Fresh Bread. A Daily Devotional July 2017 December Motivating you unto a better daily walk with Jesus. Comfort Adeosun

Transcription

1

2 Fresh Bread A Daily Devotional July 2017 December 2017 Motivating you unto a better daily walk with Jesus Comfort Adeosun

3 Copyright 2017 Comfort Adeosun All rights reserved. This book is protected under the copyright laws. This book may not be copied or reprinted for commercial gain or profit. The use of short quotations or occasional page copying for personal or group study is permitted and encouraged. Permission will be granted upon request. Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NIV are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION TM Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked RSV are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version. Emphasis within Scripture quotations is the author's own. Take note that the name satan and related names are not capitalized. I choose not to acknowledge him, even to the point of violating grammatical rules. ISSN: For Worldwide Distribution, Printed in Nigeria

4 From the Author To God be the glory great things He has done. I am grateful to God for blessing me with the revelation of His word. I praise Him for His grace and anointing upon my life. Friend, rejoice and give thanks to the Lord with us as we celebrate God's goodness. This is th the 15 Anniversary edition of Fresh Bread daily devotional. It is the Lord's doing, it is marvelous in our eyes. I am grateful to you, our readers, for trusting the gift of God in me to bless you through the words you read in this daily devotional. To our distributors, individuals who pray for me and call me from time to time, and those who make financial contributions and purchase large quantities to give to others freely, I say thank you. To Prof. Nkem Okoh and Brother Arnold Alalibo, thank you for what you do. To Dr Steve Ogan for mentoring me and releasing the gift in me, Bishop Joe Ibojie for propelling me to the next level, my Pastors, friends and mentors, thank you. In this volume, we will examine several topics. In July - September, we will explore the letters of Paul to the Thessalonians. In October-December, we will consider diverse topics drawn from different portions of the Bible. It is my prayer that the Lord will speak to you daily. Each day will bring you light and fresh revelation from the presence of the Lord. At Fresh Bread Ministry, we continue to ask and call for partners to support our work and join us in ministering to the body of Christ. We need both financial and prayer partners. If the Lord leads you to partner with us, please contact us. Contact information is found on the back cover of this devotional. Thank you. Please, do not forget to access our website and tell your friends about it: May the Lord cause His face to shine on you and cause you to walk in abundance of His word that your profiting will appear to all. In my Father's business, Comfort Adeosun

5

6 The Month Of Purification Sat 1 July 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Corinthians 7:1). riend, this is the month of purification. As we step into the Fsecond half of the year, it is time to review our lives vis-à-vis where we are with God. The Lord has blessed us with so much. He has a high expectation of us when He saved us and gave us His Son as the propitiation for our sin. We have His Holy Spirit too to guide us through life. However, many times our lives do not match what God planned for us because we are not living in line with His purpose. God's promise is to dwell in us and live in us. He wants to walk with us and help us to please Him. What are we to do? The answer is in our focal text. Paul writes, Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Corinthians 7:1). 1. We must purify ourselves from everything that defiles our body and spirit. 2. We must be willing to leave behind what God says leave. See 2 Corinthians 6: We must pursue holiness because we love, respect and reverence the Lord. When we do these with a good attitude, we will begin to see holiness from a different perspective. May the Lord help us in Jesus' Name. Shalom. Thank God for this word. Pray for yourself that you will seek the Lord and walk in holiness this month. Commit the month into God s hands. Song: Thanks, thanks we give You thanks. Further Reading: Psalm1; 1 Peter 1:

7 Sun 2 July We Must Not Be Foolish Luke 24:13-35 How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! (Luke 24:25, NIV). s we continue our journey on earth, we must pay attention Ato the happenings around us. We must not be ignorant of what the Scriptures say about the events in our world. The ignorance of what Christ said about the end time will make us victims of fear, depression, anxiety and all forms of death and satanic manipulation. To escape all these, I have made Matthew 24 and Luke 21 my favorite passages. Jesus Christ confirmed the need to be wise when He met with some of His disciples on the road to Emmaus. Following His death, His disciples were disillusioned. They were unaware of what next. But when Christ met with some of them, He rebuked them because they were ignorant of His word and what He had told them. He said, How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! (Luke 24:25). Friend, we must not be foolish too. The Lord has warned us about what is happening now and would happen in the future, why are we fearful? All we have to do is stand still and pray. We must continue to preach the gospel because we know how it would all end. In the end, we will win. Let us go back to the word of God, read it and believe it. Then we will not be shaken now and in the days to come. Shalom. Thank God for His word that has come to challenge us. Pray that you will not be foolish but wise to understand what the Bible says about the end time. Pray for peace in your heart and home. Hymn: O God, our help in ages past. 6 Further Reading: Luke 21:5-35; Psalm 16:8.

8 The Letter To The Thessalonians 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 Paul, Silas and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: grace and peace to you (1 Thessalonians 1:1, NIV). Mon 3 July st nd oday, we will begin our study of 1 and 2 Thessalonians. TThe aim is to acquaint ourselves with the word of God and know the truth it teaches. Several reasons necessitate the study of these two books. First, there is the need for us to become grounded in the word of faith and let the same word influence and change our lives. Second, we need to read and have a devotional study of the book of Thessalonians because we could relate with several issues that were touched in it and ask the Lord to help us to apply its truth. In the opening verse, Paul revealed the identity of his audience. Paul, Silas and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: grace and peace to you (1 Thessalonians 1:1, NIV). They were a community of faith in God and the Lord Jesus Christ. This opening words show that the members of this church had a close walk with God. Are we a church in Christ? Do we know the Lord? Without wasting time, Paul prayed for them. He said, Grace and peace to you. Friend, where we are now and the way we are living in our generation, I believe we need the grace and peace of God to keep us till the end. Let us pray. Is our action and attitude reflecting the fact that we are in union with Christ? Pray for yourself and your church. Song: He's got the whole world in His hands. Further Reading: Psalm 8. 7

9 Tues 4 July Book Synopsis 1 Thessalonians 1:1; Acts 16:6-15. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, Come over to Macedonia and help us (Acts 16:9). ccording to the book of Acts, Paul's missionary work in AThessalonica was part of the vision he received to come to Macedonia. The Bible says, After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them (Acts 16:10). However, due to the incessant attacks from the Jews on his ministry, he moved from city to city until he could no longer move freely. Later on he was arrested and began the journey to Rome. But God kept the churches he founded and they continued to grow. The foundation was good. See 1 Corinthians 3. His work in the Roman Empire led to his being called the Apostle to the Gentiles. The two letters to the Thessalonians are considered to be Paul's earliest letters. Both letters were written around A.D 50&51. The concern that Paul and his friends had for them, led to the desire to know how they are doing in the faith. They sent Timothy to visit them. The letters were their response to Timothy's report about the state of the church. First Thessalonians follows Paul's usual pattern of greetings, his prayers and response to issues that may have been raised. As we read through this letter, may the Lord help us to live godly lives and have godly conduct in Jesus' Name. Shalom. What is your response in the time of persecution? Do you give up on faith or you hold on to God? Song: Father, we adore You. 8 Further Reading: Acts 16.

10 Grace And Peace 1 Thessalonians 1:1b (NIV) Grace and peace to you. Wed 5 July Several times in the New Testament, we read the words, Grace and peace to you or grace and peace be multiplied. But what does this mean? According to the Easton Bible Dictionary, the word grace simply means favor, kindness or friendship. It could also denote God's forgiven mercy or gifts bestowed on a person. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia defines peace as a condition of freedom from disturbance, whether outwardly, as of a nation from war or enemies, or inwardly, within the soul. It also relates to wholeness, soundness, health and prosperity. When we bring them together, we need God's grace to continue to stand in our salvation and enjoy His favor and kindness. His grace brought us into the kingdom. See Ephesians 2:5. His grace must sustain us to the end. As divine enablement, we need the grace of God to live and do well in order to be a blessing to others. The peace of God guards our heart away from the turbulence of life. God's peace keeps us at rest even as we live in dangerous times. We need God's peace to stand strong so that the gate of hell will not prevail over us. Indeed, we need God's abundant grace and peace in our life so that we can live the prosperous and peaceful life. Shalom. Pray and ask the Lord to fill your life and church with more grace and peace. Pray for us that we will enjoy more grace and peace too. Thank you. Hymn: Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound. Further Reading: Isaiah 26:3; 2 Peter 1:2-4. 9

11 Thurs 6 July Robust Thanksgiving robust thanksgiving and prayer is the one that goes Abeyond me, myself and I. It is one that includes others; focusing on what God has done for them and praying to God on their behalf. Many times we focus on thanking God for our own little life. We ought to do that and much more. We must pray for others too. Paul and his friends wrote to the Thessalonians to let them know that they are part of their devotional life. He said, We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers (1 Thessalonians 1:2). It will be a joy to know that someone is doing this for us too. Applying this to ourselves, let us make it a habit to thank God for our life, what He is doing in the lives of people around us and the wider church community. We should make mention of others and our nation in our prayers. I acknowledge the importance of praying for others and making mention of them in my prayers. Those short prayers can make a difference. Our prayers could release an angel to lead them to their place of rest and deliverance. Let us pay attention to one another and see what God is doing and thank Him for it. Let us pay attention to know what they need and pray for them. Shalom. In what ways can you apply today's devotional message into your life? Ask the Lord to show you what He is doing around you and thank Him for it. Pray for your friends too. Song: Marvelous grace of our loving God. 1 Thessalonians 1:2 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers (1 Thessalonians 1:2). 10 Further Reading: Hebrews 13:18-19.

12 The Three Fulcrum Of Faith Fri 7 July 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 1:3, NIV). C ontinuing from yesterday's devotional message, we will look at the next thing that Paul and his friends remembered about the church at Thessalonica. The Bible says, We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 1:3, NIV). Reading through this verse, the Holy Spirit impressed on my heart that these are the three fulcrum of faith. A fulcrum is a support or hinge. In essence, it is our walk of faith resting on the force of faith, love and hope. Whatever we do we must remain in the pursuit of these three characteristics. No wonder the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 13: 13 that, Now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love (NIV). Friend, is our work and the way we live a product of faith? Are we serving in the church because we have faith that God would reward us? Is our work (irrespective of our vocation) done with faith that we are contributing to the overall wellbeing of the human race? You see, all our work can be done to reflect our faith in God and show that we are a people of faith. It is all a matter of knowledge and attitude. Think on these things. Shalom. Thank God for this word that has come to stir our faith in God and the value we can add to life. Ask the Lord to show you how you can practice the truth that you have learned. Song: I give glory to Your Name, O Lord. Further Reading: John 6:

13 Sat 8 July Labor Prompted By Love 2 Kings 4:8-17 (vs.10) Let's make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us (2 Kings 4:10, NIV). he Shunammite woman's story in 2 Kings Chapter 4 Tprovides a good example of how our labor could be prompted by love. Her love for God led her to demonstrate hospitability and benevolence to the man of God. Out of love she encouraged her husband to join her in serving God through His servant, Elisha. She said, I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. Let's make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us (2 Kings 4:9-10). Unknown to her, her reward would come. In the same way, I believe as believers we can serve others with love in whatever vocations. For example, we can design a shoe with love because we know it will beautify the wearer. As pastors, we can care for our flock because they are precious to God. As a medical doctor, you can care for your patient knowing that God is using you to improve life. When we begin to think and act this way, our perspective to our duties will change. We will become agents of change. The goal of reading and studying the word of God is to change us. Let us apply God's word to our lives. Shalom. Pray that this word will change you and the way you see your job and vocation. Pray that God will fill our heart with love for Him and for His people so that our labor and service to others will be prompted by love and humility. Song: Forever, O Lord. Your word is settled in heaven. 12 Further Reading: Genesis 18.

14 Endurance Inspired By Hope Sun 9 July Romans 5:1-5; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:5). riend, we are in good company. The Thessalonians Fendured persecution from the Jews and their own people because they have hope. We can learn from them and endure the temptations that we face. How? We endure hardship, trials and tribulation because we have hope in Christ and we know what lies ahead of us in Christ Jesus. The Bible encourages us saying, Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.for our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all (2 Corinthians 4:16-17). Please, let our endurance of the commotion in our world be inspired by our hope in God. Hope that God will make all things new in the end and we will live the way that He wanted us to live when we were created in Genesis Chapter 1. See Revelation 21:5. We must fix our eyes on things that are eternal because we know that our God is faithful. He will keep us to the end. Be encouraged that no matter what you are facing right now God is working on your case. In the end, you will see that all things will work together for your good. Shalom. Pray for yourself as you have been blessed. Pray that you will endure the trials and temptations you are facing now. Receive the grace to stand firm in Christ Jesus. Hymn: My hope is built on nothing less. Further Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:58. 13

15 Mon10 July The Ultimate Goal 2 Corinthians 4:7-11 We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us (2 Corinthians 4:7). riend, the ultimate goal of our faith in God and living Fwithin the three fulcrum of faith, love and hope is so that the life of Christ may be manifested in our body (2 Corinthians 4:10). The Scriptures make us to understand that our desire should be to glorify God because we have been bought with a price by Him. See 1 Corinthians 6: 20. The ultimate purpose of living and servicing God is so that our life may show the excellent power of God that is at work in us. No wonder the Scripture says, We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us (2 Corinthians 4:7). I seem to hear someone ask why all of these? Well, I believe we need to remind ourselves from time to time of these truths so that we are not discouraged or be filled with pride as the Lord uses us. We need to live in the consciousness that all we do is in line with the word of God: our work produced by faith, our labour prompted by love and our endurance of unfavorable circumstances and sufferings inspired by hope in Christ Jesus. May the Lord fill our hearts with more understanding of the truth in Jesus' Name. Shalom. Pray for yourself. Ask the Lord to help you in any area that you need Him. Song: My God is able, is able. I know He is able. 14 Further Reading: 2 Timothy 2:21.

16 Our God And Father Tues 11 July 1 Thessalonians 1:3 As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ (New Living Translation). hile writing this section of the devotional, I was Wreminded of how Charles Spurgeon wrote devotional thoughts from short verses and phrases from the word of God. I was encouraged to write on the phrase our God and father used in 1 Thessalonians 1:3. Friend, this phrase reveals that we have double access to God and double honour from Him. First, He is our God and the creator of the universe. As His creation, we have access to Him on this level. The Psalmist writes, Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture (Psalm 100:3). Second, He is our father and that of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 20: 17). This moves us to another level. It makes us to become heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). On this level we have access to God and a greater honour and glory in Him. Also, on this level we can proclaim that we are God's and function as He wants us to be. His love gave us access to all that Christ has. The question is: Are we walking on these two levels? Are we relating to God as our father and creator? Are we enjoying the blessing that these two access gave us? Think on these things. What challenges have you allowed to hinder you from walking in your birthright as God's creation and child? Take your case to the Lord. Hymn: There is not a friend like the lowly Jesus, no not one. Further Reading: 1 Peter 1:

17 Wed 12 July Chosen By God 1 Thessalonians 1:4-6 We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people (1 Thessalonians 1:4, New Living Translation). esus told His disciples, You did not choose Me, but I chose Jyou and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain (John 15:16). Friend, there is no greater affirmation in life than to know that God loves us and has chosen us for Himself. Paul reminded his audience when he writes, We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people (vs.4, NIV). The evidence of this love and choice includes: 1. The gospel came to them. Many are yet to hear the gospel. We have heard and are saved. We ought to thank God for it. If they hear may be they would believe as we have and be saved. 2. The gospel came to them in power. It means there was the manifestation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit like healing and work of deliverance when they heard the word in Acts Chapters The Holy Spirit helped them to believe through deep conviction of their sin and their need for a Savior. Salvation is a privilege not a right. We were privileged by God's love to be saved and experience His grace. What are we to do? We must thank God for loving us and choosing us to be His own. Thank God for your salvation and the grace that is at work in your life to live for Him. Song: O Lord my God when I in awesome wonder. 16 Further Reading: John 15.

18 Imitations Of Right Living Thurs 13 July 1 Thessalonians 1:6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit (NIV). o imitate is to copy, to mimic. As a transitive verb it means Tto follow as a pattern, model or example. It means to be or appear like or produce a copy of. With this in mind, we can appreciate what it means when the Bible says the Thessalonians became imitators of Paul, his friends and of the Lord. It means they decided to follow their pattern of life and perhaps their life style. They made them their role models so that they can be like them in their walk with God. Paul went further to elaborate the extent of their imitation. He said, So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord (1 Thessalonians 1:6, New Living Translation). They endured suffering, persecutions and received the word of God. Have we imitated Christ to this point? Sometime again the Lord told me to stop my apathy to the word and be open to fresh word. At that point I was not ready to hear or believe another word because to me the ones I had believed were yet to produce results. Helped by Him, I opened my heart and remained steadfast believing Him for my deliverance. Friend, we must imitate those who endured to overcome in life. May the Lord help us. Shalom. Pray for the grace to be steadfast to God and His word. Pray that your life will reveal the way of Christ. Song: Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart. Further Reading: 2 Corinthians 8:

19 Fri 14 July Benefits Of Imitating Christ 1 Thessalonians 1:6-7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia (1 Thessalonians 1:7, NIV). esterday, we looked at the meaning of the word 'imitate'. We Yconcluded by saying that we needed to be imitators of the Thessalonian church just as they imitated their leaders and Christ. Today we will look at some of the benefits of imitating Christ. 1. We become more like Christ by following Him and emulating His way of life, commitment to God and to His life purpose. 2. We become conformed to His image. This is the ultimate goal that God wants us to achieve. When we do this, we are on the way to restoration in the way it was meant to be in Genesis Chapters 1 and 2. See Romans 8: We imitate Him to do greater works. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father (John 14:12). 4. We become role models for others too. When they see how we have patterned our lives after Christ, living different from the ways of this world, they would be encouraged to follow Christ too. 1 Thessalonians 1:7. May the Lord help us to see the need to live by the word of God. Shalom. Pray for yourself as you have been ministered to. Pray for your nation that the peace of God will reign in the land. Pray for peace in the Middle East. Song: Follow, follow I will follow Jesus. 18 Further Reading: John 14:1-31.

20 Kingdom Expansion 1 Thessalonians 1:6-9 The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaiayour faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it (1 Thessalonians 1:8, NIV). Sat 15 July hen we become imitators of Christ and live right we Wwould contribute to kingdom expansion. Paul explains this further, The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it (1 Thessalonians 1:8). The message they believed spread to other regions. Their faith became known everywhere to the extent that the Macedonians and those in Asia talked about them. This type of contagious lifestyle will spread the influence of the gospel. When men see us and read us as Christ's epistles, then our way of life will become a witness for the Kingdom of God. When we do this, God will be glad. We will be happy too that we are pleasing the Lord and affecting lives for Him. The Thessalonian's hope of eternal life and Christ's second coming was alluded to because they demonstrated what they believed. O! That our lives would reflect the life of Christ. O! That we would show forth the glory of God and show to others that there has been a change since we met the Lord. Friend, let us reflect on this word, check our lives to see if we are really living as role models in and outside the kingdom. If we are lacking, let us pray and ask God for help. Thank God for this word. Pray for yourself as you have been ministered to. Hymn: Is your life a channel of blessing? (Make me a channel of blessing today). Further Reading: 2 Corinthians 8:

21 Sun 16 July Evidence Of Imitation uicciardini writes, He who imitates what is evil always goes Gbeyond the example that is set; on the contrary, he who imitates what is good always falls short. Why? It is because we can never do it like the originator. In our imitation of Christ, we know that we will fall short but at least we know that we have someone that we are following. As the Thessalonians continue to walk with Christ, Paul commented about how they turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God (1 Thessalonians 4:9b, NIV). The remaining verses of Chapter One provide more evidence of the transformation that took place in this church community. First, they turned to God from idols. Acts Chapter 17 reveals how they were idolaters, had many gods and believed in Greek philosophy, but when they heard the gospel, many were persuaded and got saved in spite of the opposition from the Jews. Second, they believed in the message about the resurrection of the saints and awaited the Lord's second coming from heaven. These are genuine evidence of salvation. The lesson for us is that we need to show evidence of a changed life too. It is worth repeating that we must believe and hope for Christ's second coming because that is the guarantee of our resurrection and our salvation from the second death.think on these things. Shalom. Do you have the evidence and are you allowing His word to change the way you live? What are the things that are hindering you from following God wholeheartedly? Ask God to help you. Hymn: My faith has found a resting place. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God. (1 Thessalonians 1:9b, NIV). 20 Further Reading: Acts 17:1-14.

22 We Pray For Results Mon 17 July 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12; Acts 17:1-4 You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results (1Thessalonians 2:1, NIV). f I were Paul and his friends, I would be bold and proud to Isay brothers and sisters, our visit to you was not without results (1Thessalonians 2:1, NIV), because that was the truth. They had good results and their work in that city endured long after Paul and his friends departed. In the light of this word, let us pray and ask the Lord to lead us and help us to do more than we are doing right now. This would cut across our career, school, work and ministry. We want our work to yield good and durable results. We need to note that first, Paul's missionary work in the city of Thessalonica was guided by the Lord. See Acts 16:6-10. Paul heard a vision and he responded to it. Second, Paul and his friends persevered in the face of severe persecution and opposition from the Jews and unbelieving Gentiles. Recognizing these factors would help us to succeed. Therefore, we will pray and ask the Lord to lead us to where He has prepared for us to work and serve Him. We will pray and ask the Lord to guide us to the right business contacts and career paths. We will pray for the grace to endure so that we can see results from our labor. Finally, we will pray that our work and life will produce results. Pray for yourself using the above points. Hymn: To the work, to the work we will go. Further Reading: Acts 16:

23 Tues 18 July How Are We Doing? 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you (1 Thessalonians 2:3, NIV). eading through today's devotional passage, the thoughts Rthat came to my mind was - we have so much to learn from this team. Are we willing to learn from them? I also thought about how we are doing relative to the high standard of commitment and stewardship demonstrated by these Apostles. From the passage we read, we were made to understand the things we need to run from in order to do ministry, serve God and His people well. These include: 1. No impure motives. Verse 3a. We must not pretend to minister to God's people when we have ulterior motive. Some of which may include but not limited to inordinate desire to lord it over others and God's people. 2. No tricks. Paul writes, For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you (1 Thessalonians 2:3, NIV). O! How we need to hear this more in our days when many church goers have been deceived by the tricks of many men and women of God. This includes self-declared miracle workers or signs and wonders performers. Friend, may the Lord help us to examine ourselves so that we do not fall into these unholy habits as we decide to serve in the Lord's vineyard. Shalom. Pray for yourself. Pray for your pastors and church leaders that they will avoid these errors. Pray that God will send true servants and leaders into His church. Song: Alleluia! For the Lord God Almighty reigns. 22 Further Reading: Proverbs 8:13.

24 No Flattering Or Mask Wed 19 July 1 Thessalonians 2:5-6 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed God is our witness (1 Thessalonians 2:5, NIV). ontinuing from where we stopped yesterday, Paul and his Cfriends revealed more truth to us about how not to serve. They told us what they never did. That is, You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed- God is our witness (1Thessalonians 2:5). 1. No people pleasing behavior: That is, focus on pleasing God and blessing His people. If this is our goal we will not fail or fall. 2. Never use flattery: To flatter is to praise somewhat dishonestly while flattery is to give excessive or insincere praise. All of these are rooted in pretense and insincerity. They must not be found in us. Be genuine with your praise and truthful in your admiration of others. 3. No mask to cover up greed: Those who put on a mask pretend. They are masquerades. They parade themselves to be something they are not. They pretend so that they can deceive people. We see them in our churches and the television. The Bible says this is not good so we should not do it. Do not be an imposter. Solution: Let your praise come from a heart of love. Let your focus be on pleasing God only. Every other thing will fall in line. Shalom. Think on these things. In what ways can you apply them to your life, walk with God and relationship with others? Song: Thy word is lamp unto my feet. Further Reading: Psalm 119:

25 Thurs 20 July You Are Already Approved 1 Thessalonians 2:4 On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts (vs.4, NIV). f you are called and anointed by God to serve in a particular Iarea, know that you have been approved by Him and entrusted with heaven's treasures. Since God approved of you, you no longer need to be a people pleaser or seek the approval of men. Paul said, We speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts (1 Thessalonian 2:4, NIV). Your gifts came from God. He created you for His purpose therefore celebrate it and be contended. The Bible says, Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning ( James 1:17). The more we shift from this truth, the more we will be tempted to become people-pleasers. People-pleasers lack self-esteem and self-confidence because they fail to understand that God has already approved them by entrusting them with the gifts and talents they possessed. Friend, let no man despise you. God is the One to please. He is the One who tests our hearts and has the right to judge us. Seek to please Him only and all will be well with us. Then we can do our work from a heart filled with faith, love and hope in Christ Jesus. Shalom. Think about this word. Pray for yourself in the light of this truth. Song: God is so good. 24 Further Reading: 2 Corinthians 10:12.

26 Let Care Be At The Centre Fri 21 July 1 Thessalonians 2:6-13 Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you (1 Thessalonians 2:9). s a family, we continue to remember and miss the Arelationship that we had with a minister of the gospel who left our locality. He was a selfless man. His ministry demonstrated what sacrificial giving and leadership ought to be amongst those who serve on the pulpit. He gives to anyone who comes across him. He does not care if you are the lowest person or giver in the church. When you have a need he seeks for ways to meet it. His example remains with us. The story showed genuine care from the heart of the man of God towards many who came in contact with him. How can we make care the center of our ministry? As a worship leader, you demonstrate care when you take the time to train and prepare before coming to lead worship. You can demonstrate care when you sharpen your skills as a lawyer or a health care professional before you render services to people. Paul and his friends also worked to meet their needs in order not be a burden to the people. See verse 9. This is something we need to rethink in today's church. There is nothing wrong with a full time call. Yet, if you know being bivocational will help you to relieve the burden, then we should do so. May the Lord change us through His word. Shalom. How can you demonstrate care through your life, career, work and ministry in the church? Song: How great is our God. Sing with me how great is our God. Further Reading: Matthew 17:

27 Sat 22 July The Way To Serve (1) 1 Thessalonians 2:10-12 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed (1 Thessalonians 2:10). oday's passage reveals what God expects of us. It Tshows the qualities of a good ministry in the body of Christ. From the passage, I understood that: 1. We must be men and women of integrity. We must pursue holiness and be blameless in our conduct within and outside the church. Paul writes, You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed (1 Thessalonians 2:10-12). 2. Our work must focus on providing care, encouragement and comfort for the people of God. Encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory (1 Thessalonians 2:12). 3. We must promote and urge one another to live lives that are worthy of God's praise so that His kingdom will be respected amongst the heathen. Let us take time to think on these things and pray for the grace to produce these qualities in our lives. Shalom. Pray for the ministers of the gospel that you know. Pray for your departmental, fellowship or small group leaders. Song: Lord, prepare me a sanctuary. 26 Further Reading: 1 Peter 4:15.

