*DAILY MANNA*
*FRIDAY, AUGUST 9 2019*

*LEGALISM OR LOVE?*
*TEXT:* LUKE 6:1-11.
_*�KEY VERSE* "And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath day" (LUKE 6:2)._

Legalism is described as a philosophical doctrine which focuses on text of written law to the exclusion of its intent. It elevates strict adherence to law over justice, mercy, grace and common sense. Love on the other hand is defined as a feeling of care and mercy towards people or living things in general.

In our text today, Jesus schooled the Pharisees on what should be the proper attitude to the use of the Sabbath. Two incidents were recorded of how He handled the Sabbath. First, He defended the actions of His disciples who plucked and ate ears of corn on the Sabbath. The Pharisees, moved with legalistic passions and condemned Jesus and His disciples for violating the Sabbath. But He told them that there was nothing wrong about doing good or eating when one is hungry on the Sabbath. The people became enraged at His message and conspired against Him. But the Lord ignored their protest and went ahead to heal the man they never wanted to be healed on the Sabbath.

Sadly today, some Christians can be so blinded by their denominational dogmas or tradition that they find it difficult to show love to others who are not of their fold or help those who are in need. They even kill, maim or engage in other violent acts against those who do not share their convictions under the guise of defending God or fighting His course.

True Believers should not do good to other people just because they want to appear sanctimonious. We must exhibit love, mercy and grace in our dealing with others.

*✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY* It is hollow to honour the law without love.

*COVER TO COVER* ESTHER 1-5.

*MEDITATION*

Knowing the Law without knowing the spirit

1. The Law permitted hungry Israelites to enter any farm and pluck corns for their immediate consumption and no more vv1,2, Deuteronomy 23:25.
*The spirit of the Law*
No needy and hungry neighbour, especially brethren, should be allowed to faint in hunger or denied supply of legitimate needs while others live in abundance.
*Where the Pharisees missed it*
The Law only forbade the Jews from working on the sabbath but does not forbid them from eating on the Sabbath. The disciples were not working in the farm but eating in the farm.
*Q* What can you call the problem of the Pharisees?
2. The Law stipulated that only the priests should eat the hallowed bread, but David ate it and was guiltless vv3,4, I Samuel 21:3-6.
*What Jesus is saying*
The spirit of the Law is that holy people must take the hallowed bread and David and his servants fulfilled this condition.
David and his servants were hungry and the priests had no bread to give them. David did not force himself on the priest to bring the hallowed bread. The priest volunteered to release the hallowed bread because the Law does not say he could not use his discretion as a priest in that occasion. The priest should be able to give up his food to the hungry too, no matter how allowed.
*Q* What lesson do we learn from this?
3. The Law forbids working on the Sabbath day.
*What is the spirit of that Law*
It is a day of rest to fully concentrate on spiritual things.
*Q* If we assume that delivering others is work, does the spirit of the Law contradicts healing the sick and helping others? vv6,10. The Pharisees missed it here too.
4. State of heart at times influences the interpretation of the scriptures.
*Q* What was really their state of heart? v11. Is the religious heart that gets angry or unhappy when his/neighbour gets deliverance from evil a loving heart?

*HYMN* Somebody needs your love

1. Out in the darkness of sorrow and sin,
Somebody needs your love;
Led by the Master, that soul you may win,
Somebody needs your love.
*Chorus*
Somebody needs your love,
Somebody needs your love,…
Someone in sadness,
Yearning for gladness,
Somebody needs your love.

2. Many are helpless, and wait for your call,
Somebody needs your love;
Show that Jesus is all and in all,
Somebody needs your love.

3. Someone is tempted to turn from the right,
Somebody needs your love;
Longing for courage and strength for the fight,
Somebody needs your love.

4. Some are down-hearted, in sorrow they roam,
Somebody needs your love;
Many are sighing got heaven and home,
Somebody needs your love.

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. Lord, give me more knowledge and understanding of the spirit of the scriptures.
2. Lord, give me abounding love that will not hide his bowels of compassion from brethren.
3. Lord, let the spirit of love and compassion characterize your children in the Church.
4. Pray for someone in need. If it is in your power to help him/her, take steps and make someone happy today.

*DAILY MANNA*
*SATURDAY, AUGUST 10 2019*

*WHEN GODS FAIL*
*TEXT:* 1 KINGS 14:1-20.
_*�KEY VERSE* "At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick. And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get thee to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I should be king over this people" (1 KINGS 14:1,2)._

Sooner or later, idols will disappoint its worshipers. Charles Spurgeon in a message once said: "Brethren the whole story of the human race is a record of the words of the Lord against idolatry. The right hand of the Lord has dashed in pieces the enemy and cast the ancient idols to the ground. Behold the heaps of Nineveh! Search for the desolutions of Babylon! Look up on the broken temples of Greece! See the ruins of Pagan Rome! Journey where you will and behold the dilapidated temples of the gods and the ruined empires of their foolish votaries. The moles and the bats have covered with forgetfulness the once famous deities of Chaldea and Assyria. The Lord hath made bare his arm and eased him of his adversaries, for Jehovah, whose name is Jealous, is a Jealous God."

King Jeroboam was greatly favoured by God who enthroned him and gave him ten tribes (Northern Kingdom) out of the twelve tribes in Israel. However, because of self-will and disobedience, he forsook the Lord. Jeroboam threw the favour of God away and embraced idols. He led Israel into unimaginable depths of the debauchery. His idolatrous practices and evil became a point of reference for many generations. Now, his son Abijah was sick and his Idols could not help him. He then remembered Jehovah God Whom he had abandoned. Instead of seeking God wholeheartedly in humility, he tried to trick Ahijah to help him out. Idols are bound to disappoint ultimately. It is only those who put their faith in Jehovah God that are secure.

Many come to God for healing, marriage, children or other forms of miracles, only to abandon Him as soon as they receive what they need. They are not interested in salvation. The Lord has a Word for them: "Behold thou art made whole, sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon thee" (John 5:14). Evil will surely come to the disobedient sooner or later. Beware!

*✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY* Seek God with all sincerity to avoid eternal regrets.

*COVER TO COVER* ESTHER 6-10.

*MEDITATION*

How to detect if you have a hardening heart

1. You like to hide your true identity from the servants of God v2.
2. You delight in teaching/counseling the simple on how to hide the truth or deceive others v2.
3. You hate or gets angry against people exposing your moral failures v2
4. You avoid the ministers/churches that will tell you the whole truth v2.
5. You have a dislike for biblical doctrines or what God wants you to hear but delights in those who tell you what you want to hear v3.
6. You know your offences against God but prefers using religious sacrifices to cover the offences rather than full repentance vv2,3.
7. You live as someone who has forgotten his humble beginning vv7,8.
8. You are having a declining moral integrity and you do nothing about it v9.
9. You no more tremble at the hearing of the word of God vv11-17.
10. You are finding it difficult to rend your heart and trace your way back to God when you do evils or you are convicted of evil doing vv17-22.
*Note* The judgement on those who died in hardness of heart outlives them and spreads to their generations vv10,11.

*HYMN* Have you counted the cost?

1 There's a line that is drawn by rejecting our Lord,
Where the call of His Spirit is lost,
And you hurry along with the pleasure-mad throng -
Have you counted, have you counted the cost?
*Chorus:*
Have you counted the cost, if your soul should be lost,
Tho' you gain the whole world for your own?
Even now it may be that the line you have crossed,
Have you counted, have you counted the cost?
2 You may barter your hope of eternity's morn,
For a moment of joy at the most,
For the glitter of sin and the things it will win -
Have you counted, have you counted the cost? [Chorus]
3 While the door of His mercy is open to you,
Ere the depth of His love you exhaust,
Won't you come and be healed, won't you whisper, I yield -
I have counted, I have counted the cost. [Chorus]

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. Lord, break my heart afresh and give me a broken heart.
2. Give me the heart that trembles at your word at all times.
3. Lord, in your mercy, don't ever allow me to harden my heart.
4. Lord, break afresh the hearts of your children and let your fear reign continually in their hearts.

*DAILY MANNA*
*SUNDAY, AUGUST 11 2019*

*READINESS TO DO GOD'S WILL*
*TEXT:* EZRA 10:12-17.
_*�KEY VERSE* "Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do" (EZRA 10:12)._

Herman Melville once said, "All the things that God would have us to do are hard for us to do - remember that - and hence, He often commands us than endeavours to persuade. And if we obey God we must disobey ourselves, wherein the hardness of disobeying God consists." Obedience is what separates saints from sinners and victors from victims. And it is obedience to His words that God desires from every one of His children.

In today's passage, we read about the response of the men of Judah and Benjamin to the charge from Ezra, the priest. He wanted the people to make their ways right with God. The Israelites had gone into wrong marriages and unholy alliances with the people of the land. He told them to confess to God and do His pleasure by separating from the people of the land and from their strange wives. The people recognised that they had transgressed and disobeyed the law of God about marriage and friendship with unbelievers and they were ready to make their way right with God. Everyone, including their rulers, the elders of every city was involved in this great move of revival which lasted for three months.

Today, the expectation of God is that believers should shun any form of unequal yoke with unbelievers in marriage, friendship, business and worship. The reason for this is not farfetched. A dog on leash is a dog not free. Such is the condition of so-called Christians who are yoked with unbelievers.

A Christian belongs to a chosen generation. Although in the world, he is not of the world and should therefore not be ashamed of maintaining separate and distinct identity in the world.

*✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY* Doing the will of God makes a man acceptable to God.

*COVER TO COVER* TITUS 1-3.

*MEDITATION*

Elements of true obedience

1. There must be irrevocable decision to do it v12.
2. The decision must be verbalized to God as a seal of consecration v2.
3. The obedience must be total, neither selective nor modified -" as You have said..." v12.
4. It must be from a willing heart without complaints, murmuring or reluctance v12.
5. It must be unconditional, with no string attached to it v12.
6. There must be acknowledgement and confessions of disobedience when discovered or revealed. No cover up v13.
7. It should not be delayed for a more convenient time v13.
8. There must not be respect of persons - all, including rulers and the ruled, rich and poor, ministers and members etc must obey if it involves a group v14.
9. It goes with restitution and necessary amendments for it to be acceptable v17.
10. True obedience is not ashamed of public ridicule, rebuke or action if need be v17.

*Check* Check your obedience to the word of God if it passes through these 10 gates.

*HYMN* Just Obey

Verse 1
Just as God who reigns on High
Spake to men in days gone by,
So the Lord is calling men today;
And, my brother this is true,
Whatso-e'er He says to you
There is but one thing to do, just obey

Chorus
Just obey, just obey,
Is the way, God's way;
When His message comes to you,
There is but one thing to do,
Just obey, just obey

Verse 2
If you're in the Saviour's hands,
You must do as He commands,
For there is no other gospel way;
Never put the message by,
Never stop to reason why,
When the Saviour speaks to you, just obey

Chorus
Just obey, just obey,
Is the way, God's way;
When His message comes to you,
There is but one thing to do,
Just obey, just obey

Verse 3
If for mansions fair you sigh
In that land beyond the sky
After time with you has pass'd away;
Tho' the way you may not see,
Christ is calling ''Follow Me''
Faith and duty both will cry just obey

Chorus
Just obey, just obey,
Is the way, God's way;
When His message comes to you,
There is but one thing to do,
Just obey, just obey.

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. Ask for mercy pardon whichever area of the word of God your obedience falls short of the elements of true obedience.
2. Ask for a divine touch on your will to always be totally willing to obey His voice.
3. Ask for sufficient power and grace to always rebel against the flesh and self in order to always please God.
4. Lord, make our Church a Church of doers and not just hearers.

*DAILY MANNA*
*MONDAY, AUGUST 12 2019*

*"HE MUST INCREASE"*
*TEXT:* JOHN 3:22-30.
_*�KEY VERSE* "He must increase, but I must decrease" (JOHN 3:30)._

Winston Churchill was once asked, "Doesn't it thrill you to know that every time you make a speech, the hall is packed to overflowing." "It's quite flattering," replied Sir Winston. "But whenever I feel that way, I always remember that if instead of making political speech I was being hanged, the crowd would be twice as big." It is good for a child of God to be humble. Someone said, "It was pride that changed angels into devils: it is humility that makes men as angels." Humility pays.

