Daily Armour ; Jan - June by P 31 Ministries KATH

Daily devotional guide for girls

Daily Armour

Copyright ÂŠ 2012 All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing from the Publisher, or as expressly permitted by law. This book must not be circulated in any other binding or cover. Published by P31 Ministries, Cover Design and Layout: Luvtouch Innovations 0243117267

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Daily devotional guide for girls

acknowledgement â&#x20AC;&#x153;For god is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward his name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.â&#x20AC;? hebrews 6:10

IrSt AND FOreMOSt, we thank Our Father, the almighty God, for giving us His word concerning this devotional guide, starting with causing men and women to contribute to the success of this guide.

Our sincere thanks to our patronesses; Dr. rita Adanuvo, Dr. Mrs. Mary Afihene, Dr. Mrs. Chrissie Abaidoo and Dr. Mrs. Priscilla Wobil, as well as Dr. Mrs. Badu Peprah, Dr. Mrs. Plange- rhule and our central leaders, for their prayers, financial support and encouragement. God richly bless you all. Our heartfelt gratitude to Pastor Osei-Yaw Afoakwah and Dr. enimil for the invaluable assistance. We would also like to thank, in a special way, all the godly men and women who answered and availed themselves to be inspired to write these messages to feed the young girls. May God pour His abundant blessings on you. Amen. Special thanks to all who contributed in any way to the success of this devotional guide. God bless us all. Amen.

Amma AduFofie editor

Daily Armour

foreword tWO tHINGS Are verY vital for living physically healthy. First and foremost is food. Food is one of the essential necessities of life. A healthy life, physically, is therefore impossible without food. Healthy living is a product of healthy eating. in Luke 4:4, Jesus quoted deut. 8:3 in his reply to the devil’s temptation to turn stones into bread, by saying, “it is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread (food) alone, but by every word of god.’” nKJV. Jesus’ reference to Deut 8:3 was a palpable admission that life on earth is impossible without food. Although man cannot live on bread alone, he does need bread (food) to survive. The second thing equally important for healthy living in the natural is physical exercise. 1 tim 4:8 says, ‘For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come’. nKJV. Though physical exercise proﬀers “little profits” when scaled together with spiritual exercise, the benefit of this “little profit” makes it imperative that we all engage in it. Just as food and physical exercise are vital necessities for natural or physical health, even so is feeding daily on God’s word and engaging in spiritual exercises crucial for healthy living, spiritually.

Daily devotional guide for girls

The natural body is nourished and energized by natural food. In the same way, God’s word is the spiritual food for the nourishment of your Spirit and the transformation of your soul. In Jer. 15:16, Jeremiah indicates ‘Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts’. Job says in Job 23:12 that ‘I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food. A daily time in God’s word will impart faith to your spirit, change your mentality, bring holistic healing (spirit, soul and body) and health to your body, and equip you with wisdom for all round victory and success in life. I believeP31, through this devotional, is presenting you with a timely opportunity to “eat well” spiritually and to “exercise daily in the spirit” so you can remain spiritually fit and healthy all the days of your life. Seize it and make the most of this chance. God richly bless you.

Rev. Osei Yaw Afoakwa

Daily Armour

Daily devotional guide for girls

january

Daily Armour

January 1

HEAD STONE MeMory VerSe – “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.” Psalms 118:22-23

read - 1 Sam 16:5-13

AvID WAS A mere shepherd boy; his early life was spent in the company of sheep. He was perhaps the least noticed in his family; perhaps there was nothing about him that seemed particularly unique to his family. Yet God in his wisdom chose him to stand out in his day. As a boy, he was anointed to be king of Israel. He was a harp player for the first king of Israel, Saul. He defeated the giant Goliath because of his great faith in God. As a man, he was a mighty ruler and warrior of God. I am certain that in the days that David was tending sheep he had no idea how his future would turn out. God sees the person he has made us to be when he looks at us. He prepares us to be that person by placing us in situations that build our faith in him and strengthen us to bear the tasks ahead. We must truly give thanks to God in ALL things. Why? Because we are confident that he is daily preparing us to do great things for him, that we too, by His grace, may claim our place in history. Prayer - Lord, i praise you for all you are to me and all you take me through. i am so thankful to you that you never leave me alone but always hold my hand and help me to handle all you bring my way. Lord, give me grace to walk this path that leads to greatness. Lord, help me to be all that you have destined me to be as i start this new year. THOUGHT - Greatness is from God.

Daily devotional guide for girls

January 2

THE PATH OF THE RIGHTEOUS MeMory VerSe: “But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.” Proverbs 4:18

read - Psalm 1

Here IS NO blessing on earth better than the blessing of being led by God. A person blessed this way is happy and fortunate. Prosperity marks all she does and because she knows this, her sole focus is on the direction in which God leads her. She will therefore not take a detour to live according to ungodly advice from friends, t.v. programs or movies. Much more, she does not worry about rejection from friends because she is confident that the Lord is directing her steps into glorious prominence and success. Are you wondering how to become a young woman whose steps are ordered by the Lord? The answer is simple. Just delight in God’s word and be conscious to wait on God every day for his guidance. More importantly, be willing to obey what He tells you through His Word. even though you may initially be despised by your peers don’t worry because God will eventually make your enemies be at peace with you. The young lady who honours the Lord in her youthful days shall be like a tree planted by a river. Such a tree by means of its location has regular supply of fresh water and does not fear even if it doesn’t rain for a long time. Its leaf shall always be green and it shall never cease to bear fruit.

Daily Armour

There is hope for the God fearing and faithful girl. If you trust and rely on the Lord, you shall not lack any good thing because you will become dear to the lord and the Lord will order your steps toward the place where the good things you need in life are. Further reading - Jeremiah 17: 5-8 Thought -

God orders the steps of those who honour Him.

Prayer: Dear Lord, as a young lady, I face many challenges in obeying Your Word. Please help me to honour You by doing what You want at all times. Amen!

Daily devotional guide for girls

January 3

YOUNG BUT WISE MeMory VerSe - 1timothy 4:12 “don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity”. read: 1timothy 4:8-12

IMOtHY WAS A young boy just like you when Paul wrote these words to him. Paul made timothy aware that regardless of his age he was not too young to set a good example for others to emulate. As a child of God you can be young but wise in the Lord. God has called you to live as a model for other believers and unbelievers. Your light has to shine brightly to show your identity as a child of God and to draw others to Christ. The way you talk, the way you dress, the way you relate to others should all demonstrate that you are a Christian (CHrISt-LIKe) and though you are young you are wise in the Lord.

Prayer - heavenly Father, help me today and always through the power of the holy Spirit to set an example for believers and the world in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. amen

THOUGHT - Greatness is from God.

Daily Armour

January 4

A LIFE THAT SHOUTS HIS FAME MeMory VerSe - “Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”- Matthew 5:16 read – Matthew 5:13-16.

WAS ONCe listening to a song (by Hillsong) that was entitled “Shout God’s Fame”. The chorus said ‘’... as I live a life that shouts Your Fame’’.

As I pondered over that line I remembered the verse in Matthew 5:16. As believers we have a role to play and that is to make people aware of God’s Greatness and Attributes. today I just want you to ask yourself this question ‘Is my life shouting His Fame?, am I being caring, kind, forgiving, polite , tolerant and selfless like Him? And above all am I seeking His Way in everything I do?” Our faith in Him should show in the way we talk and act. It is time to shout His Fame! Prayer – heavenly Father, help me to shout your fame wherever i find myself this day and the days beyond. aMen.

