The Reward Of Profitable Stewardship, On Today's Open Heavens Daily Devotional, August 26th sunday 2017, By Pastor E.A Adeboye RCCG General Overseer!

MEMORISE:
And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. Revelation 22:12

Read: Matthew 25:14-23
25:14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
25:15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
25:16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
25:17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
25:18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
25:19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
25:20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
25:22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Message:
Christianity entails total submission to the will of God as revealed in His word. A Christian must view God as the ultimate Owner of everything, who decides to delegate and distribute a certain measure of His resources to each and every person according to their ability, for the purpose of making profit. In reality, all that we own isn’t really ours; they are blessings that have been graciously bestowed on us by the Lord (John 3:27). For all that God has given to us, there’s an expectation that comes along with them. The word “stewardship”, summarises this arrangement. A steward is a special servant employed to oversee and manage the affairs of the household according to the dictates of the owner. He or she is simply a servant who has been entrusted with the authority to make decisions on behalf of his or her master. All purchases pertaining to the running of a household are made by the steward. Even some very important decisions are made by the steward. For example, Abraham entrusted his steward, Eliezer of Damascus, with the crucial responsibility of choosing a wife for his son Isaac (Genesis 24:2-4). A true Christian operates under the same dynamics today. As a steward over the heritage of God, you should be able to operate without supervision. Everything you do should be done as unto the Lord. You should make certain that the resources you are entrusted with are put to proper use for God and not for personal gain. As God’s steward, you should do everything to ensure that the Lord’s resources are carefully deployed to accomplish His agenda. A steward is a trustworthy ambassador that sometimes stands in the place of God to make decisions and take action that could have far-reaching effects on people’s lives. Christian stewardship is therefore an awesome responsibility that should be handled with utmost care. May you never mishandle your responsibility as a representative of the Almighty God in Jesus’ Name.
God has very important assignments He wants to execute in this world, and He has entrusted some of these into your hands. One of such assignments is the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). God has chosen you as His primary tool to accomplish this awesome task, and He has appointed and equipped you to carry His message of salvation to those who are lost in sin. You must therefore take up this responsibility and fulfil the heartbeat of God. In conclusion, here in this world, there are innumerable benefits awaiting all obedient servants of God. However, the most important reward for profitable stewardship is to be a guest of Jesus at His marriage supper, and to stand before God’s throne to receive commendation and crown of life from the Master. You will make it in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point:
Father, help me to be worthy of the ultimate reward for profitable stewardship in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Chronicle 11-12
Ezekiel 31:10-18

The Unprofitable Servant (Friday August 25th 2017)

MEMORISE:
“And that servant, which knew his Lord's Will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to His Will, shall be beaten with many stripes.” Luke 12:47
Read: Matthew 25:14-23
The Parable of the Talents
25:14. “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.
25:15. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.
25:16. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.
25:17. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.
25:18. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his Lord's money.
25:19. After a long time The Lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
25:20. “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, You delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’
25:21. His Lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
25:22. He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’
25:23. His Lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of Your Lord.’
25:24. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew Thee that Thou art An Hard Man, reaping where Thou hast not sown, and gathering where Thou hast not strawed:
25:25. And I was afraid, and went and hid Thy Talent in the earth: lo, there Thou hast that is Thine.
25:26. His Lord answered and said unto him, "Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
25:27. Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received Mine Own with usury.
25:28. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
25:29. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
25:30. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Message:
A. An unprofitable servant is generally identified as a steward that fails to put his or her talents to profitable use for his or her master.
1. He or she is a wasteful person who is pleased to keep the master’s investment from yielding any profit.
2. Among all the servants mentioned in The Bible, it was only the unprofitable servant that had the disrespectful behaviour of complaining and bringing charges against His Lord.
3. He had the audacity to accuse His Master to His Face of being a difficult and greedy person, wanting to reap where He did not sow!
4. He created the impression that His Master had all along been wicked, unfair and insensitive.
5. Although the unprofitable servant tried to portray himself as a humble and obedient servant, he ended up giving himself off as self- righteous person, who had mastered the art of making excuses to cover up for slothfulness and failure.
6. Trying to justify himself, he falsely argued that he became indolent and unproductive out of fear for His Master.
7. He forgot that A Master’s Commandment is a servant’s duty.
8. As a matter of fact, a servant always owes a debt of service to his or her master Luke 17:7-10 "And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, “Come at once and sit down to eat’? But will he not rather say to him, “Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’ ”
9. The unprofitable servant tried so hard to justify himself but he failed woefully.
10. God is not mocked; the excuses you have prepared to use on The Day of Judgment will not stand the test of His Scrutiny.
B. Brethren, every excuse that we give for failure to obey The Commandments of God with regards to the use of our talents is simply evidence of rebellion against God.
1. The excuse that the unprofitable servant gave is the common plea of many Christians today, who complain that The Almighty God has no right to demand for the use of their time, money and ability for the promotion of His Kingdom.
2. If you fail to put your God-given talents to profitable use, on the day of reckoning, you will hear the denunciation pronounced against the unprofitable servant:
3. “Take therefore the talent from him!” I pray that you will never receive words of condemnation from God in Jesus’ Name. Amen!
4. Many would ask, “What wrong have I done?” Search your heart.
5. Have you fixed Your Lord’s Money in huge deposits and savings accounts, or tied up His investment in properties, exotic cars, exclusive furniture and an expensive lifestyle, all the while leaving souls to perish in their sins?
6. Do you prefer to bury your talents out of selfishness because you care more about yourself and less about God and the expansion of His Kingdom?
7. Have you deliberately refused to put God’s Endowments in your life to profitable use; thereby causing the benefits and profits due to God and man to be totally lost?
8. To be commended by The Master, we need to repent of our selfish lifestyle and yield to God in complete obedience.
Prayer Point:
Father, please give me The Grace to serve You profitably to the end in Jesus’ Name. Amen!
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Chronicle 8-10;
Ezekiel30:20-31:9