28 The Way To Serve (11) Sun 23 July 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 We give no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our service may not be blamed (2 Corinthians 6:3, World English Bible). s believers no matter our vocation in life, let us Aendeavor to be men and women of the faith that we confess through our words and actions. Paul told the Corinthians, We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed (2 Corinthians 6:3). This must be our goal too. We must not be trouble makers. We must not bring dishonor to the name of the Lord and His way. We are to be men and women who choose to endure hardships and insults from the opposition. We must be willing to fight spiritual warfare in the name of the Lord. See Psalm 118:6-10; Ephesians 6: We must stand firm for the truth and live it by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left. (2 Corinthians 6: 6-7). Let us seek to be God pleasers. I know the Lord will help us and honor us as we do these. I believe this is the way to serve God and our world. May the Lord bless us as we seek His grace to be who He wants us to be in Jesus' Name. Shalom. Pray as you are led. Pray that your light will continue to shine for God in a dark world. Hymn: All creatures of our God and king. Further Reading: Galatians 5:

29 Mon 24 July Thank God Continually 1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God... riend, we must thank God continually. We thank God for the Fresults that we see in our lives. If we prayed for someone and God answered, all glory should go to Him. When we preach the word or write a book and people are blessed, all glory goes to God. Why do we need to do this? The answer is not concealed. Many have prayed and never received an answer. Others have preached better sermons and wrote powerful books but the impact was not as profound as expected. Thanksgiving is also an antidote against depression and unhealthy comparison. If we focus on thanking God and praising Him for His blessings in our lives and what He is doing through our ministries, we will not have the time to envy others or be bitter at what they do. Paul said, We also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe (1 Thessalonians 2:13). This is coming from a humble team. From today, let us make it a habit to be thankful people - men and women, young and old who continually appreciate God for His wonders in our lives. We must not take the blessings of God for granted. Shalom. Thank God for what He is doing in your life. Pray that you will be more alert to His blessings more than you are to delayed answers. Song: Praise God. Alleluia. Praise God, Amen. 28 Further Reading: Psalm 33.

30 Collective Imitation 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16 For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God's churches in Judea...You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews. (1 Thessalonians 2:14). ew days ago we looked at imitation, how the FThessalonian church imitated Paul and his friends and the benefits that came as a result. Today, we will look at another benefit of collective imitation. The Bible says, For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God's churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews (1 Thessalonians 2:14, NIV). In essence, because the people believed the same truth and have the values they were able to imitate the church in Judea. They saw how those in Jerusalem endured persecution and learnt from them. As a result, they suffered and endured the persecution from their own people. We need this type of corporate strategy to manage persecution. We need examples of believers in other churches, cities and nations so we could stand also. On individual level, we should be examples to others too. The church in Judea may not have known the impact of their endurance, but God knew. Others saw and heard about them too. It is worth stating that a church with a collective outlook of imitation of what is good will never lack faith, hope and love. It will always be at rest because they have the same focus. Shalom. Pray for your church. Pray for yourself also and your needs. Tues 25 July Song: We are heirs of the father. We are jointed with the Son. Further Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:

31 Wed 26 July Our Glory And Joy 1Thessalonians 2:20 For you are our glory and joy. very genuine minister of the gospel, who loves and cares for Ethose they minister to would agree with Paul and his friends that the people they minister to are important to them. Paul writes about the Thessalonian church saying, For you are our glory and joy. Glory because they were a reflection of the effectiveness of their work and ministry in their midst and the Macedonia region. They are the evidence of how successful their ministry was among them. They also reflect the impact of their work. They had joy because nothing brings great satisfaction than to see that your work is bearing fruit and you are blessing lives. They had joy because they know that the Father is also being glorified through their ministry among the Gentiles. See John 15:8. As members of the church and those who receive ministry, we can bring joy to our leaders and glory to God by standing firm on the word that we receive through their ministry. We also do this with our lifestyles. When we refrain from doing evil we will not bring shame and dishonor to the cause of Christ. Friend, the Lord will help us as ministers to have effective ministry so that our work can bring us glory and joy. He will also help us as members of the church so that our lives can bring Him glory. Shalom. Pray for yourself that your work and life will bring you joy and glory. Pray that your life will bring God joy and glory too. Song: We give You glory Lord, as we honor You. 30 Further Reading: Psalm 84:11.

32 Apostle On Earth Thurs 27 July 1Thessalonians 3:1-5 For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the te mpter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain (1Thessalonians 3:5). eading through today's Bible passage, I love Paul's Rsincerity and openness. I love his acknowledgement of the fact that he is an Apostle on earth not an Apostle in heaven. He recognized the fact that their work could be attacked. He knew satan would not relent in ensuring that they did not have success. He sent for someone to check on the Thessalonian church. Paul was also sincere in acknowledging their fears. He said, When I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain. We can learn from this. This is not a demonstration of weakness but an acceptance of reality. However, he did something. He confronted his fears. The team sent Timothy to Thessalonica to assess the situation; to know the truth so that they could have a recovery plan, if necessary. Sometimes, I think we place too much burden on ourselves when we have hyper-expectation from people and ourselves. When we fail to recognize that others are human beings like us and could make mistakes, we put ourselves in position for disappointment. Let us learn from Paul and his friends. May the Lord help us as we seek to live a good and productive life. Shalom. Praise God for the divine truth that we are learning From this letter. Pray that your life will produce the result of its impact. Further Reading: 1 Peter 5:

33 Fri 28 July Expectation Of Trials 1 Thessalonians 3:1-3 So that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them (1 Thessalonians 3:3). n John 16:33, Jesus told his disciples, In the world you will Ihave tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. In another place He instructed them that the servant is not greater than their master. If he was persecuted, His disciples will face the same thing. See John 15:20. Based on these passages, we must admit that Christ prepared us for a life of trial. From our devotional passage, Paul and his friends make us to understand that we are destined for them. Hear this, So that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them (1 Thessalonians 3:3, NIV). Paul knew the church in Thessalonica may not understand this so he sent Timothy to them although they had been told. Timothy's mission was to strengthen and encourage their faith. He is to remind them again that trials and adversities are part of the package for the believer so they are not to be worried. The lesson for us is to have an expectation of trial. This would help to prepare for it. We must put on the whole armor of God as we have been instructed. Persecution is part of the package. When it happens we must not be surprised or shaken. May the Lord enlarge His words in our hearts in Jesus' Name. Amen. Think on the above and how you have been fairing with regards to your perception of trials and adversities. Hymn: Standing on the promises of Christ, my King. 32 Further Reading: Psalm 16; Ephesians 6:10-18.

34 Count It All Joy Sat 29 July James 1:1-8 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience (James 1:2-3). hile I was concluding yesterday's devotional message, I was Wreminded of today's passage. Friend, because we have been encouraged to have an expectation of trial and persecution, we must learn to prepare for it. How can we do this? Today's meditation provides some of the means. 1. We are to count it all joy. Why joy? Because it is part of the deal. 2. We are to rejoice because we know that we are not alone in these things. 1 Thessalonians 5: We are to rejoice because we know that Christ meant it to work for our overall good. Romans 8: We must use the persecution to our advantage. How? By ensuring that we reap the good in it as stated in James 1:3-4. We must use it to grow in faith and patience. Then we will lack nothing. 5. Ask for help when you need it. If you need wisdom to manage the situation, ask God for it. Talk to mature believers if you are led to do so. Friend, there is an answer in God for every situation. There is a way of victory in every trial. Let us ask God to show us what to do. We will grow and our lives will be much better. Shalom. Pray for yourself. Song: I will give You all my worship. I will give You all my praise. Further Reading: 2 Corinthians 10:13. 33

35 Sun 30 July Prayer Still Works Acts 12:1-24 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church (Acts 12:5). riend, God still answers prayers. And prayer works. When Fwe pray to God with faith in our hearts, we will experience God's mercy and intervention. When Herod took James and killed him, the people were happy. Then he tried to do the same thing to Peter but he met a road block. This road block was created by the prayer of the people. The Bible says, But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him (Acts 12:5, NIV). Friend, is there any situation in your life you know that the enemy wants to use to mock you? Do not resign yourself to fate. Take it to God in prayer. You can create a spiritual road block so that the enemy's desire will be thwarted by the Lord and His angels. In Daniel Chapter 6, God intervened by sending an angel to shut the mouth of the lion. Daniel was kept alive. In 2 Kings 19, God intervened on behalf of his children by sending an angel to destroy the enemy. He killed 185,000 in one night. God can do anything through the machinery of His presence and His angels. See Psalm 46:11. Do not give up on prayer. If you need to engage others to pray along with you do so. But do not give up. Prayer still does wonders. It moves heaven and causes God to respond. Shalom. Pray for yourself as you have been challenged by this word. Hymn: A mighty fortress is our God. 34 Further Reading: Daniel 6.

36 Let Us Pray Mon 31 July Psalm 46:1-11 Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth (Psalm 46:10). he passage we read revealed God as our present help, the TGod who is available to us. As I reflect on this psalm, my attention was drawn to verse 10. It says, Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth. It means we need to be still and not allow ourselves to be shaken when we face a situation that seeks to overwhelm us. It may be that our children are not doing well or living right, or our businesses are not performing as we want them to be. God says, Be still. I will be glorious in that situation if you will turn it over to me. It may be that your friends have denied you and church members have disappointed you. Be still. Stay calm and look to God. Friend, I do not know what you are going through, but I believe God wants us to trust Him and draw near to Him in our heart. He wants us to believe that He is able to save us and help us to overcome. Jesus said, In me you may have peace. In the world you have oppression; but cheer up! I have overcome the world (John 16:33, World English Bible). This is the direction to pray today. May the Lord hear our cry. Shalom. Are you faced with a situation that seems to defy solution or seeks to overwhelm you? Ask the Lord to grant you the grace to trust Him as you wait for His help. Praise Him for the expected intervention. Hymn: Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it (Redeemed, by the blood of the lamb). Further Reading: Psalm

37 Tues 1 Aug Do Something 2 Corinthians 6:1-10 We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain (2 Corinthians 6:1). riend, this month I urge you to do something with your life. FI encourage you to step out in faith and do something to bless others and make our world better. God has blessed us with so much; it is time to give back to our world, society and generation. You can choose to do something that will make impact in your school, church community, office or work. You can choose to create a new business that will meet the needs of others while you are being blessed. The key thing is do not receive the grace of God in vain. Why am I writing in this direction? The answer is in the passage we read. The Bible says, In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you (2 Corinthians 6:2). It is the season of God's favor and help. Whatsoever we desire to do would be granted to us because we believe in God. It is the season of help because it is the season of salvation. Every gift and talent can be used for kingdom purpose. Ask God for the favor and help you need so that you can do well. When you choose to do something, you will become an agent of redemption in the life of others and many will be saved. Step out and do something. Shalom. Ask God to open your eyes to see the various ways you can use your gifts and talents to bless other people. Declare to yourself that you will be a vessel of honor in this season. Song: There is none holy as the Lord. 36 Further Reading: 2 Timothy 1:6-7.

38 Wanted: Timothys In Our Generation 1 Corinthians 4:14-17; 1 Timothy 1:1-4 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. (1 Corinthians 4: 17). Wed 2 Aug y attention was drawn to today's passages as I thought about Mthe life of Timothy, how trustworthy and reliable he is and how much faith the Apostle Paul had in him. I wonder if we can boast that we have such men in our generation. Do we have faithful sons at home and in ministry? Indeed, our generation needs more Timothys. What are the qualities that Timothy possessed that we can emulate? They include: 1. He was a true son in the faith. See 1 Timothy 1:2. It means he was humble and surrendered himself to Paul's coaching and mentoring. 2. He followed Paul's teaching and advice. 3. He was faithful in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 4: He was a sound teacher of the word having been tutored by one of the best in his generation. 5. He was an encourager. 1 Thessalonians 3:2. 6. He was a reliable servant. Can this be said of us by our pastors, fellowship leaders and our bosses at work? May be we can think on this and pray for grace to be like Timothy in attitude. Shalom. Is there any of the above qualities that you need to Develop? How will you go about it? Pray about your concerns. Song: Wonderful and marvelous are the works of my God. Great is thy Name 2/x Further Reading: 2 Timothy 1:

39 Thurs 3 Aug Be Imitators Of Me 1 Corinthians 11:1; Isaiah 35:3-4 Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). he focus of today's devotion is to encourage us to respond to Tthe word of Christ by becoming encouragers to others in their times of need. We all face trials at different seasons in life. When we do, we will need the help and support others. This understanding was the reason they sent Timothy to Thessalonica. His mission was to strengthen and encourage them because they need it. He knew that when we are weak we need someone to encourage us, strengthen us and keep us focused on the goal. Jesus encouraged His disciples by telling them He has overcome the world for them. This is encouraging because no matter what they would go through in life; victory is theirs in the end. See John 16:33. When the Israelites were weak, God sent His prophet to them saying, Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are fearful-hearted, "Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; He will come and save you (Isaiah 35:3-4). That is the encouragement that we need too. Friend, let us imitate these godly acts. The Bible says, Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). May the Lord strengthen your heart and faith. May you become an encourager. Shalom. Thank God for this word. Praise Him because you will not be forgotten. Declare to yourself that you will be satisfied in this season. Hymn: Immortal, invisible, God only wise. 38 Further Reading: Hebrews 12:12.

40 It Is A Community Fri 4 Aug 1Thessalonians 3:6-8 For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord (1Thessalonians 3:8). s a teenager, I remember my church's Area Pastor had a Aslogan Watch me, I watch you. The meaning is that we must be responsible for one another and encourage one another to live right as followers of Christ. It has been many years now but I find the slogan to be relevant in our time. Paul and his friends understood its importance. The letter to the Thessalonians demonstrated the fact that their joy increased when their disciples and the churches they planted did well. They wrote to them saying, Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love brethren, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith (1Thessalonians 3:6-7). What a community sense! They were comforted because they heard that their friends awere growing in the faith. How can we apply this to our time? How can we live a life that contributes to the wellbeing of our church community? Can it be said of us that because of our faith others are standing firm in the Lord? Will our leaders be bold to say, Sister, I am comforted because of your faith in Christ. These and many more are truths we need to reflect on as we seek ways to apply the truth of the word of God to our lives. Shalom. In what ways can you apply today s message to your life? How can you ensure that you stand so that your life can bring encouragement to others? Pray for yourself and your family. Hymn: O worship the King, all glorious above. Further Reading: Galatians 2:20. 39

41 Sat 5 Aug It Is Give And Take 1 Thessalonians 3:8 10 Night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith (1 Thessalonians 3:10). eading through these verses I see a symbiotic relationship Rbetween Paul, his team and the Thessalonian church. I see a give and take scenario. From the passage Paul observed that the commitment of the Thessalonian church to spiritual growth and steadfast walk of faith influenced their commitment to them too. They said, For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God. Night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith (1 Thessalonians 3: 9-10). Their prayer was inspired by the Thessalonians' walk with God. Paul and his friends received joy and in turn offered prayers to God on their behalf and look for more ways to bless them. This is how it ought to be. Friend, no relationship grows to its fullest potential without each party bringing something to the table. I am sure that the hearts of many pastors and leaders will resonate with this passage. A parent would also rejoice to see their children do well and they will pray more for them. Friend, can we use some wisdom here? I believe we can. May the Lord fill us and teach us more of His ways. Shalom. Is your life inspiring others to pray for you, draw nearer to you to mentor you? Are you so full of yourself that others are prevented from coming closer? How can you improve your relationships within your fellowships? Hymn: All for love the father gave. 40 Further Reading: John 13:34-35.

42 A Window Of Opportunity Sun 6 Aug Psalm 2:1-12 Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession (Psalm 2:8). T oday, we have another opportunity to influence the affairs of our world as we join together to pray. We will pray that the influence of the Almighty will be felt in our city, church, nation and all over the world. 1. Thank God for the opportunity He has given us to pray and call on His Name. 2. Plead the blood of Jesus as you pray. Ask for cleansing. 3. Pray for a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit. 4. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to pray as you ought to. 5. Pray about your sources of income. You cannot afford to be financially incapacitated. 6. Pray for your city and nation. 7. Pray for the nations in the Middle East as you are led by God. 8. Ask the Lord to intervene in the affairs of these nations: Syria, Pakistan, Iran, Israel, Palestine, Qatar and Turkey as you reflect on their political situation. 9. Ask the Lord to dislodge terrorists, drug, child and women trafficking camps all over the world. 10. Ask the Lord to intervene in Nigeria's political situation. We cannot leave the welfare of our country into the hands of politicians alone. Thank God for the opportunity to pray for the nations. Song: His banner over us is love. Further Reading: Isaiah 62:

43 Mon 7 Aug Prayer Day 1 1 Thessalonians 3:1 Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. oday, we will pray and ask the Lord to lead us to godly Trelationships and fruitful ministry. We want to ask the Lord to direct us into the right path and to those that we will bless and those that will bless us. Let us pray. 1. Thank God for the privilege and the opportunity to learn from His word. 2. Thank Him for the gift of relationships. 3. Thank Him for everyone you can remember whom He has raised to bless you and are still blessing you now. 4. Thank God for the people that God has used you to bless and those you are blessing in this season of your life. 5. Confess your sins and receive forgiveness. 6. Pray that God would direct your way to godly people, fellowship and relationships that would bless you. 7. Pray that your steps will be ordered to those you can bless. 8. Pray that your life will be a source of blessing in your church, community and nation. 9. Pray for your church members to experience revival in their relationships too. 10. Praise God for hearing your prayers. Thank God for the way He led us today. Hymn: Come, Thou Almighty King. 42 Further Reading: Proverbs 19.

44 Prayer Day 2 Tues 8 Aug 1 Thessalonians 3:12, Psalm 67 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you (1 Thessalonians 3:12, NIV). e will continue to pray to God as we look at the next verse Win Paul's prayer. He said, May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you (1 Thessalonians 3:12, NIV). With this focus, we will pray for increase in love in our families and church. 1. Thank God for the privilege that we have to call upon Him. 2. Thank Him for the increase you have enjoyed and the love you have received from Him. See Psalm 67:5. 3. Pray for your family as you thank God for them. 4. Confess your sins and seek for forgiveness. 5. Pray for increase in every area of your life. See Psalm 67: Ask the Lord to increase your family on every side. 7. Pray for healing among your family members and your relationships with each other. 8. Ask the Lord to increase your capacity to love others. 9. Pray for the heart of love towards your leaders in the church, school, at work and the nation. 10. Thank Him for answered prayers. Worship the Lord for His faithfulness to us - hearing us at all times. Song: I give glory to Your Name, O Lord. Further Reading: Psalm

45 Wed 9 Aug Prayer Day 3 1 Thessalonians 3:12 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones (1 Thessalonians 3:13, NIV). oday's prayer focus is our spiritual life and walk with the TLord. We want to pray for a blameless heart that is devoid of sin. We want to pray for the grace to stand and walk in holiness. We will pray for a fervent heart that longs for the second coming of the Lord with all His saints. Let us pray. 1. Praise God for loving you in spite of your sins and inadequacies. 2. Thank Him for the blood of Jesus which cleanses us from all unrighteousness. 3. Praise Him for His sacrifices on your behalf and for imparting His righteousness in you. 4. Confess your sins and ask for cleansing. 5. Ask the Lord to establish your hearts in Him. 6. Pray for the grace to be established in righteousness. 7. Pray that the Lord will strengthen your heart to walk in holiness and be blameless before Him. 8. Pray for a fresh fire and love for the Lord Jesus and His second coming. 9. Thank God for who He is and His love for us to grow into His likeness. 10. Thank Him for answered prayers. Thank God for the opportunity to pray. Hymn: Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty. 44 Further Reading: Genesis 17:1-12.

46 Lifestyle Admonitions 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 It is God's will that you should be sanctified; that you should avoid sexual immorality (1 Thessalonians 4:4). Thurs 10 Aug he word of God is complete. That is why it is called the Troad map for life. In it we find instructions to live every day in the way that will bring glory to God. This is another reason that I love the Lord and His word. From today's passage, we could see that God has provided lifestyle instructions for us to live by. When we obey them our lives will be good. We will also live a blameless life that is pleasing to the Lord. The goal of obedience to God's instruction is to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living (1 Thessalonians 4:1a). It means we must move beyond being God chasers and seek to be God pleasers. For example, today's passage focuses on sexual purity. We are admonished to live a holy life because God wants us to be sanctified and set apart for Him. We are to live in a way that is holy and honourable. I believe if we make this our goal, not only in matters of sexual behavior but in every area of our lives, we will receive the Lord's commendation. Are we living in a way that deserves God's punishment or commendation? Let us pray. Pray for yourself as you have been ministered to. Pray for the desire to please God. Song: Create in me a clean heart. Further Reading: Psalm

47 Fri 11 Aug God's Call To Holiness 1 Thessalonians 4:7; 1 Peter 1:13-17 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life (1 Thessalonians 4:7, NIV). hen I was young in faith (I am still growing!), I used to be Wafraid of the word holiness. I thought that it was a feat that could not be achieved. When I sang the hymn, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, I had unrest in my soul because I knew I did not match up to His holiness standard. But I realized that God, who has called me to holiness, would also empower me to live right. Following this revelation, I became comfortable when I realized that holiness simply means living in reverence and obedience to God. I came to understand that my sanctification comes from Him. He is at work in me and He is changing me all the time, helping me to conform to His image. He is also willing to supply the grace that I need to live a pure life. Friend, relax, allow God to help you to live the life that He has called you to live. Let us cease from our struggles and trust God. How can you do it, you ask? Well, turn it over to the Holy Spirit. Ask Him to fill you with His power and help you to respond to His promptings as He leads you. He does not lead to sin but to holiness. As you do this, you will be free from an impure life to a holy one. Shalom. Reflect on the above and pray for yourself. Pray for your family too. Pray for me and my family that we will pursue the Holy Spirit and please the Lord. Thank you. Song: Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty. 46 Further Reading: 1 Peter 1:13-17.

48 Taught To Love Sat 12 Aug 1Thessalonians 4:9 Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. he story in Luke 10:29-37 shows that the Good Samaritan Tloved himself and loved his neighbor too. We were not told if he loved the Lord but we have been taught so we can love the Lord and love our neighbor too. Paul writes, Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other (1 Thessalonians.4:9). Before Jesus left He told us, A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another (John 13:34). It means this is what the Lord wants from us. Our motive for every action should be borne out of love for God. It should be to demonstrate God's love for one another. We are to become God's ambassadors to others. Our hands and feet should become His tools to love His world more and more. Friend, this is the journey we are on. We cannot run away from it. We must represent Him well and let the world know what being a Christian is about. It seems we are failing in this but I also believe there is room for improvement. Let the Lord find us a useful vessel. May the Lord indeed help us to love and become who He wants us to be. Shalom. Praise God for the opportunity we have to improve in our walk with God. Pray that the Lord will help you as you call on Him for help. Song: Jesus, You take the highest place. Further Reading: 2 Timothy 2:

49 Sun 13 Aug Lead A Quiet Life 1 Thessalonians 4:11 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life. You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you. n ambition is a desire to do or achieve something. AThe Bible says, Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life (1 Thessalonians 4:11). It means it is a choice we have to make to live a quiet life as the Lord requires of us. A quiet life is a life that is not easily angered or offended. A quiet person also chooses to forgive so that peace can reign. To be quiet does not mean one is stupid. It only means that you value peace above all other things in life. This is how we are advised to live. It is not a godly value for a believer to be found among troublemakers in their home, neighborhood, school or at work. We are not to be busy bodies as well. When we think on these things it becomes obvious that many of us still have a long way to go. Not only that, we have a lot to learn and change in our lives too. Penn writes, True silence is the rest of the mind, and is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment. It is a great virtue; it covers folly, keeps secrets, avoids disputes, and prevents sin. Let us turn to the Lord in prayers and ask Him for His help. Pray for yourself as you are led by the Holy Spirit. Song: Great is thy faithfulness, O Lord my Father. 48 Further Reading: Ecclesiastes 9:17.