Daily devotional guide for girls

January 5

A NEW CREATURE MeMory VerSe - “Therefore if a man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new”. 2 Cor 5:17. reading : 2 Cor 5:14-21

DO YOu KNOW what it means to be saved? Salvation means delivery from eternal condemnation or doom to eternal life in Christ Jesus. Therefore you have the life of Jesus in you: you have His Spirit and His blood running in you. You are not an ordinary person; you are a new creature- a new person with a new life which is eternal! This means that the day that you die here on the earth, it is your physical body that dies but the spiritual life you obtain in Christ Jesus will never perish. By virtue of your new birth in Christ Jesus, you have attained the power to become His Child (John 1:12). Therefore you are above all things because you are the child of He that comes from above, who is also above all things (John 3: 31). God promises that if you”... be in Christ ...old things are passed away.....” God actually forgives you of all your past sins if you confess them to Him (1 John 1:9). He would not remember them again.

Prayer: Thank god for creating you anew and desire his help to

continue to stay in this new birth for the rest of your life.

Daily Armour

JANUARY 6

A TOUCH OF KINDNESS MeMory VerSe – “and in Joppa was a certain disciple named tabitha (which translated is called dorcas). She was full of good works and kind deeds which she did.” acts 9:36

read - acts 9:36-42

OrCAS WAS A kind Christian woman. She had great compassion for the widows, fatherless and the needy and always thought of what she could do for them. Out of her talent of sewing, Dorcas made robes and other wearing apparel for the needy. She was so excited to see the smiles that appeared on their faces when they received her nicely made clothing and they went away encouraged and renewed in spirit. As Christians we’re to love one another. try to identify the need of the people around you and help them out. God has given you special talents and gifts not to benefit only you but to encourage and brightened the day of someone.

Prayer - dear Lord, teach me to identify the need of someone today and help me put a smile on that pretty face. amen

Daily devotional guide for girls

January 7

A HEART OF GRATITUDE MeMory VerSe – “For this child i prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which i asked of him: Therefore also i have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. and he worshipped the Lord there.” 1 Samuel 1: 27-28 read

- 1 Samuel 1: 26-28

everAL tIMeS IN a day, we go to God with so many requests. We are always in a rush to ask God for this or that. How many times do we use the gift God gives us to expand His kingdom? Hannah was barren for so many years and her rival Peninnah used to tease her. One day, Hannah prayed to God for a son whom He gave her and she named him Samuel. Hannah could have kept Samuel for herself but because she had a big heart of gratitude, she thought of what she could do for God in appreciation. She gave all God had given her back to Him. The Lord was pleased and rewarded her with five (5) more sons. We have been given a gift of redemption much more powerful than this! And what are we doing with such a gift? God has given you life freely, surrender every part of your life to Him and He will use you for His glory and you will be blessed beyond measure. Prayer - dear Lord, as i cast all my burdens on you, please grant me a heart full of gratitude to praise you all the days of my life. amen.

Daily Armour

JANUARY 8

ABIDE IN ME MeMory VerSe - “i am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and i in him bears much (abundant) fruit. however, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.” John 15:5 aMP

read - John 15:1-8

He JOY OF Christian living is the connection we have with the Father and the Son. In John 15, John likens this to a vine and its branches. A tree is kept alive by the sap that flows through it. Sap is a nutrient rich solution which ascends from the root of the plant, to the trunk and then to the branches. We can liken the root of the tree to God, the source of all life, the trunk to Jesus Christ through whom He revealed Himself to the world and the branches to us Christians. We must remain in Christ if we are to tap into the power of God for daily living. This picture also helps us to understand that the power of God at work in us is the same as that at work in Jesus Christ. eph 1:19-22 “… and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms…” niV today walk in the knowledge of this fact; you must stay connected to Jesus Christ to receive nourishment from the Father. Without this you cannot bear fruit. And if you do not bear fruit, your Christian life will be empty. When you produce fruit, you glorify God, and it is evident to all that you are truly his child. Prayer: Lord, teach to abide in you. Let me never be separated from you.

Daily devotional guide for girls

JANUARY 9

INSIGHT FOR EVERYDAY LIVING MeMory VerSe- “For the Lord gives wisdom; From his mouth come knowledge and understanding;” Proverbs 2:6

read - acts 1:13-16

He HOLY SPIrIt gives insight. This insight is given in abundance when we with one accord lift up prayer and supplication to God. The Holy Spirit gives insight into situations when we pray and in this way enable us to understand the course of events. Sometimes, the events around us are only a fulfillment of what God through the Holy Spirit has spoken about and we are able to understand and appreciate them better when we receive insight into them. Where the Holy Spirit is, insight must abound and situations are not permitted to take us by surprise. Are you overwhelmed by the turnout of events? Does the Holy Spirit live in you? Consult him for insight and read meaning into what is happening. He is the Spirit of truth who searches all things, even the deep things of God. He shall reveal unto you the meaning of the outcome of situations. Just trust in his revelational power. Prayer – dear father, please give me an insight into the things

happening around me by the power of the holy Spirit in Jesus’ name. amen.

Daily Armour

JANUARY 10

THE PRINCIPLE OF SEPARATION

MeMory VerSe - â&#x20AC;&#x153;But none of these things move me; nor do i count my life dear to myself, so that i may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which i received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of god.â&#x20AC;? acts 20:24

read - acts 1:17

eSuS CALLeD tWeLve disciples and equipped them for the ministry of spreading the Gospel but not all were able to fulfill this ministry. Judas Ischariot could not fulfill his ministry because he failed to recognize one important principle- the principle of separation. When God separates you for His work, you have to concurrently separate yourself unto him. When you understand this mutual principle of separation and follow it, you will succeed in the ministry God has given you. Setting yourself apart for God implies neglecting the things you enjoy doing but which defiles you in the sight of God. It involves a constant choice to be holy irrespective of the attractiveness of sin. This was what Judas could not do. His love for money took priority over the ministry he had been given. If you are unable to fulfill your part of the bargain ( ie separating yourself unto God) , you disappoint God and the ministry fails. God equips anyone to whom a ministry is given. This strengthening involves the grace of holiness and separation.

Daily devotional guide for girls

Your very existence is enough proof that God has called you for a particular ministry. If you cleanse yourself from all things that defile, you shall surely be a vessel of honour in His house. Prayer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jesus, please grant me the grace to separate myself from all things that defile me. Help me to live a life that is holy and pleasing in your sight. In your Mighty name I pray. Amen.

Daily Armour

January 11

DUBIOUS WEALTH MeMory VerSe -“do not be deceived, god is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” galatians 6:7-8 read - acts 1: 18-20

He StOrY IS told of a JHS girl who resorted to receiving money and other provisions from sugar daddies in order to show oﬀ to her friends at school. She eventually got pregnant. In an attempt to terminate the pregnancy, she bled to death. The wages of sin is death. Sometimes, death is not the immediate result but eventually, there is death. It is therefore very unwise to device strategies of iniquity in order to acquire wealth. Though the riches may be obtained, death will eventually ensue. Just consider Judas. Great sorrow and lack of peace accompany wealth gained by sinful means. Do those who gain wealth through dubious means seem to prosper? Don’t worry or be tempted to follow their ways. Not only is their end miserable, their misery and downfall is also evident to all. Prayer – dear father, please entrench in my heart the truth that it

is your blessing that makes a man rich. Keep from the deceitfulness of riches obtained by dubious means. in Jesus name i pray. amen.