John had started his ministry before Jesus and was the one who actually baptized Jesus in Jordan. The disciples of John monitored the progress and developments in Jesus' camp and wondered why He should be baptizing more people than John. Is their master not going to do anything about it? John's reply is classic. "He must increase, but I must decrease." He explained this better with the illustration of a wedding ceremony. He described himself as a friend of the bridegroom while Jesus was the bridegroom of the occasion. Obviously, the bridegroom is always more important than the friend in any wedding ceremony. In all, John was happy to be a self-effacing friend.

We must learn from the humble disposition of John. He brought himself lower compared to Jesus. The desire to be recognised and celebrated is more now than ever. Self-adulation is promoted in many circles. But a humble lifestyle is what Jesus desires from His own followers. Whatever hinders us from putting the love of God and His word above our personal wishes and desires must be rejected so that Jesus alone will be Lord and Master in our lives. Like John, we must ensure that the beauty of Jesus is clearly seen in us while self is crucified and brought low in every area of our lives. It worked for John, it will work for us too.

*✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY* Humility exalts a man.

*COVER TO COVER* PHILEMON 1.

*MEDITATION*

On Self, schism and sectarianism in the body of Christ

1. Two great ministries of baptisms, baptism by John and Jesus were operating simultaneously and harmoniously; yet Jesus approved it without requesting John to bury or suspend his own vv22,23.
2. The spirit of self and schism were demonstrated by the uncircumcised disciples of John when they were skeptical and critical about the crowd pulling success of the disciples of Jesus not on the basis of teaching false doctrines but on the premise of pulling more crowd vv25,26.
3. The inspired response of John should settle all tendencies toward self, schism, sectarianism and rivalry in the body of Christ v27.
4. Rejecting, refusing or castigating the ministry of others on the ground of sentiments is tantamount to opposing the Giver of the ministries Himself v27, Luke 9:49,50.
5. Each believer(s) should discover his distinct position and ministry in the body and the its interrelationship with other people's ministry vv28-29.
6. John recognised his own as that of the forerunner and friend of the bridegroom vv28,29.
7. Each believer must rejoice when others are fulfilling their ministries just as he/she expects others to accept and embrace his/her own vv28,29.
8. The motive and goal of every true God given ministry or mission is to downgrade self and lift up Jesus only. This is also a test of humility and God given ministry v30.
9. The degree of impact of any ministry is inversely proportional to the presence of self in the minister v30.
10. The genuineness of any ministry is known by the emphasis attached to the complete and correct teaching and life of Christ v30, Revelation 19:10b.

*HYMN* None of self, all of Christ

1. Oh, the bitter shame and sorrow,
That a time could ever be,
When I let the Savior’s pity
Plead in vain, and proudly answered,
All of self, and none of Thee,
All of self and none of Thee.
2
Yet He found me; I beheld Him
Bleeding on the cursed tree;
Heard Him pray, Forgive them, Father,
And my wistful heart said faintly,
Some of self, and some of Thee,
Some of self, and some of Thee.
3
Day by day His tender mercy,
Healing, helping, full and free,
Sweet and strong, and ah! so patient,
Brought me lower while I whispered,
Less of self, and more of Thee,
Less of self, and more of Thee.
4
Higher than the highest heavens,
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lord, Thy love at last hath conquered;
Grant me now my heart’s petition,
None of self, and all of Thee,
None of self, and all of Thee.

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. Lord, bring me to the level where self is relegated to zero and Christ is all in all.
2. Lord, by your truth, cleanse me from every tendencies towards schism, sectarianism and self.
3. Let the Holy Spirit help me to discover and fulfil my ministry and give me the mind of Christ to support other God-given ministries.
4. Lord, rebuke and condemn the spirit of schism, rivalry and denominationalism in the body of Christ.

*DAILY MANNA*
*TUESDAY, AUGUST 13 2019*

*ENEMY IN THE SANCTUARY*
*TEXT:* PSALM 74:1-23.
_*�KEY VERSE* "Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary" (PSALM 74:3)._

It is not uncommon these days to read stories of maids and househelps who brutalise children under their care. Their masters brought them into the households to take care of children not knowing that they are actually exploiters of children. Immediately such cases are discovered, such housemaids are rejected from the family. No one would want to have his house occupied by an enemy or have them in charge of his family.

Unfortunately, this is the tone of Psalm 74. It depicts a dire situation whereby the enemy has taken over the sanctuary and the people of God have become helpless. They complain of the outrage and cruelty of their enemies, not so much against themselves but to God's house. There are no complaints of the burning of their cities and ravaging of the country but what they had done against the sanctuary and the synagogue. We see here what seems more like the cry of a child, wondering why, and grieving that his father's face is so turned away from him in displeasure.

The passage had been applied to the defilement of the temple by Antiochus Epiphanes, but prophetically, it refers to the end-time. It is a picture of the ungodliness and worldliness that have taken over the Church. The enemy is on the altar and the name of God is blasphemed and mocked recklessly.

The people of God must not delight in the holiness-bashing that is taking place in the sanctuary today. It is time to cry, "Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily." When we call on God, He arises and fights against our common enemies in the Sanctuary because the gate of hell shall never prevail against His church.

*✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY* Erroneous doctrine is the breeding ground for the devil.

*COVER TO COVER* JOB 1-5.

*MEDITATION*

The lamentation of the righteous for the Church

1. A prophet, with concerns, examined the pathetic moral decadence of the sanctuary (now the Church). Check the relevant verses.
2. He highlighted how the glory of God had been put in the mud as if the glory has departed. Check the relevant verses.
3. He passionately pleaded for divine intervention and visitation. Check the relevant verses.
4. This is what is lacking in the Church of God today.
5. Are you ready to enlist? Why not. Bless are they that mourn.

*HYMN* Did you think to pray

1. Ere you left your room this morning,
Did you think to pray?
In the name of Christ our Savior,
Did you sue for loving favor,
As a shield today?
*Refrain:*
Oh, how praying rests the weary!
Prayer will change the night to day;
So when life seems dark and dreary,
Don’t forget to pray.
2. When you met with great temptation,
Did you think to pray?
By His dying love and merit,
Did you claim the Holy Spirit
As your guide and stay?
3. When your heart was filled with anger,
Did you think to pray?
Did you plead for grace, my brother,
That you might forgive another
Who had crossed your way?
4. When sore trials came upon you,
Did you think to pray?
When your soul was bowed in sorrow,
Balm of Gilead did you borrow
At the gates of day?

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. Lord, open my eyes to see the pathetic state of the Church.
2. Lord, give me concern and zeal for your fading glory in the house of God.
3. Give me the Spirit of persistent intercession that is above all forms of selfish prayers.
4. Lord, taking and the Church back to the good old days.

*DAILY MANNA*
*WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14 2019*

*GODLY WISDOM PAYS*
*TEXT:* ISAIAH 19:11-19.
_*�KEY VERSE* "In that day shall there be an altar of the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD" (ISAIAH 19:19)._

It has rightly been asserted that in times of crisis, the wise build bridges while the foolish build barriers. The Scriptures rightly teach that the preaching of the Cross is foolishness to them that perish but the power of God unto salvation to those who are saved.

Prophet Isaiah spoke about the impending judgement of God on Egypt. He predicted the failure of Egyptian wisdom and culture. Specifically, Isaiah gives some prophecies to be fulfilled when God's judgement would come on Egypt. The Egyptians would fear Judah when they realised their judgement had come from God; and after a time of hardship and suffering, some people would worship the Lord and build altars to honour God. Thus, the prophet saw a day when Egypt would be converted to the knowledge of Lord. That day refers to end-time events associated with the Great Tribulation and Christ's Millennium reign on earth. During the Great Tribulation, the inhabitants of earth will face the fury of God through the Antichrist while in the Millennium reign, all would worship the Lord Jesus Christ.

To escape the danger of hell and the evil reign of the Antichrist, it is godly wisdom to turn away from worldly wisdom that exalts entertainment, pride, promiscuity, permissiveness, mammon, idolatry, cruelty, and all shades of sin; and return to the narrow way of the cross that leads home. Total surrender to Christ today guarantees complete freedom from sin and its consequences. Therefore, godly wisdom teaches us that the controlling factor in life should be the fear of God and submission to His word.

*✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY* The wise does at once what the fool does at last.

*COVER TO COVER* JOB 6-10.

*MEDITATION*

When Jesus reigns

The text is a glimpse of future happenings in the coming millennial reign of Christ and also shows what happens when Jesus is allowed to reign in a community/an individual.
1. The rulers and the wise of this world would realize the folly in governments not centred on Christ and submit to His reign vv11.
2. The poverty, vanity, and limitations of worldly knowledge and wisdom, as contrasted to the knowledge of God, will be obvious to all v12.
3. There will be abundant revelation of the knowledge of God and His word to all, as water covers the sea: deceptions and seductions will disappear in the land v13.
4. Fear of God will reign in the land and all hardness of heart will be broken v16.
5. The Jewish nation will be a threat and source of fear to its neighbours. All nations will submit to its superiority v17.
6. Gentile nations that are known for national idol worship, like Egypt, will yield to the Lord and be converted. There will be universal worship of the Lord vv18,19.
7. The same is true when Jesus is allowed to reign in individual lives, communities etc.

*HYMN* Jesus shall reign where'er the sun

1
Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Doth his successive journeys run;
His Kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.
2
To Him shall endless prayer be made.
And princes throng to crown His head,
His name like sweet perfume shall rise
With every morning sacrifice.
3
People and realms of every tongue
Dwell on His love with sweetest song;
And infant voices shall proclaim
Their early blessings on His name.
4
Blessings abound where’er He reigns:
The prisoner leaps to lose his chains,
The weary find eternal rest,
And all the sons of want are blest.
5
Where He displays His healing power
Death and the curse are known no more;
In Him the tribes of Adam boast
More blessings than their father lost.
6
Let every creature rise and bring
Peculiar honors to our King;
Angels descend with songs again,
And earth repeat the loud Amen.

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. Surrender your heart/family to Jesus and invite Him to come and rule without a rival.
2. Ask Jesus not to leave this nation to His enemies to rule. Put this nation at His feet and ask Him to reign and subdue all His rivals.
3. We don't want man or evil people to rule in the Church. Ask Jesus to take His rightful place and uproot the wicked from the position of authority.
4. Ask Jesus to give you power, authority and priviledge to rule with Him and reign in life, now and in eternity.

*DAILY MANNA*
*THURSDAY, AUGUST 15 2019*

*NO EXCUSE, NO EXCEPTION*
*TEXT:* ACTS 8:1-8.
_*�KEY VERSE* "...And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles... Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word" (ACTS 8:1,4)._

In 1914, the British Army had approximately 710,000 men enlisted and able to fight, and more than 1 million soldiers volunteered to fight in the first months of the World War I. But by mid 1915, it was apparent that not enough men were signing up to replace the casualties from the front line. In response, a scheme was launched in 1915. It involved canvassers visiting eligible men's houses and asking them to publicly declare whether or not they would attest to join the forces. However, the survey revealed that the number of single and married men who publicly refused outnumbered the volunteers required to sustain Britain's fighting forces. Subsequently, the Military Service Act was introduced in January 1916 and by March 1916, compulsory conscription for all single men aged 18-41 was in place. In May 1916, the act was extended to include conscription for married men.

The early Church was also faced with extinction and had to resort to drastic strategies to stay afloat to win against the enemies of the gospel.

The early Church had almost lost the vision given them by Christ before ascension (Acts 1:. But instead of nursing their wounds, these early believers seized the day by turning their persecution into opportunities to preach and reach more people as they spread out from the erstwhile comfort zone of Jerusalem.

The Gospel message is so urgent that no excuse or exception is allowed from those who ought to take it to the needy. Just as the sorrow of death, lack of effort, etc. could not deter those who were scattered abroad from preaching the gospel, we also must never allow anything or anyone make us recoil from the responsibility to show others the way to the celestial city.

*✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY* If our passion is to see God's kingdom come, then nothing should stop the spread of the gospel!

*COVER TO COVER* JOB 11-15.

