fasting and prayer with undivided devotion is certainly a key to receiving God’s power. (See more on fasting here.)

Those times that we seek God should be a time of surrendering and learning to yield to the plans and purposes of the Holy Spirit.

3. Believe the Promise in the Word of God

Galatians 3:5 Paul says, “Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?”

“It is impossible to please God without faith.” (Hebrews 11:6). We cannot walk in the power of the Holy Spirit if we do not walk by faith. We need to develop a child like faith to walk in the power of God.

Luke 11:13 Jesus says to his disciples,“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good things to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”Start by asking today! Ask God to increase your faith. The Lord desires to fill you with His power.

4. Abide in Him

Here’s an important phase that we tend to forget. It is not enough that you receive God’s power once. We need to continue to dwell in Him. You need to take time to study the Word and abide in it. John 14 is a chapter that you should take extended time to meditate, pray and believe.

John 14: 12- 23 explains how obeying God and keeping His commandments is essential to having a life filled with God’s power. It is that unadulterated life that has access to God’s power.

Jesus says in John 15: 4,5  “ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

5. Love One Another

No I did not get it wrong. If you go on reading that verse you will see Jesus gives the commandment, John 15: 12, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” It is interesting how then Jesus goes on talking about bearing fruit in verse 16 and then comes back to talking about loving one another in verse 17.

Towards the end of the ministry of Jesus, He took much efforts talking to them about loving each other and even showing them service by washing their feet.

In other words, Jesus does not want us to simply walk in His power but want us to walk in His love. Truth is walking in His love is to walk in His power! If we are mightily used by God and do not love one another, the fruits that we bear are sour and do not glorify God wholesomely!

Therefore my friends, let us immerse our self in His word and put to death every unbelief and commit ourselves to fast and pray for His power to manifest through our lives. Continue pursuing God every single day of our lives. Live to make His name renown!

Daily Hope: If God Is for Us, Who Can Be Against Us? By Rick Warren — Jan 26, 2018

“Commit your work to the Lord, and then your plans will succeed” (Proverbs 16:3 NLT). God is for your success in life; he created you for a purpose and wants you to succeed. It is God, your Creator, who will measure your success in life, and no one else. Knowing God is for you will change your whole perspective on life. You’ll stop thinking of God as someone looking down from Heaven, ready to yell “Gotcha!” anytime you mess up. This is extremely good news! It means you don’t need to be afraid of God, because God is for you. Yet some people are so afraid of God that they get nervous just talking about him. Do you know why? They feel guilty, and then they start thinking, “If I get close to God, he’s going to lecture me. He’s going to remind me of all the things I’ve done wrong, and then I’ll feel even worse!” Nothing could be further from the truth of God. Jesus said, “I did not come into the world to condemn it, but to save it.” In effect, Jesus is saying, “I didn’t come to scold you; I came to save you.”  If God is for us, who can be against us?  PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >> Talk It Over Why do we sometimes think God is ready to yell “Gotcha!” anytime we mess up?  How does knowing that God is for you change your perspective on life?

Daily Hope: Your Integrity Shows Your Faithfulness By Rick Warren — Jan 18, 2018

 

“Whoever is faithful in small matters will be faithful in large ones; whoever is dishonest in small matters will be dishonest in large ones” (Luke 16:10 GNT).

A common saying today is that “what you do in your private life is nobody else’s business.” Well, it actually is. What you do in your private life — what you do behind closed doors or out of view of other people — builds and reveals your true character. And God sees it just as clearly as the things you do in public.

In fact, the small, unseen things you do are the seeds to God’s public blessing on your life. You cannot compartmentalize your life and say, “I have integrity in my public life, just not in my private life.” I bet you could make a list right now of public figures that have tried to live this way only to have their private indiscretions turn into public scandal and personal downfall. No matter what they say, any leader who is not faithful in small matters will not be faithful in large matters.

Jesus says, “If you have not been faithful with that which belongs to someone else, who will give you what belongs to you?” (Luke 16:12 GNT).

For centuries, everybody who learned a skill, trade, or vocation learned it through an apprenticeship. If you were going to be a mechanic, you apprenticed to another mechanic and served in his (or her) business before you started your own.

This principle of apprenticeship applies to every area of your life. It applies to how you handle other people’s money, how you handle other people’s possessions, and even how you handle other people’s ministry before God gives you your own.

Before God gave me my own ministry, I served as a youth pastor under another man’s ministry. God was watching how I handled it; he was testing my integrity. I needed to prove my faithfulness in that ministry before God would allow me to lead the ministry of Saddleback Church.