50 Mind Your Own Business Mon 14 Aug 1 Thessalonians 3:11b-12 You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you (1 Thessalonians 3:11b, NIV). o 'mind your business' simply means to focus on what Tconcerns you and not meddle in other peoples matter. In the context of our study and today's Bible reading, we could deduce that God wants us to mind our own business for two reasons. 1. To win the respect of others: When we focus on our life goals and purpose we will earn respect. We will also be productive so that we can meet our own needs and not be a burden to others. 2. To be financially independent: When we mind our business we will have the time to engage in a life work that earns us money. This will help us to be independent of others. Yes, there are times that we would need external help and support but it must not become our daily habit. Friend, I am challenged by this short verse because it means I have to trust God for favor, breakthrough and work hard to make money. I need to prosper and not be a burden to others. It is better to be a blessing than to be a burden to others. What is your attitude to work? How focused are you on working with your hands to earn a living and respect? Think on these things. Shalom. Pray for yourself. Song: How deep the Father's love for us. Further Reading: Proverbs 6:

51 Tues 15 Aug The Hope Of Resurrection 1 Thessalonians 3:13 18 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 3:13). aul and his friends continue to admonish their readers as Pthey touched on different topics of concern. It is possible that some of the issues being addressed were product of Timothy's report to them following his visits to this church community. It is also possible that these are issues that the church needed clarifications. Today, our attention is drawn to the topic of resurrection of those who died as believers. Paul said, We do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 3:13). It is possible to be ignorant of God's will and grieve like the rest. From our passage we understand that: 1. There is hope of resurrection for believers. It is part of the salvation package. Jesus told his disciples to be at rest because resurrection is assured. See John 14:2. 2. Christ will return with those who died in Him. See verse Those who are alive during the second coming Will also be caught off with Him. See verse We are to encourage ourselves with this truth. From the above we know that Christ's followers will resurrect with Him not as animals or stones. Let us believe what God and His word says not what men want us to believe. Shalom. Pray as you have been challenged by the word. Hymn: Sing the wondrous love of Jesus (When we all get to heaven). 50 Further Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:

52 The Dead Will Rise Wed 16 Aug 1 Corinthians 15: Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? (1 Corinthians 15: 12). hrist's death and resurrection are the evidence we have Cthat those who died in Him will also rise with Him. Jesus said, And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also (John 14:3). Friend, we must not be ignorant of these facts. Paul argued, And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty but now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep (1 Corinthians 15:14, 20). Christ came to earth to die in order to redeem us from the wages of sin, which is death. See Romans 3:23. In addition to this, redemption also means that we will not be harmed by the second death. This is the essence of the eternal life that we received and have in Christ Jesus. Let us not forget, For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming (1 Corinthians 15:22-23). May the Lord strengthen your heart with faith in His word in Jesus' Name. Shalom. Praise God for the hope of resurrection that we have in Him. Pray that this truth will remain with you; you will not be shaken by strange doctrines. Song: Lord, I lift Your Name on high. Further Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:

53 Thurs 17 Aug Don't Bother 1 Thessalonians 5: 1 3 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5: 1-2, NIV). guess we have enough to worry about than to be bothered Iabout the time and dates that the Lord's second return would be. My take on the issue of when Christ would return is that we should remain focused on Christ, do our assignment and keep our garment white so that whenever He comes we are ready. Let us leave the matter of when Christ would return to the One who wants to make the journey! That is, Christ Himself. When everything is ready, He would come. The good news is that He does not need our visa approval to come. He is the Master and He owns it all. That said, the Thessalonians appeared to be bothered about this so Paul wrote to them saying, Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don't really need to write you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord's return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5: 1-2, New Living Translation). We need this word too so that we can stay calm and let the Lord do what He needs to do at the time that He plans to do it. Our worry and anxiety will not change His plans. Let this word encourage you. Shalom. Thank God for this word. Praise Him for saving you. Take your needs to the Lord. Hymn: Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine. 52 Further Reading: John 14:2-3.

54 Not In The Dark Fri 18 Aug 1 Thessalonians 5:4-11 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness (1 Thessalonians 5:5, NIV). ontinuing from where we stopped yesterday, I want to add Cthat rather than get bogged down about when Christ would return, let us focus on our race. Like the Boy's Scout motto Be prepared. Serve the King and wait for His return. That is our duty. When the world is saying peace and safety we will not be deceived because we know He could come at any time. We have been appointed unto salvation therefore we cannot live in the dark. We have the Holy Spirit in us, teaching and warning us about the events of the end times. Friend, there is no reason to fear or be shaken. We are children of light not of the dark. We do not belong to the dark. The light of the world lives in us and He has called us to be light. Light exposes darkness, it cannot consume it. See John 15:5; Matt.5:14. Paul said, Since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet (1 Thessalonians 5:8). As children of light we must know how to focus on what matters. Let us encourage one another with these words and continue to serve our Lord and Master fervently. Time is going. Let us preach the gospel and snatch souls from the snare of death and hell. Shalom. Bless the name of the Lord for this word of hope and peace. Pray that your heart will find rest in this word and you will not be shaken. Hymn: I serve a risen Savior He's in the world today (He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today). Further Reading: 2 Timothy 2:

55 Sat 19 Aug Show Respect And Love 1 Thessalonians 5: 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. aving settled the issue of resurrection, Paul turned his Hattention to another topic - Respect for those who serve. This is another virtue that is gradually being lost in our time. Many of us do not know how to show respect or receive it. Others do not know the importance of it and why we need to do it. To respect is to consider worthy of high regard. It is to have reference to or for something. I believe mutual respect among those who serve and are served is the oil that keeps the engine of love running without friction. The Scripture says, Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves (Romans 12:10, NIV). In addition to respect, we are to love our ministers too. These men and women sacrifice a lot to be our leaders and ministers. We love and respect them not for who they are, but for whose they are and represents. I am aware that is why they are called men of God. We honor and love them because they are ministers of the grace of God. If we continue to look at their flaws, we will not be able to respond to today's admonition yet none of us is without flaw. May the Lord teach us the truth on this matter. Shalom. Share your care and concerns with the Lord today. Song: Let there be love shared amongst us. 54 Further Reading: Acts 23:5.

56 Right Living Encouraged 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone (1 Thessalonians 5:14). Sun 20 Aug eading through today's verses, all I could see from the list are Rpointers to right living. The Bible says, And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone (1 Thessalonians 5:14) The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines the word urge as a verb which means to present, advocate, or demand earnestly or pressingly. It means the issue at hand demands earnest attention. Today's passage urges us to warn those who do the following. 1. Warn the idle and disruptive members because their behavior does not reveal the life of Christ. 2. Encourage the disheartened. This is right because iron sharpens iron. See Proverbs 27: Help and strengthen the weak. See Gal.6:2. 4. Be patient with everyone because patience is a virtue and it is one of the fruit of the spirit. See Galatians 5: Pay no one back for the wrong they did. We are peacemakers and have been called to do good. Look into your life and see how you are doing with regard to the above. Do we need help in obeying any of them? Let us pray. Take time to review the above lists and ask the Lord for help in any area that you are lacking. Song: Lord, I give You my heart. Further Reading: 1 Peter 2:12. 55

57 Mon 21 Aug This Is God's Will 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). hen I look at these verses I see a 3-in-1 instruction. WThough they can be separated but I believe they flow together. For example, when the Scripture says, Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)It means it is something that we can do. When we know how to rejoice it means we have learnt how to separate the reason for our joy from happiness. It means we know how to stay focused on the end result of what God will do with our circumstances than focus on the circumstances. This will lead to praying continually. As we rejoice we will continue to hand over our life's puzzles and that of our friends, family and the world to the Lord to help us fix it. It will also make us to be God-dependent. Doing the above would naturally lead to the last part, that is giving thanks in all circumstances because we know God is at work in our lives. Alleluia! Friend, I believe when we do these three we are doing the will of God in Christ Jesus. And God will reward us for it. Shalom. Praise Him for teaching us this powerful truth from His word. Hymn: Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice (Rejoice, rejoice in the Lord and be glad). 56 Further Reading: Psalm 96.

58 Don't Quench It Tues 22 Aug 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22; 2 Kings 2:23-25 Do not quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19, NIV). hen those kids mocked the man of God, they did not Wknow that they were mocking the spirit of God upon Elisha. They were punished for it. Friend, we need to be careful so that we do not incur the wrath of God. That is why Paul writes, Do not quench the Spirit. It is better to be humble and accept what we do not understand and ask God to reveal or teach us the truth by His Spirit and His manifestations. We must not quench the spirit of prophecy or react to the spoken word of God with disrespect. God's word is God and we must respect it. See John 1:1. The Scripture has made provision for us to know how to manage any situation we do not understand. When faced with a ministry or manifestation that we are unsure of, we can test it. The Bible supports this. Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1). Let us do this and then we will be bold to reject all false teachings and their evil peddlers. In this case, we will not be under any judgment from God, His spirit and His word. God will bless us in return for standing for the truth of His word. Shalom. Pray for yourself and any situation that you are struggling with. Song: What a mighty God we serve. Further Reading: 2 Kings 3:

59 Wed 23 Aug God Will Do It 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23, NIV). ince God is able to keep us from falling, then I am Spersuaded that He is able to sanctify us and keep us blameless for Himself too. The Bible says, Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy (Jude 24). Therefore, I could relate with Paul's prayer when he said, May the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23, NIV). Our God is interested in us. He wants us to stand strong as believers and make it to the end. Friend, I am not afraid as long as I remain in the Rock, I will be kept safe. You see, all we need to do is to be ardent believers and stand for our God. All we have to do is to continue to trust God to work in us and our behalf. Philippians 2:13 says, For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose (NIV). Since God is at work in me and I am in Him, I will be kept safe and blameless at the coming of the Lord Jesus. Today, be encouraged by this word because Jesus Himself promised to keep you safe. See John 10:29. Shalom. Praise God for the plan to keep you blameless for Himself. Pray that you will continue to walk with Him and remain in the cleft of the Rock. Hymn: Rock of Ages cleft for me. 58 Further Reading: Hebrews 7:25.

60 Pray For Us Thurs 24 Aug 1 Thessalonians 5:25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us. he need to pray for our leaders and the ministers of Tthe gospel cannot be over emphasized. We need prayer at all times because evil abounds around us. We face temptations like everyone else. This could range from pride to all evil you can think of. We need your prayers. Pray for us. 1. Thank God for the privilege that we have to call on God. 2. Praise Him on behalf of your pastors, elders and church leaders. 3. Praise God for being a member of His family. 4. Ask the Lord to deliver you from unrighteousness as you confess your sins to the Him. 5. Pray for your church / denominational leaders mention them by name. 6. Pray for their families and ministries. 7. Ask the Lord to watch over them and protect them. 8. Pray that they will remain committed to the Lord Jesus who called, appointed and anointed them. 9. Ask the Lord to provide for all their needs. 10. Thank God for answered prayers. Worship the Lord for answered prayers. Hymn: Master the tempest is raging (The wind and the waves shall obey thy will, peace be still). Further Reading: James 5:16a. 59

61 Fri 25 Aug Closing Remarks 1 Thessalonians 5:26-28 I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters (1 Thessalonians 5:27, NIV). n his usual pattern, Paul and his team completed the letter Iwith an admonition of love and greetings to God's people. He never hides his feelings and love for the flock of Christ. He encouraged them to make sure that every believer in the region hears the message. He said, I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters (1 Thessalonians 5:27, NIV). Why? It is so that they can believe the same thing and take same actions based on mutual understanding of Paul's admonition to them. Imagine if one brother was told he needs to get a job to make a living for himself or he is advised to stop deceiving the sisters and make up his mind on whom he wants to go out with, he may be offended. But if he hears it directly from the letter he would know that this is not a gang up of a few members or the leadership against him. His disruptive behavior and lack of focus may come to an end! Finally, Paul released the grace of God upon them so that they can continue to serve the Lord Jesus. Friend, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you too. May the Lord grant you the grace to live for Him in this adulterous and treacherous generation. Shalom. Praise God for the privilege to study His word. Pray for the grace to love the Lord and His people more. Hymn: Holy word long preserved (Ancient words ever true). 60 Further Reading: Psalm 116.

62 Purposeful Thanksgiving 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing (2 Thessalonians 1:3, NIV). Sat 26 Aug ne of the ways to enhance your prayer time and increase Oits duration is to make a habit of having a list of things to pray for. It also helps when you have people that you pray for on a regular basis. In the same way, Paul presented to us the need to engage in purposeful thanksgiving when we praise God and thank Him for what He has done for us, He is doing and will do in our lives. It is also good to thank Him for others around us. In 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4, Paul states that the reason they thank God for this church is because their faith continues to grow and their love was also increasing. Timothy's report and his experience with the people during his visit affirmed these reasons. Let us apply this to our lives: Do you have a reason to thank God today? Can you count His blessings in your life and praise Him for it? Has God done anything for someone at your workplace or a member of your family or church that you can thank Him for? Look into your life, look at what He has done and thank Him for it. That is purposeful thanksgiving. The more you begin to practice this art, the more joyful you will become and your faith in the Lord will increase. Let us thank God today. Shalom. Release your praise and thank God for what He has done for you and your neighbors. Hymn: Now thank we all our God. Further Reading: Psalm

63 Sun 27 Aug The Effect Of Positive Change 2 Thessalonians 1:4 Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. ontinuing from where we stopped yesterday, Paul went Cfurther to state the effect of the positive change that took place in the church at Thessalonica. Their sacrificial giving, faith in God and love had served as a testimony for others. They boasted about them because their lives showed what it means to persevere and hold on to faith in the time of trials and persecutions. He said, Among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring (2 Thessalonians 1:4). I am challenged as I meditate on this verse. I wondered if my life was making any positive effect among believers and unbelievers alike. It also dawned on me that we needed to make a change and be conscious of how we live as Christians. The Bible makes us to understand that we do not live for ourselves. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20). Let us live like this so that Christ can be glorified and others edified. In return, we will be blessed because we are pleasing the Lord. Shalom. Is your life and the change that you have experienced a testimony for others? Do you have areas that you need to work on so that you can be a good witness for Christ. Pray for yourself. Song: Jesus we love You, we worship and adore You. 62 Further Reading: Acts 17:28.

64 We Can Trust God Mon 28 Aug 2 Thessalonians 1: 3-7 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you (2 Thessalonians 1: 6, King James Version). e have all experienced one misfortune or the other. A Wmisjudgment, misunderstanding, persecution or mistreatment from others and we wondered how long this would last or when it would stop. We even go as far as telling God, How long before you deliver me from the hands of my enemies? Yet, we know that many times God's response and timing do not match our time. Even though we want God to intervene, a lot of times He does not seem to be ready to do so. At such times we may feel disappointed but God is not sleeping. He is waiting for the perfect time. Paul said even though we are in this confusion we can be rest assured that God will judge our persecutors and those who trouble us. The Bible says, Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you (2 Thessalonians 1:6, King James Version). Since this is the word of the Lord, we can trust God and His timing to act while we continue to live right because in the end we will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God. Friend, in what area do you need comfort and consolation from today's passage? Let us pray. Talk to God about any pain you have that is caused by an act of injustice. Pray for the grace to trust God to wait for His time to vindicate you. Hymn: 'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus. Further Reading: Psalm

65 Tues 29 Aug God Will Judge Them 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels (2 Thessalonians 1:7, New Living Translation). ur God will judge the world, the church and individuals who Osinned against Him and refused to repent and forsake their evil deeds. God will also vindicate us and recompense evil to those who seek to harm us. No wonder the Psalmist prayed, Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him (Psalm 68:1). He knew that when the Lord takes over the battle, His people would be delivered. Someone may ask, When? Well, some judgment would be while we are still living and the rest He would judge on His appearance. The Bible says, And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels (2 Thessalonians 1:7, New Living Translation). This should bring us joy because we know God can be trusted. Evil will not thrive forever. In addition, there will be judgment on those who don't know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus (2 Thessalonians 1:8, NIV). This should also compel us to share the gospel with more people. Friend, we should be comforted with the fact that Christ would put an end to all false accusations and persecutions when He returns. Shalom. Ask the Lord to help you deal with the pain you have as a result of false accusation and the like. Ask the Lord to help you not to be part of a gang up against another man. Pray that the Lord will continue to protect you from evil men. Hymn: Onward, Christian soldiers, matching as to war. 64 Further Reading: Psalm 27.

66 Not The Same God Wed 30 Aug Matthew 14:22-33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God" (Matthew 14:33). xtending yesterday's thought, I am reminded of an article I Eread recently which focused on today's devotional topic. Friend, the reason we need to reach out to more people so that they do not perish is because many have believed the lie that we are serving the same God with the people of other faiths- Christians, Muslims, Judaism etc. According to the Scriptures, that is not correct. The Bible says, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). John writes in another place, These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name (John 20:31). These passages show us the distinctive characteristic of those who serve God as prescribed. They must love God, accept Jesus Christ as God's Son and serve Him. If they do not follow this truth, then we are not serving the same God. When next you meet someone who says we are serving the same God ask what He thinks about Jesus Christ and whether He loves Him. Jesus is not one of the prophets. He is the Son of the living God the Saviour of the world. Shalom. Thank God for giving us His Son, Jesus Christ. Pray for those who do not know Him so that they can be saved. Song: Christ our Redeemer died on the cross (When I see the blood). Further Reading: Luke 2:

67 Thurs 31 Aug We Constantly Pray Psalm 119:89-91; Luke 7:1-10 Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89). he Lord God is exalted and His faithfulness is sure. THe has been good to us. He has kept us alive and continues to bless us. We should thank Him for this. Today, we will pray and ask the Lord to fulfill His promise in our lives. If He has given you a promise that is yet to be fulfilled, it is time to remind Him. Let us pray. 1. Praise God for keeping you alive in sound mind. 2. Thank God for your family and the blessings that He has brought your way this month. 3. Confess any sin and ask the Lord for forgiveness. 4. Thank God for His past faithfulness and the promises that He has fulfilled in your life. 5. Remind Him of His word and promises that you want Him to perform in your life. 6. Pray about any need that you have and ask Him to supply them based on His word. 7. Pray for strength as you wait on the Lord and trust His word. See Isaiah 40: Pray for me and my family that we would continue to stand strong in faith. Thank you. Thank God for answered prayers. Song: God is so good. 66 Further Reading: 1 Kings 8:55-58.

68 Banish Anxiety Fri 1 Sept Ecclesiastes 11:1-10 So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body (Ecclesiastes 11:10, NIV). raise God for the opportunity to see another new month. We Ppraise Him for His goodness and mercy that we have enjoyed. Today, as we start the month, I want to encourage us to remove sorrow from our heart. Let us banish sorrow, worry and anxiety. Why? It is because it wrecks our bones. It affects and ruins our health. The Bible says, So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body (Ecclesiastes 11: 10, NIV) When we are anxious and sorrowful, we block the flow of God's grace and joy from reaching us. When we are sorrowful, we detach ourselves from receiving God's strength we need to face the day. When we are anxious we will miss the presence of the Lord that has come to bless us and help us. We will also make mistakes because we are restless. Nehemiah 8:10 warned us by saying, Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength. The wise man writes, A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones. (Proverbs 17:22). The antidote to sorrow and anxiety is to learn to take your burden to God. Do not let anxiety rob you of your joy, peace and strength. Remember, Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad (Proverbs 12:25). Shalom. Talk to God about your anxieties and issues that are bordering you. Song: Yahweh, Your name is Yahweh. You are the miracle working God. Further Reading: Proverbs 12:25; Philippians 4:6. 67

69 Sat 2 Sept I Am Doing It Philippians 4:4-8 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (Philippians 4:6, NIV). ne of my desires this year is to draw closer to the OLord and engage with His presence throughout the day. I am learning to do this by praying often throughout the day. I take prayer breaks as often as I can. Not only that, I also practice taking my concerns to Him and ask for help with short prayers. This habit is helping me to deal with my anxiety. I started the year with waves of attacks and they seem to have persisted, but I have found solace in sharing my concerns with the Holy Spirit and trusting Him to fight my battles for me. I am also learning to trust Him with my future and, especially with issues that bother on my children and family. I am doing it and I want you to practice it too. The Bible says, Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved (Psalm 55:22). Paul advised, Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (Philippians 4:6, NIV). Let us do this and we will be less prone to sorrow and anxiety. May the Lord grant you the grace to do so in Jesus' Name. Shalom. Pray as you have ministered to. Song: Be magnify O Lord. 68 Further Reading: 1 Peter 5:6-8.

70 Keep Plowing _ Ecclesiastes 11:1 6 Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return.invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land (Ecclesiastes 11:1-2, NIV). Sun 3 Sept n the times of recession and famine, we are prone to keep what Iwe have but God's perspective is different. The Bible says, Invest what you have, because after a while you will get a return. Invest what you have in several different businesses, because you don't know what disasters might happen (Ecclesiastes 11:1-2, New Century Version). This perspective is also supported by the story of Isaac in Genesis 26. God instructed Isaac to sow in the time of famine because that is the secret to harvest. Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the Lord blessed him (Genesis 26:3, 12, NIV). Friend, continue to sow your seed. Keep plowing. Keep giving even in your time of need. Keep working because suddenly God's favour will change the game for good. The preacher adds, Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well (Ecclesiastes 11:6, NIV). God can work through any circumstance, so be ready. Be alert to divine connections and opportunities. In a little while God will move you into a season of abundance. Shalom. Thank God for this word. Praise Him because you will not be forgotten. Pray that the Lord will show you where to sow your seeds and how to sow them. Hymn: Pass me not, O gentle Savior. Further Reading: 2 Kings 4:

71 Mon 4 Sept 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith (2 Thessalonians 1:11, NIV). oday, we will continue our study of the letter of Paul to the TThessalonians. The depth of Paul's love for the believers in all the churches could not be captured in a single letter. He continues to share his heart's desire for these churches. From today's Bible reading we can deduce three focal points. 1. Thanksgiving: He continually thanks God for them and praise Him for what He is doing amongst them. 2. Prayer: Sometimes, he prays for them to become stronger in faith and their love for one another. At other times, He prays that God would make them to be who He wants them to be. That is, to be worthy of His calling. 3. Spiritual Growth: Many times, the reason Paul wants to visit them again is to ensure their spiritual growth and impact more grace unto them. Friend, we can learn from the above and make them our goals too. How good it will be if our local church leaders have these desires for their members. The church will blossom and God's power would be revealed. May the Lord bless our hearts with These words. Shalom. Praise God for the men and women of God who are committed to our welfare and spiritual growth. Pray that you will practice these virtues too. Song: I belong to a mighty God. Paul's Three Desires 70 Further Reading: Acts 20:28-30.

72 Let Us Pray 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12; Colossians 1:9-11 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the gra ce of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:12, NIV). oday, we will pray for one another. We will follow Paul's Texample to thank God for our lives and pray for grace to live a life that glorifies God. The Apostle writes, We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:12, NIV). In another place Jesus said, By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples (John 15:8). Put together, God's glory should be our ultimate goal. Glorifying Him with our lives, talents, skills and gifts should be our desire. Let us pray. 1. Thank God for the opportunity to pray for one another. 2. Thank God for the gift of salvation and the privilege of knowing Him. 3. Thank God for the grace He has given to believers who currently face persecution around the world. 4. Pray for the comfort of the Holy Spirit for every one of them. 5. Pray and ask that the name of Jesus will be glorified at all times in our lives. 6. Pray that God will count us worthy of His calling to know and serve Him. 7. Pray for power to do more acts of faith in His Name. 8. Thank Him for answered prayers. Praise God for His many blessings over our lives. Tues 5 Sept Hymn: Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldier of the cross. Further Reading: Psalm 24:

73 Wed 6 Sept More Knowledge Colossians 1:3-14 We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives (Colossians 1:9, NIV). e thank God for the privilege to read, study, meditate Won and know His word. Friend, it is also good to realize that even in our time millions do not have access to the word of God. Let us thank Him for the opportunity we have to read His word. Many of the people who use this devotional can read and study it on many platforms-hard and soft copy on many devices or media. Since God has been so good to us, there is a need for us to continually hunger and thirst for the truth of His word. We will have no excuse in heaven. Paul writes, We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives (Colossians 1:9, NIV). Why do we need this? Knowledge helps us to be grounded in the word of God and the truth that we know. Through knowledge we gain access to wisdom to know how we can use divine truth and let it inform our lifestyle and habits. For example, when we gain heaven's perspective about our situation, it will help us to manage how we respond to such situation. It will also help us to stand in peace and strong in the face of life challenges. Friend, we are not where God wants us to be. Let us pray for more knowledge. Shalom. Pray for yourself. Hymn: More About Jesus would I know (More, more about Jesus). 72 Further Reading: Philippians 3:8-14.

74 A Continuous Process Thurs 7 Sept Colossians 1:9-14 Being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience (Colossians 1:11, NIV). esterday, we looked at our need for more knowledge. Today, Ywe will explore other benefits of having knowledge. According to Paul, we need to be filled with knowledge so that we may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God (Colossian 1:10, NIV). This is a good reason to seek for knowledge. The following are more benefits: 1. Live a life worthy of God's approval: This is made possible because we are applying what we know to our lives as we allow it to shape the way we think and live. 2. Please God: This is my heart's desire. I do not want to occupy space here on earth. I want to please God, honor Him with my life and bring Him glory with my deeds. 3. Bear fruit: This is God's desire for us. See John 15:8. 4. Continue to grow in knowledge: The cycle of improvement and increase continues. May the Lord create a hunger in your heart for more knowledge. I am sure we have enough reason to ask God for open heaven so that we can gain more insight and knowledge of His word. Remember, The word of God unapplied, is the word of God not experienced. Shalom. Pray for yourself as you have been ministered to. Hymn: We have heard the joyful sound (Jesus saves, Jesus saves). Further Reading: Proverbs 19:2. 73

75 Fri 8 Sept Do Not Be Unsettled 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 Not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter asserting that the day of the Lord has already come (2 Thessalonians 2:2, NIV). oday, we continue our study of the second letter of Paul Tand his friends to the Thessalonians. It appeared that the matter of Jesus' second coming remains an issue in this church community. Paul told them, Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction (2 Thessalonians 2:3, NIV). It means Jesus cannot come until certain things are fulfilled. Paul allayed their fears by telling them there is no need for them to be bothered about the issue, Christ will return when it is time. He told them, Not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter asserting that the day of the Lord has already come (vs. 2, NIV). Friend, if God says we must not be unsettled about something, it means the tendency to do so is there. It means that dwelling on such issues is not worth it. It is not God's plan for us. Because lawlessness is on the increase does not mean God has abandoned us, it is all part of the plan. Our God is preparing for His final appearance. Focus on Christ. He will come back for us at the right time. Shalom. Pray for yourself. Hymn: On a hill far away stood an rugged cross. 74 Further Reading: Revelation 21:1-7.