*MEDITATION*

Turning satanic adversity into soul winning advantage

*1. The Satan's strategy*
To use death, great persecution, adversity, homelessness, imprisonment of the saints etc to stop the preaching of the gospel vv1,3,4.
*2. The saints' strategy*
a. They did not to allow Satan to decimate them. Decimated people cannot preach. They ran for safety as Jesus did and commanded vv1,4, Matthew 10:14,23.
b. They still maintained strong evangelistic presence in Jerusalem through the apostles v1
c. They did not allow allow Satan to achieve his goal of stopping the preaching of the gospel. They turned the adversity into aggressive and strategic evangelism vv4-8.
*3. Saint's solace* (during adversity)
a. Satan cannot outsmart God if His saints are obedient and determined to do His will.
b. God knows Satan strategies before he strikes and He has ready made plan to neutralise and turn it to an advantage before He permits it. Romans 8:28.
c. In any adversity, identify the goal of the adversary and deliberately frustrate that goal through the grace of God.
d. Every challenge should be turned to evangelistic opportunity.
*A* Ponder on your challenges as an individual, family or Church and seek the face of God on what the evil purpose of the adversary is(are), why God permits it and follow your God given instruction on how to turn them to blessings.

*HYMN* Win them one by one

1 If to Christ our only king
Men redeemed we strive to bring,
Just one way this may be done—
We must win them one by one.
*Chorus:*
So you bring the one next to you,
And I’ll bring the one next to me;
In all kinds of weather, we’ll all work together,
And see what can be done;
If you’ll bring the one next to you,
And I bring the one next to me,
In no time at all we’ll have them all,
So win them, win them, one by one.
2 Side by side we stand each day,
Saved are we, but lost are they;
They will come if we but dare
Speak a word backed up by prayer. [Chorus]
3 Only cowards dare refuse,
Dare this gift of God misuse;
Ere some friend goes to his grave,
Speak a word his soul to save. [Chorus]
4 Not for hope of great reward
Turn men’s hearts unto the Lord;
Just to see a saved man smile
Makes the effort well worth while. [Chorus]

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. God, give me understanding to always know Satan's strategy and how to frustrate it.
2. Teach and give me grace with wisdom to always turn all Satan's strategies against my life and destiny into evangelistic advantage.
3. Lord, I ask for grace to be faithful when confronted with any kind of adversity and evils from the wicked.
4. Lord, set your Church ablaze for the gospel

*DAILY MANNA*
*FRIDAY, AUGUST 16 2019*

*LIVING TO EAT*
*TEXT:* ECCLESIASTES 10:16-20.
_*�KEY VERSE* "Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!" (ECCLESIASTES 10:17)._

According to Web MD, an online medical advisory website, Bulimia nervosa, is an eating disorder that involves bingeing on food followed by purging, escalating gum disease, osteoporosis, kidney disease, heart disease and death. On the other hand, anorexia nervosa is another eating disorder in which people have an intense fear of gaining weight and can become dangerously thin because they eat less than is normal to keep a normal weight. Both cases are predominant in advanced societies where to eat a square meal is no big deal.

In today's reading, we have figuratively told that it is childish and immature for rulers to be preoccupied with binge eating or drunkenness for the sake of it. We are also given the very purpose of eating and when it is appropriate to eat. For those who live to eat, they end up becoming slothful and projects that would have been accomplished are left to chance. It is pitiful when people who have too much live only to satisfy themselves, when actually there are countless underprivileged people around them who can afford so little or nothing.

Staggering data from World Food Aid Foundation shows that one in seven people go hungry while one third of food is wasted. This means some 795 million people in the world do not have enough food to lead a healthy, active life while there are yet others who have too much for themselves and their families. Sadly, those who have too much tend to show little or no compassion on children and other vulnerable groups.

We are stewards of whatever privileges we have in life. And when our income increases, we should seek to also increase our impact on those who are less fortunate. Rather than flaunt a lavish lifestyle that can only support our carnal cravings, we should seek to be a channel of blessing to the hungry around us.

*✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY* When income increases, improve your standard of giving rather than your style of living.

*COVER TO COVER* JOB 16-20.

*MEDITATION*

On leadership, laziness and leisure

1. It is a tragedy, and of course a curse, for any land or community to have leaders are childish or given to pleasure v16.
2. The early life of a man who wants to make an impact should be spent in hard work and not in feasting or pleasure v16.
3. Successful and accomplished leaders are those who are disciplined with what and how they they handle their appetite v17.
4. A slothful leader brings decay, instead of improvement, to a good existing structure and create many destructive leakages v18.
5. Truly, money answers all things relating to feasting and wine and can give laughter and merriment. This is what is generally believed. A leader should set his/priority right and work for lasting eternal profits.
*Q* What are some of the things in your life that money has no answer for?

*HYMN* To the work, to the work

1. To the work! To the work! We are servants of God;
Let us follow the path that our Master has trod;
With the balm of His counsel our strength to renew,
Let us do with our might what our hands find to do.
*Refrain:*
Toiling on, toiling on,
Toiling on, toiling on;
Let us hope, let us watch,
And labor till the Master comes.
2. To the work! To the work! Let the hungry be fed;
To the fountain of life let the weary be led;
In the cross and its banner our glory shall be,
While we herald the tidings, “Salvation is free!”
3. To the work! To the work! There is labor for all;
For the kingdom of darkness and error shall fall;
And the love of our Father exalted shall be,
In the loud swelling chorus, “Salvation is free!”
4. To the work! To the work! In the strength of the Lord,
And a robe and a crown shall our labor reward,
When the home of the faithful our dwelling shall be,
And we shout with the ransomed, “Salvation is free!”

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. Pray that God will build you up that you will not be a childish leader in life.
2. Ask for grace to always put your appetites, (physical, emotional, fashion, world desires and ambitions), under subjection of the Holy Spirit.
3. Pray for your leaders in the ministry that each will possess abundant grace to rule over his/her appetites.
4. Ask for the Holy Spirit to take over the leadership of your country and not allow them to descend to childishness, slothfulness and pleasure.

DAILY MANNA
SATURDAY AUGUST 17, 2019
TOPIC: OUR PORTION FOREVER
TEXT: Jeremiah 10:1-16
KEY VERSE:
“The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of hosts is his name” - (Jeremiah 10:16).
Would you choose God over fame or fortune? That is exactly what Jacob did. Isaac, having inherited the riches of Abraham, became wealthier than his father. That means the children of Isaac could afford a lavish disposition. But Jacob the son of Isaac chose God rather than the fame or fortune his father may bequeath. Going to Padanaram to become an apprentice was actually an opportunity to see God and know Him more intimately for himself (Genesis 28:10-16). Years later, Moses, imitating Jacob his ancestor, also rejected the fame and prospect of becoming the prince of Egypt. Why? Scripture says he esteemed “the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt...” (Hebrews 11:26).
Now after hundreds of years, Prophet Isaiah made an allusion to the choices made by Jacob and his brother Esau. While Jacob made God his portion, his brother and his progeny who later became heathen nations, chose the fame of golden idols and rejoiced in their personal achievements rather than in the living and true God.
Though we make our choices, our choices eventually make or mar us especially in the light of life and in eternity. There is certainly a price to pay for any good or bad choice. The price paid for choosing God may appear daunting and may lead to some hardships. But wait until you see the price paid for rejecting Him.
Choosing God rather than the glittering ephemeral or worldly laurels is still better and would pay more in this life and in the afterlife. Certainly, anyone who decides to follow and serve the King of kings never regrets such decision. He is the only Potentate, the All-wise God, a faithful Creator. He never fails those who put their trust in Him.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
God is enough for those who truly trust and believe in Him.
THE BIBLE IN A YEAR:
Job 21-25

DAILY MANNA
SUNDAY AUGUST 18, 2019
TOPIC: MERCY AND JUSTICE
TEXT: Isaiah 30:27-33
KEY VERSE:
“For Tophet is ordained of old, yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large; the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it” - (Isaiah 30:33).
God in His nature and attribute of mercy pardons the iniquity of contrite men and grant them eternal salvation which they merited not. In the same token of His nature of justice, He punishes sinful men and banishes them to eternal damnation if they should die in their sin.
Earlier in the chapter from where our text is taken, God had appealed to Israel to return to Him for their salvation rather than go back to Egypt and be disappointed. He sent a message of warning to the belligerent and wicked king of Assyria: “…The Assyrians shall be beaten down…” (v. 31). This is a message of total rout and ruin of the army of a nation that shuns the offer of God’s mercy but rather believed in themselves. The appointed place of judgment and ruin of the Assyrian king is Tophet a place of perpetual fire.
The relevance of this message to modern men is that, all unrepentant sinners will be cast into hell, and all backsliders that have forgotten God too. Divine eternal punishment will give no recognition to classes or nobility of any sinner. Same punishment is ordained both for the rich and the poor, the nobles and the commons. He is not a respecter of man. Moreover, no sinner or backslider may, by whatever ingenuity or power escape the fury judgment of fire. Tophet is a similitude of hell. It is so deep that no one can escape or be rescued from it.
Our wisdom is in turning away from sin, believe on the Saviour Jesus Christ, pray earnestly for forgiveness and live entirely for Him henceforth.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
No respect of persons with God.
THE BIBLE IN A YEAR:
Job 26-30

DAILY MANNA
MONDAY AUGUST 19, 2019
TOPIC: HE WHOM GOD CHOOSES
TEXT: Numbers 11:1-13
KEY VERSE:
“And it shall come to pass, that the man’s rod in whom I shall choose shall blossom, and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you” - (Numbers 17:5).
Man cannot appoint himself to qualify for divine purpose. God calls a man first, works in him, and puts him into the ministry. One of the main factors determining the usability of a man by God is a circumcised heart with definite fruit of the Spirit.
God had chosen Aaron and his sons for the priesthood, but Korah and his cohorts murmured against Moses and queried the divine choice. In a reaction to this rebellion, God gave a test to the congregation. Every tribe of Israel was to bring a rod of the almond tree, and whosoever rod budded, produced flower and fruits same day is he that is chosen. That settled the matter for that which only Aaron’s rod did.
God does not use unholy vessels for His Kingdom work. You must be born again, and the evidence that you are is the fruit of the Spirit produced in your life. The fruit comes up at the moment of conversion when the Holy Spirit bears witness within you that you are born again.
Many have ignorantly argued that you mature into the fruit of the Spirit. It is not so. You do not labour for it to come nor is it true that you grow into it. Rather, it comes the moment the Holy Spirit confirms your adoption. It behooves everyone that reads this to ensure that the rod, which is the word of God, bears the instant fruit of obedience in every life so that we are not judged and condemned with the world.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Prove your new birth experience by the fruit you bear.
THE BIBLE IN A YEAR:
Job 31-36

*DAILY MANNA*
*TUESDAY, AUGUST 20 2019*

*GOD'S RIGHTEOUS JUDGEMENT*
*TEXT:* AMOS 1:1-10.
_*�KEY VERSE* "And he said, the LORD will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherd shall mourn and the top of Carmel shall wither" (AMOS 1:2)._

Our God is a righteous judge. He is very loving and compassionate. His patience endures for long. As loving as He is, He never condones evils.

Amos was an 8th century B.C. prophet, a contemporary of Isaiah and Micah in Judah and Jonah and Hosea in Israel. He was a herdsman and gatherer of sycamore fruit. He was a native of Tekoa, a village in Judah. He was not a prophet but God gave him a prophetic vision and ministry concerning rebellious Israel.

In today's reading, Amos was a man filled with burden and he brought to light without mincing words his errands for both Israel and the surrounding nations. He was called to deliver a message of judgement to Israel and to give them a final warning. He began by pronouncing judgement on seven neighbouring nations.

The book of Amos is an eye opener to the various stages in the rebellious development of mankind. It is a protest of a single person as led by the Spirit of God to reveal the evil practices and manifestation of people living in that era. It reveals God's hatred for sin of mistreating other human beings. God is a righteous judge. He will surely judge every violent and inhuman practices done against other fellow beings.

Despite the fact that Israel had received the goodness and kindness of God, they turned against His law and covenants and forgot all He had done for them. The judgement of God therefore was to enable Israel to appreciate her guilt and bear the reproach of God's righteous judgement. This is to assure us that there is One who judges the affairs of men on Earth. Satan's reign on earth shall surely come to an end. It is only the kingdom of Christ that shall abide forever and ever.

*✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY* To escape God's imminent judgement, you must approach Him in repentance.

*COVER TO COVER* JOB 37-42.