Daily devotional guide for girls

JANUARY 12

IT TAKES A WALK MeMory VerSe - “ and enoch walked with god; and he was not, for god took him.” genesis 5:24

read - acts 1:21-23

OD CALLS AND appoints those who have walked closely with him. It takes a walk with God to know Him better. God prefers those who are acquainted with his ways. It is therefore not surprising that when they needed someone to replace Judas, they looked amongst those who had walked with Jesus throughout his ministry. Do you have a passion for the work of God? Do you really want to be used by God for his work? Make a conscious eﬀort to walk with God and know his ways. Your level of intimacy with God determines the extent to which he can use you. A life spent walking with God is not spent in futility; you are sure of a glorious reward in the end. Therefore walk closely with God. He is ever willing to make you a vessel of honour in his house. Father please give me the grace to walk closely with you as enoch and abraham did. Prayer-

Daily Armour

January 13

YOUR HEART MeMory VerSe - “But the Lord said to Samuel, “do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because i have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 read - acts 1:24-26

OD KNOWS tHe heart of all men. He reads the intents and plans of men from their heart and not from their outward actions or appearance. There is no way to know what is in a person’s mind by looking at the face. The appearances men present may be very deceptive. The actions of many are a portrayal of cognitive dissonance. It is in the light of this that the bible says that cursed is the one who puts his trust in man. Man can at best disappoint you. It is wise to put confidence in God instead of man. God, who knows the heart of all men, will then lead you to a person with a pure heart to trust. take a critical look at your own heart. How pure is your heart? Do your facial appearances always go with what you have in mind, or do you keep up appearances? God values people who are trustworthy. Desire to be one of these. Prayer – god, please search my innermost being and take away any element of deceit from me. Make me a trustworthy person in Jesus name. amen

Daily devotional guide for girls

JANUARY 14

ALL FOR YOUR GOOD MeMory VerSe – “and we know that he works all things together for the good of those who love god, who are called according to his purpose.” romans 8:28

read - romans 8:26-29

veLYN IS A pretty 13year old girl. When she was a kid she felt very ill and was taken to the hospital for treatment. On seeing the doctor, evelyn immediately gave out a loud cry. She knew the doctor would give her painful injection and bitter medicine which were not pleasant at all. The mother tried to comfort and explain to her that the doctor was there for her good and not to cause her harm. On evelyn’s 13th birthday, her mother read this scripture, romans 8:28, to her. She smiled at her mum and said, “Mum, just like the doctor, all that God brings our way though they might be pleasant or unpleasant are all for our good because He loves us more than we can imagine or think”.

Prayer - dearest father, help me come to the full realisation of your

love for me. amen.

Daily Armour

January 15

ALONE WITH GOD MeMory VerSe – Ps 91: 1 “he who dwells in the shelter of the Most high will rest in the shadow of the almighty.” Psalm 91:1 (niV)

read -

Proverbs 2:1-12

ILLIe SMILeD AS she recalled the first time she had met Dora, her best friend. Of course when they met at Abby’s party they knew nothing about each other. They were both shy and weren’t mixing with the crowd like everyone and they had both sought refuge in the bookshelf that held volumes of books that quickly caught their fancy. They got talking about themselves and discovered they both loved to read. This was the beginning of their friendship. They exchanged several storybooks and saw each other daily even though they attended diﬀerent schools. Hardly a day went by that Dora and Millie didn’t meet. When one was sick, the other visited. They had been best friends for eight years. God desires to be not just our Saviour and Father but our friend as well. He wants to hear from you and speak to you every day. Just as Millie and Dora’s friendship was strengthened by their eﬀort to see each other daily, so does our friendship with God grow as we spend time with Him in His Word, in prayer and in singing songs to Him. today’s text tells us all the wonderful things that happen to us as we grow in friendship with God. Perhaps you know Jesus as your saviour, but do you know Him as your friend? You can begin by spending more time with Him every day. Prayer - dear god, i want to know you as a friend. help me to

spend time with you everyday. amen!

Daily devotional guide for girls

January 16

AMAZING GRACE MeMory VerSe - “for it is by grace you have been saved”. ephesian 2: 8. read - ephesians 2: 1 - 9

The lyrics of John newton’s hymn reads: amazing grace, how sweet the sound; That saved a wretch like me, i once was lost, but now i’m found; Was blind, but now i see ...

He DAY We surrendered our lives to God who ransomed us with the blood of Jesus we ceased to be our old selves for we became new creations as conveyed in 2 Corinthians 5:17. Christ broke the chains that bonded us to the evil one and set us free. As we progress in our walk with God and do mighty and wonderful things for God we sometimes forget that we were saved by grace and through faith and tend to think that we were saved because of the good works that we do or did. Whenever we have this notion let’s ponder on ephesians 2:8- 9 “for it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works so that one can boast. Grace is unmerited favour. Christ redeemed us with His blood even when we didn’t deserve it. There was nothing we could have done for this “favour” – no warrant. So we should never think we can gain access to the throne through the things we do for God or just by being good. Prayer - Lord, please help me always acknowledge you for the gift of salvation

Daily Armour

January 17

ANGER MeMory VerSe – “if you become angry, do not let your anger lead you into sin, and do not stay angry all day. don’t give the devil a chance.” ephesians 4:26-27

read - gen 4:3-12

Ave YOu ever woken up feeling particularly happy and purposing in your heart to keep a cheerful attitude, only to find yourself in an annoying circumstance later in the day that suddenly wiped the smile off your face? I remember one such day when I knocked my little toe into a huge concrete stone. I screamed in pain and could feel every emotion in me rising. I could feel anger beginning to lay its hands on my heart. I had to fight it off. I had to recognize what was stirring up inside me and decide not to allow myself to get angry. I had to discipline myself and bring my emotions under control. Anger causes us to do things that we would otherwise not do when we are calm. Anger causes us to say things that we would otherwise not say. Anger causes us to behave in ways that we regret when we have finally calmed down. Why is this so? When we get angry, we let down the barriers around our hearts and our minds and give the devil a chance to step in and cause us to sin. We are no longer controlled by our Spirit but by our flesh. It is important to understand that, though anger is a normal human reaction to certain situations, we are in control of our emotions and we can decide how far our anger will go. We have the ability to resist the devil, and he will flee. Disciplining our emotions always pays off. Prayer - Lord, help me today to have command and authority over my emotions, to be graceful in difficult situations that i may bring glory to your name.

Daily devotional guide for girls

January 18

ANNA MeMory VerSe – “They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;” Psalm 92:14

read - Luke 2:36 - 38 .

He PrOPHet ANNA was also there in the temple ... and she was very old ... she was eighty-four years old. Night and day she served God in the temple by praying and often going without eating. At that time Anna came in and praised God. She spoke about the child Jesus to everyone who hoped for Jerusalem to be set free. Do you ever wonder where you will be or what you will be doing fifty years from today? I often do. I wonder also whether Anna knew where she would be at age eighty four years. We read from the Bible, that she was in the temple when Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple to be circumcised as she had been night and day for many years serving God with prayer and fasting. Anna was dedicated to God all her life. Spending time with God in prayer and fasting over many years did not wear her out. What about you? Has your time with God dragged into a chore? Ask God to help you and revive your relationship with Him so that when you are old and grey you will still delight to fellowship with Him. Anna was faithful and was found in the temple on the day Jesus came to be circumcised. Where will you be when Jesus comes again? Prayer - dear Lord, may my fellowship with you receive refreshing rains today. Keep me firmly planted in your household, swayed by nothing of this world.