76 He Will Be Overthrown 2 Thessalonians 2:5-12; Revelation 20:1-10 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming (Revelation 20:8, NIV). Sat 9 Sept esus Christ's breath and glory will destroy satan and his Jagents. We have nothing to worry about because the Lord's power and strength is able to perform what He plans to do. The Bible says, And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming (vs.8, NIV). Satan will appear to wreak havoc as planned and recorded in the Scriptures. His goal is to destroy the unbelieving and those who refused to love Jesus and receive the truth about salvation and be saved. The rest of us who know Jesus will not be a partaker of this. We rejoice and wait patiently for the will of God to prevail in our world. We rest in peace because we know the Lord will protect us and keep His people. We endure the lawlessness that we see in our world because the time is not ripe for our Lord's return. God will release the enemy for the final onslaught. Then the end would come. How? Satan will be captured. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever (Revelation 20:10). Think on these things. Hold on to the truth. Shalom. Sing to the Lord and worship Him for the plan He has to protect us from the evil that is coming. Pray that you will be counted worthy of His glorious appearance. Hymn: All hail the power of Jesus Name. Further Reading: Revelation 20:

77 Sun 10 Sept The Door To Humility 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits (2 Thessalonians 2:13). hen it comes to the matter of salvation and our eternal Wsecurity, I believe humility is the door to thanksgiving. When we acknowledge the fact that our preservation from the coming destruction is because we are saved, then we will celebrate and rejoice in Christ Jesus. Paul said, But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as first fruits (2 Thessalonians 2:13, NIV). You and I belong to that order. We have been saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit. Our faith in the truth of the gospel made the difference. We heard it; we believed and have been marked for eternal life. Remember, As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:12-13). Look at the following quotes: Salvation is free for you because someone else paid. - Anonymous We are saved by someone doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves. - Lester Let us rejoice and be glad as we thank the Lord for the privilege we have in Him. Shalom. Praise God for this word that has brought joy to our soul. Hymn: Praise my soul the King of Heaven. 76 Further Reading: John 3:14-19.

78 Stand Firm 2 Thessalonians 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. Mon 11 Sept oday's Bible passage focuses on the issues earlier Texamined in the church. In his conclusion, Paul encouraged the readers to stand firm, focus on Christ and trust His wisdom with regard to His second coming. How can they do this? By holding on to the teachings they have received. He said, So, brothers and sisters, stand strong and continue to believe the teachings we gave you in our speaking and in our letter (2 Thessalonians 2:15, New Century Version). This verse lends credence to the words of Christ in John 8:32. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. We must seek to know the truth so that we can be set free. We must hold fast to the teachings we have heard so that we are not deceived by New Age teachings and false doctrines about Christ and His Second Coming. We hold on to the Rhema and logos of the word of God so that we can be thoroughly furnished and prepared for the future and the promise of Christ. Christ has not returned. He is coming back. When He returns we shall all see Him and be raptured to meet Him in the air. This is the truth we must hold on to. May the Lord strengthen our faith in the truth in Jesus' Name. Amen. Pray and ask for the strength that you need to stand firm in Christ and in His word. Song: He is coming back again. Further Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:

79 Tues 12 Sept Encouragement And Hope In Him 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 God loved us, and through his grace he gave us a good hope and encouragement that continues forever (2 Thessalonians 2:17, New Century Version). eading through today's passage brings joy to my heart. RIt is good to know that God has given us eternal encouragement and hope. Since God has given them to us all we have to do is to activate them by our faith. When Paul prayed that Jesus and God our Father will encourage our hearts, I believe it. When He says God can strengthen us in every good deed and word, I believe it. Because He is God and nothing is impossible for Him. It is through Him that we can do all things. Friend, all we have to do is to receive this word, believe it and act that it is so. God has given us eternal encouragement. We have hope that we will make heaven by the reason of salvation. While we are still here, He is able to and He will continue to encourage our hearts no matter the challenge and the trials that we are going through. God will strengthen us so that we can continue to do good and shine as light in the world to the glory of His Name. This is the joy I have today, may you be blessed by it and may your heart be filled with the same joy. Shalom. Pray for yourself, your family and your work, school or career. Song: Give thanks with a grateful heart. 78 Further Reading: Isaiah 60:1-22.

80 Pray For Us 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 Pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2, NIV). Wed 13 Sept ometimes, I find it easier to pray when someone gives me a Sprayer point or I have a prayer focus. Although, I will rely on the Holy Spirit to help me, at least I have a place to start. See Romans 8:26. This is what Apostle Paul did in the passage we read. He told the Thessalonians, Pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2, NIV). This is what we will pray for today and more: 1. Pray that the gospel of Jesus Christ that is being preached around the world will spread, be received and honored. Pray for missionaries, pastors, evangelists and ministers of the gospel. The message of Christ needs to be spread so that the unsaved can be saved. It prospered with the Thessalonians; it prospered with us. We were saved. Others need to hear it and prosper with it. 2. Pray for deliverance from wicked and evil people. Why? Not everyone has faith or believes in Jesus the way we do. We need deliverance from the power of bitterness, hatred and resentment. We need deliverance from traps and the gimmicks of men. We need deliverance from sin. The Lord will hear us. Amen. Pray as requested. Hymn: Sweet hour of prayer. Further Reading: 1 Samuel 12:23. 79

81 Thurs 14 Sept The Lord Is Faithful 2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one (NIV). here is no better time to hear that God is faithful than now. TWe need this assurance because of the happenings in our world and the attacks we are going through on a personal level. Following the need to pray, the Lord comforted us with a fresh word. Apostle Paul stated with high level of confidence and conviction that, The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one (2 Thessalonians 3:3, NIV). When I read this word, I believed it, received it and that settles it for me. I believe in my heart that God would do what He says He would do. He will protect me from the evil one. Not only me, He will protect my family and my loved one too. See Psalm 121:7-8. Friend, it does not matter what satan and his agents do, we are assured of divine protection. All we have to do is to ensure that we remain in the Rock, Jesus Christ. The more we are exposed to His word, the more our faith will be built up. The more we know what our God can do, the more confident we will be to face the enemy and his lies. Receive this word. Our God is faithful, He cannot deny us and neither will He deny His word. See Isaiah 55:11. Shalom. How strong is your faith in the faithful God who is able to protect and deliver? Talk to God and let Him fill your heart with faith in Him. Song: I will magnify the Lord who is worthy to be praised. 80 Further Reading: Psalm 18:

82 The Lord Will Do It Fri 15 Sept Psalm 23:1-6; 121:1-8 The Lord will keep you from all harm he will watch over your life (Psalm 121:7, NIV). xtending yesterday's devotional thoughts, I want to Eencourage your heart the more in the word of God so that your faith can be boosted and you can stand firm in the knowledge that God will protect you. King David had a robust revelation of this truth when he penned down his convictions in the psalms that we read. In Psalm 121, he writes. The Lord watches over youthe Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night (vs.6, NIV). In Psalm 23 he writes, Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me (Verse 4, NIV). Friend, God is for us not against us. Let us make these psalms part of our favourites in the Bible. We will not regret it. They come handy when the enemy comes against us or launch attack against our family. On corporate level, we can apply these psalms too and the word of the Lord in Matthew 16: 18: I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. God will do it. Let us not fear but trust God. He will do as He has promised. May the Lord keep our hearts strong and help us to live for Him. Shalom. Thank God for this word. Pray as you have been ministered to. Ask the Lord to protect you and your family. Pray for your church too. Song: Because He lives I can face tomorrow. Further Reading: Psalm 3. 81

83 Sat 16 Sept Continue In His Commands 2 Thessalonians 3:4-5 We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command (2 Thessalonians 3:4, NIV). any times I fall guilty of having confidence in people or Mtrusting them to follow through on what we agree. This is due to past experience with painful disappointments. But the Apostle Paul believed better things of his audience. He writes, We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command (vs.4, NIV). He had faith that they would do what he had told them to do in the letters sent to them. Friend, it is my prayer that we will gladden the heart of the Master by continuing to walk in the truth that we know as we strive to obey His commands. I also pray that God will have confidence in us to trust Him and stand for Him as we see evil abounds in our society. May the Lord help us not to derail or veer off the way of peace and salvation as a result of injustice in our land. We must endeavor to remain in Him and shine as lights because that is what we have been commanded to do. See Matthew 5:14. Let us rise and shine as light in a dark world. Remember, God has great joy when we walk in truth. See 3 John 1:4. May the Lord help us as we think on these things in Jesus' Name. Shalom. Pray for yourself based on today's devotional thoughts. Pray for fellow believers too that we will remain in God's command. Song: Arise shine for your light is come. 82 Further Reading: Isaiah 60:1-21.

84 Continue In God's Love Sun 17 Sept 2 Thessalonians 3:4-5 May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance (2 Thessalonians 3:5, NIV). nowing the importance of the truth that he shared with Kthem in verse 4, Paul went ahead to show them who could help them to stand. He writes, May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance (2 Thessalonians 5, NIV). Friend, we need the Lord to help us and direct our hearts to His love. We need Him to direct our hearts to the things that pleases Him. We also need His help when we face trials and temptation so that we will be able to persevere and stand strong. The New King James Version presents our focal text in another beautiful format, Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ. The key phrase for me is the patience of Christ. O! How we need patience in our time. We need patience to know that God is faithful. We need patience to know that our God is not a distance God. He cares about us and what we are going through. And, after all is said and done we will win. See Revelation 21:7. That is why James writes, But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:4). Only the Lord can help us to do this. So we look to Him. Let us pray. Do you need the love of God and the patience of Christ to stand for Him at home, school or workplace? Talk to God about your concerns. Hymn: My faith looks up to thee. Further Reading: Romans 5:1 5; Revelation 21:

85 Mon 18 Sept oday's Bible reading is an exhortation to live right, work Thard and mind one's business. In it we are encouraged to live a productive life as believers so that we can be examples to others. We must not be found among those who cause confusion. We must not be lazy or act in disruptive manner. Paul made his audience to understand the basis for the authority they have to instruct them. When they were with them they acted right, worked for their living so that they would not be a burden to anyone. They lived in such manner so that they would be role models for the church. I am wondering if we can use some wisdom from this passage. I had raised this concern before. Will it be helpful if some churches have bi-vocational ministers so their congregation is not burdened with their total upkeep? Will this also help some ministers from falling into traps of wanting to live like the members of their congregations, if not better? You see, there is nothing wrong with wanting the good life but when it moves to excessive ambition or materialism, we must watch it. Whatever your take is on this, the key thing is that we should not give room for idle talks about us. We are to live as example. May the Lord help us. Shalom. Pray for yourself. Disruptive Behavior Condemned 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us (2 Thessalonians 3:7, NIV). Hymn: Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart. 84 Further Reading: 1 Peter 2:21.

86 Settle Down And Work 2 Thessalonians 3:11-12 We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat (2 Thessalonians 3:11, NIV) like the phrase settle down and earn the food they eat I(vs.12). Friend, we are living in a time that we need to be smart and hard working. We need to shun idleness and laziness. We must not be busy bodies, meddling in other people's matter when our lives are in a mess. As Christians, we are to be role models. We are to be examples in the way we live. It seems to me that those days are gone when we say I have nothing to do or I cannot find a job. The era we are in makes it easy for you to earn some form of income to take care of ourselves. If you cannot get a salary job, you can start a small business. Some of us can establish a laundry service, business, hair dressing saloon or information technology-related jobs which requires minimal training. The fact that you are a graduate would make a difference in the way you run your business if you apply yourself to it. We can also decide to do home services. These are simple or menial jobs but many have established big business with good profit margin from starting small. The Bible says we must earn what we eat. Seek to do something today. Shalom. Talk to God about anything that may be an obstacle to your earning your living. Do you have a ward, a family or friend that needs to start a business? What can you do to help? Song: He is able more than able to accomplish what concerns me today. Tues 19 Sept Further Reading: Proverbs 12:24, 27; 19:24. 85

87 Wed 20 Sept Continue To Do Good 2 Thessalonians 3:13; 3 John 1:11 And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good (2 Thessalonians 3:13, NIV). postle Paul reminds us of the need to continue to do good. AWe do not cease to be who we are because we have busy bodies around us. Our life should influence them not them influencing us. He said, And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good (2 Thessalonians 3:13, NIV). In another place the Bible says, Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God (3 John 1:11). We are to continue to do good and God will reward us for it. This reminds me of the story of a young brother in my community who decided to do something so he would not depend on others to meet his needs. Though an undergraduate, he engages in small business to support himself. His commitment to church remains unbroken. This has endeared the heart of many brethren towards him. He is blessed by occasional supports from brethren. In addition to meeting his own needs, he also helps those who are in need around him. The cycle continues. Such people make it easy for brethren to support them. But even when we can not find people who live like this brother, we must continue to do good because God expects us to. Shalom. In what way can you apply today's message? Look for ways to share what you are learning with others. Hymn: To the work, to the work, we will go. 86 Further Reading: Galatians 6:10.

88 Relational Advice 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed (2 Thessalonians 3:14, NIV). s Paul and his friends rounds off the letter, he Aencourages believers in the church to warn those who do not live according to the instructions in the letter. Why? The instructions are tools for living a godly life. From the two verses we read, we see two ways we can bring their errors to their attention. 1. Dissociate from them: That is, do not associate with them so that they would not think you approved of their behavior. The aim is to make them feel sober and ashamed with the hope that they would change. 2. Warn them: Even though we dissociate from them, they are not our enemies. We warn them by bringing the errors in their behavior to their attention. We do this, with the hope that they turn away from their wrong behaviors. When they repent we are to welcome them back into the sheepfold; the Lord Jesus Christ Himself is the Chief Shepherd. May the Lord help us as we do this in Jesus' Name. Shalom. Pray as you are led. Commit your day into the hands of the Lord. Song: We give You glory Lord, as we honor You. Thurs 21 Sept Further Reading: Proverbs 2:

89 Fri 22 Sept Final Greetings 2 Thessalonians 3:16-18 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you (2 Thessalonians 3:16, NIV). love the way Paul concludes his letters. Sometimes his heart of Ilove, care and concern for the readers are always revealed through them. At other times, his heart towards God and faith in what He can do are made known. In concluding the letter to the Thessalonians, Paul emphasized who God is and what he expects Him to do for the people. He said, Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all (2 Thessalonians 3:16, New Living Translation). We need peace and Paul knows a God who can give it. This peace is not given once for a situation, but at all times and in every situation. It means that I can access the peace of God that I need in my heart and in my situation at any time that I need it. If only I will ask for it and believe that God can give it. See Mark 11:24. Friend, we need the God of peace in our life. The God of peace does the following: 1. Sanctifies us and keep us blameless. See 1 Thessalonians 5: Makes us complete and helps us to do good work. Hebrews 13: Abide with us when we do His word. Philippians 4:9. May the Lord help you to desire these blessings. Shalom. Can you feel the joy that I have as we look at the things that the God of peace can do in us and for us? Do you want to enjoy these manifestations of His peace? If yes, pray and ask the Lord to fulfill His word in your life. Song: I love You Lord, and I lift my voice. 88 Further Reading: 2 John 1:3.

90 The Lord Be With You Sat 23 Sept 2 Thessalonians 3:16-18 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you (2 Thessalonians 3:16, NIV). oday we will look at another prayer that Paul added, The TLord be with all of you. When God is with us everything good can and will happen because His presence gives us access to all that He is and has. When we have God, we have nothing to fear. Jesus confirmed our need of His presence when He said in the following verses: And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you (John 14:18). David expressed his desire for God's presence when he writes in Psalm 16:8-11, I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Friend, my prayer for you is that may the God of peace surround you with His presence so that you will continue to walk in confidence in Him at all times. May the Lord encourage your heart with these words. Shalom. Praise God for the privilege that we have to read and study these two letters. Pray that your life will produce the results of these teachings. Pray for me that my head will not lack oil at any time. Thank you. Hymn: To God be the glory great things He has done. Further Reading: Numbers 6:

91 Sun 24 Sept Is Your Church In Christ? 1 Thessalonians 1:1 To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. he happenings around the world in our time necessitates Ttoday's question: Is your church in Christ? Daily, we are realizing that many congregations gather to worship but Christ is not at the center of their worship. The dictionary defines church as a noun to mean a service conducted in a house of worship, a place for public (especially Christian) worship. But it appears this is changing. Recently we heard of a prostitution cartel in Lagos, Nigeria, that camouflages the venue as a church so they would not be detected by law enforcement agents. We hear of synagogues and church of satan. Friend, you need to be sure that your church is in Christ. Therefore, it was not out of place for Paul to write To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 1:1). A church of Christ must be a group of people, a congregation that gathers to worship the Living God and His Son Jesus Christ. They must recognize His Lordship as the Savior, the Great Shepherd and the Lord of His congregation. His word, the Holy Bible, must be the guiding law. If this is not followed you need to check again if you are meeting with people who are in Christ as you are. May the Lord help us to discern this in Jesus' Name. Amen. Praise God for His love for you and for continually helping you to know and follow the truth. Pray for your needs. Hymn: Praise my soul the King of Heaven. 90 Further Reading: 1 John 1:5-7.

92 Appreciate Him Mon 25 Sept Psalm 107:31-43 Whoever is wise will observe these things, And they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord (Psalm 107:43). e thank God for preserving our lives. Some of us Wstarted the year with fear. The global recession and the wave of incessant terrorist attacks in many nations did not help matters. But here we are the Lord has clothed us, provided for our needs, our children are alive and we are still breathing. We thank God. And maybe you are already concerned about how to survive the rest of the year, do not fear because the Scripture assures us that for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion (Ecclesiastes 9:4). We have hope. God will take care of us. God will not leave our soul for destruction because He specializes in delivering people from their destruction. Tell God, Thank You. He will work all things together for your good in His own way and wisdom. Think and thank Him. Remember, Whoever is wise will observe these things, And they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord (vs.43). Celebrate God for your family. I am convinced that He will do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ever ask, think or imagine in the remaining days of the year. See Ephesians 3:20. May the Lord open your eyes to see the goodness and the loving-kindness that He has already shown to you. Shalom. Celebrate God's goodness and lovingkindness to you. Song: O Lord, You have been so good. Further Reading: Psalm 103:

93 Tues 26 Sept A Time Will Come Isaiah 55:6-7 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near (Isaiah 55:6). here is a time for everything under the sun. A time to Tbe born and a time to die, even a time to seek the Lord and a time to be sought by the Lord! When we were sinners, God in His mercy sought us and saved us. He allowed us to be where we could have access to the gospel and believe the message. But do you know that if we had refused to respond to His call, He would have stopped calling? It is possible. Today's focal text makes us to understand that there is a time to seek God and find Him. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near (Isaiah 55:.6). When God hides, it could be dangerous because then you will seek Him but will not find Him. Friend, let us be sensitive not to miss the day of our visitation. Has God been knocking the doors of your heart and you are not responding? Has He asked you to do something for Him and you are refusing? The most painful thing about God's call is that if you do not respond to Him, He may go and look for someone else. Think about these things. Shalom. Pray as you have been challenged by the word. Hymn: Merciful/4x Are You, Lord. /2x 92 Further Reading: Isaiah 65:1-7.

94 The Lord Will Keep Us Wed 27 Sept Numbers 6:22 27 The Lord bless you and keep you;the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you (Numbers 6:24-25, NIV). s we round off this month and this quarter, I am led to Ashare today's Bible passage because this is how we bless. It depicts the hopes that we have in God, our expectation of Him and what God promised to do. God told Moses to tell Aaron how to bless the Isrealites saying, "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine on you and be gracious to you (Numbers 6:24-25, NIV). I bless us today because I believe God will keep us and cause His face to shine on us. No matter the trials and the recession in the world, God will be gracious to us. It does not matter the troubles in our nation and in the world, God will turn His face towards us. Because we believe in Him, He will give us peace. If you have Jesus and you know Him, I put His name on you and I bless you with these words. Be at peace and trust that the Lord will help you and bless you in the coming months and lead you to peace and prosperity. Shalom. Thank God for this word. Song: Thanks, thanks we give You thanks. Further Reading: 2 Chronicles 7:

95 Thurs 28 Sept Stop Complaining; Start Testifying Psalm 66:8-16 Who keeps our soul among the living, and does not allow our feet to be moved (Psalm 66:9). he picture that comes to mind as I sat to type the words of Tthis meditation was that of a woman praising and worshipping God in the corner of her room with her hands lifted towards heaven. It is my prayer that this picture will become real in our lives. Friend, the attitude of complaining and murmuring is permeating the body of Christ. We are so quick to complain than to testify of the goodness of God. I was guilty too until someone encouraged me to see the goodness of God and to know that change will come to the area that I am not satisfied. Let us stop complaining and start testifying about what God is doing and has done in our lives. Our praise will pave the way for more miracles. Complaining stifles the presence of God and delays our deliverance. Looking at verses 10-12, I seem to get the understanding that our pain and sufferings are all part of the process of bringing us into that land of promise and season of rich fulfillment. Therefore, be patient and hopeful. Keep walking in righteousness as you wait for your deliverance. Testify about the goodness of God. Then you can boldly say: Come and hear, all you who fear God, And I will declare what He has done for my soul (vs.16). Amen. Bless the Name of the Lord. Talk to God about your needs for the next month. Hymn: He loves me I cannot tell why. 94 Further Reading: Psalm 77:1-20.

96 Let's Pay Those Vows Fri 29 Sept Psalm 66:13-15 I will pay You my vows. Which my lips have uttered And my mouth has spoken when I was in trouble (Psalm 66:13b -14). estifying about the goodness of God include paying the Tvows that we make in the time of trouble so that we do not commit the sin of negligence. Sayo had a problem in her workplace. She feared that her appointment might be terminated if God did not overturn the verdict. She prayed and wept in the presence of God asking Him to intervene. She made a vow and promised part of her salary when the case was over. God heard her and heaven also recorded her vow. The case dragged and was finally resolved six months later. The only penalty she got was a change of department. Three months have passed and she has not redeemed her vow. What do you think? Before we condemn Sayo, are we free of the same offence? When we are in trouble and need solution, we usually make all manner of promises to God. When we are delivered we forget. If not that God is merciful many deliverances would have been reversed. The psalmist says, I will go into Your house with burnt offerings; I will pay You my vows, which my lips have uttered And my mouth has spoken when I was in trouble (vs ). Burnt offering is your thanksgiving but your vows are needed too to seal your deliverance. May the Lord help us as we think on these things. Shalom. Guilty of this offence? Ask God for forgiveness and plan how to redeem your vow or promise. Song: Let the words of my mouth. Further Reading: 2 Samuel 24:

97 Sat 30 Sept Don't Lose Hope Psalm 119:89-91; Luke 7:1-10 Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89). s we round off the month, I am aware that many of us Ahave received several promises from the Lord that are yet to be fulfilled. And this gives us concerns and we may be tempted to think that God is not good to us. Friend, that is not correct. I am not making God to look good. That is not my job. He is God. He can defend Himself. However, I have come to realize from experience that many times when God delays, He has a reason. Sometimes, the timing is not right or what I requested is not needed. At other times, it may be because I do not have faith when I prayed initially. It reminds me of the Centurion's story in Luke Chapter 7. This man believed that when Jesus spoke his servant would be healed. His servant was healed because of his faith. It confirmed that God's word is settled and able to perform when you believed it. I employ you today to think about your specific case and the promises that you have. Do you think it is time or could it be that you need to feed your faith more to attract the answer? Let us not lose hope and say God is not faithful. He is a good God. He knows what He is doing. Shalom. Pray as you have been challenged. Song: Faithful God so unchanging. 96 Further Reading: Matthew 9:18-25.

98 Safe In His Care Sun 1 Oct Psalm 127:1-2; Jude 1b I am writing to all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ (Jude 1b, New Living Translation). t is good to be alive this month as we continue to enjoy God's Ifaithfulness in preserving our lives. Being alive is evidence that we are relevant to His scheme of things here on earth. When our work is done we will be called home and be with the Lord forever. This month, I encourage you to rest in God, trust Him and keep your faith strong in Him. You are called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ (Jude 1b, New Living Translation). Having faced many persecutions and heard of what other believers around the world were facing, Jude encouraged his audience. He assured them that no matter what happens God loves them and they are safe in the hands of the Lord. We must take courage in this word too. It may be that your challenge is a personal one, or national as in the case of the ongoing economic recession or political uncertainty in many parts of the world. No need to fear. God will keep us safe. No matter the game and the intimidations by North Korea and the world powers, we know that if God be for us no one can be against us. See Romans 8:31; Psalm 105: Keep these words on your mind and be at rest. Shalom. Thank God for this word of encouragement. Praise Him because you know that He is with you and for you. Commit the month into His able hands. Hymn: Be not dismay what'er betide. Further Reading: Isaiah 43:

99 Mon 2 Oct They Shall Triumph In The End Genesis 49:19 Gad, a troop shall tramp upon him, But he shall triumph at last. riend, I have hope that God would visit this generation, our Fchildren and particularly the youth. My hope is based on the word of God. Like the son of Jacob named Gad, I see the youth of our time as children trampled upon by the enemy's troop in order to destroy them, but God would not allow it. In the end, they shall return. God, the deliverer, would come to their rescue. The troop of worldliness, sexual immorality and perversion has been sent to trample upon them but God will save them. This is my hope and expectation. The troop of faithlessness and idolatry appears to be taking many of them away from the faith of their fathers and from the church, but I trust God to fulfill His word and save them. He has promised to do so, He will. God would come to their aid. They would triumph at last and become the generation of the righteous who will be mighty in the land. See Psalm 112:2. If you believe this word, please do not cease to pray for your children. Do not cease to pray for young people around the world. We must not give up. Our prayers would cause a shift in the spiritual realm. God would overrun the enemy's troops and cause them to return to the Living God. Shalom. Praise God for this word. Pray that your faith will receive this word so that you can continue to pray for your children and young people around you. Hymn: Almighty of God, our generation shall praise Your Name. 98 Further Reading: Isaiah 49:24-26; 54:13.