The Church Of God III (Thursday August 24th 2917

MEMORISE:
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:27

Read: Ephesians 1:1-4
1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
1:2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Message:
The Church of God is a living entity that thrives upon the life of God. The life of Jesus circulates freely through His church, just as blood flows through the human body. The Church of God feeds on heavenly food, which is the word of God, breathes the atmosphere of heaven, which are the commandments and principles that guide her operations, and thrives on the life of God that flows through her vein, which is the Holy Spirit. By implication therefore, the primary qualities and attributes of God automatically become the primary characteristics and nature of His Church.

In Isaiah 6:3b, the primary quality and nature of God is announced in this proclamation from Heaven:
“…Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.”
For this reason, today’s Bible reading declares that the Church of God was chosen by God to be holy and without blame before Him in love. Holiness is the moral excellence of God that unifies His attributes and is expressed through His actions. The Bible presents holiness as a nature that includes moral purity, separation from evil and a devotion to God’s glory. God is Holy, His Name is Holy, His words and everything about Him is Holy. As a result, in the Old Testament, the place of worship, the altar, the priests and the people had to be sanctified and made Holy before rendering service to God (Exodus 29:44). To be dedicated to God’s service, we also in this new dispensation must be set apart from the evil and sins of this world. Hebrews 10:22 says,
“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”
God’s holiness provides a pattern for His people to emulate (1 Peter 1:16). Holiness simply means separation from sin and devotion to God (2 timothy 2:19). As a child of God, sin should not have dominion over you (Romans 6:14). You are expected to make holiness your lifestyle by walking in the fear of God always (2 Corinthians 7:1). To this end, Colossians 3:5a says,
“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth;”
This means you should put to death or destroy everything that is carnal in you, using the sword of the Spirit (Hebrew 4:12). It means your heart should continually be cleansed from carnality, using the water of God’s word. Even though you are genuinely born again, your body still has passions, desires and appetites that must be allowed to break out beyond their legitimate bounds in the Lord. Be holy, and be sanctified!

Prayer Point:
Father, grant me grace to keep myself under the control of Your Holy Spirit in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Chronicle 6-7
Ezekiel 30:5-19


The Church Of God II (Wednesday August 23rd 2017)