Daily Armour

January 19

AWESOME GOD MeMory VerSe - â&#x20AC;&#x153;he sets the earth on its foundations. it can never be movedâ&#x20AC;? - Psalm 104:5 read - Psalm 104: 1-5

Ave YOu ever paused to think about the greatness of God? Creation tells a lot about the nature of God. Just look at the birds of the air, how beautifully they fly about. Have you ever wondered who taught them to fly? What about the fish in the sea. How come they survive in water but human beings cannot? Ooh, who tells the sun where to stand in the morning and where to hide at night? Who shows the sea its boundaries? When you think about these and more, one thing is clear, that we serve an awesome God who rules the nations with power and majesty. He has determined the times and seasons and the exact location for all he has created. Let us always come before this great God with hearts filled with worship.

Prayer - o Lord my god, how majestic is your name in all the earth. you have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise!

Daily devotional guide for girls

January 20

BACK ON TRACK MeMory VerSe - ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Ps119:105

read - Psalm 119:100-105

N CHrIStMAS vACAtION, P31 Christian Girls’ Club went camping in the eastern region. A couple of girls one day decided to tour the town. They started well and were having a good time. After an hour of roaming, they found themselves on a narrow footpath with bushes around and no house in view. One of the girls, Priscilla asked, “Girls are we on track, this path isn’t familiar. I think we’re lost. They panicking and didn’t know what to do. Anita, finally said, “Let’s go on our knees and pray to our heavenly Father for guidance”. Just as they began to pray, they heard footsteps, they were afraid but continued to pray. In a few minutes they saw a young woman coming towards them; they approached her, greeted her politely and asked her for direction back to town. They thanked her and started heading towards their camping site. On arrival, they reported the incidence to one of their supervisors. The supervisor advised them that just as they needed someone’s help to get back on track so do they need God’s guidance every second of their lives. We are strangers in this world. It’s only when we seek God who knows the way each day and study His Word that would keep us on track. You need God’s guidance every day as you go through life. He gives it through His Word, but if you don’t open it and read it, you won’t know what it says. Make it a habit to read at least a few verses each day. Prayer - dear Lord, continue to guide me through this life’s journey. amen.

Daily Armour

January 21

BE CHOOSEN! MeMory VerSe: “For many are called, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:14 (KJV)

read - Matthew 22:1-14

HeN GOD CALLS us from the kingdom of darkness into His kingdom of light, He expects that we do away with all deeds of darkness (2 Cor. 5:17). He wants us to do away with all sin in our lives so that at the second coming of Jesus, we may go with Him. He has placed His Spirit in our hearts to help us do this. In the parable that Jesus told, there was a wedding banquet which was attended by certain group of people because those originally invited did not turn up. This represents the fact that the gospel was first preached to the Jews, but most of them did not accept it, and then to the Gentiles. The apostle Paul said “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (rom. 1:16). The man who was found at the banquet without wedding clothes was asked why and he was speechless! He was speechless because he had no excuse for his clothes that were not suitable for the banquet, because he had had enough time to change into the appropriate clothes. He was promptly thrown out into the darkness. Beloved in Christ, we will be speechless on the Last Day if we are found in the same old habits and sins that we were in before we received our salvation. I therefore urge all of us to walk worthy of the call of God, so that we will not only be called, but chosen as well! Prayer - dear god, thank you so much that i am saved from my sins. holy Spirit, help me to do away with (mention the sinful habits you want to break). Thank you for calling me and choosing me as well. amen!

Daily devotional guide for girls

January 22

BE STILL! MeMory VerSe: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Be still, and know that i am god; i will be exalted among the nations, i will be exalted in the earth.â&#x20AC;? Psalm 46:10 (niV)

read - 2 Chronicles 20:11-30

N tHe teXt, we realize that Jehoshaphat and the people of Israel were being attacked by the Moabites, the Ammonites and the people of Mount Seir. They went before the Lord, the creator of the heavens and the earth, to whom all power and might belong. God answered their prayer, telling them that the battle was His and not theirs (v 15) and that they would not need to fight (v 17). They stood and watched as the Lord gave them a wonderful victory. There are so many battles that we have as Christians. They may be spiritual battles, emotional battles, financial battles, or battles of the mind. Perhaps you are always picked on by others in school and at home, or you find your school work so difficult or you are struggling to win the love of your parents/guardians. God urges us to leave our battles to Him and He will do for us just as He did for the people of Israel because He is the same - yesterday, today and forever. All we need to do is to entrust our situations to God and be still! Prayer - heavenly Father, it is truly amazing what you did for israel in their battle. i believe that you remain the same and you do not change. These are my battles (mention your struggles). Please fight them for me and teach me to be still as i watch you fight on my behalf. amen.

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January 23

PRESS ON MeMory VerSe: “as you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. you have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” James 5:11(niV)

read - James 5: 7 – 11

N eZeKIeL’S vISION by the river Chebar, he describes four living creatures with four faces each; that of a lion, an eagle, a man and an ox (eze 1:5-10). The ox symbolizes perseverance. The ox is a plodder. It will plough from sunup to sundown. Put him in a stall, feed him and the next day he will plough and plod until the task is complete. He refuses to quit. The book of Job tells the story of a man who patiently endured difficult times and never gave up. Look at Job, attending the funeral of his ten children, losing his wealth and his health, listening to his wife whose tongue was sharp enough to clip a hedge. Yet, in spite of all her dour words Job didn’t quit. He had every reason to throw in the towel yet he didn’t. We all need to learn from him. There are times when quitting looks good, defeat appears inescapable and retreat seems like the only option but those are the times we need to be more like Job and patiently endure. You may be facing hard times like the loss of a parent or benefactor, sickness, or failing an exam. Do not give up! What can seem impossible is often possible with courage. So whatever difficulties may come your way, just draw on God’s grace and persevere. thought - Mountains only seem so high from the valley.

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January 24

BEING A BLESSING MeMory VerSe – “i will bless those who bless you, and i will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth be blessed.” genesis 12:3.

read - 2 Sam 6:14- 20

t LASt, tHe ark of the Lord was returning to Jerusalem. everyone was delighted. In fact, David was so overjoyed he danced and leapt before the Lord!

After feasting and celebrating with Israel, David went back to his home and blessed his household. I believe that David went back not only to pronounce blessings on his family but also to show his family what God had done and could do. I believe his joy and excitement after such fellowship with God just couldn’t be contained and it spilt over as a blessing to his entire household. After you have been with God in your quite time or celebrated God with other believers in church do you spill over your blessings onto others or is your joy limited to the premises of the church building alone? Prayer - Father, may the joy and peace that i find in your presence

always and especially today overflow to lift up the spirits of those around me and calm every storm raging in their lives. i know that you have blessed me so i can be a blessing. Let me live as such. amen

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January 25

BITTERNESS MeMory VerSe - “if it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” romans 12:18

read -

hebrews 12:14,15

SuNNY DAY is generally considered as bright where as a cloudy day is considered dull. It is dull because the heavy clouds block the rays of the sun and prevent them from reaching the earth. Just as the lovely blue sky can get cloudy and heavy, so can our usual happy countenance change into moodiness and irritability. One thing which can cause such a facial transformation is anger. When we get angry or are embittered against someone, we frown and become heavy within. The more the anger lasts, the heavier we become and the more burdened we are. Carrying a burden is not pleasant especially when it is heavy. Nature, realizing this truth always empties itself when the clouds are full of rain. As a young lady, it is almost inevitable to be annoyed at someone, however, when it happens, learn to empty yourself of it. One way to empty yourself is to share your bitterness and struggle with a trusted Christian friend. The act of sharing what bothers you in itself helps you to oﬄoad some of the burden. Who are you embittered against as you read the text today? Who in your class don’t you talk to? Share your struggle with a trusted friend and determine to let go.

thought: if the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth (ecclesiastes 11:3) Prayer: Father please help me to forgive those who have offended me and let go of every bitterness in my heart. in Jesus name i pray, amen.