100 Praise God Tue 3 Oct Psalm 104:1-35 O Lord my God, You are very great: You are clothed with honor and majesty, Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain (Psalm 104:1-2). oday, we will worship and praise God for who He is and Twhat He has done. The Psalmist says O Lord my God, You are very great: You are clothed with honor and majesty (Psalm 104:1). He understood the greatness of God by affirming his glory, honour and majesty. He went further to recount the things that God does because of who He is. Friend, we need to praise God in the same way too. Let us worship God for His matchless greatness, power, love and care for us. Let us thank Him and worship Him for being the God of mercy. Let us acknowledge Him as our source, the supplier of all our needs. It is my personal belief that our generation would have been destroyed due to the extent of our sinfulness and godless attitudes if not for God's mercy. That is something to thank Him for. If God has blessed you in any way, you need to thank Him. If He has delivered you from harm in the past nine months then thank Him. Many who were at the Manchester Arena did not know that when their children or parents left home, it would be the last time. Notwithstanding the ongoing insurgence and terrorist activities around the world, God has not allowed them to harm you. Indeed, Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord. Think about God's love and mercy towards you. Worship Him on behalf of your family and friends. Hymn: Praise Ye the Lord the Almighty the King of creation. Further Reading: Psalm

101 Wed 4 Oct He Will Be With You Isaiah 43:1-4 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you (Isaiah 43:2). y heart rejoices as I read through today's passage because MI know that God created me and formed me in my mother's womb. He knows what I would become before He created me. All my days are written in His book (Psalm 139:14-16). Friend, we are precious to God. He told us, You were precious in My sight, You have been honored, And I have loved you; Therefore I will give men for you, And people for your life (Isaiah 43:4). Since this is true then there is no reason to doubt what He said in our focal text. He said, I created you, don't fear. I will be with you. No matter the situation that you find yourself, be it in the fire or water, I am there with you. Because I am God and I am for you. Alleluia! You see, until we begin to see ourselves the way God sees us and appropriate the blessings that are hidden in the precious promises that we have from Him, our lives may not be different from that of the unbelievers around us. Yet, that is not what God intended. God wants to distinguish us and show the world that we are His own. Receive His word and act on it because it is true. May the Lord bless your heart as you think on these things. Shalom. Thank God for the good news from His word. Pray that your faith will receive this word so that you may begin to enjoy the blessings that God has for you in them. Hymn: I am thine, O Lord. 100 Further Reading: Psalm 139.

102 You Are Distinguished Hebrews 1:8-9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy ( Hebrews 1: 9, New International Version). Thurs 5 Oct tand on the New Covenant we have in Christ Jesus and Sclaim the benefits of today's focal text because we are in Christ Jesus and we are seated with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). If the Son has been distinguished and set above His companions, we have been set above them too. If Jesus has been anointed with the oil of gladness then we are too. We are in Him because as He is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:17). Another Scripture says that He that is from above is above all and that Christ has been made the head of all principalities and powers (John 3:31; Colossians 2:10). Since we are in Him, we have access to what He has access to. Friend, we need to know that all of these divine truths are ours to receive and walk in them. We have been called to manifest the traits of our Lord and Savior. He secured them for us. When the world is looking for someone who will be a blessing to our generation, they should not look too far because we are God's image and we carry His commanded blessing. When our world needs someone who will stand in righteousness we should be the one. We have been anointed above our companions. Let us live like it. Shalom. Do you believe this truth and do you think you can walk in this anointing that sets you above others? Talk to God. Song: My God is mighty to save. Further Reading: Ephesians 2:

103 Fri 6 Oct Rejoice Always Philippians 4:2 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! riend, the reason we rejoice is not because all is well and Four lives' goals and desires are already fulfilled. Rather, we rejoice because Christ Jesus has redeemed us from the curse of the law and we now have access to God. We can receive His mercy and grace whenever we need it. See Galatians 3: 13; Hebrews 4:16. We rejoice because we know that in the end we will win. We rejoice because we know and agree with what the Scripture says. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). Whatever challenges we are facing right now, they are temporary. God will help us to overcome them. We will laugh in the end because victory is ours in the Name of Jesus. Therefore, we rejoice in anticipation of the actual manifestation of our victory. Friend, rejoice! Do it again and again. Your joy is a weapon against the arrow of depression and pain. When you rejoice, your feelings and emotions will come into agreement with what you have decided to do - to rejoice in the Lord always. May the King fill your heart with more reasons to rejoice. Shalom. Rejoice in the Lord. Worship in His presence and give Him glory for all He has done for you in Christ Jesus. Praise Him for the victory you are anticipating. Hymn: Rejoice in the Lord and be glad. 102 Further Reading: Psalm 84.

104 He Causes Us To Have Victory Sat 7 Oct 1 Corinthians 15:55-58 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57). editating on today's focal text, I realized that the One to Mpraise and give thanks to is the God Almighty who made sure that we come into the saving grace through the Lord Jesus Christ so that we can be saved. Imagine if you were not born again; if you did not know Jesus, your life would have been more miserable. Our hope for the future and eternity would have also been bleak. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. He gave us victory over sin and death so that we can become His own. I am confident that God is able to give us the victories that we need. What could have been tougher than the power of death? What could have been stronger than the power of sin? Nothing! Christ continues to fight and pray for us. That is why Paul wrote in another place, Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us (Romans 8:34). Friend, take time to meditate on the reality of this truth in your life and thank God for His amazing work of salvation in your life. You will be glad you did. Shalom. Praise God for His work of salvation. Pray that you will continually walk in the reality of its truth. Pray for me and my family that we will keep the truth of His word in our heart. Thank You. Song: Above all power, above all kings. Further Reading: John 19:

105 Sun 8 Oct We Triumph In Him 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place (2 Corinthians 2:14). e will continue in thanksgiving as we look at another Wreason that we need to thank God today. The Bible says, Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place (2 Corinthians 2:14). The word 'triumph' is a noun and it means a successful ending of a struggle or contest. It also means exultation of victory. As a verb it means to express great joy. Relating these meanings to our focal text, it is exciting to know that no matter the struggle that we have now and the delays we may be experiencing, we know that in the end we will win. In the end of the contest we shall triumph over life's adversity. The New Living Translation says, But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ's triumphal procession. Wherever we are and whatever challenge we may be facing, we are moving forward and towards victory not defeat. Alleluia! God will ensure we win. Friend, as we stand firm in faith on this truth, we will experience our deliverance and the help that we need. We will become a living testimony and testify of Him to the power of God and what His grace and mercy can do. May the Lord grant you more understanding in Jesus' Name. Shalom. Thank God for His word. Ask for more understanding of today's truth. Pray for the grace to live in anticipation of victory on a daily basis. Hymn: Great is thy faithfulness. 104 Further Reading: Psalm 138.

106 Joy Awaits Us Mon 9 Oct Isaiah 35:1-7 The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. (Isaiah 35:1, New International Version). hen the Lord promised the children of Israel restoration Wand redemption, their situation did not align with that. But He spoke to them so that He could change their focus and belief system. He wanted to help them to shift their attention from their current situation so that they could believe the future that He planned for them. He told them: The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it... (Isaiah 35:1-2). In other words, He wanted them to replace the picture of gloom and slavery with the future that is coming. Another thing they were expected to do was to be courageous. They were to strengthen the weak, tune their hope up and be ready for what God was about to do. It takes courage to believe God for change and breakthrough. Let us take a cue from this word and act accordingly. Friend, Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you (Isaiah 35:4). May the Lord fill your heart with faith and hope to receive this word and expect it to happen in your life. Shalom. Praise God for love and the change that He plans for us. Pray for your specific needs. Hymn: We rest on these our shield and our defender. Further Reading: Joel 2:

107 Tues 10 Oct Stay On The High Road Isaiah 35:8-10 And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it (Isaiah 35:8, New International Version). riend, no matter what the world throws at us we must Fdecide and choose to remain on the highway. No matter the rate of sin and the increase in injustice around us, we must remain steadfast in our walk with the Lord because we know that our reward awaits us. The prophet shares the vision he had with the people. He told them how they needed to keep hope alive because of what God planned to do for them in the near future. God would restore their life and the desert would blossom again. He told them to remain holy and to serve the Lord with fear because the coming kingdom would require that they walked in the high way of holiness. For us, it will require that we keep our garments white so that we are not asked to depart from the Lord's presence. The prophet says, And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way (vs.8, New International Version). Friend, let us choose to remain on the highway. Let us shun sin and serve the Lord with all our soul, heart and mind and strength so that we can be restored. I believe we can do this as we rely on the Holy Spirit to help us. May the Lord keep us safe in the hollow of His hands. Shalom. Thank God for speaking to you today. Pray for the grace and the strength that you need to stay on the high road of holiness. Hymn: There's within my heart a melody (Jesus, sweetest Name I know). 106 Further Reading: 1 Peter 1:13-17.

108 Tested By Diligence Wed 11 Oct 2 Corinthians 8:8 I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. love today's focal text in God's Word Translation. It reads Ithus: I'm not commanding you, but I'm testing how genuine your love is by pointing out the dedication of others (2 Corinthians 8:8). Friend, our diligence and dedication to the Lord can be tested. It can be tested by the Lord and by us. How can we do this? We can assess our dedication by the level of our commitment to the Lord and His kingdom purposes. So, how diligent are you in your walk with the Lord? How committed are you to the things of God? How faithful are you to the promise you made to serve God and be a blessing to other people? Paul reminded the Corinthians that although He is not judging them or commanding them, he chose to test their love for God by the diligence of others. This would help him and his readers would know if they were doing well. For us, in as much as no one has the measuring lines to say you are doing well or not, we can assess our love for God by our dedication to Him too. We can also assess it by our diligence to one another's welfare. Think on this truth and make amends so that our love for God will continue to grow stronger. Shalom. Can you say that your love matches your diligence to the Lord and to the welfare of His people? If yes, ask for more grace. If no, why not? Pray for yourself as you are led Hymn: Marvelous grace of our loving God. Further Reading: Galatians 6:

109 Thurs 12 Oct Follow Through Your Promise 2 Corinthians 8:10-12 But now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have (2 Corinthians 8: 11). hile reading a portion of this passage, my attention was Wdrawn to today's Bible reading. It dawned on me that I needed to follow through on my decisions. And if I have promised anything, I need to make sure that I fulfill it. In this way, I will be at peace and also be a woman of integrity. The Corinthians had earlier promised to give and had indicated the desire to do so. But they were lacking in fulfilling it. So Paul reminded them saying, You must complete the doing of it. You promised now fulfill it. Hear him: As there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have (2 Corinthians 8:11b). Looking at verse 12, the Bible says, For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have (2 Corinthians 8:12). The lesson here is that we must not promise what we do not have to please others or please our church leaders. We must avoid any coercion to pledge what we do not have. We must not promise to do something that we know we do not have the capacity to fulfill. This is scriptural wisdom. If we do this, I believe we will live more peacefully and be joyful in our giving. Shalom. Pray for the grace to complete what you have started in every area of your life. Pray that you will be content to give within your means to please God and not man. Hymn: O Jesus, I have promised to serve thee to the end. 108 Further Reading: 2 Corinthians 8.

110 We Are Safe Fri 13 Oct Isaiah 49:8-21 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me (Isaiah 49:16). riend, there is no need to fear because we are safe in the Fhands of the Lord. I know that the news around us does not allude to this fact. Sometimes even the happenings in our lives disagree with this fact, but God's word cannot be broken. He promises to keep us. We must trust Him to do so. God tells the people who think that He has forgotten them that He cares, and He is with them. He said, Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me (Isaiah 49:15-16, New International Version). Receive this word and you will eat the good that is in it. What good you say? It is the good of peace and joy. It is the assurance that God will do what He says. You will not be forgotten. The Lord will keep you safe. Do not fear. Go about your normal life knowing that God watches over you. Remember, whenever God looks at His palm He sees you. It is a privilege to be so cared for by the Lord and loved by Him. Rejoice in this word! Thank God for His love for you. Pray that you will believe His word and walk in the reality of its truth. Pray for me and my family that we will walk in this truth too. Thank You. Hymn: I belong to a mighty God. I belong to Jesus. Further Reading: Isaiah 1:18; 44:

111 Sat 14 Oct You Will Be Delivered Isaiah 49:22-26 But this is what the Lord says: Yes, captives will be taken from warriors, and plunder retrieved from the fierce; I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save ( Isaiah 49: 25, New International Version). oday, be reminded that God's word remains true. Heaven Tand earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away (Mark 13:31). When He says we will be delivered, I believe it and I trust Him to do what He says. When He says I will experience freedom in every area that I have been held captive, I believe Him. When He says, He has given me eternal life and no one can pluck me out of His hands, I believe Him (John 10:29). From the passage we read, the enemy thought they had the children of Israel in their hands. They thought all hope of restoration for the Jews and their return to Jerusalem was lost. But God said. I have a plan. He told them, Yes, captives will be taken from warriors, and plunder retrieved from the fierce; I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save (vs. 25, New International Version). You see, if you think you will not survive the current recession, think again. God is not through with you. If you think your children can no longer be saved, think again because God has promised to save them. Do not focus on your captivity. Focus on the God who promised to set you free. At the fullness of time God will do what He says He will do. Shalom. Talk to God about your concerns. Ask for grace to believe Him more so that you can wait on Him to experience your deliverance. Hymn: Guide me, O thou great Jehovah. 110 Further Reading: Psalm 23:1-6.

112 Let God Be Your Sufficiency Sun 15 Oct 2 Corinthians 3:5-6 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God (2 Corinthians 3:5). riend, it is good to know that when we are weak, God in FChrist Jesus will supply the strength we need. It is good to know that we are not alone in any errand that the Lord sends us because He is with us and His presence will supply all that is lacking. Personally, this knowledge and understanding continually help me to see every invitation to teach or preach as an invitation not to me but to the One who lives in me. It is an opportunity for God to use my mouth and my voice as His tools to minister to His people. When I sit to write 'Fresh Bread', I know I am not alone. The One who qualifies me is with me to help me. God, my sufficiency will supply all that I need. Friend, in whom is your confidence? Is your confidence in your qualifications and abilities? Paul told the Corinthians that, Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God. He knew without God they could do nothing. We will be wiser to confess the same and let God be our sufficiency. When next you are faced with any challenge and or an assignment that is beyond you, call on God to be your sufficiency. He will answer you. Shalom. Praise God for this word. Pray as you have been blessed. Song: He is able more than able. Further Reading: John 15:

113 Mon 16 Oct He Supplies All Our Need Philippians 4:19-20 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). e must be careful not to limit God with our thoughts and Wunderstanding of life based on our realities. It will be good if we begin to think about God and relate with Him with a mindset that He is a big God and He is limitless. The God's Word Translation present today's focal text thus: My God will richly fill your every need in a glorious way through Christ Jesus. Please note the phrase every need. It tells me that my need does not have to be financial before God will fill it. If I need a partner, God can supply. If I need a friend or a favor, God can supply. It is every need. Knowing this truth has helped me to relate with God on a more personal and realistic way. These days I talk to God like a friend and present my needs to Him knowing that He can do something about it. He is a rich God with whom nothing is impossible. Friend, God's ability to supply all our need is beyond human comprehension because He is the God of all sufficiency. That is why Paul said, And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have abundance for every good work (2 Corinthians 9:8). May the Lord help you to understand this truth. Let us pray. Thank God for His word that has come with clarity. Think about how you can apply this to your life. Pray and ask the Lord to supply any need you may have. Song: Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord. 112 Further Reading: 2 Corinthians 9.

114 Keep Learning Tues 17 Oct Proverbs 19:2a It is not good for a soul to be without knowledge. he Bible says, My people are destroyed for lack of Tknowledge (Hosea 4:6). If we do not want to perish or experience lack in any area of our life, we must continue to learn new things with regard to our covenant rights in Him. We must keep abreast of the facts in our career, business and studies too. The Bible says, It is not good for a soul to be without knowledge (Proverbs 19:2a). If God says it is not good, it means it is not good. On the other hand, it means that if we continue to pursue the right knowledge and make use of it, our souls will be full of knowledge. I have realized that sometimes we are lazy. We fail to do our part and we put everything on the Holy Spirit. Yet, what God does through His Spirit is to help us to understand and reveal new things to us. Therefore, pursue knowledge and ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand it. Do your part and trust God to remind you of the truth that you know when the need arises. Friend, look into your life and see the areas that you need to increase your knowledge. Do you have to go online and learn new things? Do you need to take short courses to improve your life? Think on these things. Shalom. Thank God for the challenge that comes from His word. Think about the areas that you need to gain or increase knowledge and ask for direction on how to do it. Pray that you will meet the right people who will help you to achieve this goal. Song: Fill my cup Lord Further Reading: Isaiah 5:13; John 14:

115 Wed 18 Oct Assurance Of Sharing His Glory Colossians 1:25-28 For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory (Colossians 1:27, New Living Translation). ne of the benefits of studying the word of God is to know Owhat Christ has done for us so that we can receive it, believe it and ask for its manifestation in our lives. There is no point in knowing so much of the word of God if our lives do not show it. In order to benefit from the word of God, we must make it a habit to pray and ask God to do the good things that we see in our own lives. We must be desirous to see that our life is an evidence of the goodness of God and the delivering power of God. Therefore, when I read today's passage, I did not see Gentiles in the passage but I see us. When Paul used the word them it includes us too. We are the ones whom God grafted in to be saved so that we can become partakers of the grace of God. We can say that Christ in us is the hope of glory too. The New Living Translation Bible says, Because Christ lives in us, this gives us assurance of sharing in his glory (Colossian 1:27). It is my prayer that you will understand this truth so that you can see yourself the way God sees you. The fact that Christ, God's glory, lives in you gives you the right to share in His glory. Do we have this assurance? If no, can we ask the Lord to reveal this truth to us so that we can benefit from the riches of the glory of God? Pray that your faith will receive this word so that you may begin to enjoy the blessings that God has for you. Hymn: Glory be to God in the highest. Amen. 114 Further Reading: Psalm 8.

116 Benefits Of His Glory Thurs 19 Oct Psalm 8:1-9 For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor (Psalm 8:5). ith reference to yesterday's devotional, I would like to add Wmore thoughts on what we stand to gain when we begin to walk in the light of this revelation. The Easton Bible dictionary defines the word Glory to mean Abundance, wealth, treasure, and hence honour. It could also mean splendor, brightness and majesty of Jehovah. Imagine how it shall be if we begin to think and act in the light of all these nature of God. If we begin to walk knowing that God's glory is in us, our lives will be different. Look at the following benefits: 1. This knowledge will change your perception of life. You will live as God's image because you have access to His honor, wealth and abundance. 2. When you know that God's riches and glory in Christ are for you, you will be bold to pray and ask for what you need. 3. Christ's presence in us is the access code that we need to share His glory. 4. The more you walk in the light of this truth the more glory you will experience in your life. May the King of glory help you to fall in love with his truth so that your life can bear its fruits. Shalom. Have you given your life to Jesus Christ? If no, you do not have the access code. Call on Jesus to save you today. If you know Jesus, pray that you will begin to enjoy the blessings that God has for you. Hymn: I serve a risen Savior (He lives, He lives Christ Jesus lives today). Further Reading: Romans 8:

117 Fri 20 Oct Growing In Glory 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18). ur focal text makes us to understand that there are levels of Oglory. It means that you can start at the lower level and grow to a higher level of glory in God. No wonder some people are doing better than us. They are walking in a higher level of peace, wealth and grace than we are. How can we grow in God's glory? I believe the following would help us. 1. Intimacy with the Lord. The more we behold Him through His word and worship, the more we will know Him. 2. Spending time with God. Moses' face changed because of the time He spent with the Lord on the mountain. When the Apostles were interrogated in Acts Chapter 4, the high priest recognized that they had been with the Lord. 3. Hunger: This relates to our hunger for more of God. David said, Lord, I thirsty for You. Can this be said of us? Do we have the same level of passion for God that those who are walking in higher level of glory have for Him? 4. Patience: We must be patient as we seek. God's work in us is to shape us to His image. It is a gradual transformation. See Romans 8: Embrace the Spirit of the Lord. He is the Spirit of Liberty. Love Him and relate with Him. He will rob the glory of God on you. May the Lord bless your heart with His word. Shalom. Pray that you will enjoy these blessings from God. Hymn: As the deer pants for the water so my soul pants after You. 116 Further Reading: Psalm 63.

118 Consider The Poor Sat 21 Oct Psalm 41:1-3 Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble (Psalm 41:1). sister in the fellowship asked Auntie Julie for help. She did Anot have enough but she gave out of her little resources to help. She did the right thing because the Bible says, He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given (Proverbs 19:17). The Psalm 41 reminds us of the need to bless the poor around us. When we do this, we position ourselves for more blessings from the Lord. The Bible says, Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble (Psalm 41:1, New Living Translation). These joys include: 1. Joy of giving. The satisfaction that comes from giving is indescribable. You feel good and at peace that you have done the right thing. 2. Divine rescue. Verse Divine protection and preservation. Verse Divine prosperity. God rewards you for your kindness to the poor. Verse Deliverance from your enemies. Verse Divine care.verse Divine healing. Verse 3. Friend, if the above reasons are not enough to motivate us to care for the poor, I do not know what else would. Think on these benefits and ask the Lord to guide you in your next encounter of giving. Shalom. Thank God for this word sent to us to increase our joy. Pray for faith to practice it. Hymn: We bring the sacrifice of praise. Further Reading: Luke 10:

119 Sun 22 Oct Hope In God Psalm 42:1-11 Why are you discouraged, my soul? Why are you so restless? Put your hope in God, because I will still praise him. He is my savior and my God(Psalm 42:5, God's Word Translation). annah, the mother of Prophet Samuel, knew what it was Hto hope in God even when you do not know when He would answer you. She refused to give up during the several years of tears and agony amidst many trips to Shiloh. Finally, God heard her prayers. She conceived and had Samuel. The sister of Lazarus of Bethany had hope when they sent message to Jesus to come and heal their brother. But we know they lost this hope when He failed to show up. Lazarus died. However, something happened. When they lost their hope, God and His Son, Jesus Christ, did not lose hope. They had a plan. In the end, they got a miracle. We all need to learn how to hold on to hope. Even when we do not know how life is going to turn out, we must not lose hope. Abraham hoped against hope. God finally gave them Isaac. Romans 4:18. The psalmist was discouraged too when he wrote Psalm 42, but in the end, he said, Put your hope in God, because I will still praise him. (Psalm 42:5, God's Word Translation). He knew God could still show up and his situation would change. Friend, keep hope alive. Expect God to come to your aid. Look forward to the time that you will share your testimony and praise Him. Shalom. Talk to God about your challenges. Share your struggles with keeping your hope alive as you wait for help from Him. Hymn: Who is like unto thee, O Lord. 118 Further Reading: 1 Samuel 16.

120 Speak And Expect It To Happen Mon 23 Oct Mark 11:12-14; In response Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again." And His disciples heard it (Mark 11:14). hen Jesus got to the fig tree He found nothing to eat. He Wused the opportunity to teach His disciples the concept of faith in another dimension. He spoke to the fig tree and His disciples heard it. But what He said did not happen immediately. Jesus was not bothered about it. He believed what He said would come to pass. He does not have to stand and fight the fig tree to dry up. No! The word must produce result. See Isaiah 55:11. That is the realm that Jesus lived and He wanted us to move to that level too. But the disciples did not understand this. The next day the fig tree had dried up. Peter said, Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away (Mark 11:21). Jesus replied him, Have faith in God whoever says to this mountain and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says (Mark 11:22-23). The issue is not whether the tree would dry up, the key thing is for you to believe that it will when you spoke. The timing of the fulfillment of the word is not our business. Our business is to use our mustard seed faith. This is a challenge for us. Let us move to this higher level of faith. Shalom. Praise God for this word. Pray for yourself in line with this word. Hymn: Draw me close to You. Further Reading: Mark 7:

121 Tues 24 Oct Stand By Faith Ephesians 2:1-10; 2 Corinthians 1:24 For by faith you stand (2 Corinthians 1:24). love the way Apostle Paul writes his letters. Several times, Ihe writes as someone who is presenting an argument in order to convince his audience that what he is saying is true and good for the people. In Ephesians, we are told that by faith we were saved because God who is merciful planned it that way. In Corinthians, he said to another group not only are you saved by faith but you must stand firm in it. He said, For by faith you stand (1 Corinthians 1:24). Friend, I agree with him and that is why John Newton, the writer of the song, Amazing Grace could write, 'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home. Let our faith in God sustain us through our life challenges. God saved us through faith in Jesus Christ and His work on the cross. Let us continue in the same faith. Let us trust God to save us to the uttermost. The Bible says, Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them (Hebrews 7:25). With this fact in mind, we can rejoice and stand in hope that God will save us no matter what satan and the antichrist plans to do in this end time. Shalom. Pray for yourself as you have been blessed. Pray for believers that we will stand firm in our faith in Jesus Christ. Hymn: Stand up, stand up for Jesus. 120 Further Reading: Jude

122 God Is Faithful 1 Corinthians 10: 1-14 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able (1 Corinthians 10:13, New American Standard Bible). riend, God is faithful. We can trust Him with our lives when Fwe face challenges. First, let us not be idolators because we thought the help we ask of Him is not coming and we run to seek other gods for help. Second, we must not be immoral doing things that displease God. The men of old did this; they lost the opportunity of entering into the Promised Land. We hold on in the time of adversity, trials and problems because God is faithful. He will not allow what would destroy us to happen to us. From this stand of faith, we can trust Him to take care of us, fight our battles for us and grant us the victory and deliverance that we need. Many times we have run ahead of God because we lack this understanding of God's faithfulness. We make poor decisions with grave consequences. Many times these consequences remain with us for life. Abraham and Sarah did it and we are stuck with crises between His two sons for the entire human race. Wait on God. Remember, No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also (1 Corinthians 10:13, New American Standard Bible). Shalom. Praise God for this timely word. Thank Him for helping you to stand firm in Him. Take your burden to the Lord. Hymn: There is a place of quiet rest (Near to the heart of God). Wed 25 Oct Further Reading: Isaiah 40:11, Psalm 73:26 121

123 Thurs 26 Oct Praise The Lord Psalm 103:1-22 Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! (Psalm 103:1). oday, we will worship and adore the Lord because He is Tworthy. The Bible says, Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! (Psalm 103: 1). In another place it says, Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever (Psalm 136:1). In 1 Samuel 2:1, Hannah declares, My heart rejoices in the LORD; my horn is exalted in the LORD. I smile at my enemies, because I rejoice in Your salvation. How many of us can identify with Hannah's prayer in verse 1b? Friend, I can smile at my enemies because what thy planned for me and my family did not happen this year. The One who says there shall be no loss stood by His word and when the enemy came to steal, to kill and destroy, God's Spirit raised a standard against Him. To God be the glory. Friend, I know that God has been good to you. You can see and hear. That is God's goodness. Many are alive who cannot see and hear. When you thought you were not ready for an assignment, God came in and helped you. You were not put to shame. Friend, look into your life and lift up a psalm of praise to this good God. You will not regret it. Shalom. Praise the Lord and count your blessing in His presence. Hymn: Count your blessings name them one by one. 122 Further Reading: Psalm 136.