*MEDITATION*

"Little sins" against God's children that the Holiness of God will not overlook

1. Unrestrained cruelty against enemies or lawful adversaries. The war against Gilead, a town in Benjamin, by Syria was not God's cause for judging Syria. The problem was the extreme cruelty of using sharp iron sledges to crush them v3.
*Observation* See the severity of the judgement in vv4,5.
2. Severe or deadly punishment of wrongdoers with no allowance or consideration for mercy v6.
The punishment of Israel by the Philistines was not the cause of God's anger. The issue was that *all* the conquered territories of Israel were turned to Edom with the intention of annihilating them totally contrary to God's plan.
*Observe* the severity of the judgement in vv7,8.
3. Neglecting or ignoring the demand of brotherliness when the going goes tough v9.
Tyrus ignored the brotherly relationship while delivering the whole conquered territory of Israel to Edom.
*Beware of how you handle your lawful adversaries or captives in order to avoid sinning against God*

*HYMN* Holy Holy Holy

1
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty!
Unto everlasting days our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, Holy, Holy, Merciful and Mighty!
God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity!
2
Holy, Holy, Holy! all the saints adore Thee;
Heaven’s elders cast their crowns down by the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim worship too before Thee,
Who wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.
3
Holy, Holy, Holy! though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see,
Only Thou art holy, there is none beside Thee
Perfect in power, in love, and purity.

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. Prayer for grace to love your avowed adversaries and divine wisdom to handle them.
2. Ask for divine instruction and guidance for the right attitude to peculiar adversaries.
3. Pray for mercy and deliverance from cruel oppressors for lawful captives suffering for their sins in the fellowship.
4. Ask for mercy and forgiveness for all members suffering the punishment of transgressing the holiness of God.

*DAILY MANNA*
*WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21 2019*

*FAITH EXEMPLIFIED*
*TEXT:* HEBREWS 11:1-3.
_*�KEY VERSE* "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (HEBREWS 11:1)._

The Rothschild family is a wealthy Jewish family. Their father Rothschild laid the foundation of his fortune because he heard the news that the battle of Waterloo had been won a day before anyone else in Britain. The fact enabled him to buy up all the depressed money issues which arose as soon as the news became public. It was faith that prompted him to act faster than any other person thereby making the Rothschild family the wealthiest in the world at that time.

Our passage today deals with just three verses exemplifying what faith is. Faith is the demonstration of things not seen. It is by faith that the Spirit of God witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God after our sins have been forgiven and blotted out. Faith in Christ brings pardon. When this happens, a person has the fullest conviction of the truth and reality of God's blessings. Though not seen by the eye, they are felt by the heart, and such a person has no more doubt of God's approbation.

We do not see God or heaven; neither do we see the redeemed in glory or the crowns that await us. But we believe and have faith in them and this leads us to act as if we can see them. As Christians, who believe what God says and have the assurance that since He has spoken those things, they are as He said.

The most important thing is to show confidence in God's sustaining power, most importantly, in times of trial and to act in view of the promises. We must pray earnestly to develop our faith to the extent that we have no iota of doubt concerning any aspect of the Word. We must "let the word of Christ dwell in us richly in all wisdom..." (Colossians 3:16). When we have faith in the word of God, nothing shall be impossible for us.

*✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY* Believers must perceive with the eyes of faith.

*COVER TO COVER* PSALM 1-10.

*MEDITATION*

The meaning of faith

1. It is the heart expression/assurance of receiving what the eyes are yet to see v1.
2. It is the answer to the question as to whether what we are expecting from God will eventually come v1.
3. It is what brings forgiveness, justification, cleansing of the heart and makes possible a righteous transformed living v2.
4. It is what makes it possible for the saints of old to live a life worthy of divine and human commendation v2.
5. Faith illuminates/enlightens the heart to understand divine mysteries as far as possible for the finite mind v3.
6. Faith puts God where He belongs - the Creator of all things, visible and invisible v3.
7. It is the supernatural power that brings invisible creations of prayers to visibility v3.
*Q* What are other things you can infer about faith from the text?

*HYMN* My faith looks up to Thee

1
My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior Divine;
Now hear me while I pray;
Take all my guilt away;
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine.
2
May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire;
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire.
3
While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my Guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside.
4
All thru life’s transient dream,
Until death’s sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll,
Blest Savior, with Thy love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Make me Thy grace to prove
Transform my soul.

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. Lord, teach me to trust your word as it is.
2. Lord, increase my faith.
3. Lord, open my inner eyes to be seeing and trusting the invisible (God).
4. Lord, give us the faith that is sufficient to transform and translate us to live the best life expected of us.

DAILY MANNA
THURSDAY AUGUST 22, 2019
TOPIC: UNGUARDED PASSION
TEXT: Exodus 17:1-7
KEY VERSE:
“Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, why chide ye with me? Wherefore do ye tempt the LORD?” - (Exodus 17:2).
Passion is a strong feeling of enthusiasm for something. Passion, if not properly guarded, could lead to negative results which can damn the soul. The consequences could lead from one problem to the other.
Our text narrates the journey of the children of Israel to the Promised Land. They had just left the wilderness of Sin and by the commandment of God, they were asked to pitch in Rephidim. In Rephidim, there was no water for the people to drink. They thirsted for water and murmured against Moses. Moses had to cry to God and the Lord directed him to smite the rock in Horeb. The smiting of the rock brought out the water for the people to drink and satisfied their desire.
It was not the need of water by the children of Israel that mattered. They were outrageous in their demand. They directed their demand to Moses instead of God. Instead of praying to God, they were weeping and crying to Moses. Their action was purely a demonstration of unbelief.
Unguarded passions provoked by unbridled appetites can make us guilty and act like sinners. We must not allow our inordinate cry and passion for our needs to make us look like rebels before the Almighty. This actions sometimes force our leaders to run to God with fear.
Although the journey of Israel was directed by God under the direction of the Pillar of cloud and fire, yet there was need in the lives of the people. That we are under a ministry filled and directed by the power of God does not mean we won’t have needs in our lives. God in His love and mercy performed a miracle of water for the children of Israel. That Rock was Christ and the coming of water from that rock was a demonstration of Christ's grace as unmerited favour brought down for us. Let's carry our need to God through Christ by pleading and spreading our hands of faith to Him.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Don't allow your passion to misguide you.
THE BIBLE IN A YEAR:
Psalm 11-18

*DAILY MANNA*
*FRIDAY, AUGUST 23 2019*

*GOD'S SPIRIT ON HIS PEOPLE*
*TEXT:* NUMBERS 11:24-30.
_*�KEY VERSE* "And the LORD came down in a cloud and spake unto him and took of the spirit that was upon him and gave unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and not cease" (NUMBERS 11:25)._

There were very few disciples before the day of Pentecost and little exploit was done. But on the day of Pentecost, the spirit came down and baptized the one hundred and twenty in the upper room. Thus, there was great expansion in the gospel work and nations were reached with the salvation message.

Moses was the only person having the Spirit of God before God instructed him to extend it to the seventy elders. He seemed to be the only one carrying the burden of the people. The work was much on him. He complained to God and God came with a divine solution. He was instructed to gather seventy elders among the people together by the tabernacle. They were to assist him in the daily administration of the people. Without the enduement of the Spirit of God, they will not be able to do the work effectively. The elders were assembled together by the tabernacle of God. God came down in a cloud and took of the Spirit that was upon Moses and gave it unto the seventy elders. When the Spirit came upon them, they prophesied. Two of them, Eldad and Medad, who did not join the others at the tabernacle also prophesied. They were also filled with the Spirit of God.

If a man does not have the Holy Spirit in his life, he is not well equipped to serve or lead God's people. Such could be an hindrance instead of a blessing. The operation of the Spirit is not limited to a particular geographical location or boundary. Even the two men who were not with the other elders were also filled with the Spirit of God. We should be like Moses who will want everyone to receive the Spirit of God so as to be able to minister.

*✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY* When you are filled with His Spirit, you will do more exploits for Him.

*COVER TO COVER* PSALM 19-23.

*MEDITATION*

What the Holy Spirit power does for the recipient
*1. Anointing to prophesy* vv24-27
a. He/she receives supernatural power to build up (edify) the faith of others I Corinthians 14:3,4.
b. He/she receives divine ability to preach boldly and skillfully, and give exhortation effectively I Corinthian 14:3.
c. He/she receives the grace and gift to know how to comfort the afflicted effectively.
d. He/she is endowed with anointing to preach and break the hearts of hardest of sinners Acts 2:37.
e. He/she possesses ceaseless and continuous resource for renewal of spiritual power and grace Numbers 11:25.
*2. Anointing to pray* The recipient has supernatural power of prayer and faith Romans 8:26,27.
*3. Advancement to power soaked ministry*
Opens the door of the gifts of the Spirit and supernatural miracles to the recipient Numbers 11:25b, I Corinthians 12:4-11.
*4. Angelic praise*
The recipient receives ability to offer pure and perfect praise that unites with angelic praise Numbers 11:25, Acts 2:4,11.
*Q* Do you have measureless power of the Holy Spirit in your life?

*HYMN* Give me a double portion

1. Long ago in days of old, stood a man of God we're told,
As he talked to Elijah that day;
His request he did repeat, standing at Elijah's feet,
"A double portion" I can hear him say.
*CHORUS:*
Give me, Lord, a double portion, pour Thy Spirit on me,
Thru eyes of faith Thy wondrous works I can see,
But I need Thy helping hand, in this troubled, sinful land,
Give me, Lord, a double portion from Thee.

2. As Elijah stood that day, to Elisha he did say,
"Ask me what I shall do unto thee,"
And Elisha then replied, walking at Elijah's side,
"A double portion, let it fall on me."
*CHORUS:*

3. Lord, I always to Thee, pray, just for strength from day to day,
But I see there's so much to be done,
That I have to kneel anew and this favor ask of you,
A double portion -- this fight must be won.
*CHORUS:*

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. Lord, open my eyes to the immeasurable power available to me.
2. Lord, give me hunger, thirst and faith that will not be satisfied with anything less than the anointing you have for me.
3. Lord, launch me into supernatural ministry to both saints and sinners.
4. Lord, pour out your supernatural power afresh on the members and ministers in the Church.

DAILY MANNA
SATURDAY AUGUST 24, 2019
TOPIC: AVOID PARTIALITY
TEXT: James 2:1-9
KEY VERSE:
“My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons” - (James 2:1).
We were all born the same way when we came to this world and we will go the same way when we die. There is no distinction between the birth or death of the poor or the rich. We shall all go naked to God as we came naked from Him.
Our passage passes a great warning to us as to how to avoid partiality in the house of God. We must see both the poor and the rich in the household of faith in the same way as God sees them.
The text points to the fact that we should avoid at all cost the sin of partiality in the church of God. We must not make a distinction between the rich and the poor. Wherever this is practised, the Spirit of God will depart. God's love is impartial and He never allows any outward appearance to affect His relationship with us. He is God of the rich as well as of the poor. God is looking for humility, purity and righteousness in His Church. He looks at the proud from a distance.
The Bible injunction is: “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God”, whether they be poor or rich. It is better for a poor man to be rich in faith and become heir of His Kingdom. We must allow the love of God to dominate our hearts. This should be supreme in our hearts above other things. We may obey all the laws of hygiene but if we take in just a little poison we may die. So it is with the word of God. If we obey all but fail in one, we have invalidated all notwithstanding other good we may have done.
We must not judge anybody by his economic status but follow the royal law of our Lord Jesus Christ who treats us equally in spite of our status.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
All men and women are equal before our All-seeing God.
THE BIBLE IN A YEAR:
Psalm 24-30

```DAILY ⓂANNA

SUNDAY 25TH AUGUST,2019```

*BE YE CLEAN*

��```TEXT:LEVITICUS 11:21-28```��

��```KEY VERSE:``` _*“And whosever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even” (LEVITICUS 11:25).*_


*Many people love to worship and serve at the altar of the Lord but are not willing to lay aside the excess weight that slows them down. Today's passage describes an aspect of ceremonial law given to Israel that could disqualify people from worship and shut them out from the congregation of the Lord until they were certified cleansed. God had strictly forbidden them from eating certain animal, and to ensure adherence to this law, they were not to touch such animals or their carcases at all as doing this would automatically render victims unclean.*

*Under the dispensation of grace, Jesus did not in any way degrade the law. But He paved the way for a change. This was made clear in Acts 10:9-29 when God removed the traditional restrictions regarding food. Jesus pointed out that: “It is that which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man”. Sin of any kind and shape is the monster that makes a person unclean and defiled in the sight of God and the heart is the centre of activities where every evil thoughts proceed from. We must be stringent about what we allow into our minds because they could also be sources of defilement.*

*Our inward appearance matters much before God. If as a believer, your mindset and thought processes are always tending towards evil, lust, envy, hatred, covetousness, revenge, etc. then you urgently need the second work of grace (Sanctification). If your desire is to offer acceptable worship and services unto God and eventually see Him at the end of time, you must avoid all unclean things. God is holy and those that serve Him must be clean both inwardly and outwardly.*

✍```THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:``` _*Only clean vessels befit the worship and service of the holy God.*_

��```THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR``` *PSALM 31–35*��

```DAILY ⓂANNA

MONDAY 26TH AUGUST,2019```

*BE NOT DISMAYED*

��```TEXT:1 SAMUEL 17:1-11```��

��```KEY VERSE:``` _*“When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid”(1 SAMUEL 17:11).*_


*Here is a child's response to his parents' traumatic feeling and expression: “Dad! Mum! But you taught me to trust God whenever I am afraid. Let's trust him. He will save us”. In the same vein, the psalmist says, “what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee” (Psalm 56:3). But when King Saul (who was supposed to be a champion himself and a match for Goliath in battle) and the army of Israel heard the threats and the disdainful utterances from the champion of their opponent, Goliath, they were engulfed with fear and worried.*

*Goliath appeared invincible before Israel and so both the sinful king and his followers trembled before him. In the sight of God however, he was like anyone else and his utterances were worthless and vain. Were it not for loss of fellowship and communion with God, Saul should have known that Goliath's fellow giants were conquered in the past and that he was a defeated foe as well.*

*Believers need to be careful and watchful so that they do not take the grace and mercy of God for granted as this could predispose them to sin, thereby making them cowards and defenseless before the enemy. You must not be dismayed or perturbed when surrounded by giant-like situations and vicissitudes of life because there is no mountain so high that God cannot make a plain. Whatever giant is before you today - problem, challenge, affliction, persecution, trial or the general economic financial situation - arise in courage and firmness and confront such through faith.*

✍```THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:``` _*Fear empties one of strength.*_

��```THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:``` *PSALM 36–38*��

DAILY MANNA
TUESDAY AUGUST 27, 2019
TOPIC: PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH
TEXT: Revelation 17:1-8
KEY VERSE:
“And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration” - (Revelation 17:6).
Pastor Richard Wurmbrand who spent fourteen years in the Communists' prison in Romania with horrible tortures and sufferings was released to become the voice of the underground churches in captive nations. He says: “…the Seed of the woman will bruise the head of the serpent” (Genesis 3:15). We tickle the serpent on the belly making him to laugh. Today, the serpent continues to crawl through China, North Korea, Vietnam and Laos... and in the Middle East where no one church building is allowed to stand. The plight of such captive nations must continually be addressed by Church leaders and mission directors, as well as by every thoughtful Christian”. From the time of Abel through the law, prophets, the Early Church and to the contemporary time, people have been oppressed, tortured and killed for their faith.
In the account of today, the great LovePeddler, that is, the woman arrayed in purple and scarlet with the title, Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of all Harlots and Abomination of the Earth, symbolises any system that is hostile and opposed to God. Her being drunken with blood shows her pleasure in the persecution of the saints and martyrs of Jesus.
Today, many Christians have suffered unspeakable tortures in the hands of their tormentors and persecutors under the influence of this old serpent (the devil). Believers who are in persecution free nations should see it as an assignment to constantly and passionately intercede for the sustenance of the faith of our fellow pilgrims including missionaries in those countries. We should always be ready to support mission work when the need arises.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Persecution is the true test of the Christian faith.
THE BIBLE IN A YEAR:
Psalm 39-43

*DAILY MANNA*
*WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28 2019*

*WASTED INHERITANCE*
*TEXT:* 1 KINGS 14:21-31.
_*�KEY VERSE* "And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made" (1 KINGS 14:26)._

Rehoboam missed it as soon as he ascended the throne of the mighty kingdom he inherited from his father and grandfather by rejecting God-guided counsel of the matured men concerning the request of the people of Israel. He had lived with Solomon a man of wisdom all his life but he could not decide the old men's counsel as a godly one.

Following Rehoboam's insensitivity towards national issues, Israel was divided into two kingdoms. The two tribes over which he then reigned went into sin and they became spiritually and morally corrupt. Consequently, just five years into the reign of Rehoboam, all the treasures, both of the House of God and of the king's house including the shields of gold made by Solomon disappeared. God permitted Shishak, the king of Egypt to invade the land of Judah and soon, all the glamour and glory faded. The gold turned into brass.

When people forfeit real goals for wrong ones, such as temporary power, position, popularity, prestige and wealth, they end up chasing shadows without substance, thereby becoming perpetual slaves to Satan and his cohorts. Some Christians have carelessly wasted and exchanged their eternal inheritance for modern-day idolatry. They forget that they that want to be rich at all cost often fall into temptation.

As heaven-bound believers, we must not lose sight of the great inheritance God has given to us through His Son. We must jealously watch over it and graciously develop and grow into greater spiritual heights until our great King comes to take us into our eternal inheritance. Always remember that when a man removes God from his life everything else becomes useless, no matter how valuable it may seem.

*✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY* Setting goals without God leads to irrecoverable loss.

*COVER TO COVER* PSALM 44-50.

*MEDITATION*

A leader should learn to learn from history as "history repeats itself"

1. Rehoboam knew that he lost 10 tribes to Jeroboam and retained only 2 mainly due to the backsliding and idolatry of his father Solomon. Yet he learnt nothing from that bitter experience but continued in idolatry vv22-24.
2. He obviously had access to the books, Proverbs and Ecclesiastics, written by his father which contain words of wisdom. He ignored those treasures of wisdom and lived according to his ignorant heart. The consequences were fatal vv25-26.
3. The books of Samuel were also available to him as a King and could read how David dealt with difficult situations from his adversaries by coming closer to God. He refused to learn from his grandfather. After defeat, he did not see any need to come close to God vv26-28.
4. Observe that the backsliding of his father took a toll on him. His mother, wife of Solomon, was an idol worshipper v21b. Watch what you bequeath to your children.
5. His predecessors, Saul, David and Solomon each reigned for 40 years but he reigned for just 17 years v21. An untimely death caused by inability to learn from history!
*Q* Do you care to read relevant historical records, both biblical and contemporary, for the sake of acquiring helpful wisdom?
*Q* Do you see challenges as opportunities for coming closer to God?

*HYMN* Nearer my God to thee

1. Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee;
E’en though it be a cross
That raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.
2
Though, like a wanderer,
The sun gone down,
Darkness comes over me,
My rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I’d be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.
3
There let me see the sight,
An open heaven;
All that Thou sendest me,
In mercy given;
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.
4
Then, with my waking thoughts
Bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs
Bethel I’ll raise,
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. Lord, make me a lover of knowledge and wisdom that will help me in life.
2. Lord, give me the discipline that will be willing to pay the price of acquiring needed knowledge and wisdom in order to be the best I can be.
3. Lord, draw me closer and lead me to the treasures of knowledge and wisdom that my ministry need.
4. Lord, give us leaders, both in the Church and in the nation, that have understanding and cherish the wisdom and the knowledge of God.

*DAILY MANNA*
*THURSDAY, AUGUST 29 2019*

*THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE*
*TEXT:* PSALM 75:1-10.
_*�KEY VERSE* "But God is the judge; he puts down one and sets up another" (PSALM 75:7)._

Every purpose of God has its own time and it manifests as ordained by the Almighty. As for the judgement of the world, He has ordained a time for that. A time when the righteous shall be taken away and rewarded but all the wicked of the earth shall be judged for their wickedness and sinfulness.

From our text, God is apparently not in a hurry to judge the world because He is not willing that any should perish. Howbeit, He warns the fools who had concluded in their hearts that there is no God. He calls on the wicked and the arrogant to forsake their wickedness and haughtiness.

Although God is patiently waiting for the wicked to turn away from their evil way and embrace the loving Saviour Jesus Christ, the fact of His return is certain; He will surely come and judge the world in righteousness no matter how long it takes. In essence, God's judgement looms over the wicked. He has the cup of His fury at hand to be poured upon sinners who will voluntarily drink of it. If you are still in the pool of sin and wickedness it is not late yet. "Seek the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: let the wicked forsake his way; and the unrighteous man his thoughts..." (Isaiah 55:6,7).

As the end of all things draw near, believers must remain firm in their conviction; sinners and backsliders must make haste to be saved and restored because our God is a righteous judge.

*✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY* Seek the Lord today, escape His wrath tomorrow.

*COVER TO COVER* PSALM 51-60.

*MEDITATION*

"Jehovah has the final say"

1. A reflection of the wonders of God shows the kind of person He is. This should form the basis of our praise and thanksgiving to Him regardless of our present feelings v1,10.
2. Though He is a God of justice, He has his own timing for judgement, both in time and in eternity v2.
3. No matter the tumults, tension and threatenings of wars and human extinction, God has the final say v3.
4. The boasters and the barbaric are powerless when it comes to promotion and demotion of fellow human beings. God has the final say vv4-7.
5. Delay in justice is not denial, all will certainly be judged vv8,9.

*HYMN* Jesus shall reign wherever there is sun

1
Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Doth his successive journeys run;
His Kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.
2
To Him shall endless prayer be made.
And princes throng to crown His head,
His name like sweet perfume shall rise
With every morning sacrifice.
3
People and realms of every tongue
Dwell on His love with sweetest song;
And infant voices shall proclaim
Their early blessings on His name.
4
Blessings abound where’er He reigns:
The prisoner leaps to lose his chains,
The weary find eternal rest,
And all the sons of want are blest.
5
Where He displays His healing power
Death and the curse are known no more;
In Him the tribes of Adam boast
More blessings than their father lost.
6
Let every creature rise and bring
Peculiar honors to our King;
Angels descend with songs again,
And earth repeat the loud Amen.

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. Reflect on some of God's wonders, written or experienced, and give praises to Him.
2. Just as He holds the pillars of the earth from ever crumbling, ask Him to hold you and keep you from falling.
3. Pray for favour and mercy never to be a victim of demotion in any area of your life but always a candidate for promotion.
4. Ask that God will prove to the evil workers against your life and His Church that He has the final say.

*DAILY MANNA*
*FRIDAY, AUGUST 30 2019*

*ONLY THE TRUTH*
*TEXT:* MATTHEW 5:33-37.
_*�KEY VERSE* "But let your communication be yea, yea; nay, nah; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil" (MATTHEW 5:37)._

Lying and swearing are twin brothers. Some people are habitual liars and in an attempt to press their point home, they swear profusely even when no one contests what they are saying. There are some people in the neighborhood or in the office who when they say "good morning," you may need to check the time whether it is morning indeed as they are known never to say the truth. They are habitual deceivers. They go to the extent of swearing with the name of God and even cursing. This is a characteristic of the unregenerate.

The text of today deals with two distinct matters; the basic concept about oath and the broadened connotation of oath. The opening verse says that "You must carry out the vows you have made to the Lord" while Jesus in the concluding verse says, "don't wear." Simple "yes" or "no" should suffice. One of the characteristics of a child of God is the love to always say the truth. Christ admonishes the New Testament Believers not to swear at all with anything on earth or in heaven. We should simply say the truth. If you tell the truth, there is no point swearing.

A child of God may however make pledges to give God something or do something for Him. The important guiding principle is that such a believer should ensure he or she carries out the pledges. Else, it becomes a sin.

The point being stressed in this passage is that believers should not tell lies directly or indirectly. Neither should any attempt be made to cover any lie with swearing. If you are a profuse or instinctive liar, then you need to visit Calvary for regeneration by confessing your sins and making Christ your Lord and Saviour and you will be delivered.

*✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY* Swearing increases the penalty for lying.

*COVER TO COVER* PSALM 61-67.

*MEDITATION*

The truth about Truth

*1. Divine Mathematics* v37.
a. Half truth = complete lie.
b. Almost true = total falsehood.
c. Partial truth = perfect lie.
d. Partial obedience = Disobedience James 2:10.
e. Almost erroneous doctrine = false doctrine I Corinthians 5:6.
f. Almost a saint = a sinner I John 3:8,9.
g. Truth + a little exaggeration = evil v37.
h. Lie + truth = falsehood = evil v37.
*2. Don't swear, just affirm*
a. Swearing is totally forbidden, but you can affirm the truth vv33-36.
b. Swearing is a concession that at times you may not be trusted v37.
c. The provocation to swear is an attestation from the evil one (Satan) to prove that every one is like him, the father of lies, and it is only by swearing men can be trusted v37, John 8:44b.
d. Resisting the temptation to swear is resisting the devil, James 4:7.
*3. Lies are of satanic origin and liars are children of Satan* John 8:44
*All unrepentant liars, either those lying with a good motive or those saying the "truth" with the intention to deceive, will end up in hell* Revelation 21:8, 22:15, Psalm 51:6.