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January 26

BOUGHT AT A PRICE MeMory VerSe - “Therefore honour god with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6: 20b read - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Our BODY DOeS not belong to you but to God for He is your Creator and has also bought you at a costly price of His only beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Those who have been redeemed by Christ have more reason than anyone else to give careful thought to their way of life. Your life is no longer your own, for you were bought at a price. Because your life was purchased with the blood of Christ, consider how you can use your life for God’s honour and glory. Your mouth should only speak things that glorify God. Your eyes should only watch things which are pure. Your hands should touch and do things that honour God and your feet should go places which glorify God. Christ gave up His life for you, in response to that sacrifice; every part of you should be used for His purposes.

Prayer - dear Lord, help me to glorify you with every part of me in everyday of my life. amen.

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January 27

THE BOY JESUS IN THE TEMPLE MeMory VerSe - “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the Law of the Lord; and in his Law doth he meditate day and night.” Psalm1:1-2 read - Luke 2:41-49

t HAD BeeN a wonderful celebration. Finally, Jesus had been brought to the temple to read the Scriptures in public. It was an important Jewish rite of passage and Mary and Joseph as well as their entire family were very pleased. Amidst the grand festivities, Mary and Joseph began the journey back home thinking that their son was with the other family members but to their shock they discovered He had been left behind. If you have ever seen the movie home alone, you can picture Mary and Joseph’s shock. But unlike in the movie, Jesus was comfortably seated in the temple with the elders discussing the Scriptures! And when His parents commented on their worry about him he was surprised that they didn’t realize that He would be in the temple, His father’s house. God is your father too and he delights to be with you anywhere you are. Where are you usually found when you are being sought after and what are you most likely to be doing? How much of the scriptures do you know? Would you be delighted to discuss the word of God with your church leaders or would you shy away from it because you don’t know so much? Jesus was only twelve and yet he amazed the scholars with his knowledge of the scriptures.

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You too can know more of God’s word if you read more of it and meditate on it. Don’t devote all your time to story books, read your Bible as well. Not only will you know more of God’s word and learn new vocabulary but you will also be blessed as it says in Ps 1:2!

Prayer - Dear Father, I want to know more of Your Word. Help me to enjoy reading it and grant me a greater understanding of it as I read.

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January 28

BREAK CAMP MeMory VerSe – “have i not commanded you? Be courageous. do not be terrified: for the Lord your god will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1: 9

read - deuteronomy 1: 6-8

S A CHILD I was part of the girl guides. I loved guiding activities but there was one activity I didn’t like because I wasn’t so good at it. It was orienteering. In this sport we set out in groups into “nowhere”, given maps and asked to find our way to the final destination. So we usually went hiking till we were tired. Then we will camp for the evening and move on the following morning. The difficulty in all this was breaking camp because I didn’t know what awaited us on the journey and also I wasn’t so good at reading the map. So it is in our walk with God. The Christian walk is a journey. Sometimes we get to the point at which we are satisfied with ourselves but Paul said in Philippians 3:14 that we should keep pressing on toward the goal which is heavenward. Sometimes too, we know we are to move on but then we become too comfortable with our lives that we do not want to move on and complacency sets in. other times we are just too afraid to do so. Just as the Israelites were asked to break camp God also wants us to do the same. He said we should just trust Him and he will lead us to an expected end. Just as water becomes stale when it stagnates, so do we become when we fail to move on. Complacency sets in and we lose our focus. Like salt we lose our saltiness and what good will that be. Yes there will be distressing times when the evil one will throw all sorts of obstacles at you but that is when you stand firm and fight with the Word of God. Like the map given to the guides the Word of God

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leads us to our final destination- God. No matter where you are in your walk with God you will need to break camp and move on for His grace which is sufficient for you will see you through.

Prayer - Dear God help me desire more and more growth in You.

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January 29

BRINGING TASTE TO THE WORLD thew 5:13.

MeMory VerSe - “you are the salt of the world. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty again? it’s good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled on by people.” Mat-

read – Matthew 5:13-16.

ALt IS ONe of the most essential commodities in our country. Salt is used for cooking, preserving fish, meat and other food. It’s also used for washing vegetables and manufacturing of food. Imagine this world without salt. As a Christian and a child of God you are the salt of the earth and have to make a positive impact wherever you go. The people around you should experience the taste you carry, which is Christ in you. Just as salt acts as a preservative and prevents decay and spoilage so do Christians. They act as a moral preservative preventing further decay in the world. Unfortunately, the salt seems not to be enough and the decay and immorality continues. Arise dear one in the Lord and make a diﬀerence for Christ.

Prayer - dear lord, as from today may i not loose my focus as a

Christian. empower me to make a difference wherever i go and may those who come into contact with me experience your presence. amen.

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January 30

BUILD A SOLID TESTIMONY MeMory VerSe - “even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” Matt 23:28 read - Matthew 16:13-17

HAt IS tHe testimony of the people around you about you? Do some call you ‘nice’ whilst others say you are ‘not so nice’? Do some think you generous while others think you a bit miserly? God wants each of us to build a good testimony about ourselves as we go through our daily lives. He wants us to prove to the world that He truly is our father by the way that we live our lives and the things that we do. I remember some days when I was in primary school when I did something really naughty and was going to be punished. The teachers would often mention my parents’ names and say they did not expect a child from my family to behave that way. God can only show the world his love through us. He can only show them how people in His family are like through us. Through faith in God and a consistent submission to His Lordship in our lives we gain direction to build a life filled with strength of character. Thus the testimony of the world about us becomes one and the same. That we truly are diﬀerent because we love ALL our enemies, we bless everYONe that curses us and we love ALL our neighbours as our-

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selves. We do not choose whom we love and we are not selective in doing good to people. We live like Christ lived. His heart went out to all mankind; he loved us all and not only a select few.

Prayer- Dear Lord, let me never pretend to be someone else. Let me

be only who you made me to be.

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January 31

WISDOM MeMory VerSe – “if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask god, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5-6.niV

read - Luke 2:40, 46 - 52

N LuKe 2:40, the Bible tells us that Jesus was filled with wisdom. In verse 52, it says that he grew in wisdom. Wisdom is a gift that God freely gives to his children who ask it of him. In fact he is very delighted by requests for this gift. And so when Solomon asked God for wisdom, God commended him for the choice he had made and added wealth to it. When Jesus began to interact with teachers in the temple at the age of twelve, they were amazed at his level of understanding. Jesus though he was God, did not proceed to teach the people and proclaim mysteries to them. Instead he took his time to interact with them. He listened to them and asked them questions. The diﬀerence between a “muscular” man and a lean man is that the “muscular” man constantly exercises. In the same way, we must exercise whatever gift God gives us in order to grow in it. By interacting with the teachers in the temple, Jesus, was exercising his gift of wisdom and so he grew in it. We grow in wisdom when we take our time to listen, ask questions and to learn in the process, understanding that we do not know it all and there is always more to learn at every point in time. Wisdom helps us to gain understanding into things that may be difficult for the ordinary

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mind. Remember, the source of this wisdom is God.

Prayer - Dear God, I come to you today asking for this gift of

wisdom that my understanding of you and your word may be increased.