124 Faith Is The Power Fri 27 Oct PMark 5:25-34 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well." (Mark 5:27-28). aith is the key that unlocks the door to our miracle. Faith in FGod and His word is the power that pulls down the blessing. In today's Bible passage, I noticed the following: Frist, when the woman with the issue of blood heard about Jesus, she believed that Jesus could help her. This is faith in the person of Jesus. Second, she heard about what He had done for others. This is faith in what Jesus can do. It is faith in the power of God. Third, she believed that what Christ did for others, He could do for her. This is faith in the work of Christ through the testimonies of others. No wonder Jesus told His audience that even if they do not believe in Him, they should believe Him for the work He did. See John 14:11. Friend, we must make out time to hear the word of God and the testimony of His people so that we can build our faith. This would help us to believe that what He did for them, He can do for us too. As I write this page, I am in physical pain, but I believe God for His touch in my life and the situation with one of my family members. May we all experience the victory we believe Him for today in Jesus' Name. Shalom. Thank God for this word that has come to challenge our faith and trust in God. Take time to think and apply the truth it reveals to your life. Take your struggle and concerns to the Lord in prayer. Song: Awesome God, how great you are. Further Reading: Matthew 9:

125 Sat 28 Oct Faith Requires Building Up Romans 10:17; Matthew 9:18-31 My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live (Matthew 9:18). ur faith must be built up if we are to experience what Oother people have experienced and are still experiencing. If we want to see God do what He did in the Bible days in our lives, then we need to do what they did. The passages we read made us to understand that when the ruler came to Jesus he was full of faith. His words to Jesus were devoid of doubt and fear. He knew what he wanted and told Jesus. He did not whine or cry. Rather, he told Jesus the expected end of his faith in Him. I seem to hear him say: Jesus, I am aware that my daughter is dead, the situation that I am facing is hopeless. But I also know that you can do something about it that is why I have come to you. You know what? I want You to come, lay Your hands on her and I know that she will live. The ruler saw Jesus as the resurrection and the life. O! That you and I can be this bold, full of faith and approach God with this confidence. O! that we can approach God in faith and prayer knowing that God will answer us. Friend, let us assess our lives and ask ourselves questions? Do we really believe as these saints of old did? Think on these things. Pray for yourself as you have been challenged. Ask the Lord to help you build your faith in Him. Hymn: When we walk with the Lord (Trust and obey). 124 Further Reading: John 11:17-44.

126 It's Up To You Sun 29 Oct Mark 9:14-29 Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9:23). he father of the boy in our devotional reading did what Tmost of us usually do and say. Many times we say: if it will be it is up to God. But Jesus' response to him shows us otherwise. The father of the boy says, If You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us. Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes" (vs. 22b- 23). Jesus made him to understand that it is not up to Him. It is actually up to the man to believe because if you believe anything is possible. Another translation says, What do you mean, 'If I can'?" Jesus asked. "Anything is possible if a person believes (Mark 9:23, New Living Translation). Friend, I believe it is time for us to reflect on what we believe and our attitude to God and faith in Him. Have we unconsciously passed the responsibility of building our faith to God when He is expecting us to present our faith to Him so that He can make the impossible possible in our lives? Have we fallen into spiritual lethargy while we think we are still in faith? Like the father of the young boy, it is my prayer that we will cry out and pray, Lord, I believe; help my unbelief! Shalom. Look into your life and check if you are walking in faith or unbelief. Ask the Lord to help you as you seek to build your faith in Him. Song: Thou art worthy Thou art worthy O Lord. Further Reading: Luke 1:

127 Mon 30 Oct Pray Against Your Enemy 2 Kings 19:20-34 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, "Thus says the Lord God of Israel: 'Because you have prayed to Me against Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard' (2 Kings 19:12). nother thing that I have observed in the Scriptures is that it Ais up to us to pray against our enemies. God gave us that duty. Sometimes what you do not tell God, He may not do anything about it. It is not because He does not care but because He has given us authority here on earth to deal with it. He spoke through prophet Isaiah saying, No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn (Isaiah. 54:17). In Psalm 81:10, He said, I am the LORD thy God open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it (Psalm 81:10). It means in case you do not know what to say, I will inspire you and let you know what to say. Friend, it is time to do our part so that God can do His part. When Hezekiah prayed against Sennacherib, God told him, Because you have prayed to Me against Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard. God responded by telling Him what He would do. Did you see that? Does God hear anything from you with regards to your enemies? A look at verses told us what God did. It is my prayer that we will take this word seriously and begin to rule the way God intended for us. Shalom. Thank God for showing us our responsibility. Pray for the grace and boldness to do your part as required. Pray against your enemies. Song: I am a friend of God. He calls me friend. 126 Further Reading: 2 Kings 19:1-19.

128 Possessing The Gates Of Time Tues 31 Oct Joshua 10:1-15 The Lord said to Joshua, "for I have given you victory over them. Not a single one of them will be able to stand up to you."(joshua 10:8, New Living Translation). riend, the Lord has given us the right to rule here on Fearth and declare justice over the nations. Today, we will put on our priestly robe and make declarations concerning the remaining months of the year. Joshua took control of the situation around him. God honored him. Let us take control of our situation too. 1. Thank God for His presence and blessings in your life, family, work, school and nation this year. 2. Cover every blessing the Lord has given you in the past months with the blood of Jesus. 3. Ask the fear of the Lord to consume your enemy so they will not near you. 4. Come against the influence of the Spirit of Adoni- Zedek around you, your family and all that concerns you. 5. Declare that the presence of God in your life will be a wall of fire around you, your family, businesses and nation. 6. Pray for all whose victories are connected to yours. 7. Reclaim the rest of the year and speak victory to them. The Lord said He has given us victory nothing will be able to stand against us. 8. Ask the Lord to fight your battles for you as He did for the Israelites. They won because He fought for them! Worship the Lord for leading you to pray today. Song: He is Lord, He is Lord. Further Reading: Psalm

129 Wed 1 Nov Be Still Psalm 46:1-11 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! (Psalm 46:10). henever I need comfort and peace, I have always found Wgreat solace in the words of the hymn, Be still my soul written by Katharina A. Von Schlelgel in The hymn was translated from German to English in 1855 by Jane Laurie Borthwick. God continues to speak to me through it. The first verse goes thus: Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side. Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain. Leave to thy God to order and provide; In every change, He faithful will remain. Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end. Friend, as we enter the new month, be still and know that God is still on the throne. He will order and provide for you. He is in charge of your life and the whole creation. Do not allow the disorder and confusion in our world into your soul. God is the God of order. He will order your life and it will be glorious in the end. If He says He will be exalted, I believe it. When God is exalted in my case, it means that I am victorious. It does not matter what I am facing now, I will win. Tell yourself: Be still my soul. The Lord is with you. All things will work together for my good. Shalom. Worship the Lord for this word of comfort sent to guide us through the month. Hymn: Be still my soul the Lord is on your side. 128 Further Reading: Psalm 27.

130 Restoration Will Come Thurs 2 Nov Proverbs 2:1-9; Genesis 49:22 Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a well; His branches run over the wall (Genesis 49:22). strongly believe that this is the generation that will break Ibarriers. We are seeing this already as we witness the rise of many young entrepreneurs and scientists around the globe making new waves. They are anointed to be Josephs in this generation. They walk in unusual wisdom, creativity and dedication. Their ideas make past generations' ideas to be nothing in comparison. Yet, it is God that planned it. Some of them might have been wounded by the arrows of the enemy who seeks to take them captive, but I believe God will catch up with our youths and cause them to begin to ride on high places we have never seen before. Our kids are strong at heart notwithstanding the satanic attacks on their minds and emotions. Through prayers and consistent counseling, many of them would return to the Lord. Like Joseph, God will raise our youths as the next generation of wise men and women. The enemy thought he could derail them but God will make them A fruitful bough by a well; His branches run over the wall (Genesis 49:22). What the enemy meant for evil will work for their good. God will penetrate the fashion, music and technology industries and turn them around for their good. As parents and leaders our duty is to continue to pray for them. God will handle the rest. Shalom. Pray as you are led for the young people in your family, church and local community. Pray for the youths in your nations and the world. Song: Almighty God/2x. Our generation shall praise Your Name. Further Reading: Genesis 45:

131 Fri 3 Nov Contributing To Christ's Sufferings Colossians 1:24-25 I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church (Colossians 1:24, New Living Translation). he Bible says count it all joy when you fall into various Ttrials (James 1:2). Today's focal text gives us a clear understanding of the reason we need to endure hardship or persecution. Paul told his audience: I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church (vs.24, New Living Translation). Why? Based on his experience with God and walk with Him, Paul understood that any suffering in the body is for the church of Christ. Whether He faces persecution, famine, trials or segregation, as long as he has the opportunity to preach the gospel and reach more people for Christ, he is contented. Paul sees his suffering as part of his contribution to the suffering of Christ for His body - the church. Friend, generations of believers in Christ, men and women, have continued to make sacrifices and suffer one thing or the other for the sake of Christ. If we understand this it will help us to change our perception and attitude towards the current persecutions that Christians are facing around the world. It would also help us to stand strong against satanically-induced world views. Christ paid the ultimate prize. Our suffering is a contribution. Our reward awaits us in heaven. Be encouraged and keep your faith in God. Shalom. Praise Him for His faithfulness to you, your family and everyone around you. Pray for the grace to stand strong for Him as you suffer one thing or the other. Song: Be not dismay what ver betides. God will take care of you. 130 Further Reading: Matthew 8:23-27.

132 Find Somewhere To Serve Sat 4 Nov Colossians 1:25-26 God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you (Colossians 1:25, New Living Translation). riend, God has given us the responsibility of serving in our Fvarious church community and fellowships. It is time for us to find where He wants us to serve. Like the parable of the talents in Matthew 25, we have been given several abilities. We can do certain things well that would contribute to the growth and expansion of God's kingdom and influence on earth. Let us not be like the young man who hid his talents. Rather let us see it as a responsibility and make sure that we multiply the gifts that we have been given. Paul understood this. He told the Colossians, God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you (Colossians 1: 25, New Living Translation). He took it personal. Until you personalize God's call to occupy till He comes (Luke 19:13), you may not see a reason to join the choir, the prayer team to pray for your church or be an usher. Many of us may not even see a reason why we need to share the gospel with others. It is your God-given responsibility; please take action irrespective of the weakness of your leaders and departmental head. It is God that you are accountable to and not man. The body of Christ has need for more laborers. Let us do our part. Shalom. In what ways you can begin to take responsibility for sharing the message of Christ with others? What are the challenges that hinder you from responding to the call to serve? Talk to God about your concerns. Song: Oh! Jesus I have promise to serve thee to the end. Further Reading: Luke 10:

133 Sun 5 Nov Pray For More Laborers Mathew 9:35-38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest (Mathew 9:38). ollowing a busy schedule of ministry and travels, Jesus Fknew that there was more work to be done. He looked at the people and was moved with compassion to help. But He could not do it alone. Moreover, His time on earth was also limited. He had to go back to the Father. What next? He told His disciples, The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest (Matthew 9: 37-38). That is the answer. We need more laborers to work in the Lord's vineyard so that the harvest will not be wasted. That would be a loss to the Master. How do you feel when you see those who are not saved around you? Are you concerned about the plight of those who have not heard the gospel of Jesus Christ? How about the ones in our church whom we know are church goers but they have not become disciples yet? Are we concerned about the fact that 80% of the ministry work in our churches are done by 20% of the members? Where are the rest? Friend, it is time for us to pray that the Lord will touch more people. We need more laborers. It is time for us to pray that we will become God's laborers too. Think on these things. Shalom. Pray as you have been challenged by this word. Pray for yourself that you will do your best to the Master. Pray for more laborers. Hymn: Give of your best to the Master. 132 Further Reading: Psalm 104:14-35.

134 He Will Make Us Mon 6 Nov Matthew 4:18-22 Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19). upert said, A buried talent is never a buried treasure. RTalents become treasures only through use. When we pray and God brings people into His fold, He has the capacity to train them and make them His disciples. God is able to turn their buried talents into treasure as they respond to the call to serve. Our role as the church is to provide the right environment, teaching and appropriate support system for them to grow. Jesus told the disciples, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men (Matthew 4:19). He is the One who makes us to become who He wants us to be. The same God who called Peter and made him a leader amongst the disciples, also called John to bear the message of the end time. The same God who made Peter an Apostle to the Jews, made Paul an Apostle to the Gentiles. God will do what He wants with us. Let us be available and He will support us to do the rest. Let us watch and pray. When they come, we must be ready to train and equip them. The new laborers will grow and continue the harvest. In this way the cycle continues. May the Lord speak to you more on this issue in Jesus' Name. Shalom. Thank God for this word. Pray that you will discern what the Lord wants to do in response to this message. Song: Here I am send me. As the Lord wants somebody, here I am send me. Further Reading: Acts 8:

135 Tues 7 Nov Rely On God 1 Corinthians 3:6-9 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow (1 Corinthians 3:6, New Living Translation) night says, All our natural powers can be used Kmightily by God, but only when we think nothing of them and surrender ourselves to be simply the vehicles of divine power, letting God use us as He wills, content to be even despised by men if He be glorified. Friend, as we seek to serve in God's vineyard, we must rely on God to prosper our work. We must not forget what God told Zerubbabel in Zechariah 4: 6: This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit'. The same word is sent to us today. Paul told the Corinthians, I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow (1 Corinthians 3:6, New Living Translation). In essence, we are to do our work and trust God to bring the increase. We are to do our part and trust God to help us to achieve great results. Let us ease ourselves of the stress, struggle and competition that is ravaging ministry work in this end time. Instead of working together as Paul and Apollos did, we are competing against one another in the same neighborhood. Please, see the beauty in our diversity and not be conformed to the standard of a particular denomination. At the fullness of time God will bring the increase. Shalom. Pray for yourself as you have been ministered to. Pray for your church and its work of evangelism. Song: Majesty, worship His majesty. 134 Further Reading: Colossians 3:12-17.

136 We Will Be Rewarded Wed 8 Nov Matthew 20:1-16 So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first' (Matthew 20:8). s workers in His vineyard, we must be rest assured that AGod will reward us. He has promised to do so and His word is sure. From today's Bible reading, we could see that everyone was rewarded according to how the Lord determined it. The lesson for us is that whichever time that we join the Lord's workforce, let us do our part well. The Bible says, So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first' (Matthew 20:8). Some of us may think, why join the workforce early when we will be paid the same thing? The issue is you do not know what time it is in God's calendar and timetable. If you have been serving, keep serving so that you do not lose your reward. Instead of arguing about the injustice of the landowner, it is better for us to focus on doing our part so that we can receive His well-done and be paid the right dues. Remember, Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58). Shalom. Pray for yourself. Thank God for what He is doing in your life. Song: Be magnify, O Lord. Further Reading: Matthew 25:

137 Thurs 9 Nov The God Who Provides Philippian 4:19 My God will richly fill your every need in a glorious way through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19, God's Word Translation). oday, we will begin a short devotional study on the God Twho provides. The aim is to boost our faith and trust God for what we need even as several economies around the world continue to shrink or remain in recession. Friend, when we talk about the God who provides and supplies our need, we are not limiting Him to financial needs. I use the word 'need' and 'provision' to mean more than that. Whatever is a need in your life is covered in our usage and God can supply it. Let us take God out of the box we have placed Him and enjoy Him. When I need strength to write this daily devotional and I am feeling weak, if I call on God and He gives me the strength and ideas I need to work with, He has fulfilled His word to be my provider. If you need a husband and he provides one that is a need Jehovah has met. Paul prayed for the Philippians in response to their giving to him saying, My God will richly fill your every need in a glorious way through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19, God's Word Translation). It means God can supply the wisdom to raise my kids well and favor me at work. May the God who provides reveal Himself to you in this season. Shalom. Praise God for being your provider. Talk to Him about the need in your family Song: Bless the Lord, O my soul. (Ten thousand reasons). 136 Further Reading: Matthew 17:24-27.

138 Jehovah Jireh Fri 10 Nov Genesis 22:1-14 Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, "In the mount of the Lord it will be provided" (Genesis 22:14, New American Standard Version). braham introduced God to us as Jehovah Jireh, the God Awho provides through his experience with Him on mount Moriah. God tested Abraham's faith and loyalty by asking him to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Abraham passed the test. And God opened his eyes to see a ram for the sacrifice. Abraham expressed his faith in God when he answered Isaac's questions in verse 8. He believed that God could not and would not accept human sacrifice. It is an abomination. He told Isaac, My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering (Genesis 22:8). Yet, he did not know how it was going to play out but he knew that God would do something. God did. Isaac came back alive with his father. A new covenant was established between two friends - God and Abraham. And that day Isaac learnt a lesson about the God of his father too. Friend, God provides in an unusual way at unusual times. I believe our problem is that we have not studied about Him enough. We have not read His word enough to know that this God has a way of working. His way is the way of faith. It is faith in the Almighty, all-powerful God with whom nothing is impossible. Let us seek to know Him more. Our lives will greatly improve. Shalom. Talk to God about your faith in Him. Do you believe that He can and He will supply all your needs if you ask Him? Take your concerns to the Lord today? Song: Lord, I believe all things are possible. Further Reading: Mark 11:

139 Sat 11 Nov Don't Cut Corners James 1:5-7 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind (James 1:6). believe one of the reasons we are not enjoying the best of IGod and our walk of faith is that we cut corners. What do I mean? When we say we have faith and we believe God for something, I have noticed that many times our faith is not absolute. Many of us have plan B in case God does not show up. But before God and His word that is not faith. The Bible says, But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). Genuine faith believes that God will hear and answer when we pray. Those who receive answers from God are those who are desperate and let Him know that without Him they are nothing. See Psalm 61. If He does not do it, it will not and it cannot be done. These are the ones who receive unusual miracles and testify of God's uncommon interventions. James said, Let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind (vs. 6). May the Lord help us as we cry out to Him to help our unbelief and rid us of our doubts in Jesus' Name. Shalom. How often do you pray and have a plan B in case God fails to answer? If this is your pattern ask the Lord to help you deal with it. Pray for the grace to know God more so that you can grow in your faith in Him. Hymn: Rock of Ages cleft for me. 138 Further Reading: Acts 5:1-11.

140 How Much More? Sun 12 Nov Luke 11:9-13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him! (Luke 11:13). oday's passage never ceases to amaze me. In it, I see a TGod who is so sure of Himself and what He can do that He commands us to ask. He is not a king over a region but the God of the universe, the creator of all things. Verses reveal the mind of God to us. Jesus told his audience, If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? Friend, God is a good God. He does no man evil. See James 1: Let us challenge ourselves to return to simple faith. Let us remove all the unnecessary theories, theology or teachings about God which are not helping our faith. Read and study the word of God. Take it as it is - the word of God. Then ask Him to fulfill His word in your life. He said, If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him! (vs. 13). The ball is in our court. What are we going to do about it? Pray about your needs as you express your faith in Him to give you what you ask for. Song: Glory be to God in the highest. Amen Further Reading: Matthew 9:

141 Mon 13 Nov Genesis 21:8-21 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad a drink (Genesis 21:19). f God could hear the cry of Ishmael because he is a seed of IAbraham, how much more will He hear us whom He has redeemed by the blood of His Son Jesus Christ? Friend, we are precious to God and we need to see ourselves the way God sees us. He created us in His image and gave us the authority to live on earth and rule over it. We messed up yet He came after us and saved us. It shows we are of great value to Him. Reading through today's Bible passage, I feel love and care from God towards Ishmael and Hagar. Forget about what they did, the fact that God cares for us even in our sinfulness because He is a faithful God, touched my heart. The angel said, Hagar, what's wrong? Do not be afraid! God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Go to him and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants (vs.17-18, New Living Translation). He opened her eyes to see the water they needed. Could it be that the water was there all along but she could not see it or God caused the water to appear? He is still the God who provides and comforts us in our times of need. Let us reach Him in faith. Shalom. Praise God for His faithfulness to you and your family. Pray for the provision and comfort that you need. Pray for other Fresh Bread readers that they will be blessed by this word too. Hymn: Saviour like a shepherd leads on. He Comforts And Provides 140 Further Reading: Exodus 17:1-7.

142 He Provides Sweetness Tues 14 Nov Exodus 15:22-27 So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet (Exodus 15:25). oday's Bible reading tells us about the arrival of the Jews Tin the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land. They had to learn that God was their provider. His provision in terms of food and water would continue until they reached their destination which unfortunately took longer than intended. Yet, God was not tired of providing for them. See Psalm 107. Leaving the Red Sea, they arrived at Marah, but the water there was not good for drinking. They were thirsty. The people murmured and accused Moses. Moses took his case to God - the God who answers prayers and provides solution. So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet (Exodus 15:25). They may not have trusted Him for it, but through the prayer of his servant, God showed them that He is able to turn a bitter situation into a sweet one. Friend, it may be that the situation in your life is not related to water but you can learn the lesson and apply it. God's intervention covers any area that you need sweetness. Be it in your marriage, family relationship, child rearing, ask the Lord to show you what to do so that He can restore sweetness into your life. May the Lord grant you faith in Jesus' Name. Shalom. Pray for yourself. Song: Open my eyes O Lord, I am ready to obey. Further Reading: 2 Kings 4:

143 Wed 15 Nov He Provides Bread 2 Kings 4:42-44 But his servant said, "What? Shall I set this before one hundred men?" He said again, "Give it to the people, that they may eat; for thus says the Lord: 'They shall eat and have some left over.'" (2 Kings 4:43). n Exodus 16 we read about how the Lord began to rain Ibread as manna from heaven for the Jews in the wilderness. So, he did not just start today. We were told that they ate manna for forty years in the wilderness. God still provides bread in our time. The passage we read reveals another way that God supplies our need for bread. He can multiply the little that we have. He multiplied the little that the man from Baal Shalisha brought to Elisha and the sons of the prophets. One hundred men were fed. When Elisha told the man to serve the twenty loaves, he argued. Shall I set this before one hundred men?" He said again, "Give it to the people, that they may eat; for thus says the Lord: 'They shall eat and have some left over.' (2 Kings 4:43). In the gospel, we read about how Jesus fed thousands of people with fish and bread. They had left over. God is still doing this. Recently, someone gave me a cartoon of fish that I knew only God could have told him of that need. Unknown to the man, I had not received an income for some time, but God knew how to bless me. Friend, I know God still provides bread. Can we believe Him to supply our needs too? Let us pray. Pray for yourself as you have been challenged. Talk to God about every need and concern that you have, he is a merciful and loving God. Song: Jesus, You are my firm foundation. 142 Further Reading: Matthew 14:13-21.

144 George Muller And God Luke 9:10-17 But He said to them, "You give them something to eat." And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people." For there were about five thousand men (Luke 9:13-14). eorge Muller proved through his life and work as a Gmissionary and the several orphanages He built that God is a provider. He provided money, food, staff and land they needed through prayer and faith. George proved that God can supply our need without any man being asked or approached. A story was told about when they did not have food to feed the children at the orphanage. Yet, by faith Muller told them to go to the dining hall. The staff set up the crockery and cutlery. George believed that God would show up. As they shared grace to eat, they heard a knock on the door, it was the city baker. He told them that God woke him up in the night to bake bread and bring to the orphanage. As he left, a milkman's cart wheel broke down in front of the orphanage. He ended up donating his milk to them. God fed them that day because one man believed God. Friend, this God is still alive. Let us take Him at His word and ask Him to provide for our needs. He still performs miracles as we saw in today's Bible reading. He can multiply the little that you have and make it big. Build your faith to the overflow so that you can stand in faith. God will surprise you. He still knows how to provide in mysterious ways. Pray as you have been challenged by today's devotional thought. Song: 'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus. Thurs 16 Nov Further Reading: 2 Kings 4:

145 Fri 17 Nov He Provides Spouse Genesis 24: 1-28 Then he said, "O Lord God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham" (Genesis 24:12). reaking the barrier of limitation that we have placed on God Bin our minds is one of my goals for writing this short devotion on the God who provides. It is time for us to see that God cares for our total wellbeing not just our spiritual life. See 3 John 2. Having walked with God for so many years, Abraham knew that Isaac must marry the right girl from the right tribe so that God would be pleased and the covenant would continue. He sent his servant to look for a spouse for Isaac. It was a tough one because if the lady refused to relocate, it would be a wasted journey. But Abraham insisted. He knew God would do something. Abraham's servant prayed. He understood that God answers prayers. Perhaps he was there when Isaac was born or he may have heard about the story in Genesis 22. He prayed, O Lord God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham (Genesis 24:12). God answered him. He got Rebekah for Isaac. She was willing to go with him. That is our God. If you need a spouse for yourself, your children, a family member, God can provide. Let us reach out to God with childlike faith and trust Him to answer us. We will begin to witness new things in our lives. Shalom. Ask the Lord to order your steps to the prepared place that He has planned for you. Ask the Lord do something unique in your life this week. Ask the Lord to be your guide daily so that you will not struggle through life. Song: Precious Lord, take my hands lead me on. 144 Further Reading: Psalm 37:23.