If someone loans you a car, how well do you take care of it? If a family lets you stay in their house for vacation, do you treat it as well as you treat your own home? God is watching and testing your integrity. And he will reward you accordingly.



PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

How does your faith influence and shape your integrity?

How does integrity reveal a person’s level of faithfulness?

What does the Bible mean when it says, “Whoever is faithful in small matters will be faithful in large ones” (Luke 16:10 GNT)? How have you seen that to be true in your life?

UCB: The difference between Samson and Samuel (1) 17 JANUARY 2018

Samson and Samuel are mentioned in the same Scripture, but there are big differences between them. You ask, ‘Why should I be interested?’ Because as a Christian, you are like them. Each had a miraculous birth, so they’re a picture of those who’ve been born again and called to serve God. Paul writes, ‘These things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition…Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall’ (1 Corinthians 10:11-12 NKJV). Difference one: Finances. Samson was greedy and manipulating, whereas Samuel practised integrity. One day Samson bet thirty Philistine princes that they couldn’t solve his riddle, saying, ‘If you cannot explain it to me, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing’ (Judges 14:13 NKJV). Quite a wardrobe, eh? Samson’s emphasis was ‘you shall give me’. He’s an example of Christians in business who discredit the cause of Christ by unethical practices, and those in ministry who twist the Scriptures and resort to emotional manipulation to raise money. The world is watching, so let’s heed the Scripture: ‘Provide things honest in the sight of all men’ (Romans 12:17 KJV). Samuel was totally different. After forty years of his exemplary leadership, the people paid this tribute to him: ‘You have not cheated or oppressed us’ (1 Samuel 12:4 NKJV). When others can say that about you, you did it right! Jesus said, ‘Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also’ (Matthew 6:21 KJV). The condition of your heart is revealed in how you handle finances.

Genesis 36-38, Matthew 1:17-42

Daily Hope: Do Good to Those Who Oppose You By Rick Warren — Jan 17, 2018

 



“Love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also” (Luke 6:27-29 NLT).

When you’re persecuted, harassed, and face opposition, you need to respond with a blessing.

Jesus says in Luke 6:27-29, “Love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also” (NLT).

Who does that?! Not many people, actually. It’s what sets Christians apart, because it’s not a natural or popular or easy response.

It takes a lot of courage to do those things! Any fool can fight back. Anyone can fight back. Anyone can retaliate. Anyone can respond with something mean.”

God wants you to love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who hurt you, and turn the other cheek. Is that easy? No. You can only do it by being filled with God’s love. But it is the most powerful form of witness.

In the movie The Butler, we see how the Freedom Riders, who fought racism and segregation in the South during the Civil Rights Movement, trained people how to not retaliate when they were hit, spit on, cursed, pushed, or hit by food that people threw at them. It’s a very powerful scene of taking a nonviolent stance.

As I watched that scene, tears started coming down my face. I thought, “I want to be that kind of person for Jesus. I want to be that brave. I want to have a heart of courage that won’t cave in to what’s wrong, no matter what they throw at me. And I want to respond with love.”

When you refuse to retaliate and instead respond in love at work or with somebody who doesn’t like you, God will be pleased. And you’re going to be blessed.

“God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven” (Matthew 5:10-12 NLT).

Jesus paid a price for you. He says there’s a price to be paid for following him. Popularity on Earth is not part of the guarantee of being a Christian, but your reward in Heaven is guaranteed.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>


Talk It Over

What has your faith cost you — and have you ever regretted that cost?

How do you handle insults or rejection because of your faith? What’s the limit on how much you’re willing to suffer for Jesus Christ?

How has your faith been shaped by choosing to respond in love and not with retaliation — or by watching other Christians respond that way?

Daily Hope: It’s Always Too Soon to Quit By Rick Warren — Jan 13, 2018





“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” (2 Corinthians 4:16-17 NLT).

The difference between faithful people and unfaithful people is that faithful people don’t give up at the first sign of difficulty. They keep on keeping on. Faithful people are determined. Faithful people are diligent. Faithful people are persistent. Faithful people don’t know how to quit. You know how a little acorn becomes an oak tree? An oak tree is just an acorn that refused to give up.

I’m not that smart, but I do know one thing: It is always too soon to quit. You are never a failure until you quit, and it’s always too soon to quit. God uses tough times to test our persistence.

When we started Saddleback, I preached the first sermon to one person: my wife. She thought it was too long. Thirty-one years later, she’s still saying my sermons are too long!