*HYMN:* Oh! to Be Like Thee

1. Oh! to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
*Refrain:*
Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
2. Oh! to be like Thee, full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wand’ring sinner to find.
3. Oh! to be like Thee, lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer, others to save.
4. Oh! to be like Thee, Lord, I am coming,
Now to receive th’ anointing divine;
All that I am and have I am bringing,
Lord, from this moment all shall be Thine.
5. Oh! to be like Thee, while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love,
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. If you are lying and "born again", ask for a genuine experience of salvation from the Lord.
2. Lord, I hereby bring it to the altar, I will no more use it to lie or exaggerate any more.
3. Purify my heart and make me a lover and speaker of truth from my inward heart.
4. Lord, circumcise the hearts of your children and remove every tendency to lie from their hearts.

*DAILY MANNA*
*SATURDAY, AUGUST 31 2019*

*GOD WILL SEND HELPERS*
*TEXT:* 1 CHRONICLES 12:16-22.
_*�KEY VERSE* "For at that time day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host, like the host of God" (1 CHRONICLES 12:22)._

There are moments in the life of either a saint or sinner when discouragement, despondency and feeling of loneliness come. If there is none to give encouragement and comfort at those moments, one may feel forsaken and lonely as it happened to Elijah when King Ahab and Jezebel were on his trail to eliminate him.

David, who had fled from King Saul to the land of the Philistines because of threats of his life, had also been sent away by the Lords of the Philistines with the fear that he might betray them on the battlefield. David felt discouraged and confused. It was then that the Lord divinely sent some of the children of Benjamin, Judah and Manasseh to his hiding place to openly pledge their loyalty and support for him so as to encourage him. Even when David was in doubt, the Spirit of God came upon Amasai who plainly declared their allegiance and unalloyed affection for him.

As Children of God, we all, like Amasai, must not be ashamed to publicly identify with the Saviour. Just as David eventually assigned them as captains of the band, Christ will receive us, employ us in His gospel work and lift us up.

When we feel forsaken and abandoned by our loved ones due to persecution, we should not forget that the Holy Spirit will always abide with us to comfort and encourage us. Jesus assures us that when we walk through the fire, we will not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon us. He has also promised the believers of His ever abiding presence. He will help and lift you out of your present predicament and sorrow.

*✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY* God is our present help in trouble.

*COVER TO COVER* PSALM 68-71.

*MEDITATION*

The Lord our Helper

*1. The conditions of David*
a. He life was being threatened by a stronger enemy, Saul and his army, and hence he was hiding in the hold v16.
b. He was in a state of uncertainty as to who could betray or be loyal to him among his followers v17.
c. He desperately needed help from people in order to fight his battle of life vv16-18.
d. He needed avowed and loyal supporters and warriors, otherwise, he would not be able to fulfil his destiny vv16-18.
e. He needed faithful confidants and companions to cheer him out of loneliness vv16-18.
*Q* What kind of help do you think you need at present in your life?
*Q* How many times was "help" mentioned in the text?
*2. What Qualified David for divine help?*
"There is no wrong in my hands" v17c.
*Q* Do you need help from God and God- inspired help from man?
Check the following?
a. Are all your wrongs against God and man confessed and forgiven?
b. Do you have a conscience void of offence towards God and man?
c. Is the Holy Spirit bearing witness with your spirit that your life is pleasing to God?
d. Are you at peace with your neighbours or you are not on talking terms with some?
*3. What guarantees that Christ will definitely help you as you look up to Him?*
a. His promises
b. His passionate love
c. His prayers
d. His power (which is purposely for helping man).
e. His personality
Psalm 46:1,121:2,Hosea 13:9, Hebrews 13:6,Isaiah 41:10.

*HYMN* His love can never fail

1. I do not ask to see the way
My feet will have to tread;
But only that my soul may feed
Upon the living Bread.
'Tis better far that I should walk
By faith close to His side;
I may not know the way I go, But oh, I know my Guide.

*Refrain*
His love can never fail, His love can never fail,
My soul is satisfied to know His love can never fail.
My soul is satisfied to know His love can never fail.

2. And if my feet would go astray,
They cannot, for I know
That Jesus guides my falt'ring steps,
As joyfully I go.
And tho' I may not see His face,
My faith is strong and clear,
That in each hour of sore distress
My Savior will be near. Refrain

3. I will not fear, tho' darkness come
Abroad o'er all the land,
If I may only feel the touch
Of His own loving hand.
And tho' I tremble when I think
How weak I am, and frail,
My soul is satisfied to know
His love can never fail. Refrain.

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. Lord, I ask for a revelation of whatever may be making your help far in reaching me.
2. I ask for complete pardon and mercy for whatever may be standing between me and your help.
3. Lord, send my helpers of destiny to me; let me not miss them and let them not miss me.
4. Lord, send your angels of mercy and help to all your children in the Church and let there be shouts of unending joy and testimonies.

*DAILY MANNA*
*SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 2019*

*JESUS LEADS THE BATTLE FOR YOU*
*TEXT:* EXODUS 17:8-16.
_*�KEY VERSE* "And it came it pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed" (EXODUS 17:11)._

Amalekites, a race of wild nomads who were the descendants of Esau, saw the migration of the Israelites towards their region as a security threat. Amalek came to attack shortly after the Israelites enjoyed a miracle provision of water from the rock. This confirms the truth that Satan always seeks to attack believers after the experience of victory and miracles.

From the text, we could see that Joshua fought the physical battle while Moses engaged in the spiritual battle through prayer of intercession. As long as Moses was praying with his hands lifted up, Israel kept winning. But when he was tired and let down his hands, the Amalekites were prevailing. This vividly proves that the strongest arm of man will fail us. It is God alone whose outstretched hand is out still and can never fail. As Aaron and Hur later assisted Moses to steady his hand, we should always intercede for our leaders and support them in prayers.

From the role of Moses, we see why believers need to respect their God-appointed leaders. God showed Israel that the hand of Moses whom they had been chiding, could do more for their safety than their own hands. Joshua completely discomfited Amalek the same way Jesus was victorious on the Cross over Satan and his agents.

Lifting up Christ and His banners of love and truth therefore is greater than the hands of Moses that were lifted up. Christ is both to us our Joshua, the Captain of our salvation, who fights our battles and our Moses, who ever lives, making intercession above, that our faith fail not. As long as we put our faith in Christ unwaveringly, our victory in the battle of life is sure. The enemy will definitely fight against us, but will never prevail.

*✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY* Let your faith in Jesus be your weapon in battle.

*COVER TO COVER* PSALM 72-77.

*MEDITATION*

The winning leadership team

1. Identify the 4 personalities in the leadership team vv9,10.
2. The enemy, Amalekites, happened to be relations to Israel, both having Isaac and Abraham as their progenitors. "A man's enemies are they of his own household" Beware and resist "love" and "affections" that lead to compromise.
3. What part does unity and submission played in their victory as a team?
4. Joshua was involved in the public ministry while the other three were involved in a private ministry, unknown and unrecognised by many.
Which one is more important and would attract more reward in eternity?
5. Without a strong private ministry of prayers and caring, the public ministry will crumble in a matter of time.
*Q* How strong is your private ministry to individuals as leaders?
6. Aaron and Hur's greatest contribution to the victory of Israel was not in their own individualistic, independent and personalized ministries, but in giving full supports to the divinely appointed leader, Moses.
*Q* What lesson do you learn from this?

*HYMN* Onward christian soldiers

1
Onward Christian soldiers!
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before.
Christ, the royal Master,
Leads against the foe;
Forward into battle,
See, His banners go!
Onward, Christian soldiers!
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus,
Going on before.
2
At the name of Jesus
Satan’s host doth flee;
On then, Christian soldiers,
On to victory!
Hell’s foundations quiver
At the shout of praise:
Brothers, lift your voices,
Loud your anthems raise!
3
Like a mighty army
Moves the Church of God:
Brothers, we are treading
Where the saints have trod;
We are not divided,
All one Body we—
One in faith and Spirit,
One eternally.
4
Crowns and thrones may perish,
Kingdoms rise and wane;
But the Church of Jesus
Constant will remain.
Gates of hell can never
’Gainst the Church prevail;
We have Christ’s own promise,
Which can never fail.
5
Onward, then, ye people!
Join our happy throng;
Blend with ours your voices
In the triumph song.
Glory, laud and honor
Unto Christ, the King;
This through countless ages
Men and angels sing.

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. Lord, I rebuke and reject the spirit of disunity, carnal rivalry and competition and division in our Church leadership.
2. Lord, I hereby surrender to be used of you in any capacity, either public or private. Use me.
3. Give me grace and love to be committed to the ministry of prayer and caring for others.
4. By the supply of the Spirit, let true love and care for one another be more prominent in the church.
5. Empower your Church to always fight and be victorious over satanic hosts against the gospel in the nation.

*DAILY MANNA*
*MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 2019*

*PRAYER OF COMPLAINTS IS DAMNABLE*
*TEXT:* NUMBERS 11:31-35.
_*�KEY VERSE* "And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague" (NUMBERS 11:33)._

One day after listening to the teaching that God is angry with the sinners continually, a little girl curiously asked why God still allows the rain He sends on the land of the righteous people to extend to the farms of the wicked. Her parents told her that the anger of God is not like the anger of man. God is longsuffering.

In our text, we see how God met the needs of His people which they requested for in the previous verses. God had preserved them through all dangers and hardships such as attacks from enemy nations, hunger, thirst and diseases. The people seemed to be oblivious of this fact as they presented their new request through murmuring and unbelief. God nevertheless proved to them that He could meet all their needs; so, He graciously provided their desired meat for them but scarcely had they finished eating it when a terrible disease broke out in their camp.

As believers, our own desire should not be from the meat that perishes but the one that endures to everlasting life. We should not allow short-sightedness to make us to prefer the temporal to the eternal. Whatever we desire from God should not be presented through complaint, murmuring, regret and nagging. Rather, we should make our request known unto God through prayer of faith and accept the outcome of the prayer with humility and implicit obedience.

Believers ought to learn from the fate that befell the Israelites in this text. We should put all our trust in God as He is abundantly able to supply all our needs at His own time because with Him, nothing is impossible.

*✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY* Prayer with a background of complaints blocks access to heaven.

*COVER TO COVER* PSALM 78-79.

*MEDITATION*

The problem with those concentrating on their challenges rather than on God

1. They concentrated on ephemeral and temporary needs, in this case, meat 11:4-6.
Consequently,
a. They could not praise God even though God is "greatly to be praised"
b. Their tears blinded them of the past divine provisions, so that they became ingrates.
c. They could no more see God's face and power with Whom nothing is impossible.
d. They eventually saw their challenges greater than God.
e. They were deceived into seeing God in a false perspective: a hard, difficult God that does not care about their plight.
f. Their faith and love for God became cold.
g. There was a transfer of aggression against their helpers including Moses and God.
*Q* Ponder if some of these traits are not already showing in your life due to delay in answers to your prayers.
2. What you should not forget when passing through tough times
a. The power of God
b. The purpose of God for allowing such sufferings, if it is not from Satan. Discover it of you don't know. Deuteronomy 8:3 gave the purpose why God subjected them to temporary hunger.
c. The previous provisions of God.
d. The passionate love of God that never fails.
e. The possibility of persistent prayers and faith.
f. The pleasure that follows pains after faithfulness and endurance.
g. The promotion from above as a reward of not denying God in difficult times.
h. The promises of God when passing through the fire and the storms of life.
I. Your permanent abode in heaven where there will be no lack, no loss and no limitations eternally. Wao!
*Q* Search out and ponder on the Bible verses that confirm the above.