146 He Provides Children Sat 18 Nov Luke 1:5-25 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years (Luke 1:7). od is still in the business of providing children for those Gwho need it. I am a living testimony to the power of God in this area. What was a deliberate spacing became a secondary infertility. After some years of praying, I told God I was okay with the ones He gave me. He should not bother again. But someone was praying for me. God showed up when we least expected. I conceived again and had children. I became so fertile that my gynaecologists were concerned; and because of age, they were not too keen for me to have more kids. That is the power of God that opens the door of fruitfulness. Friend, God can remove your barrenness and give you children. Many of us who are praying for children are not as old as Elizabeth and Sarah, yet God answered them. Mrs. Manoah conceived Samson because God turned around her barrenness. Zechariah had lost hope due to their age but God said, It is my time and I will do the impossible. The son you will have will be my instrument. He will have multiple assignments and bring joy to you. See Luke 1: Friend, God will do it for you too. Continue to pray. Trust God as the God who provide children and He will surprise you. See Psalm 127:3-5. Shalom. Take your needs to the Lord. Remove any limit you have placed on Him and approach Him as the God who can do all things. Song: I will magnify the Lord who is worthy to be praise. Further Reading: Judges 13:

147 Sun 19 Nov He Answered Jacob And Rachel Genesis 30:1-2; Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. And she conceived and bore a son, and said, "God has taken away my reproach"( Genesis 30:22-23). n this season, God will take away the reproach of many people Iand they will conceive as a result of their faith in the word of faith that they have been exposed to. I look forward to hearing your testimonies in the New Year that the Lord has added to your family. I will hear of how God visited your family and turned away the reproach the enemy has placed on you. It does not matter the type and the cause of your barrenness, God can overturn it. God is able to overrule primary and secondary infertility and cause you to conceive. Rachel cried to her husband to give her children, but Jacob told her I am not God. He said, "Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb? Fast forward many years later. God did what only He can do. He remembered Rachel. We were told in our focal text: Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. And she conceived and bore a son, and said, 'God has taken away my reproach' (Genesis 30:22-23). Only God can do that. Friend, may the Lord remember you and your family today in Jesus' Name. May the Lord who gives children make you fruitful so that you can testify that He provides children as Jehovah Jireh. Shalom. Pray for your family members or brethren who believe God for children. Pray for my children that the Lord will keep them and lead them in His ways. Thank you. Song: What a mighty God we serve. 146 Further Reading: 1 Samuel 1.

148 He Provides Water And Deliverance Mon 20 Nov 2 Kings 3: 4-20 You will not see wind or rain, but this valley will be filled with water. You, your cattle, and your other animals will drink (2 Kings 3:17, God's Word Translation). ur God provides water not only in the wilderness but Owhen we are weary in the time of battle. Water symbolizes refreshing and revitalization. When Jehoshaphat and his friends got into trouble they called Elisha, the servant of God, in order to know the mind of God. God answered them. Not only did God promise to provide water for them, He went further to tell them about the victory that He will give them because He is merciful. The prophet told them: You will not see wind or rain, but this valley will be filled with water. You, your cattle, and your other animals will drink. The Lord considers that an easy thing to do. In addition, he will put Moab at your mercy. You will defeat every walled city and every important city (2 Kings 3:17-19). Our God is more than enough. He does more than we ask Him because when He looks at us and the need we bring before him, He sees beyond them. He goes ahead to meet our unvoiced needs. Friend, let us worship this God and honour Him for who He is. He is a loving God. Let us worship Him and approach His presence with boldness to ask for what we need. Whatever we have seen Him do in the Bible time, He can do them again. See Hebrews 13: 8. Shalom. Pray for yourself. Pray that you will trust God more. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you do this. Song: Stand up, stand up for Jesus. Further Reading: 2 Chronicles

149 Tues 21 Nov He Provides Favour Esther 2:1-18. Now the young woman pleased him, and she obtained his favor; so he readily gave beauty preparations to her, besides her allowance (Esther 2:9). ueen Esther's story is that of favor personified. Through Q her life we see how God favors a man and lifts them from the dungeon to make them to sit with the princes of the land. Through her, we see how the God of wonders makes nobody to become somebody. Through her life, we see the transformation that could happen in our lives if we obtain favour from the Lord. Friend, the good news is that our God still provides favor. He still changes stories and lifts men up. That is what He did when He visited Jesse' family and chose his son, David, to become king in Israel. That is what He did when He chose Gideon's family, the least in his clan, to lead his people to war. God is still at work today. We have experienced God's favor in the past. We need more of it. We can experience it more if we increase our knowledge that He provides favor and ask Him to favor us. Through faith in Him, we can activate the faith that He has surrounded us with. See Psalm 5:12. Esther received favor from the eunuch; she was treated differently from the rest of the girls in Harem. She made it to the king's presence and became Queen Esther. The Lord wants to lift someone. Ask Him for favor today. Shalom. Thank God for this word. Pray for the favor you need at home, work, school, church and in your community. Song: I will trust in You always. 148 Further Reading: Psalm 5.

150 He Provides Wisdom Daniel 1:1-21 God gave these four men knowledge, wisdom, and the ability to understand all kinds of literature. Daniel could also understand all kinds of visions and dreams (Daniel 1:17, God's Word Translation). Wed 22 Nov e serve the unlimited God. The earlier we begin to Wrelate with Him with this understanding the better for us. The truth is that we are the ones who have a lot to gain from our relationship with Him. We are the ones who need Him because He is the self-sustaining, self - existing God. Therefore, when I say He provides wisdom, it is because I have experienced Him in this dimension and I can testify to it. The passage we read showed how God rewarded Daniel and his friends for their commitment to Him. He gave them the favor and wisdom they needed to perform well to be chosen as exceptional students. The Bible says, God gave these four men knowledge, wisdom, and the ability to understand all kinds of literature (Daniel 1:17a). This verse was one of the verses I held on to as a PhD student. I knew I had to read a lot of materials and understand them. I was also required to have a good thesis following my research work. God did it. He gave me understanding in all kinds of literature and I was able to tutor subjects that I did not know previously. Friend, God gives wisdom. We must ask Him for it that is what the Scripture says in James 1:5. If you need this, ask for it. God will answer you. Shalom. Pray as you are led. Song: All I need is You Lord. Further Reading: James 1:

151 Thurs 23 Nov He Provides Sleep Psalm 3:4; 127: 2 It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep. (Psalm 127:2). ack of good sleep or sleepless nights happens to us from Ltime to time. Sometimes it happens because we did not sleep well. At other times, it is health-related or we are troubled. Yet, I have heard some people say that they sleep less number of hours and they feel refreshed because they understood the covenant that they had with God as His beloved. Recently, I have found a way to talk to God to help me with my sleep because God provides sleep. Psalm 127 alluded to this fact. It says that, He gives His beloved sleep (Psalm 127:2). In another place the Scripture says, I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around (Psalm 3:5-6). It means that God has something to do with our sleep. God watches over us when we sleep to make sure that all goes well. Our God is good. Psalm 91 further makes us to understand that God protects us when we sleep and fights the enemy on our behalf. Friend, think on these things. In case you are suffering from insomnia, I believe it is time for us to begin to take advantage of our access to God and ask Him to help us to sleep well. He will. Shalom. Thank God for His care and love for us. Take any concerns you may have with regard to your sleep to God. Hymn: Blessed Assurance, Jesus Is Mine. 150 Further Reading: Psalm 104:14-35.

152 He Provides Long Life 2 Kings 20: 1-7; Psalm 21:1-4 Then he...prayed to the Lord, saying, "Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly (2 Kings 20: 2-3). Fri 24 Nov love God and I love His word. I also love His people and Ithe way they related to Him in the Bible. Many times I have been challenged about the way these men and women related to God and maximized their covenant with Him as the seed of Abraham. We all need the kind of favor and faith that Hezekiah had with God. When the enemy came to his city and challenged him, he prayed and God heard him. He fought for him. When he fell ill, he prayed again and God changed his mind. He added more years to his life. That is the favor and the mercy of God combined. Friend, we need this type of favor and open heaven, so that before we finish praying God would have answered us as He promised in Isaiah 65:25. God wants to give us long life. David asked him for it and he gave him. He testified in Psalm 21:2. I do not know where we got it wrong, but I think we can right the wrong if we will develop a fresh hunger for God and for His word. If we will pray and ask God to teach us His ways, we will experience Him as the God of the Bible. Shalom. Praise God for this word sent to challenge our faith. Pray that you will produce the effect of this word. Pray that you will begin to enjoy the blessings that God has for you in His word. Hymn: What a friend we have in Jesus. Further Reading: Psalm

153 Sat 25 Nov Several Ways God Provides (1) Genesis 45:1-15; Luke 6:38 And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance (Genesis 45:7). he Bible says, Let the Lord be magnified, who has Tpleasure in the prosperity of His servant (Psalm 35:27). God is concerned about our needs. He wants to prosper us. We have seen in the past few days that God can meet our every need; we will look at the various ways that He provides for us. Jentenzen Franklin described four ways. They include: 1.The hands of men. God will bless you through the hands of men. For example, God sent Joseph ahead of the children of Israel in order to prepare before their arrival. From Luke 6:38, we understand that if we have given to anyone and to God before, we can expect Him to give to us in return. Even if you have failed to do your part God will still provide for you. He is our source. 2. Supernatural blessings. God blesses you from His own hands. This could be from uncommon sources of supply. God could cause you to have favor with people you do not know. God supplied the children of Israel with manna in Exodus 17. For forty years, He fed them Himself. We must acknowledge Him as our source too. No matter the depth of our need, our dependence must be on Him always. When we do, we will experience supernatural help and provision. Think about how you can apply this truth. Shalom. Ask the Lord to be Your source. Hymn: The solid Rock 152 Further Reading: Joel 2:23-27.

154 Several Ways God Provides (11) Joshua 5:1-12; Exodus 12:35-36 Then the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year (Joshua 5:12). Sun 26 Nov oday, we will look at other ways that God provides for us. T1. Through your work. God gives us jobs and careers so that we can prosper and be able to meet our needs. In Joshua 5, we were told that the manna ceased and God told them it is time to work with your hands and get your own harvest. In the same way, Paul told the Thessalonians to work with their own hands. God promises to bless you if you work. In Deuteronomy 8:18, God said He has given us power to make wealth. The power He gave you is to enable you experience the abundance that will meet your needs and make you to be a blessing to others. God will give you creative ideas that will require you to use your gifts and talents to make money. This is how God blesses you by your own hands. Depending on your type of work, you may become an employer of labor. Your skill sets are assets that God wants to bless, so that you can use them and make money. 2. Through your enemies. In Exodus 12, the children of Israel left Egypt with gifts. And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians (Exodus 12:36). God used their enemies to provide for them. Are you receiving provision through these four ways? Talk to God about your needs. Song: God will make a way where there seems to be no way. Further Reading: 2 Kings 4:

155 Mon 27 Nov Trust God Not The System I Kings 17:1-16 And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land (I Kings 17:7). hile studying for this section of the devotional, I heard Wsomeone say, Trust God and not the system because God is our source. He determines the system He chooses to bless us. I agree with him. In Joel Chapter 2, we understand that God is the One who restores not man. So when any man tries to position themselves as God in my life, I try to step away from them because I cannot afford to shift my focus from God, who is my source. When God spoke to Elijah about the famine, He had planned the systems He would use to keep him alive. Following the declaration of the famine, God directed Elijah to the brook Cherith. A raven was used by God to bring food for him. But the brook dried up. What next? God changed the system! He told him, Son, it is time to move on. I have another system ready for you because I am committed to your welfare. God sent him to a widow who fed him till the end of the famine. That is our God. Friend, God is committed to our welfare. He wants to lead us. But we must keep Him as our source not man. Let Him be the only option not one of the options. It is my prayer that God will expand this word in your heart. Shalom. Talk to God about your life. Song: I will give You all my worship. I will give You all my praise. 154 Further Reading: Acts 9:35-41.

156 Teach Me Your Ways Tues 28 Nov Psalm 25: 1-15; 103: 7 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel (Psalm 103:7). he psalmist says, He made known His ways to Moses, THis acts to the children of Israel (Psalm 103:7). It means that God has a way of doing things. Many times all we see are His acts but some men have come to understand the difference between His ways and His acts. I think what we need is the understanding of His ways then we can predict how He acts. This reminds me of the story of the ruler in Matthew 9: This man knew that his daughter was dead but because he understood the way of Jesus having heard about Him, he told Him "my daughter is dead but come and heal her". Jesus followed him and raised his daughter to life. The Centurion in Luke Chapter 8 understood the ways of God too. He told Jesus, I do not need your acts because I know the way you work. Speak the word; the work of acts will be done by Your spoken word. Jesus was amazed. In the end, his servant was healed. Friend, I am becoming concerned because I feel we are not reaping the benefit of our inheritance in Christ as we ought to. We seem to be laid back in our generation, yet there is more in God for us if we will hunger and thirst for it. Shalom. Pray and ask God to teach you His ways. Pray that you will receive this word and you will seek after God to know Him more. Song: Yes, You are the Lord, most high. Further Reading: Genesis

157 Wed 29 Nov Thirst For It Matthew 5:1-12 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled (Matthew 5:6). xtending the thoughts we shared yesterday, I want to Echallenge us to cry out to God to give us a hunger for His presence and thirst for the water of His word. According to Adam Clarke, Strong and intense desire after any object has been, both by poets and orators, represented metaphorically by hunger and thirst. So, when Jesus told his listeners, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled (Matthew 5: 6), He meant to say that blessed is the one who has strong desire for the things of God. We need this kind of hunger too. Commenting on this verse, Adam Clarke added, When the soul is awakened to a sense of its wants, and begins to hunger and thirst after righteousness or holiness, which is its proper food, we know that it must be purified by the Holy Spirit, and be made a partaker of that living bread, John 8:48, or perish everlastingly. The question is: Is there a hunger in your heart for the things of God? Do you long to grow in your walk with God? Are you longing for more of God and His word? Do you long to know Him and understand His word more? It is time to go back to God and ask Him to give you a hunger for Him? Shalom. Pray to God as you have been challenged by His Word. Song: Lord, I thirst for You. I long to be in Your presence. 156 Further Reading: Acts 2.

158 Let Us Pray Thurs 30 Nov Philippians 1:9-11 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment (Philippians 1:9). e praise God for life and the love He has for us, Wrevealing the truth of His word to us so that we can be saved to praise His Name here on earth. Today, we will pray and ask the Lord to help us to continue to know Him and grow in His word. 1. Thank God for the life that you have in you. 2. Praise Him for your friends and family. 3. Thank Him for what He has done for you and your family this month. 4. Thank Him for the love He has for you and for helping you to know His word. 5. Confess your sins and ask for forgiveness. 6. Commit the incoming month into His able hands. Ask Him to lead you and order your way. 7. Pray for financial blessing in the new month. 8. Ask for the grace that you need to contribute your quota to the growth of the body of Christ. 9. Pray that you will not waste your talent but use it to serve the Master. 10. Pray for me and my family that we will remain strong - spirit, soul and body. Thank You. Thank God for answered prayers. Song: The Church is marching on. Further Reading: Matthew 18:

159 Fri 1 Dec You Are My God Psalm 63:1-11 O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You (Psalm 63:1). oday's verse caught my attention sometime ago and I Tpaused to think on the phrase, You are my God. With fresh insight, I became aware of the fact that the eternal God, the creator of heaven and earth; all that we see and cannot see is my God and Father. I thought about God's greatness, His power and ability and the reality that such a powerful God is my God. Not only is He my God, He is also my Daddy because of the price that Jesus paid on my behalf (John 20:17). This means that I have access to Him and nothing can harm me. My God is watching over me and I am safe in His arms (Deuteronomy 33:27). Friend, do you have this kind of awareness about God? Do you know that God, though a big God, is for you and not against you and you can seek Him? The psalmist thirsted for God and sought Him early because He knew the worth of his God. Today, let us seek the Lord with the understanding that He is our God and not somebody else's God. Seek Him knowing that He loves you and He is for you. Tell Him about your struggles and expect Him to help you because He is God and He is able and willing to help. Shalom. Praise the Lord for the revelation of His word and for being your God. Pray that you may know Him more as your God and father. Song: I am grateful O Lord. 158 Further Reading: Psalm 24:1-10.

160 Don't Serve Pleasure Sat 2 Dec Genesis 49:14-15 He saw that rest was good, and that the land was pleasant; He bowed his shoulder to bear a burden, and became a band of slaves (Genesis 49:15). riend, as we prepare and plan for the incoming year, Fplease make sure that you do not fall victim to what held the tribe of Issachar bound for many years until the Lord delivered them and they became wise. From today's passage, we understand that through prophetic insight Jacob saw the future of his son, Issachar. The tribe of Issachar's love for pleasure caused them to accept the status quo instead of reaching for the greater heights that God has for them. They saw that rest was good and where they were was pleasant. They failed to go forward. They became enslaved to pleasure and missed their season of growth and elevation to the next level. However, during the time of Deborah in Judges Chapter 4, they had seen enough and realized that moving forward and possessing their possession was what God meant for them. They rose and went to battle with Barak. On reaching the time of kings in 1 Chronicles 12:32, they had matured and become wise men that understood the time and knew what the nation ought to do. Their lack of wisdom in the beginning caused them slavery. Through experience and wisdom they became leaders of their people. May the Lord help you as you pray and take decisions based on God's plan and purpose for your life and not on the immediate pleasure and rest that you would enjoy. Shalom. Pray for yourself in the light of this message. Song: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceaseth. Further Reading: Proverbs

161 Sun 3 Dec Are You Laboring? Colossians 1:24-29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily (Colossians 1:29). oday's devotional thought is a challenge to us. As we Treflect and prepare for the New Year, I want to ask: Are you laboring with God? Are you maximizing the anointing that God has given you? How about the grace of God on your life? I hope you have not received it in vain. Paul told the Corinthians, We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain (2 Corinthians 6:1). God has called us to serve Him. He saved us so that we can be instruments in His hands to preach the gospel to others that they may be saved. When we fail to do this, we have failed to please Him. Hidden in the passage we read is Paul's thoughts on how he lived and served the Lord. He told the people of Colossae, I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ's mighty power that works within me (Colossians 1:29, New Living Translation). God's power was at work in him and he complemented it with his work. That is the example that we need to follow. In this way, Paul and God were partners in fulfilling the purpose for his life and reaching more people for the kingdom. May the Lord touch our heart and help us to wake up to our responsibilities in Jesus' Name. Shalom. Pray for yourself as you have been ministered to by the Holy Spirit. Song: Anointing fall on me. 160 Further Reading: Psalm 104:14-35

162 The Stone Has Been Rolled Away Mon 4 Dec Mark 16:1-7 And they said among themselves, who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great (Mark 16:3-4, KJV). hen Mary and her friends approached the tomb of Jesus Wthat day, they were worried. Along with the pain they carried was the concern they have about stone that was laid at the entrance of the tomb. They wondered who would roll away the stone for them to gain access to Jesus' body for embalmment. Unknown to them, God had taken care of it. He had sent an angel ahead of them to roll the stone away. The Bible says, And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great (Mark 16:4). Friend, I sense that many of us are worried about what the year 2018 would be like. We are concerned about our dreams and visions. And like Mary and her friends, the stone on the way of our progress are very great. But God says I have rolled them away. Just look to me. Please do not allow the fear of what could go wrong keep you in the same spot. Do not allow the fear of 'stones' or obstacles hinder you from moving forward. The Lord has planned to visit you and restore your broken walls. Face the obstacle and it will surprise you that help will be available to you when you need it. May the Lord grant you faith to rejoice in this word in Jesus' Name. Shalom. Praise God for this word that has come to prepare our heart for the New Year, Take our concerns to the Lord. Hymn: Rejoice in the Lord and be glad. Further Reading: 2 Kings 7:

163 Tues 5 Dec It's Just A threat 2 Kings 18:17-36; 19: 1-7 Surely I will send a spirit upon him, and he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land (2 Kings19:7). ne of the reasons we read and study the Bible is to gain Ounderstanding and learn life's principles we can apply to our lives and live a god-fearing and victorious life. Friend, we know these principles through knowledge. It means that the more we know the word of God and apply its truth, the more we would live the way God wants us to live. See Acts 20:32. The Bible says, His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue (2 Peter 1:3). The passage we read shows us how Sennacherib harassed, accused and intimidated the men of Judah and King Hezekiah. Sennacherib threatened them with all manner of evil. God foiled his plans and what he intended to do did not happen. How did his threats become futile? 1. King Hezekiah took the case to God. He asked Him to take over and remove the reproach. 2. God sent a word of comfort and hope to them. 3. God fought for them. He thwarted Sennacherib's plan. Friend, when you are faced with a similar situation, draw the line and tell yourself, It is just a threat. The Name of the Lord will be glorified and I will be the victor and not the victim. In the end you will win. Shalom Pray as you have been challenged by the word of God. Pray that you will be bold to know what to do when you are faced with the enemy's threats. Hymn: A mighty fortress is our God. 162 Further Reading: Isaiah 7:1-9.

164 My Case Is Different Wed 6 Dec 2 Kings 19:1-19; Have the gods of the nations delivered those whom my fathers have destroyed, Gozan and Haran and Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar? (2 Kings 19:12). arly this year I saw a sticker with the inscription, My case Eis different on it. I agreed with the word because I knew the prophet that declared that word. As the year unfolded, I began to understand the need to stand on this word so that we would not miss the grace and deliverance that God meant for us. So, when I read today's passage what came to my mind was, My case is different. When the King of Assyria faced the children of Judah, he ranted and cursed them. One of his statements reads thus, Have the gods of the nations delivered those whom my fathers have destroyed, Gozan and Haran and Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar? (2 Kings 19:12). Well, you cannot argue about what his fathers did to the gods of these other nations. But you have a right to say, My case is different. My God is different. My God is not like the god of these nations. What they did to these other gods they cannot do it to my God. He is the God of gods and the Lord of lords. Friend, if you do not get to this level of bold faith, the enemy may continue to have a free day in your life. Think on these things. May the Lord lead you to the solid rock. Shalom. Praise God for this word of faith. Pray about your circumstances and make a prophetic declaration based on what you have learnt today. Hymn: My hope is built on nothing less (On Christ the solid rock I stand). Further Reading: 1 Kings 20:

165 Thurs 7 Dec Pray, God Will Answer 2 Kings 19:20-37 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, "Thus says the Lord God of Israel: 'Because you have prayed to Me against Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard' (2 Kings 19:21). riend, sometimes you have to pray like King Hezekiah Fprayed before you see the result that you want. Some times, you may need to let God know that His reputation in your life is at stake because people have known you to be one of His followers. King Hezekiah told God, Now therefore, O Lord our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God, You alone (2 Kings 19:19). God responded. Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, "Thus says the Lord God of Israel: 'Because you have prayed to Me against Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard' (2 Kings 19:21). God sent His prophet with a word of hope for the children of Judah and His angel of death to their enemy. They were killed. That is how to win in life. You cannot continue to be timid. Call God into your situation. Do not close your mouth when you are faced with a situation of reproach or a case that is beyond you. Even if you think you can manage or handle it, you will get a better outcome and victory with God on your side. Friend, our case is different. Let us take advantage of the love of God for us, His power and His ever ready help for us. Shalom. Thank God for this word. Do you know anything that is holding you down from calling God into your situation? Pray as you have been challenged by the Holy Spirit through His word. Song: You make my life so beautiful (More of You). 164 Further Reading: Psalm 108.

166 Naaman's Servant Girl Fri 8 Dec 2 Kings 5:1-19 Then she said to her mistress, "If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy (2 Kings 5:3). everal lessons could be learnt from Naaman's story. Today, Sour focus is on the role that the young captive girl played in his life. Just as the Lord used Naaman to bring great victories to his king and people, the Lord used the young girl to change his life. God restored his health, dignity and perhaps his wealth too. From his testimony he might have become a follower of the God of Israel. See 2 Kings 5: The following are some of the lessons from her life. 1. She refused to be embittered by her captivity. Many times we fail to see the good that God has for us in a situation because we are too encumbered with what did not work. Yet, God has hidden something good for us if only we will look. 2. She overcame her fear to reach out to her master. She did not allow herself to be intimidated by the position and wealth of her captors. She knew she could add value to their lives. She told them what she believed was possible. 3. She talked about the prophet. Our prophet is the Lord Jesus Christ. We must tell others about Him and what He can do. We were not told, but Naaman might have rewarded her on his return from Israel. Friend, in what ways can you add value to your school, office and church? How can you share your faith with others? Pray and ask the Lord for what you need to make this a reality in your life. Hymn: God make me a perfect man and instrument for You. Further Reading: Acts 1:8. 165

167 Sat 9 Dec Pay Attention To The Lead 2 Kings 5:1-19 Then she said to her mistress, "If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy (2 Kings 5:3). ontinuing where we stopped yesterday, another lesson from Cour devotional passage is that Naaman paid attention to the information the girl gave him. If it were some of us we would have told her, What does a slave girl like you know about life, leprosy or a skin disease? We give it to Naaman that he did not despise the young girl. He went to his boss to share what the girl told them. Reflecting on this, I thought to myself how many opportunities, leads and information we have wasted because we despised the person who told us. Sometimes we do this because we feel that the information they give us is not correct without even thinking through it or sharing it with someone who may take the information to the next level. If Naaman had failed to take the information to his boss, who helped him to get to Israel and eventually to the prophet's door, who knows he might have remained a leper till the day he died. Friend, let us pay attention to our environment, the people around us and the wisdom that God may have for us through them. The information may be what you need to move to the next level. May the Lord breathe on you and bless you as you think on this word. Shalom. Appreciate the Lord for teaching us secrets of the kingdom. Pray that your faith will receive this word and bear its fruits. Pray about your needs. Hymn: I stand, I stand in awe of You. 166 Further Reading: Proverbs 6.

168 Manage Your Thoughts And Live Sun 10 Dec 2 Kings 5:1-19 Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage (2 Kings 5:12). e will continue to glean divine truths from the story of WNaaman. On arrival in Israel, Naaman and his men went to the king of Israel as planned, but they were redirected to the prophet. The prophet did not come out to meet him, rather he sent him to River Jordan and Naaman got annoyed. Frustrated, he said, Indeed, I said to myself, 'He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy' (2 Kings 5:11). Disappointed, he lost hope. Friend, it is time to forget about what you have said to yourself and begin to pay attention to what God is saying to you, or the words of wisdom that He has sent to you through the voice of His servants. Many of us may have told ourselves that this is the way we would make money in 2017, but it failed. It is time to go back to God and let Him lead you. As you prepare for the New Year, please take time to talk to God. Pray and ask Him to guide and lead you in the way to go. Take your plans to the Lord and let Him approve of them or change them as the case may be. May the Lord help you as you think this word. Shalom. Talk to God about your life. Take your plans to Him and let Him help you to realign them or change them to His plan for you. Song: He leadeth, He leadeth me. Further Reading: Psalm 37:3; Proverbs 19:

169 Mon 11 Dec Wanted, Good Servants 2 Kings 5:9-15 And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, 'Wash, and be clean'?" (2 Kings 5:13). see Naaman's servants as his friends. They were the ones who Iloved him. They were bold and truthful. They revealed his pride to him and what he needed to do to be helped. They were like the men of Issachar who pointed their nation in the right direction. See 1 Chronicles 12:32. They told him, My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, 'Wash, and be clean'?" (2 Kings 5:13). I like the phrase how much more. They helped Naaman to change his perception about the prophet and what was expected of him. I seem to hear them say, What is your problem about the water? Is the water the issue or that you are clean? Please, go and wash and be clean! Getting cleansed is what matters not the name of the river! O! How we need friends who are strategically positioned to minister to us in every area of our lives. Many have made marital mistakes because they lacked quality friends and advisors. Others have lost strategic businesses or career decisions because they did not have wise men to advise them. May the Lord save us from our pride. May we find true friends, employees and colleagues whom God will use to save us when we need help. Shalom. Pray that the Lord will send you godly friends. Pray that you will be godly friends to others too. Pray for me and my family too. Thank You. Hymn: All hail the power of Jesus Name. 168 Further Reading: Proverbs 18:24.