I thought when we started a church we’d get a building quickly. We went 15 years without a building. In the first 13 years of Saddleback Church, we used 79 different facilities. You know how many times I felt like giving up? Nearly every Monday morning! But I don’t know how to quit. And God said, “Rick, if I never give the church a building, would you still serve me?” And I said, “Absolutely!”

Saddleback grew to more than 10,000 people before we built our first building. How would you like to set up and take down a church for 10,000 people every week? There’s not a lot of glory in that. It’s just hard work. God uses tough times to test our persistence.

If you’re going through tough times right now, then this Scripture is for you: “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” (2 Corinthians 4:16-17 NLT).

God is more interested in what you’re becoming than in what’s happening to you. He often allows trials, troubles, tribulations, and problems in your life to teach you diligence, determination, and character. The problem you’re going through right now? It’s a test of your faithfulness. Will you continue to serve God even when life is tough?

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9 NIV).



Talk It Over

Why do you think God is more interested in what you’re becoming than in what’s happening to you?

How will knowing God is working in your difficult circumstances change the way you’ll respond to them?

In what situation are you ready to give up? What will it take to trust God as you persevere through this situation?

Open Heaven Devotional: I Shall Not Be Ashamed By Pastor E A Adeboye - January 6, 2017

Topic: I Shall Not Be Ashamed — Saturday 6, January 2018

Memorise: I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O LORD, put me not to shame. – Psalms 119:31

Read: Isaiah 54:4-5 (KJV)

4 Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.

5 For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.

Bible in One Year: Genesis 14-16, Revelation 5:1-6:2, Hymn: Sing Hymn 3: What Can Wash Away My Sins

MESSAGE:

Shame is an undesirable experience of life. It is the outcome of disgrace, humiliation, reproach or degradation. It can simply be described as the loss of honour or respect as a result of wrongdoing or failure. The Bible reveals that shame has its origin in the fall of man in the Garden of Eden:

“And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.” - Genesis 3:7

When Adam and Eve engaged in gross disobedience to the commandment of God, the end result was shame. Shame is inevitable for whosoever will not give due regard to the commandments or instructions that come from the Lord. The devil delights in using the spirit of rebellion as a tool to knock people down from grace to grass. This was the case with King Saul. When he acted contrary to God’s clear instructions, the end result was the shame of rejection. God rejected him as king over His people Israel. 1 Samuel 15:26 says:

“And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.”

Are you experiencing any form of shame in your life? Has the devil succeeded in dragging you from grace to grass? I have good news for you today: No matter how terrible your past life has been, the Lord will wipe away your shame today in Jesus' Name. In today’s Bible reading, the Almighty God expressly gives you the assurance that beginning from now, your shame shall become history. To enforce the fulfilment of this prophetic message in your life, you must make a heartfelt cry for mercy through genuine repentance of those sins that have brought you shame.Proverbs 28:13

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”

Furthermore, you need to call upon the Lord like the Psalmist in today’s memory verse. What is that shame in your life right now? Is it the shame of sin, sickness, barrenness, or loneliness as a result of a broken home or ailing marriage? An end has come to it today; only believe! Be assured that the God who said you shall forget your shame is well able to do what He has said in His word. Indeed your shame shall become a thing of the past in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point: Father, remove my shame and cover my nakedness today in Jesus' Name.

Hymn 3: What Can Wash Away My Sins

1. What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Chorus:
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

2. For my cleansing this I see
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
For my pardon this my plea
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

3. Nothing can my sin erase
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Naught of works, 'tis all of grace
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

4. This is all my hope and peace
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
This is all my righteousness

Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Secrets Of Self-Control (3) DAILY DEVOTIONS BY JENTENZEN FRANKLIN JANUARY 06, 2018

“The grace of God…teaches us to say ‘No.’”        Tit 2:11-12 NIV

Talk back to your feelings. We put far too much emphasis on our feelings. We think everything has to feel good or it’s not worthwhile. We say things like, “I don’t feel like studying…I don’t feel like working…I don’t feel like reading my Bible.” Or, “I feel like having another drink…I feel like sleeping until noon.” Don’t give your feelings so much authority. Feelings are highly unreliable; if you allow them, they will control and manipulate you. God doesn’t want you to be controlled by your feelings; He wants you to master your moods. With Christ as the Master of your life, you can master your feelings. Talk back to them. God says He wants you to learn how to challenge your emotions. “The grace of God…teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives” (vv. 11-12 NIV). God’s grace gives you the power to do what’s right. It gives you the ability to say no to that feeling, to that desire, to that impulse. Are you battling a weight problem? Before you ever walk into the kitchen and open the refrigerator door, you have already begun to talk to yourself about eating. If you are serious, you will have to challenge some of those subconscious attitudes about food. When you hear your mind saying, “I just have to have a snack or I’ll die,” you have to say, “No, I’m not going to die. In fact, I will be healthier if I don’t have a snack.” Bottom line: God’s supernatural power can help you to master your moods, thoughts, and desires

TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY Keys to Bible study (3)

veryone who hears these words of mine.’