*HYMN* Turn your eyes upon Jesus

1. O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free.
*Chorus*
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
2
Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion
For more than conqu’rors we are!
3
His Word shall not fail you, He promised;
Believe Him and all will be well;
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. Are you passing through challenges? Spend quality time to praise God for His power, promises, provisions of the past, promotion coming your way etc.
2. Promise God that you will ever praise Him and never allow problems to be a problem in serving Him.
3. With faith and confidence, present you petitions to God.
4. Pray for those passing through tough times in the Church to see God as greater than all their challenges.

*DAILY MANNA*
*TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 2019*

*GIVE GOD THE GLORY*
*TEXT:* MATTHEW 12:22-37.
_*�KEY VERSE* "Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men" (MATTHEW 12:31)._

Man's heart is a metaphorical mountain with words as it streams. When such a fountain of spring is troubled, it must necessarily send forth muddy, stinky and unpleasant water. It is only a gracious salt introduced into the fountain that can remove the stink.

In the text, a man under a severe torment from Satan received a triple miracle from Christ. He was demon possessed, blind and dumb. After an encounter with Christ, the demoniac was delivered and set free in so much that he could both talk and see. People began to praise God while shockingly, the Pharisees began to vilify Christ, attributing the miracle to the power of Satan, the prince of demons. Jesus replied that if the prince of demons used his own power to cast out demons, he would be creating civil war in his own kingdom.

Jesus went further to explain to the Pharisees that the only way a strong man can be defeated is if a stronger man overpowers him. Jesus proved that He was stronger than Satan. He reiterated the fact that God could forgive the doubts and misunderstanding people had about Him, but He (God) will not forgive their defiant rejection of the clear show of the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Pharisees were in the same position as the demoniac before his healing. They were blind spiritually; they could not see the power of God in open demonstration. They were dumb spiritually at the throne of grace as they could not give God His worthy praises. Satan blinded their eyes by unbelief which made them to sin against the Holy Ghost.

Believers should be wary of malicious criticisms as they may lead them to be giving Satan the praises and glory due to God. If you believe, you too can receive your triple miracle of salvation, healing and deliverance through Christ today.

*✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY* Rejection of Christ's power grieves the Holy Spirit.

*COVER TO COVER* PSALM 80-84.

*MEDITATION*

TAME YOUR TONGUE OR ELSE...

1. The kingdom of darkness is till standing because there is unity, cooperation and networking in that kingdom vv25,26.
2. Only united, cooperating and networking saints can do real havoc to the kingdom of darkness vv25,26.
3. The potent strategy of Satan to weaken opposition is to introduce disunity, disagreement and unforgiving spirit in the body of Christ vv25,26.
4. Satan empowers some of his covenanted people to cast out demons or do miracles for the purpose of deception: to deceive the simple that such people are using the power of God and use them to take many to hell vv25-27.
5. Sincerely Ignorant people will never be guilty of unforgivable sin except those who deliberately reject the truth vv24,31.
6. Nobody sins against the Holy Spirit by mere thinking. It must be verbalized with the tongue first vv31,32.
7. When it comes to unforgivable sins, dumbness is a blessing vv31,32.
8. The purity or impurity of a man's heart is often known by what comes out of his tongue vv33-37.
8. It takes a pure heart not to sin with the tongue, either against man or God vv33-37.
9. No victory over Satan and sin without a victory over your tongue.
10. Every unrepented and unforgiven misuse of the tongue (eg lying, deception, cursing, abusive language, gossiping, slander, etc) will be punished in hell. The tongue is "set on the fire of hell" vv36,37, James 3:6.

*HYMN* HAVE YOU COUNTED THE COST?

1. There's a line that is drawn by rejecting our Lord,
Where the call of His Spirit is lost,
And you hurry along with the pleasure-mad throng -
Have you counted, have you counted the cost?

Have you counted the cost, if your soul should be lost,
Tho' you gain the whole world for your own?
Even now it may be that the line you have crossed,
Have you counted, have you counted the cost?

2. You may barter your hope of eternity's morn,
For a moment of joy at the most,
For the glitter of sin and the things it will win -
Have you counted, have you counted the cost?

3. While the door of His mercy is open to you,
Ere the depth of His love you exhaust,...
Won't you come and be healed, won't you whisper, I yield -
I have counted, I have counted the cost.

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. Lord, I resolve this day to be an agent of unity in the fellowship. Give me the grace.
2. Lord, sanctify my heart and let my tongue be blameless henceforth.
3. Teach me to set a watch over my tongue to avoid the punishment of hell.
4. Lord, let the Spirit of unity, love and cooperation reign in the Church among workers and members. Destroy every seed of disunity.

```DAILY ⓂANNA

WEDNESDAY 4TH SEPTEMBER,2019```

*CLEAN AND UNCLEAN FOOD*

��```TEXT:LEVITICUS 11:24-40```��

��```KEY VERSE:``` _*“These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even” (LEVITICUS 11:31).*_


*A young man in a church once asked the pastor during the Sunday School lesson why God forbade Adam and Eve from eating a certain fruit in the Garden of Eden. The questioner wondered why God decided to create the tree of knowledge – the fruit which Adam and Eve were not to eat in the midst of the garden. The pastor smiled and answered that the tree was to test their obedience. It was to test their self-control and their power over their appetites.*

*Our text deals with certain objects that the Israelites were not only forbidden to eat or drink but also disallowed from touching. Anyone who ate any of the forbidden animals or touched it was considered unclean till evening. This was a form of confinement to prevent possible spread of germs in the camp.*

*These laws, though no longer applicable to the New Testament believers, were intended to keep the Israelites distinct from other nations. The laws forbade not only the eating of the unclean beasts, but also the touching of them. This indicates that believers should not only run away from sin but also from the appearance of evil. Additionally, it should be noted that some of these forbidden animals were objects of superstition and idolatry for the heathen.*

*There is no gainsaying that Christians have been set at liberty by Christ from all such observances. Nevertheless, the liberty is not without some caution. We must be separated from the world so as to live a life of absolute surrender and total obedience to His word and will. As believers, we should remember that all things are lawful for us, but not all things are expedient, all things are lawful to us, but all things edify not (1 Corinthians 6:12).*

✍```THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:``` _*Whatever is not eaten through faith is sin.*_

��```THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:``` *PSALM 85–88*��

*DAILY MANNA*
*THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 2019*

*SACRIFICIAL LOVE*
*TEXT: 1 SAMUEL 20:24-34.
_*�KEY VERSE* "Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's unclothedness?" (1 SAMUEL 20:30)._

Sometimes, a believer may be wrongly accused of an action which he may have carried out with good intention. This may be as a result of the accusers' inability to perceive the deep spiritual connotation and implication of the action. When this happens, the believer should not back-step or renege in the pursuance of his/her good cause.

From the text, King Saul wanted Jonathan, his son, to understand that David was a threat to his own future. Jonathan was accused of choosing David to his own peril and that was perceived as a disloyalty to his own royal family. As Jonathan refused to yield to his father's evil plan, Saul attempted to kill him with a javelin in his hand. But divine power made him escape death. Despite King Saul's threat to Jonathan's life, he maintained his unshaken faithfulness to David.

David was absent at his duty in the palace for self-preservation. Jonathan understood this, and therefore tried hard to defend him before his father. Jonathan did not see David as an ordinary friend. He took him as a member of his own family. To take God's people as one's people is a good thing as it will yield a positive dividend to us at the end of the day, though the ungodly may count this against us today.

Just as Jonathan had a selfless sacrificial love for David, all believers are expected to love their fellow believers sacrificially and selflessly. A believer should not support anyone, however close, to commit murder. Whatever a believer loses today for the Kingdom's sake will be reaped a hundredfold in eternity.

*✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY* Eternal gain is better than the temporal.

*MEDITATION*
An X-ray of the heart of a King of Israel

*1. The heart can be deceitful* Jeremiah 17:9.
a. Saul, like a gentle man, put the best construction to the absence of David vv25,26. However, this was not the true state of his heart.
b. Saul appeared to show care and concern for David's absence v27. However, it was also deception from the heart.
*2. The deception of the heart is exposed when the man is put under pressure to vent out his anger at an unguarded hour* Matthew 12:34b. "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks"
a. Saul actually harboured hatred for his wife in the heart. The strong abusive words against Jonathan's mother exposed this v30. Note that the mother was not involved in this case.
b. Saul harboured deep seated jealousy against David for Jonathan's sake v30,31.
c. Saul actually had a murderous spirit in his heart against David even though he pretended to be caring v31.
d. Saul is a wilful murderer that can murder anybody when under provocation. He even attempted to kill his only trusted son, Jonathan v33. He could slay his wife too when under provocation. His love for Jonathan and his mother was therefore fake and sentimental!
Beware of those who show concern and love only when they are happy with you.
e. The state of the heart of Saul would be unknown were it not that he spoke out under provocation.
*Caution*
A. What comes out of your mouth under provocation or during unguarded hours may be a reflection of the state of your heart. Don't cover or ignore it. Turn it to serious prayer points.
B. What comes out of the mouth of your neighbour under provocation or during unguarded hours may be a reflection of what is being harboured in the heart. Take it as prayer points for the person and act with wisdom in dealing with such a person.

*COVER TO COVER* PSALM 89-91.

*HYMN* Search me O God

1. Search me, O God, and know my heart today,
Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray;
See if there be some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin, and set me free.
2. I praise Thee, Lord, for cleansing me from sin;
Fulfill Thy word and make me pure within;
Fill me with fire, where once I burned with shame;
Grant my desire to magnify Thy name.
3. Lord, take my life, and make it wholly Thine;
Fill my poor heart with Thy great love divine;
Take all my will, my passion, self and pride;
I now surrender, Lord, in me abide.
4. O Holy Ghost, revival comes from Thee;
Send a revival, start the work in me;
Thy Word declares Thou wilt supply our need;
For blessings now, O Lord, I humbly plead.

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. Lord, let your Word and the Holy Spirit expose the state of my heart to me.
2. Lord, do a deeper work of grace in my heart and make my heart perfect.
3. Lord, put a padlock in my mouth and let it only speak gracious words.
4. Lord, fill the mouth of your children with good, gracious and glorious words.

```DAILY ⓂANNA

FRIDAY 6TH SEPTEMBER,2019```

*WORK FOR EVERYONE*

��```TEXT:ACTS 13:1-7```��

��```KEY VERSE:``` _*“As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them” (ACTS 13:2).*_


*Late Thomas Carlyle, a Scottish historian and writer once remarked, “A man willing to work and unable to find work, is perhaps the saddest sight under the sun”. It is not the will of God that man should be idle doing nothing. God has work for each one of His creatures to do. The various things which He has made on the earth lend credence to the fact that even the minutest creature He has made has its own place, its own work and its fitness to do it. The birds, though without hands, make intricate nests for their abode, the spider spins its webs to trap its prey for daily bread; the ant is ever so busy working in its season to shame the idle man. We are made to offer service unto God and for humanity.*

*In our text, God, by the Holy Spirit declares He had work for Paul and Barnabas for which purpose they were called to dedicate themselves, their time and talents. In secular life as well as in ministry, we do not all have to look same direction. There is a work appointed for every man.*

*God could not have raised a man and endowed him merely for his own sake; for He has said: “This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise (Isaiah 43:21). God has called us for Himself that we may share in the glory that is in His son Jesus Christ. He has left for us the great privilege of accomplishing the Great Commission by telling the world the wonderful story of the love of Jesus.*

*Let us ponder on this eternal purpose in God’s mind to have put us in the place where we are and do it. When opportunity offers itself of serving God and our generation by proclaiming the gospel message, we must take care not to let it slip.*

✍```THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:``` _*Honour in time and eternity awaits he who serves God diligently.*_

��```THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:``` *PSALM 92–100*��

*DAILY MANNA*
*SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2019*

*WHICH WAY LORD?*
*TEXT:* JEREMIAH 10:17-25.
_*�KEY VERSE* "O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" (JEREMIAH 10:23)._

"Guide me, O thou great Jehovah! pilgrim thro' this barren land; I am weak, but thou mighty, hold me with thy powerful hand." These are the words of P.W. Williams. These words should proceed daily out of the mouth of anyone who wants a stress-free life.

God made man a free moral agent, giving him the ability to choose for himself. But God says that the way of man is not in himself and he alone cannot direct his own steps. From the Bible, we see choices made by different people which in turn brought great calamity on them. For David, he chose to stay back while the battle was going on; Saul chose not to wait for Samuel before offering the sacrifice. Judas chose to betray the Saviour; Solomon chose to marry strange women amongst others. We know the consequences that befell them. For some, the choices they made earned them an eternal damnation in hell while few others, by God's grace, were able to correct their costly mistakes.