170 Act In Line With Your Faith Tues 12 Dec Luke 17:11-19 So when He saw them, He said to them, "Go, show yourselves to the priests. And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed (Luke 17:14). riend, many times we do not know what lies ahead of us or Fwhat is on the other side until we take the step of obedience when we know that God has spoken to us. The ten lepers in the story we read did not know how Jesus would heal them. They prayed for healing but Jesus told them, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed (Luke 17:14). If they had failed to go, they might not have experienced their healing. It is time for us to begin to act in line with the word we have heard and in line with our faith. It is time to believe that God will answer us when we pray. It is time to take corresponding action after we have prayed. These lepers prayed and acted on Jesus' instruction. For example, if you believe God for admission into higher institution, then you have to take the form and sit for the examination. That is what it means to take corresponding action. You do your part. Until Naaman obeyed the word of the prophet to wash in the River Jordan, his leprosy or skin disease remained with him. Although, the word has already gone forth, his obedience is needed to activate his healing. Think on these things. Shalom. What steps are you going to take today to move you closer to your miracle? Is there any delayed obedience? Ask for forgiveness and receive the help that you need. Song: I'm coming back to the heart of worship. Further Reading: Luke 7:

171 Wed 13 Dec Don't Be Like The Nine Luke 17:11-19 So Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?" (Luke 17:17-18). eturning to give glory to God for answered prayers or a Rgranted victory, is a sign of gratitude and appreciation. It shows that we acknowledge what He has done for us. It also shows that we know what He did was not as a result of our connections or smartness. Yet, I wonder why we usually forget to thank God for what He has done in our lives. Could it be that when we pray we don't expect Him to answer? Or is it that we think God is under obligation to answer our prayers? Whatever the reasons may be, I believe it is time for us to repent and begin to do the right things. Jesus was disappointed that only one of the ten lepers returned to say, thank you. The word He spoke was meant to produce ten results. And it did. Jesus asked, Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?" (Luke 17:17-18). Many times I have failed to glorify God too. Sometimes my timidity hindered me from sharing my testimony. I am also reminded of how I have failed to thank God for what we call small things. Yet, He was the One who did them. The call to repentance is to all of us. What you appreciate will never depreciate! Shalom. Think about your life and how this word applies to you. Repent of your sins. Ask the Lord for forgiveness. Thank God for His faithfulness in your life. Hymn: Great is thy faithfulness. 170 Further Reading: Psalm 103.

172 The Spiritual Life Is A Warfare Thurs 14 Dec Ephesians 6:10-18 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:11). he other day, I sat with one of my younger friends in my Tchurch. We talked about the need for us to understand God's nature in order to live in peace and enjoy our walk with Him. We concluded our conversation on the note that God is not our problem. Satan and his agents are the ones we need to fight. It is the reason we engage in spiritual warfare so that we can win over every wiles of the enemy and enforce the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our life. Paul understood all of these when he told us to put on the whole armor of God because we need them. He said, Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (vs.11). When we do this, we will stand. It further shows that it is not God's intention for us to fall. His intention is for us to win and stand. J. I Parker writes, The Christian's motto should not be 'let go and let God' but 'Trust God and get going'. We have never been told to quit and give up. Let us use the resources given to us and stand. In the end, the Lord will reward us and give us the crown of righteousness presented to us by God the Father Himself. Shalom. Pray for the right focus. Pray that you will be alert to put on your armor at all times. Hymn: Onward Christian soldiers marching as to war. Further Reading: 2 Timothy 2:

173 Fri 15 Dec Tell Them: Rejoice Not Micah 7:8 Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me. ughey writes, God brings men into deep waters, not to Adrown them, but to cleanse them. If you believe that this is true then you can be bold to face your enemy and tell them, Rejoice not because it is not over. God's word will come to pass in my life. I will rise again. Why? It is because the word of God says so. Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me (Micah 7:8). Friend, one of the things I have noticed in recent times is that the rate at which believers confess the word of God is decreasing. We seem to have moved from the extreme of positive confession that was pervasive some time ago in the body of Christ, to the extreme of almost no confession at all. It appears the enemy is winning the battle in making sure that we say nothing. We have become so timid and find it difficult to say who we are, what we believe and what we know about Christ Jesus. The last time I checked, timidity is not synonymous with tolerance. If you say nothing, you will have nothing. It is time to rise up and confess the word of God. Let the enemy know who you are and what you know in Christ. Shalom. Praise God for this word. Pray that your faith will receive this word and you will begin to do what it teaches. Hymn: I ve a message from the Lord, Halleujah! (Look and live) 172 Further Reading: Mark 11:12-14; 20-24

174 Be Alert Sat 16 Dec Proverbs 1:17 Indeed, it is useless to spread the net In the eyes of any bird (New American Standard Bible). he need for spiritual sensitivity and alertness cannot be Toveremphasized. This is reflected in today's focal text. The Bible says, When a bird sees a trap being set, it stays away (Proverbs 1:17, The Living Bible). If birds could act based on what they sense, more is required of us. Friend, when we are sensitive to life's situations we will not fall prey to unnecessary attacks. When we are as wise as a dove, or have an afar off vision like the eagle, we will be able to circumvent any evil net that the enemy may want to spread for us. The question is, how sharp are your spiritual antennas in receiving signals when a net has been spread for you? Do you enter into a net without knowing it? How sensitive are you to the spiritual atmosphere around you? The problem with many of us is that we know how to pray, but we do not know how to watch. We are ignorant of how to connect our circumstances to our prayers. We must pay attention. Many times God does not work outside your circumstances, He uses them. Let us be alert to discern where the enemy wants to come from and block it before he gets us. When we see a trap, we must pray and ask the Lord to save us from any impending danger. That is how to useless the enemy's net. Shalom. Pray for your spiritual life. Pray for more alertness in the spirit. Ask for the grace to grow in your fellowship with God. Hymn: Christian, seek not yet repose. Further Reading: Nehemiah 6:

175 Sun 17 Dec Conscience Void Of Offence Acts 24:1-16 "This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men (Acts 24:16). he Merriam Webster Dictionary defines the word, T'conscience' as the knowledge of right and wrong, with a compulsion to do right. It is the sense or consciousness of moral goodness or blameworthiness of one's own conduct and intentions. Friend, every one of us has a conscience. It is developed based on what we believe. Paul makes us to know that because of his belief in the way of salvation, which is based on the word of God, he was able to keep a conscience that was void of offence. He said, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men (Acts 24:16). To get the best out of our consciences, we must feed it with God's word and make the right choices when we are tempted. If you fail to do this, you will have a weak conscience which can easily be tossed to and fro by sin and satan. What is the state of your conscience? A clear conscience before God and man is a conscience that is maintaining a good relationship with man and God by living a life that He approves. It is attained by walking in right standing with God and being at peace with our fellow men as much as possible. Remember, Conscience is a walkie-talkie set by which God speaks to us, says Metcalf. Pray for yourself. Hymn: I am thine, O Lord. 174 Further Reading: 1 Peter 2:19.

176 God, Our Help Mon 18 Dec Psalm 121:1-3 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help (Psalm 121:1, KJV). s we draw nearer to the end of the year, I want us to Atake a look at Psalm 121, explore it with the aim of building our confidence in the Lord. nd The author of this Psalm is not given, but it is the 2 in the series of the 15 Songs of Ascents or degrees. Beginning from verse 1, we are faced with the thoughts of a man who definitely was in some kind of trouble at the time and therefore needed help. His thoughts must have led him to compare various sources of help before coming to the conclusion that it was the Lord he would look up to. Friend, there is no lasting help from anyone except from the Lord. Our friends and family members could make promises, but we have seen that several times such promises fail. Only those who have been chosen by God and are willing to cooperate with Him, will be able to help us. Therefore, let God be your helper and let Him choose whoever He wants to use. The psalm further revealed that our God is big. He controls everything and can handle anything. The sun and moon obey him. Call on Him in faith and wait for His appointed time to help you. Surely, He will not fail. Pray about your need for help. Hymn: O God, our help in ages past. Further Reading: 2 Chronicles 20:

177 Tues 19 Dec God, Our Protector Psalm 121:3-5 The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand (Psalm 121:5, KJV). rom our devotional Bible reading, we understand that FGod will not allow our foot to slip or be moved. That means before anything good or bad happens to us, He knows about it. No wonder He says in Romans 8:28 that all things work together for our good. The Bible says, The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand (Psalm 121:5). This means that God is with us always and He is concerned about our welfare and protection. It also means that whatever happens to me now, or no matter the magnitude of the problem that I am facing now, it could have been worse if the Lord had not intervened to make sure I was not utterly destroyed. No wonder the Bible says, The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand (Psalm 37:23-24). Let us trust the Lord and rest our hope in Him that He will take care of us and all will be well. Friend, if you can grasp this, then you can have the peace that passes all understanding at all times and go to sleep, even in the face of adversity. Shalom. Thank God for His word. Pray as you have been ministered to. Hymn: Through the love of God our Savior. All will be well. 176 Further Reading: Psalm 23.

178 God, Our Keeper Wed 20 Dec Psalms 91:1-16; 121:6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. (Psalms 121:6, KJV). t is a joy to know and experience God as our keeper. Today, Iwe will move on in our reflection on Psalm 121. The reason we need to do this is so that we gain knowledge. The more we know about what Christ's death meant for us, the more we will enjoy its benefits. See 2 Peter 1:2-3. The Scripture says, The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night (Psalm 121:6). Friend, if the Lord says the sun shall not, then He means what He says. It means that no power of diviners and wicked ones using the sun, the moon or any other elements can prosper against us if we walk in the light of this truth. Remember, who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not? (Lamentation 3:37, King James Version). In essence, only what God says and approves will come to pass in my life. This is a part of our covenant right that we need to possess and walk in. Our God is aware that satan and his worshippers use nature such as the sun, moon, floods etc. To attack people; that is why He has spoken in your favour. If the created things are instigated against you, they will not prosper. The Lord is your keeper. Receive this word with faith and appropriate it into your life. Shalom. Open your mouth and declare boldly that nothing created by your Father will work against you. Song: How excellent is Your Name. Further Reading: Psalm

179 Thurs 21 Dec Take Words With You Hosea 14:1-3; Psalm 51:1-19 Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to Him, "Take away all iniquity that we may present the fruit of our lips (Hosea 14:3, New American Standard Version). oday, let us take words with us and seek the face of God in Trepentance and consecration in preparation for the New Year. Remember, true worship is impossible without repentance. When we sin, God is willing to forgive us. But we must be humble and willing to pray for forgiveness (1 John 1:7-9). We must confess our sins and not assume that God understands. He made provision for our cleansing. We have to use it. Prophet Hosea writes, Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to Him, "Take away all iniquity that we may present the fruit of our lips (vs.3, New American Standard Version). In the spirit realm sacrifices are made through words and symbols. This is what the saints of old exemplified by repenting in ashes and dusts as they prayed (See Joel 2:1-5). The next thing is to worship God for the cleansing power in the blood of Jesus Christ. We worship because we acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus over our lives and family. Friend, when last did you come to the presence of the Father with repentant words and ask Him to forgive and cleanse you? We need to pay attention to these things. God does not remember our sins after we have been forgiven. That is another reason for us to tell Him thank you and worship. See Isaiah 40:26. Shalom. Pray as you have been challenged. Hymn: What can wash away my sins. 178 Further Reading: 1 Samuel 25.

180 Lead Me, O Lord Fri 22 Dec Psalms 5:8 Lead me, O Lord, in Thy righteousness because of mine enemies. n preparation for the New Year, I want to challenge you to Itake time to pray for yourself. The greatest prayer you can pray as a believer is to ask the Lord to lead you in the path of righteousness, to ask Him to teach you how to live so that you do not go astray and bring reproach to His Name. Charles Spurgeon writes: Very bitter is the enmity of the world against the people of Christ. Men will forgive a thousand faults in others, but they will magnify the most trivial offence in the followers of Jesus. Instead of vainly regretting this, let us turn it to account, and since so many are watching for our halting, let this be a special motive for walking very carefully before God. "If we live carelessly, the lynx-eyed world will soon see it, and with its hundred tongues, it will spread the story, exaggerated and emblazoned by the zeal of slander. They will shout triumphantly. 'Aha! So would we have it! See how these Christians act! They are hypocrites to a man.' Thus will much damage be done to the cause of Christ, and much insult offered to His name. May the Lord help us to stand, as we live daily to bring great testimonies to the very cause of Christ! Pray for yourself, and for all believers - to live right for God. Hymn: I'm pressing on the upward way. Further Reading: 2 Corinthians 2:

181 Sat 23 Dec He Holds Tomorrow Isaiah 49:14-26 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me (Isaiah 49:16). llan Smith writes: I know who holds the future, and I know Awho holds my hand; with God things don't happen - Everything by Him is planned. That is a powerful thought. Friend, do you know who holds you and your tomorrow? Can you confidently say that it is well with your tomorrow because God has gone ahead of you to ensure victory for you? Will you sleep like a baby tonight; being quite assured that God will take care of you? Please, let the word of God that we read today build faith in your heart. God loves you and He is thinking about you. Anytime He looks at His palm, He sees you because your image is inscribed on it. Your tomorrow will be great and it shall be well with you. God's thoughts towards you are very deep. They are good thoughts to lead you to the future that is described on the pages we have read. God Himself has already planned and pre-arranged for you. Praise His Name and worship Him with this song: Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, All fear is gone, Because I know; He holds my future. My life is worth a living just because He lives. When all else is lost, the future still remains- Bovee. Hold on to the One who lives. Shalom. Praise God for the good plan He has for you. Pray that you will have the faith to continue to follow Him as He leads you daily. Pray for me and my family that we will follow Him too. Thank You. Song: Because He lives. 180 Further Reading: Psalm 92:1-15.

182 God Has A Reason Sun 24 Dec Luke 1:26-38 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus (Luke 1:31). s the whole world prepares to celebrate Christmas, we Aneed to remind ourselves of the purpose of the celebration. When Adam and Eve sinned at the beginning, they were judged and made to lose their dwelling place. Part of the judgment included the promise of a Messiah, who will save mankind from the hand of satan and sin. It is this promise that God chose to fulfill in Christ Jesus. He said, And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel (Genesis 3:15). Jesus is the Seed of the woman. The angel told Joseph, You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins (Matthew1:21). In addition, He will restore the kingdom of God. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever (Isaiah 9:7). Friend, Christmas is not a time for festivities only. It is a time to appreciate God for His faithfulness to mankind. It is a time to praise Him for being the Covenant - keeping God. The reason for Christmas is our salvation. Praise God for it. Shalom. Thank God for Jesus and for our salvation. Pray for the salvation of souls in the season. Pray for comfort and peace for those who lost loved ones in the year around the world. Hymn: O little town of Bethlehem. Further Reading: Luke 2:

183 Mon 25 Dec That We Might Be Saved Matthew 1:18-25 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10). t is another Christmas and we are celebrating the birth of the ILord Jesus Christ. His birth signifies the beginning of the fulfillment of God's word to restore mankind. Jesus Christ did not come just to change the history of mankind or to affect the Gregorian calendar. Rather, He came so that we might be saved. He came to bring to us the salvation that God has planned for us before the foundation of the world. If you are alive and you have not received His love and salvation, your celebration is not complete. You should celebrate when you know you have been freed from sin and have the hope of eternal life in God. When Jesus went to Zacchaeus' house, He did not go just because He was looking for a place to refresh Himself, or a place to eat. No! He went because Zacchaeus needed to be saved. He said, Today, salvation has come to this house (Luke 19:9). Today is the day of salvation. If you know Him, thank Him for coming to save you and for clothing you with the robe of righteousness so that you can seat in the heavenly places with Him (Ephesians 2:6). If you do not know, ask Him to come into your life and give you a new life. Do have yourself a wonderful and glorious Christmas! Shalom. Thank God for the Lord Jesus Christ and for the salvation of mankind. Pray that the good news of His birth will save many lives today. Hymn: Joy to the world, the Lord is born. 182 Further Reading: Isaiah 9:1-7.

184 Give Glory To God Tues 26 Dec 1 Corinthians 15:10b But I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. s we begin to take stock of our lives and plan for the Aincoming year, let us not lose sight of who has helped us. Apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthian church, gave the reason for his achievements. It was working hard with the grace of God upon his life. I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. (1 Corinthians 15:10b). No matter what we have achieved, it is because God has empowered us to prosper by His grace. So give Him the glory. Whether you were able to buy a land, a car, or you passed your examinations, moved into a new house, or got promoted; all these are good things and God deserves the glory. The Lord is the One who has blessed us because His love towards us never fails. Friend, let this chorus lead you into worship today as you give Him thanks and praise: All the glory must be to the Lord, For He is worthy of our praise, No man on earth should give glory to himself, All the glory must be to the Lord. Simmons writes: Gratitude to God should be as habitual as the reception of mercies is constant, as ardent as the number of them is great, as devout as the riches of divine grace and goodness is incomprehensible. Shalom. Thank God for His innumerable blessings. Song: We give You glory Lord as we honor You. Further Reading: Jeremiah 9:

185 Wed 27 Dec You Can Do It Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. s we approach the New Year, I sense in my heart that Asome of us are afraid of how we will fulfill purpose and pursue the vision that God is sharing with us. Friend, do not worry you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. If He can trust us with the vision, He will help us to achieve it. If I can answer God's call to serve, you can. Who would have thought that I would have something to write for the past 15 years? Christ has been my helper and His Spirit has not failed to reveal His word to me. If the generations before us heard God's voice and obeyed Him, we will not fail Him. Most times, we fear because we do not know the power that Jesus possesses. When we have a revelation of how powerful He is and what His strength in us can do, our fears will disappear. God has great plans for you. Do not allow fear to deny you of what God wants to do in, through and with you. Believe that you can do all things through Him and you will. Remember His word: Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10). Shalom. Talk to God about your fears and limitations. Pray for the grace to stay focused. Song: He is able, more than able. 184 Further Reading: Isaiah 51:1-23.

186 Do Not Be Apprehensive Thurs 28 Dec 2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. he last few days of the year can bring so much concern Tto a lot of us. While many are bothered about what the next year will look like, others are feeling low because they did not achieve all that they had set out to achieve. Thus, they are not enthused about making great plans for tomorrow. Friend, whatever state you are in, you must continue to dream and plan for a better tomorrow. Whether you achieved all you desired or not, you cannot afford to stop. You cannot afford to be drawn into despair when your tomorrow is waiting for you to explore and live out - to the glory of your Father in heaven and the blessing of mankind. Please, Walk by faith and not by sight. Who says you have not achieved anything? Do you know whether God has allowed this year to be a year of preparation to bring you into your rest in the New Year? Do not allow yourself to be frustrated; God believes in you and so do I. That you could still make out time to read the word of God and pray is evidence to me that you are in for a greater tomorrow. As long as you allow the dew of heaven to keep falling on you, your fruitfulness will appear to all men soon. Shalom! Praise God for your tomorrow because it is a good one. Song: Give thanks with a grateful heart. Further Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:

187 Fri 29 Dec Commit Your Way To The Lord Psalm 37:1-11 Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass (Psalm 37:5). hile many of us are excited about the incoming year, Wsome of us are definitely apprehensive, not knowing what would happen. This is normal. The truth is that each year comes with its surprises, challenges, trials and successes. But our God has been faithful and He will continue to be faithful in every way. Do not deny the concerns that you have; rather, be willing to take them to the Lord. He will help you to sail through the year safely. Let us pray. 1. Thank God for His love for you. 2. Thank Him for all He has done and the work of His Spirit in your life this year. 3. Thank Him for the trying times He has seen you through. 4. Thank God for Jesus and for the power of the cross in your life. 5. Talk to God about your concerns and desires for the incoming year. 6. Affirm your faith in the promises that God has given you for the New Year. 7. Redeem each day of the New Year, as you pray for the faith to stand for Christ throughout the year. 9. Pray for peace in your family. 10. Pray that all will go well with them in the New Year. 11. Pray for me and my family that we will enjoy the blessings of the Lord. Thank you. 12. Thank God for loving you forever. Song: You deserve the glory and the honour. 186 Further Reading: Psalm 33.

188 The Lord Will Fight For You Sat 30 Dec Joshua 10:1-14 Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you (Joshua 10:8). riend, there is no need to be afraid of tomorrow because the FLord will stand by us and fight our enemies for us. What He did in the day of Joshua He can do today. So it is in our hands to believe and obey when He leads us. It may be that the enemy has conspired with evil thinkers and dreamers to stop your progress or attack you because you are a man of peace. Do not worry, their plans will not prosper. God will send you a Joshua who will come to your aid and help you to fight them. Isaiah 8:9-10 declares, Be broken, you peoples, and be dismayed; give ear, all you far countries; gird yourselves and be dismayed; gird yourselves and be dismayed. Take counsel together, but it will come to nought; speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us. This is the word of the Lord. Receive it and it will work for you. Let us pray. 1. Thank God for His word of hope to you. 2. Declare the Lordship of the Lord on all the days of the New Year. 3. Speak to creation to work in your favour and not against you. 4. Ask the Lord to raise men and women of influence to help and bless you. 5. Pray that you will be a Joshua and a blessing to many in the New Year. Praise God for answered prayers. Song: How great is our God. Further Reading: 2 Chronicles 20:

189 Sun 31 Dec Time To Celebrate Isaiah 26:12-15 Lord, You will establish peace for us, For You have also done all our works in us (Isaiah 26:12). t is time to celebrate the faithfulness of God. I have many Ireasons to thank the Lord. As a family we faced many challenges this year but the Lord saw us through. Personally, I grew in my walk with my Lord, as I understood His word and His love for us more deeply. This year, I became more dependent on the Holy Spirit as I look to Him to renew and refresh me in every area of my life. I am in transition so I needed Him to help me see the way to the next level. He did and He is still helping me. How about you? Do you have any reason to thank God? I like the way the King James Version renders today's verse. It says, Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us (Isaiah 26:12).The word wrought portrays God as a craftsman who carefully creates. To wrought means to work into shape, by artistry or effort. It serves as a past participle for the word work. Friend, God has blessed us this year, let us say, Thank You to Him. As we thank Him, we can trust Him to ordain peace for us in the New Year as we navigate through it by faith with Him on our side. Praise the Lord. Hallelujah! Worship the One who does great things. Praise Him for the peace that He will grant you in the New Year. Pray that your family will know peace and walk in the blessing of the Lord. Song: You are worthy to be praised. 188 Further Reading: Psalm 96.

190 About the Author Comfort Adeosun is an anointed worship leader, an inspiring song writer, and an unswerving preacher and teacher of the Word. She is propelled by passion to see the church of God attain its full potential and execute its divine mandate, especially in today's jittery and tottering world. Indeed, she is desirous to see the very power of God move in a quite demonstrable and practical manner. She is also a coach and motivational speaker, in addition to being actively involved in counseling and youth programs. Besides her professional and theological training, Comfort Adeosun holds a PhD in Management Studies from the University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom. She is happily married with children. Contact Information Telephone: (UK) Telephone: (NG) Whatsapp: cyadeosun@yahoo.com freshbreadng@yahoo.com Account details for Fresh Bread Devotional c/o Comfort Adeosun: For Nigeria: UBA Account Number: For United Kingdom: NATWEST Scotland Sort Code: Account Number:

191 NIGERIA PORT HARCOURT FRESH BREAD OFFICE 3Olodu Close, Off 61 Olu-Obasanjo Road , SPIRITUAL LIFE OUTREACH BOOKSHOP 3. Babbe Street, D-Line, Port Harcourt HIGH CALLING OUTREACH 4. Ndashi Street, D- Line Port Harcourt RIVERS BAPTIST CONFERENCE 7, William Jumbo, Port Harcourt FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH 1, Rumuparaeli, Beside, Holy Rosary Secondary School, Diobu, Port Harcourt. THE PARCHMENT BOOKSHOP RCCG JESUS HOUSE Aba Road, Port Harcourt. YENOGOA PHILIPS SYLABOH FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, Ovum, Yenagoa Fresh Bread Distributors LAGOS MRS. R. T. FEYISETAN LATTER RAIN ASSEMBLY BOOKSHOP Ikeja BADAGRY MRS. BOMA AKHIOJEMI , ABUJA PASTOR FIDELIS OGWUCHE AKURE MRS. M. AJEIGBE 10, Ijomu Street, Akure ASABA MRS. O.E OLADIPO AUCHI MRS. MOMOH Federal Polytechnic, Auchi ADO EKITI EVANG. IYANUOLUWA DUROGBOLA c/o Oore Ofe Baptist Church, Ado Ekiti Ekiti State OGBOMOSO REV. DR. SUNDAY AKINBOBOLA INTERNATIONAL UNITED KINGDOM ABERDEEN COMFORT ADEOSUN 79 Lee Crescent Aberdeen AB22 8FG MANCHESTER/ LONDON MARIAN OGUNSOLA 297 Derbyshire Lane West, Stretford M32 9LW SHEFFIELD WALE OGUNSANWO MANCHESTER MODUPE SHOKAMBI

192

193