MEMORISE:
"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of The Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of The stature of The fulness of Christ:"Ephesian 4:13
Read: 1 Corinthians 1:1-11
1:1. Paul called to be An Apostle of Jesus Christ through The Will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
1:2. Unto The Church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be Saints, with all that in every place call upon The Name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their's and our's:
1:3. Grace be unto you, and Peace, from God our Father, and from The Lord Jesus Christ.
1:4. I thank My God always on your behalf, for The Grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
1:5. That in every thing ye are enriched by Him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
1:6.Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
1:7. So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for The Coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ:
1:8. Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1:9. God is faithful, by Whom ye were called unto The fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
1:10. Now I beseech you, brethren, by The Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
1:11. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
Message:
A. The Church of God is The Embodiment of Christ here on earth and for all eternity.
1. Ephesians 1:23 "Which is His Body, The Fullness of Him Who fills all in all.
2. God will continue to inhabit The praises of His People, and His People will continue to live in Him and worship His Majesty forever
3. John 14:16 "And I will pray The Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—
4. The Church of God on earth is the representation of His Personality among men.
5. She is the Body of Christ, filled and controlled by The Holy Spirit, and so, she renders all Honour and Adoration to God The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit.
6. Although The Church is operating in the world, there is no room for the world in The Church.
7. John 17:16). “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Psalm133:1
B. The Church of God is called to live in blameless unity.
1. Unity is a characteristic that distinguishes God’s People.
2. We derive this characteristic from The Nature of God in us; therefore, God expects His Church to manifest unity, through commitment to one another.
3. In essence, The Church of God is one, because it is founded on One Gospel, United in One Lord and Walking in One Spirit.
4. Ephesians 4:4-6 "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."
5. However, the unity of The Church is constantly under attack because the enemy knows she is unstoppable when she walks in unity.
6. Because it is inherent in our fallen human nature for people to be divisive, unity needs to be continually maintained and actively expressed in fellowship.
7. The fellowship that Christians share as a result of our common union with God through Jesus Christ is expressed as we share the triumphs and challenges of life together.
8. The Bible strongly emphasizes the importance of Christian unity.
9. Acts 4:32 “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.”
C. God exhorts The Church to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
1. Ephesian 4:3-16).
2. We as Christians are to preserve the oneness that the Spirit imparts to all who are baptized into The Body of Christ, which is identical to the oneness of the Holy Trinity.
3. The unity of The Church should be evident in our love for one another, in worshipping together and in a practical commitment to one another.
4. Which is demonstrated through deep concern for the weak and a readiness to provide for the poor and needy.
Prayer Point:
Father, please baptize your Church with true love and bind the Body of Christ together with a strong cord of unity in Jesus’ Name. Amen!
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Chronicle 4-5
Ezekiel29:10-30:4
The Church Of God I (Tuesday August 22nd 20170

MEMORISE:
And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all. Ephesians 1:22-23

Read: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12
1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
1:2 Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1:3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
1:4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
1:5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
1:6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;
1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
1:10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
1:11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
1:12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Message:
The Church is a body of saints being prepared as the Bride of Christ to be married to Him at His second coming (Ephesians 5:25-27). It is also a spiritual body of which Jesus Christ is the Head (Colossians 1:18). The Church of God is the meeting place of God and man, created as a means of uniting all people with God and with one another. The manifold wisdom of God, His mysteries, His nature, character and his attributes are revealed through His Church. Among all of God’s creatures, He did not find any of them worthy to be His dwelling place: a place of His rest. God cherishes His Church so much that He showers much care on her, and through her, He spreads Himself across the face of the earth.

In Matthew 16:18, the Lord decreed that the gates of hell shall not prevail against His Church; consequently, the Church of God is served by the ministry of angels (Hebrews 1:14). It is the only institution on earth that angels pay attention to as a matter of duty. The angels of God dote on His Church and admire her beauty (1 Peter 1:12). It is the only institution on earth which angels take interest in, and every bit of progress that the church makes in this world brings joy to them and cause them to celebrate (Luke 15:7). If you have not given your life to Christ, you can cause the angels of God to rejoice today by accepting Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour, thereby becoming a member of the body of Christ, which is the Church. As a member of the Church of God, you are expected to continually express your love for God in worship and practical service, which includes enduring hardness, afflictions and tribulations for the sake of God’s Kingdom. Always remember that Christianity is not bread and butter alone. Despite all the good promises of God to you, Jesus, in John 16:33b, also says to you,
“In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
God’s attention is focused on His Church, and as a result, the devil can never prevail against you. However, you must learn to endure afflictions, and you must confidently confront evil. You must not be ashamed or afraid of witnessing Jesus. Always be mindful of the fact that the Holy Spirit is in you and the angels of God are at your service wherever you go.

Prayer Point:
Father, in Jesus’ Name, please give me the grace to endure hardship, afflictions and tribulations for the sake of Your Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Chronicles 1-3
Ezekiel 28:25-29:9


The Temple Of The Holy Spirit (Monday August 21st 2017)

MEMORIZE:
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
1 Corinthians 6:20
READ :
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Kings 24-25, Ezekiel 28:11-24
MESSAGE:
The response of the Lord Jesus Christ to the question of a Samaritan woman on God’s approved location of acceptable worship, in john 4:20, put an end to the era where God could only be worshiped in specific places. John 4:21 & 23 says,
“Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.”
Jesus taught her that the time has come when true worshippers of God are not required to visit any physical temple or be present in any particular location in order to worship God acceptably. True worshippers can now worship the Father in spirit and truth.
Building on this teaching, Apostle Paul expounded that the dwelling of God is no longer in temples made by human hands (Acts 17:24). He further revealed that God, in the person of the Holy Spirit, now dwells in the body of those who have yielded to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. In 1 Corinthians 6:19, he wrote this:
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”
If you are indeed a Christian, your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Out of love for you, God gave you a unique body, and He wants you to reciprocate His love by making good use of it. The question is, are you conscious of the fact that God’s Holy Spirit dwells in you. Are you aware that you are not your own, and that you are bought with a price? Are you aware that you are to glorify God in your body (1 Corinthians 6:20)? As a child of God, God has taken ownership of your body. You therefore have no preferences in matters concerning your body. You must commit your body to God as a living sacrifice and consciously conduct yourself as the dwelling place of His Holy spirit. A Christian cannot therefore make choices about sexual orientation or engage in behaviours on the basis of personal preference. Without any ambiguity, God has made clear the purpose of our body; therefore, any notion about freedom of choice regarding sexuality and sexual acts is essentially incompatible with God’s word. God also warns that He will destroy those who defile His temple, which is our body. Take note of this and be wise!
PRAYER POINT
Father, please abide in me; make my body Your dwelling place, and give me the grace to resist any temptation to misuse my body, in Jesus’ Name.