How do you make your choice? Do you just do so by instinct or maybe like Solomon son, your friends are your compass. "The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue is of the Lord" (Proverbs 16:1). There is the need to seek for God's approval in any decision we take in our lives in order to smile at the end of the road. Let God direct you as you go out today and for the rest of your life. Make this your constant cry: "which way Lord?" And you'll hear a voice saying to you "... this is the way, walk ye in it..." (Isaiah 30:21).

Seeking directions from God shows how important we place Him in our lives. Until that phrase becomes our daily confession, we are yet to be led by our Creator. Let Him be your Guide.

*✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY* In God's way, we need not fear!

*COVER TO COVER* PSALM 101-104.

*MEDITATION*

YOU ARE DESIGNED TO BE GUIDED

*1. The design*
a. Man is created to be a free moral agent, expected to make his decisions and be responsible for his decisions Genesis 2:16,17.
b. He is not designed to be independent of his Creator God v23.
c. He, unlike a robot, is expected to have a personal and active relationship with God v23, Revelation 3:20. This is only realistic and possible through repentance and faith in Christ as Lord and Saviour.
d. He, unlike other creatures, is expected to have a capacity to hear from God and know His will. It is a lost capacity which can only be restored when there is repentance and complete surrender to Jesus Christ the Lord Romans 8:14.
e. He is designed to have enough wisdom to differentiate between good and bad, and take morally and intellectually right decisions.
f. This wisdom is beyond natural wisdom. It is given upon humbly asking from God and studying His word James 1:5,6.
g. The fullness of knowledge, wisdom, joy, supply (physical and spiritual), power and insight needed for a full life are not embedded in him, but he must regularly communicate with and draw those things from His Creator if he will live a full life v3, John 15:4,5.
*2. The danger*
a. Man's inherited adamic nature at times make him feel self sufficient with no need for God.
b. Man's inner pride deceives him to believe he has all it takes to take the right steps and make right decisions without divine guidance v3.
c. Man's unwillingness to submit to the divine design and the Lordship, including guidance, of the Lord often lead him to a life of grieves, distress, destructions, defeat, emptiness etc vv19-22,25.
d. Man will be accountable for his wrong use of free will and eventually eternally live in hell without God that he willingly chose to live without on earth v25, Revelation 21:8.
*3. The decision*
a. Come into a personal sonship relationship with God by surrendering your life to Christ as your Lord and Guide Matthew 11:28-30.
b. Make sure you are in constantly increasing fellowship with Christ through prayers, fellowships and reading of His word.
c. Make up your mind to study His word regularly for guidance and to always obey the voice of the Spirit.
d. Regularly and sincerely ask for His guidance vv 23,24.

*HYMN* GUIDE ME O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH

1. Guide me, O Thou great *Jehovah, [*Redeemer]
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but Thou art mighty,
Hold me with Thy pow’rful hand.
Bread of heaven, Bread of heaven,
Feed me till I want no more;
Feed me till I want no more.

2. Open now the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliv’rer, strong Deliv’rer,
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield;
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield.

3. Lord, I trust Thy mighty power,
Wondrous are Thy works of old;
Thou deliver’st Thine from thralldom,
Who for naught themselves had sold:
Thou didst conquer, Thou didst conquer
Sin and Satan and the grave,
Sin and Satan and the grave.

4. When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death and hell’s Destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises,
I will ever give to Thee;
I will ever give to Thee.

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. Lord Jesus, I surrender my life to you afresh to be my Lord, Saviour and Guide. Make me a child of God.
2. Lord, open my heart and hears to always hear your voice and guidance. Don't abandon me to go my way at anytime.
3. Lord, give me all the graces and touch I need so as to be enjoying open heaven from you at all times.
4. Lord, I ask for the manifestation of the Spirit of guidance in His fullness in our fellowship.

DAILY MANNA

Sunday September 8, 2019

Topic: Divine Protection

Text: 1 Chronicles 16:13-36

13. O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

14. He is the LORD our God; His judgments are in all the earth.

15. Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations;

16. Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac;

17. And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant,

18. Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance;

19. When ye were but few, even a few, and strangers in it.

20. And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people;

21. He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, He reproved kings for their sakes,

22. Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.

23. Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation.

24. Declare his glory among the heathen; His marvellous works among all nations.

25. For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: He also is to be feared above all gods.

26. For all the gods of the people  are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

27. Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness  are in his place.

28. Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.

29. Give unto the LORD the glory  due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

30. Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.

31. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, the LORD  reigneth.

32. Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein.

33. Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the  LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth.

34. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy  endureth for ever.

35. And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name,

And glory in thy praise.

36. Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD.

Key Verse: “He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes, Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm” - (1 Chronicles 16:21,22).

Message
A preacher once said, “Look at that beautiful butterfly and learn from it to trust in God.

One might wonder where it could live in tempestuous nights, in the whirlwind, or in the stormy day; but I have noticed it is safe and dry under the broad leaf while rivers have been flooded and the mountain oaks torn up from their roots.”

Yes, God will always take care of His own. He takes care of the simple butterfly, keeping it safe from the storm. He will surely take care of you.

Our passage brings to the fore the message that David gave to the Israelites about the faithfulness of God and His ability to take care of His children.

He experienced divine protection first hand and in such dramatic fashions that neither Goliath nor King Saul could kill Him despite their numerous attempts to do so.

This song of praise was composed after the ark of the Lord had been brought to Jerusalem.

The death of Uzzah at the botched attempt notwithstanding, David was genuinely grateful and he wanted the nation to recognise the goodness of the Lord and His overarching grace.

It took forty years for Israel to journey from Egypt to Canaan.

Without a standing army, God made them to overcome every enemy that came their way.

They needed food and water all through the journey and the Lord supplied every day, everywhere.

Just like He protected Israel of old from their enemies in the wilderness, so will the Lord protect all those who put their trust in Him.

Walking in an atmosphere of praise will make you to appreciate God’s goodness and provisions for your needs today.

Our God is on the throne and His inexhaustible resources are ever available for you.

Grow in this confidence and join the millions to declare “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel forever and ever...” (1 Chronicles 16:36).

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: God’s watchmen never sleep so you can rest.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 105–106

MEDITATION

God's insurance policy for His children

1. The wicked world cannot be more caring for its citizens than the loving God for His children.

2. God is not inactive in the affairs of the world. None misses His justice, whether they ascribe it to Him or not v14.

3. His insurance policy are embedded in the New Covenant promises. Every child of God should study it and know his rights. Ignorance is not God's fault vv15-19.

4. Protection from destructive adversaries is part of the package vv20-22,35.

5. Carefully check the duties of the citizens of the Kingdom in order to be constantly enjoying the kingdom privileges in vv23,24,28-30,34,35. These include fear of God (holy living), constant praise without complaining, staying and rejoicing in His presence, singing and declare His glory to others, praying and praying through.

Question: As child in the kingdom, do you regularly make efforts to know your privileges as written in the Bible? Do you claim them or you are negligent?

Question: Are you diligently observant of the kingdom duties?

HYMNS: My Father Knows

1. He knows the bitter, weary way,
The endless striving day by day,
The souls that weep, the souls that pray—
He knows it all,
He knows it all, He knows it all,
The souls that weep, the souls that pray—
He knows it all.

2. He knows how hard the fight has been,
The clouds that come our lives between,
The worlds the world has never seen—
He knows it all,
He knows it all, He knows it all,
The worlds the world has never seen—
He knows it all.

3. He knows, when faint and worn we sink,
How deep the pain, how near the brink
Of dark despair we pause and shrink—
He knows it all,
He knows it all, He knows it all,
Of dark despair we pause and shrink—
He knows it all.

4. He knows! O tho’t so full of bliss!
For tho’ on earth our joys we miss,
We still can bear it, feeling this—
He knows it all,
He knows it all, He knows it all,
We still can bear it, feeling this—
He knows it all.

PRAYER POINTS

1. Praise God for the packages of protections and provisions available for you.

2. Ask for a diligent mind to study and claim those promises.

3. Give God a commitment to start playing your part as shown in the text.

4. Ask God that each member will have the due diligence to study his/her privileges in the Bible and be faithful to his/her duties.

*DAILY MANNA*
*MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 2019*

*BEING LIKE CHRIST*
*TEXT:* LUKE 6:37-49.
_*�KEY VERSE* "The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master" (LUKE 6:40)._

Today's Scripture pictures Christ speaking to His disciples after He had met the needs of the multitudes who came after Him seeking for miracles. He set down the principles and ethics of the Kingdom to His disciples who were not merely after meat and drink but after heavenly treasures.

In the preceding chapters, Christ had shown Himself as Friend of all, humble and meek. One who had not come to condemn sinners to damnation but a present help in times of trouble. He proved Himself worthy of emulation at all times despite the persecutions and denials. This model of life was what He expected His disciples to follow. A true follower of Christ is to be a branch of the true Vine. His fruit must not betray the tree that bears it. Obedience as well as followership makes a believer rooted in Christ against all storms of life.

If we say we are Christians, we are expected to show forth Christlikeness. True love personified by Christ is expected of us. As believers, we do not judge or condemn sinners. Forgiveness and transparency should be our lifestyle. Every believer is supposed to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit. The components of the fruit as summarised in Galatians 5:22 are to be evident in our lives.

We are to be obedient to the Master if indeed we are His disciples as He was obedient to the Father. We cannot do less than what Christ stands for. Being obedient as He was, is what establishes the fact that we are loyal to Him and that is the only prerequisite for sticking to Him. That way, we are anchored on Him in the severest of storms.

*✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY* A tree is known by its fruit.

*COVER TO COVER* PSALM 107-109.

*MEDITATION*

The goal of discipleship is christian perfection

*1. Laws of reciprocity* vv37-38
a. "Judge not", "condemn not", "forgive" and "give" are not absolute laws. At least that is not the context of the text. The relative commandments are corollaries to the law of sowing and reaping.
b. Believers must judge prophets, prophecies and preachings whether they are of God (scriptural) or not John 7:24, I Corinthians 14:29, I John 4:1. However they must apply the same judgement to themselves first and always bear in mind the law of reciprocity vv41,42.
c. The believers must vocally condemn evil and unrighteous influences I Corinthians 5:1-5. However, make sure you are hard on yourself first and free from condemnation before you condemn the evils others are doing vv41-42.
d. Prosperity is not so much with holy living but with an attitude of giving. Stingy saints will remain poor while giving sinners will be prospered v38.
e. Inability to forgive someone cancels the forgiveness the person had received from Christ. So there is no unforgiving saints but unforgiving sinners v37. Forgiveness characterises true saints. Lack of grace to forgive indicts lack or loss of salvation.
*2. The realistic goal of discipleship is perfection* v40.
a. Work on your areas of imperfections first before you start "policing" other saints, if at all you are given that ministry vv41-42.
b. The true spiritual perfection starts with the heart. So constantly check your heart in the light of the scriptures with the help of the Holy Spirit and seek heart perfection (not mental perfection please) with diligence vv43-45, 2 Corinthians 7:1.
c. The pathway to perfection is in the practical acceptance of the Lordship of Christ and in the diligent and prayerful "doing" of all revealed truths vv46,47.
d. The "doers" are the wise and are "unmovable" vv48,49.
*Q* Do you wholeheartedly seeks the truth and sincerely prays for grace to do it?

*HYMN* More like the Master

1. More like the Master I would ever be,
More of His meekness, more humility;
More zeal to labor, more courage to be true,
More consecration for work He bids me do.

*Refrain:*
2. Take Thou my heart, I would be Thine alone;
Take Thou my heart, and make it all Thine own;
Purge me from sin, O Lord, I now implore,
Wash me and keep me Thine forevermore.

3. More like the Master is my daily prayer;
More strength to carry crosses I must bear;
More earnest effort to bring His kingdom in;
More of His Spirit, the wanderer to win.

4. More like the Master I would live and grow;
More of His love to others I would show;
More self-denial, like His in Galilee,
More like the Master I long to ever be.

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. Lord, I want to be perfected. Start taking me through the school of perfection.
2. Lord, I hereby resolve to be a doer of your word. Let your truth always be revealed to me.
3. Lord, as I present my heart to you day by day, take me deeper into more Christlikeness.
4. Lord, give the wisdom and the consecration of doers to all members.