Matthew 7:24

Certain products carry a label that says: ‘Warning! This can be hazardous to your health.’ Instead of helping you, certain kinds of Bible study can actually hurt you. The Bible says, ‘Knowledge puffs up’ (1 Corinthians 8:1 NIV 2011 Edition). The Greek word for ‘puffs’ contains the idea of being inflated, like a hot air balloon. By the time a Pharisee was ordained, he could quote hours and hours of Old Testament law. Yet Jesus said the Pharisees were like beautifully painted gravestones: filled with dead men’s bones. Satan knows the Scriptures so well that he was able to quote them to Jesus in the wilderness temptation. And what is Satan’s chief quality? Pride. It’s the sin that got him thrown out of heaven. The whole point in studying the Scriptures is to make you more dependent on God and give you the right approach to life. People mainly read the Scriptures for three reasons: 1) To find proof texts that support their views. 2) To find promises that apply to their particular needs. 3) To discover principles to live by. If you’re wise you’ll be a member of this third group. Jesus said, ‘Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.’ When the storms of life came, the wise man’s house stood firm while the foolish man’s – the one who didn’t practise what he knew – came crashing down. Added knowledge brings added responsibility. So if you’re not planning on applying the knowledge you’ve received from your Bible study, you’d be better not to study it at all.

Gen 16-17, Matt 5:27-48

Spiritual Separation: Open Heavens Devotional Friday 5 January 2018 by Pastor Adeboye

Topic: Spiritual Separation — Friday 5, January 2018

Memorise: But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. – Revelation 21:8

Read: John 15:4-6 (KJV)

4 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.

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

Bible in One Year: Genesis 11-13, Revelation 4, Hymn: Sing Hymn 5: I Have Decided To Follow Jesus

MESSAGE:

“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” - Matthew 27:46

The above verse of Scripture vividly captures what spiritual separation is and the agony that accompanies it. The Lord Jesus Christ experienced it on the cross of Calvary on behalf of all mankind, when He carried the sins of the entire world upon Himself, and the Father turned His face away from Him for the first and only time. My Prayer for everyone who is spiritually separated from God is thy their eyes of understanding will be opened to see their pitiable state, and that they will realise the agony that awaits them in eternity if they do not reconcile with God.

Sin is the root cause of spiritual separation. The reason is that the Almighty God cannot look at it or interact with sin (Habakkuk 1:13). If you are living a life of sin, you are spiritually separated from Him. Genesis chapter 3 narrates to us how the first man and woman experienced spiritual separation. After they sinned, they became empty and naked. They felt so worthless that even when God tried to reach out to them, they were too ashamed to show up. A sense of guilt and self-condemnation overwhelmed their hearts. We thank God today there is remedy for spiritual separation: the Blood of Jesus(Colossians 1:19-22). However, there is an eternal spiritual separation that is coming from which there is no remedy; the Bible refers to this as the second death. Today’s memory verse tells us some of those who will partake in this terrible experience and the first of these is the fearful. Proverbs 29:25 says,

“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.”

Saul, the first king of Israel, lost his throne because of the fear of man. Just like King Saul, many leaders have lost their God-given leadership position because of the fear of men. The unbelieving are next on that list. Unbelief was the bedrock of Adam and Eve’s disobedience. Other practices such as lying, murder, adultery, incest, homosexuality, as well as witchcraft and sorcery, are the part way to eternal separation. Beloved, spiritual separation from one’s Maker brings about untold agony and frustration because without God, you can do nothing(John 15:5). If you are in the state of spiritual separation today, close the gap between you and your Maker through genuine repentance and by applying the Blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. Blessed are you if you do this because you will escape the agony of eternal separation from God in the Lake of fire.

Action Point: Examine your life. Whatever brings separation between you and God should be done away with. Also ask for forgiveness and cleansing in the Blood of Jesus.

Hymn 5: I Have Decided To Follow Jesus

1. I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

2. The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.

3. Though none go with me, I still will follow;
Though none go with me, I still will follow;
Though none go with me, I still will follow
No turning back, no turning back.

4. My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

5. Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.