The Great Virtue  (Sundy August 20th 2017)

MEMORIZE:
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
1 Corinthians 13:13
READ:
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Kings 23, Ezekiel 27:26-28:10
MESSAGE:
“The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:3
Love is a decision of commitment that is expressed as a strong feeling of affection and attraction. Based on God’s nature and actions, the Scripture gives us insight into the source, character and value of love. The Bible teaches that God is the source of love and that His very character is love. If you have ever been deeply in love with someone to the point of obsession, you will discover that you may lose your appetite and forget to eat because of that person (Song of Solomon 5:2-8). Your mind will become occupied with nothing else but that person. The object of your love is the last thing you think of when you go to bed and the first thing you think of when you wake up. Love involves the totality of a person’s thoughts, feelings and actions. Love is a central theme of the Christian faith and is a primary characteristic of God’s nature.
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment."
Matthew 22:37-38
The first object of our love should be God. We are enjoined to love God with all our heart, soul and mind. Indeed, you need to understand the love of God for you before you can appreciate what true love is. Having received the love of God, God expects you to reciprocate His love by worshiping Him in truth and by showing His love to others. The love of God was manifested on the cross of Calvary. Jesus, with these words, revealed the extent of God’s love for us in John 3:16:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Out of love, God gave His only begotten Son as the ultimate sacrifice for the salvation of humanity. He then commanded every one of us that has received His love to reciprocate it by loving one another (1 John 4:7-8). The Bible makes it very clear that the proof of love is its expression through actions, especially actions that are taken in the interest of others. Children of God should never be identified with envy, hatred, pride, selfishness, or any form of wickedness. These vices are contrary to God’s nature in us. As Christians, we must always radiate the love of God with meekness, kindness, patience, peace and joy.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, please fill my heart with Your love, so that Your love may flow through me to others.



VICTORY THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS, SATURDAY AUGUST 19TH 2017

MEMORISE:
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Revelation 12:11

Read: Exodus 12:21-23
12:21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.
12:22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.
12:23 For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

Message:
For various reasons, the battle of life has proved to be of tremendous difficulty to mankind in every generation. First and foremost, the enemy is often difficult to identify correctly, coming in different forms and sizes. Sometimes, the enemy comes in the form of human opposition, criticism and antagonism, and other times, in the form of physical challenges and obstacles. The enemy also comes as natural occurrences which one would expect to naturally fade away with time, but down the line, such occurrences metamorphose into serious problems. The battles of life can come to us through a human agent in the most subtle but wicked manner and it can take the form of a dramatic open challenge. At the onset of every battle of life, its spiritual dimension is not usually obvious. However, the Bible teaches that there is a spiritual dimension to every battle. Ephesians 6:12 says,
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

As a child of God, although the enemy of our soul may look intimidating, don’t be frightened by his visage or his history of destruction. Instead, focus on the truth of God’s word that reveals him as a conquered foe (Hebrew 2:14, Luke 10:18-19). This is the high standpoint of the Christian faith. This is the only ground on which a child of God should meet the devil and his agents. We are overcomers! The element and resources of our victory clearly supersede the resources of our wicked foes. The element of our victory is the blood of Jesus, and the weapon of our warfare is the word of God. The battle cry in our conflict with the devil should always be the words of today’s memory verse. You must continuously resist the devil with the words of this scripture and believe its declaration in your heart. You cannot confront the devil and his agents with human wisdom, scientific inventions, philosophy, or ethical principles; rather, confront them with the blood of Jesus Christ, which signifies the seal of our victory in the Lord. Always remember that the battle is not ours but the Lord’s. At the beginning of this conflict with the devil in the Garden of Eden, it was prophesied that the seed of the woman will bruise the head of the serpent. Jesus is the seed of the woman! Christians must enter the battle of life with the confidence that the Lord is fighting for us, and that we are simply following His banner and claiming victory in His Name. Let us praise and worship the Almighty God who has granted us victory through the Blood of Jesus.

Prayer Point:
Father, please completely destroy the works of the devil in my life and in Your Church in the Name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Kings 21-22
Ezekiel 27:10-25