Daily devotional guide for girls

February

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February 1

WORSHIP MeMory VerSe - “yet a time is coming and has now come when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks.” John 4:23-24 (niV)

read - Psalms 63:1-8

HAt DOeS It mean to worship God? Do we only worship God when we sing ‘worship songs’ at church on Sunday, closing our eyes and lifting up our hands to him? Jesus said that we must worship God in spirit and in truth. When we worship God, we put away all other thoughts that come to our minds and focus on him alone. Our hearts well up with love for him and we express this love for him in song, in prayer, in an oﬀering to God and in many other ways. When we live a life that gives glory to God, we lead a lifestyle of worship because we please our Father. Worshipping God is not an outward act; it is an act of our hearts. A true worshipper does not need to be in church to worship God. Worship can be done at any time and in any place. You can worship God as soon as you wake up from bed, when you are getting ready for school, when you are doing your house chores…God loves it when we do this. true worship touches the heart of God and he descends to be with the worshipper. Next time, you come before God to worship, remember that worship is not merely the things you do and say but is the state of your heart towards God. Prayer - My god, i worship you. When i think of all that you are dear god, mighty, awesome, majestic, glorious… my heart rises to praise you and my lips cannot help but sing of your goodness. Be magnified oh Lord!

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February 2

THOUGHTS OF GOD MeMory VerSe - “on my bed i remember you; i think of you through the watches of the night.” Psalms 63:6

read - Psalm 104:31-34

HAt DO YOu do first thing in the morning? Do you lay still and take time to thank God and reflect on His goodness. Do you take a minute to thank God for the opportunity to live a new day for Him? I find that most mornings, the enemy tries to get our minds thinking about other things besides God. That argument we had yesterday, that homework we have yet to do, that friend we promised to visit but forgot about…it’s almost as if the devil stands at the foot of our beds and lays hold on our minds as soon as we open our eyes. And so, many Christians go about with a frown on their face the whole day, with a bad attitude or a bad temper. They say ‘I woke up on the wrong side of my bed today’. They have fallen prey to the devil’s plan to distract them from God. I have discovered that to have a good day, you have to start it oﬀ with thoughts of God. Make a habit of thinking about God every day upon awakening. understand that you have control over your mind, the devil does not. Decide to fix it on God. each time your eyes open to see a new day, lay still, think about God, say a prayer before you arise. You will become more aware of God’s presence with you as you go about your day. It will be a calming serene presence that will lift you above all cares as you live your day for Him. Prayer - Lord, fill my mind with thoughts of you, that you may be

my meditation day and night.

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February 3

THE GREATER GIFT MeMory VerSe - “When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” Luke 5:20

read - Luke 5:17-20

HeSe MeN Were desperate to have this paralytic healed. He must have been their friend, brother, relative…someone they dearly loved, for they went through all the trouble of going to the roof of the house where he was teaching that they may bring him before Jesus to be healed. We know that the power of the Lord was present for Jesus to heal the sick. But why did Jesus declare forgiveness of sins first of all before he proceeded to command the paralytic to walk? For Jesus to tell this man that his sins had been forgiven, it meant that he had been saved. The gift of salvation was now the paralytic’s through his faith in Jesus Christ. We must understand that we are only strangers in this place called the earth. Our real home is with our Father in heaven. God provided a way for us to come back home to heaven and spend eternity with him through salvation which can only be found in Jesus Christ. It is the first and most important thing that all must seek. And so Jesus considered it more important that this man’s spirit be healed before his body was healed. He knew that the body was less important because it would someday pass away. Without salvation this man even if he finally was healed of his paralysis, would not see the kingdom of God. Thus Jesus gave him the greater gift first. Prayer - Lord, help me to understand the mystery of this truth, that i am only a traveler passing through the earth and that my real home is with you. enable me to seek first your kingdom before pursuing other things.

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February 4

THE CLOUD MeMory VerSe - “Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out.” numbers 9:22-23 (niV)

read - numbers 9:15-23

O Be LeD by God is to be sensitive to his direction at every point in time. It involves being able to tell what he would have us do and where he would have us go. The Israelites whilst in the Desert of Sinai, had a clear sign that made them know when to move ahead or stay put. This sign was the cloud above the tabernacle, which signified the presence of God with them. They did not try to predict the movement of the cloud, they simply watched for the presence of the cloud and this directed them as to what they ought to do. God’s direction is the best direction any man can follow. He sees the way clearer than we do and he knows the end, we don’t. That is why he says that he will bring us to an expected end. ‘expected’ means that even before we set out on this journey, God knows where he is taking us and so he charts a course ahead of us that would lead us there. He however goes ahead of us, to clear the way, and we must obediently follow if we want to get to that place. Often we try to predict how God will do certain things in our lives based on what we’ve seen him do in the past. The Israelites had no way of knowing how long the cloud would rest on the tabernacle, it had no pattern and did not depend on how long it had stayed previously, they simply watched and waited. Prayer - dear god, help me to look to you today for direction,

that you may bring me to an expected end.

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February 5

REVERENCE FOR GOD MeMory VerSe - “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the holy one is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10 (niV)

read - Leviticus 10: 1-3

HeIr FAtHer WAS just ordained as high priest; they were also ordained as priests unto the Most High God before the entire community of Israel. They must have felt very honoured and important. Why? Because God had set them apart and he confirmed this by anointing them as a sign of their consecration. After the ordination, they must have been very excited to see the glory of the Lord appear before the people. Perhaps they felt they were in the best place to make it happen again because they had been set apart for God and so they set out to offer fire before the Lord. God however was not pleased with their offering because he had not commanded them to do so. And so he consumed them with fire. These two were Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron. How harsh!, we may think. Why would God do something so drastic? We must never forget that our God is Holy and we must give him the reverence He deserves. We must not take God for granted. today, we have been blessed with a new covenant with God, where we can come to him boldly at any time, to offer our sacrifice of praise, worship and prayer. His arms are wide open to receive us at any point in time. Because of what Christ did for us on the cross we have free access to God unlike in the days of Nadab and Abihu.

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We however learn a very important lesson from the sons of Aaron. That our God is Holy and we must fear him as such. He is our father yes, and our friend but he must be given the highest respect and reverence, because He is God. With God, familiarity must never breed contempt.

Prayer - Dear Father, please help me to always give you the honour and reverence due you. Amen.

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February 6

PURPOSE MeMory VerSe - “But daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief officials for permission not to defile himself this way.” danieL 1:8 (niV) read - hebrews 12:1-4

HAt DOeS It mean to have a purpose? It means that we have a goal, a target, an aim, an end point that we hope to get to eventually. Having a purpose defines what we do, how we do it, when we do it and why we do it. Purpose is defined by Wordweb as “The quality of being determined to do or achieve something.” Purpose gives us a reason to live each day, something to work for and a result to look forward to. What have you purposed in your heart to achieve for the sake of Christ? to be an example in conduct, neatness, punctuality, hardwork, politeness…you can be it with the help of the Jesus Christ, who is your perfect example and the Holy Spirit who empowers you to live like Christ lived. Purpose in your heart to do something that would set you apart as a child of God, as Daniel did. Don’t give up if you happen to fail at first attempt, rise up and keep trying till you achieve your godly aim. Don’t take your eyes oﬀ your target. run with determination the race that is set before you. Prayer - dear god, today i have purposed in my heart to _______________________________ . Lord, i know i cannot do it by my own strength. i humbly ask that you guide me to reach this target. When i fall, grant me the grace to rise again and to run the race with renewed strength.

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February 7

OBEDIENCE MeMory VerSe - “and this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. as you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.” 2 John 1:6 (niV) read - 2 John: 4-6

“FOSuA! FOSuA!” MuMMY called from the kitchen. Fosua quickly jumped onto her bed, pretending she had not heard her mother calling. “What is it again?”she thought, “Mummy is always sending me. I’m tired of running errands in this house.” “ Fosua! Fosua!” Mummy called out again. That silent voice spoke to her heart, making her understand that her behavior was wrong. Fosua finally got up and went to see what Mummy needed her to do. “Here,” Mummy said, “take this money and buy me some salt for the soup.” That night when Mummy served dinner, she gave Fosua the best portion, with a huge piece of meat on her fufu. She praised her to Daddy and told him how she had been obedient that afternoon. In her heart Fosua knew she had struggled a bit to be obedient but she finally listened to the voice of the Holy Spirit prompting her to obey. She was delighted to see that she had made Mummy and Daddy happy. up in heaven, God also looked down on her with a beaming smile of pride in her. The angels cheered her on. When we obey our parents or anyone else, we please God because we show that we love him and the people around us. In our daily walk with God we sometimes find it hard to do what is right, because we are human. But we have his Holy Spirit to guide us to do the right things. He speaks to us all the time, prompting us to make right decisions that would please the Father. Prayer - dear Lord, help me to walk in obedience to you today. help me to hear the voice of the holy Spirit when he prompts me of my shortcoming, that i may live a life that pleases you my god.

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February 8

LEND A HAND MeMory VerSe - “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” galatians 6:10(niV)

read - hebrews 13: 1-3

MAN WALKS into an airplane and is greeted by a beautiful woman who smiles pleasantly at him and shows him his seat. She is one of the air hostesses. Throughout the flight she keeps coming back to check on him to make sure that he is okay. He is pleasantly surprised to know that she knows his name! The food wasn’t spectacular, the movies shown in-flight weren’t that great either, the flight was long and tiring, but he will never forget the flight because of the warm treatment he was given by this airhostess. How do you greet people when you meet them for the first time? Do you smile or frown, or perhaps behave indiﬀerent? We must never forget that the world sees Christ through us. We are his representatives here on earth. People don’t really care what you have to say to them unless they sense that we care about them. The world is yearning to find a measure of truth to the gospel we preach, the best way to make them understand the gospel is to live the gospel. As you go through the day today, remember that your life must preach Christ. Be sure to say a kind word to a friend, smile at a stranger, go out of your way to do a kind deed for someone. Do good to everyone. Yes, everyone. Prayer - Lord, help me today to extend a hand of kindness to those around me, especially those who are going through hard times and need cheering up. Lord, bring a needy person my way today that i may be a blessing to this one as you have blessed me.

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February 9

JESUS IS COMING SOON MeMory VerSe - “Behold, i am coming soon! My reward is with me, and i will give to everyone according to what he has done.” revelation 22:12 (niV)

read - Matthew 24:45-51

WeGYIWAA SAt uP in bed that morning thinking about all the things she had to do. Chores, homework, visit friends… “Kwegyiwaa! Kwegyiwaa!” Mummy called. “Yes Mummy,” Kwegyiwaa responded, as she run towards her mother’s room to find out what it was she needed. “Grandma just called to say she had slipped in the bathroom. I have to rush over there to see if she’s okay. take this money in case you need anything. Call me if there is an emergency.” Daddy honked his horn and Mummy waved goodbye to her. “Home alone, with ¢10 in hand,” Kwegyiwaa smiled. The possibilities were endless. Before she could even begin to make plans, that little voice inside rose, “What would Jesus do?” It would have been so easy to spend the day watching t.v. and then buying her favourite treat, fanice and meat pie, before Mummy and Daddy came back. Kwegyiwaa however set about doing her house chores. Just as she finished, she heard the car horn honking. She was excited to see that Mummy and Daddy had come back. “Grandma is doing just fine,” said Mummy, “she just had a little scratch on her knee.” Mummy and Daddy looked so pleased with the work she had done. Guess what Daddy had in his hand for Kwegyiwa? Fanice and meat pie!

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It is so easy to spend our days forgetting, that Jesus Christ will return soon to ask us to give him an account of our lives and how we have spent the days he gave us here on earth as his servants. Will you be ready when he comes? Lord, help me to always keep in mind, this truth, that you will come back to judge the living and the dead.

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February 10

GIVE THANKS MeMory VerSe - “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is god’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5: 18 (niV)

read - 1 Chronicles 16:7-10

He SONG WrIter says: “Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the most high God because he’s given Jesus Christ his son.” In all situations give thanks to the Most High God. even in days which we classify as bad we have to give thanks to God; in difficult or unfortunate circumstances we should be grateful and appreciate God. When disaster strikes we tend to grieve. Instead of grieving we have to be grateful unto God who knows everything. God knows best. He says in Isaiah 55: 8- 9 “my ways are not your ways.” We need to understand as children of God that whatever God permits in our lives is for His ultimate good in us or in others, for all things work for the good of them that love the lord. It’s quite arduous to do that (being joyful and appreciative in difficult times) but with God all things are possible and his grace is sufficient to carry us through every grueling situation. After we show appreciation to God our father, it leaves us in a better position than before. That is, we are at peace with ourselves, have inner joy and the strength to move on past such situations. Prayer - heavenly father please help me to be grateful to you in all circumstances. amen.

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February 11

PEACE MeMory VerSe - “and the peace of god, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4: 7 (niV)

read - Philippians 4: 4- 8

rItING eXAMS HAS always been a time of stress for me as it is for almost everyone. As I grew older and older it actually became worse instead of better. They became more difficult adding more stress to life. So I always dreaded the period of examinations. Once I even had a panic attack because I had very little time to prepare for a paper. So I thought to myself “oh no I’m definitely going to fail this paper.” The only way out was to pray- asking for peace. This I did and the peace of God that transcends all understanding came upon me and has ever since remained. God grants us this peace so that even in the midst of trouble and chaos when all seem to be lost, we will still have that serene mind and tranquility to stand still. After all the Lord almighty who is all powerful is in control; what can possibly go wrong. He actually wants the best for us. Are you going through rough times and almost in despair? Why not ask the Holy Spirit to grant you that inner peace now. Just Stand still and know that He is in absolute control.

thought - no matter what happens, i have the peace of god which surpasses all understanding within me.

Daily devotional guide for girls

February 12

WHOSE VOICE DO YOU LISTEN TO? MeMory VerSe – “The lord came and stood there , calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak for your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 3:10 (niV) read - 1 Kings 19: 11- 13

Once in a while as believers we battle with these set of questions: Will I ever hear the voice of God as others do? Do they really hear the voice of God? What is the sound of God’s voice like? Sometimes we also wonder why we do not hear the voice of God as others claim. There are situations in life where we need to hear from God to make an important decision. Basically we come to a crossroad and we do not know what to do. We tend to do what seems right to us without waiting on God to listen to his voice. Afterwards, we come up with the excuse that we cannot hear His voice ,to satisfy our conscience. elijah on the other hand was very sensitive to God’s voice. As he stood there on the mountain, a great and powerful wind tore the mountain apart…but the lord was not in the wind. Neither was He in the earthquake nor the fire. rather the lord spoke in a gentle whisper and elijah, though he was just like me and you was able to discern this. We need to hear from God if we are to achieve the purposes for which we were created. today, let’s stop listening to others and ourselves and humbly ask the Holy Spirit to grant us ears like those of elijah and Samuel that will be sensitive to the voice of God Prayer - Lord, please help me to hear your voice today.

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February 13

THE SPIRIT OF GOD MeMory VerSe - “For through him (Christ) we both have access by one spirit unto the Spirit.” ephesians 2:18 (KJ read - John 14:15-18 & John 16:7-14

The Spirit of God is the Holy Spirit. God sent His Spirit to exalt our Lord Jesus Christ. The Spirit does not boast of himself. Jesus declared: “When he, the Spirit of truth, is come . . . he shall not speak of himself; . . . he shall glorify me” (John 16:13-14). Jesus Christ is the way to righteousness but He is currently not here with us on earth. He is at the right side of the father. How do we walk on the path of righteousness then? The answer lies in the existence of the Holy Spirit. God sent His Spirit to come and lead us to Jesus – the path of righteousness. The Holy Spirit is all over us. If you recognize the presence of God’s Spirit in your life, He directs and comforts you and gives you the power to overcome the flesh (sin).

Prayer - holy Spirit, come and dwell in my life.

Daily devotional guide for girls

FEBRUARY 14

THE SOWER MeMory VerSe - “Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop – a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13: 8(niV)

read - Matthew 13: 1 - 23

N MAttHeW 28:19 Jesus says to His disciples, “therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”. This verse is practically known by all believers and is known amongst believers as The Great Commission. Many Christians with full enthusiasm go out into the world trying to win souls for Christ. Sometimes, however, in our quest to do so we are not successful as the people we talk to or pray for do not change and accept Jesus Christ. During such times we become dejected and give up not only on the individual but also on evangelism all together. The parable of the sower tells us that this is to be expected. As the sower went out to sow his seeds, some fell along the path, some fell on rocky ground and still some fell among thorn bushes which grew up and choked the plants. But praise God some also fell on good soil, grew and bore much grain (Mathew 13: 4- 8). regardless of the outcome of our evangelism we are not to give up for it is not man who convicts but the Holy Spirit. So the next time you go out there just have it in mind that in spite of the person’s reaction you have sown a seed that will be nurtured by God. Prayer - dear Father, thank you for the opportunities you give me every day to tell others about you. help me to delight in sowing seeds of your Word in the lives of others and to never give up.

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February 15

HELL IS REAL MeMory VerSe – “if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.” 2 Peter 2:9 (niV) read - 2 Peter 2:4-9

“NOt A CHANCe IN HeLL”. “When hell freezes over”. “It was hell”. When we use these english expressions we give the impression to our hearers that hell is a place that is perpetually in flames and is a very unpleasant place. Yet, although we use these expressions, we find it hard to believe that such a place actually exists. We can bring ourselves to believe that heaven exists but hell? Certainly, a loving God like our own cannot watch people go to hell, we argue. God is loving and He is just as well. In love He sent Jesus to die on the cross to make a way for us to be reconciled to Him and granting us access to heaven and those who reject Jesus shall have no place in heaven. There are only two options, heaven or hell. There is no middle place. Child of God, do not be deceived, hell exists and is a place of eternal punishment for the ungodly. All throughout scripture, we are told about the existence of hell. If it didn’t exist, surely God wouldn’t warn us about such a place would He? Sadly, there are still people who don’t believe in the existence of hell. Are you one of them? What can you do today to point out the reality of hell to such people? Prayer - dear god, thank you for making a way for me to come to you through Jesus Christ my Saviour. i believe that your word is true and what it says about hell is also true. help me to bring this reality to bear in the lives of (names of people you know who don’t believe hell is real).

Daily devotional guide for girls

February 16

THE LIGHT HOUSE MeMory VerSe – “The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out. “ Leviticus 6:13(KJV)

read - Matthew 5: 13 – 16

urING tHe SeveNteeNtH and eighteenth centuries when the only means of travelling over long distances was the ship, the light house was as important as the control tower that guides airplanes today. It stood tall on cliﬀs and guided ships to dock at bay. The lamp of the light house was always kept burning; it never run out. Disaster was inevitable when the lamp at the light house was not lit. As believers, we are the light of this dark world. The Bible says in Matthew 5:14 that we are the light for the whole world. The fire in us should constantly burn. It must never run out in guiding unbelievers to Christ. Our light must shine brightly before people so that they will see the good things that we do and praise the Father in heaven. As Christians, we do not only draw people to God through the words that we speak but more importantly through our actions and deeds (lifestyle). The people of Antioch were first called Christians because their lifestyles depicted that of Christ. So in our relationship with others we should behave as Christ did when He lived on earth. Someone is sailing the dark dangerous sea of the world today and is longing to find a place to dock, will you be the lighthouse that guides this precious one to safety? Prayer - heavenly Father, i am so thankful to you for the great responsibility of letting my light shine. you can depend on me today to shine brightly and guide those you send my way today to dock safely.

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February 17

THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD MeMory VerSe - “in the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds, and praise your Father in heaven,” Matt 5:16(niV)

read - John 14:6-11

eSuS IS tHe light of the world because it is by virtue of his redemptive work on the cross that we were saved from eternal condemnation to eternal life. It is this light that makes us eligible to partake in the kingdom of God. This light paves a way that leads us to the truth-God. You cannot have fellowship with God if you do not recognize Jesus as the way, the truth and the light. He declares in John 14:7 that “If you really knew me, you would know my father as well. From now on you do know him and have seen him...” A Christian literally means someone who is Christ-like. Therefore a Christian is also a light that shine before men to reveal the good works of Jesus and to glorify God. Are you shining as a light before men? Prayer - Pray that you live on earth to glorify the name of the Lord by way of good deeds that is founded on the light of the world.

Daily devotional guide for girls

February 18

THAT DAY MeMory VerSe - “Therefore keep watch because you do not know the day or the hour” Matthew 25:13(niV)

read - 2 Peter 3: 10-13

eSuS IS COMING soon! It has been said over and over again that people are beginning to take it for granted and fail to see the significance of this profound statement. But whether we admit it or not, each day brings us a step closer to the day of the Lord’s coming. No one knows the day or hour and therefore we must be prepared at all times for this great encounter with God. Our preparedness will depend on how intimate our walk with the Lord is. We cannot live our lives anyhow and expect to make it to Heaven. Jesus is coming for a people who are ready. At the sound of the trumpet, there will be no turning back. Let us not be caught unawares!

Prayer - Like a soldier ready for battle, help me o Lord to always be on guard so that your coming will not catch me by surprise. amen

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February 19

TAKE THE LEAD MeMory VerSe - “Be determined and confident, for you will be the leader of these people as they occupy this land which i promised their ancestors.” Joshua 1:6(niV)

read - Matthew 5:13-16

O Be A leader goes beyond a position or a place of authority. A leader is defined as someone who rules or guides or inspires others. As Christians, we are called to be leaders in every aspect our lives. At home, in school, at church - everywhere we find ourselves. taking the lead means standing out among your peers so much so that everyone notices that you are diﬀerent. When all others cheat, lie, steal or quarrel, you choose not to. Not because you want to appear better than others or to receive a pat on the back but because it is who we are called to be in Christ. We stand out because we are the light of the world. We guide and inspire people around us to walk the path we walk; the path of righteousness. We are not righteous because we do not sin but because when Christ died on the cross for our sins, He took our sin upon Himself and put on us the righteousness of God. Our sinful nature has been exchanged for righteousness. You and I are surrounded daily by a great cloud of witnesses. When we take the lead, we inspire others also to take the lead. We bring glory to God and He beams with pride. Prayer - Lord, help me to step up to take the lead for you in all situations. help me to be an example to my siblings, classmates, friends and everyone around me.

Daily devotional guide for girls

FEBRUARY 20

TAKE MY LIPS LORD MeMory VerSe – “ She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.” Proverbs 31:26(KJV) read - ephesians 4:29-32

erWAA WAS SO nervous. This morning the headmistress had asked her to lead the opening prayer at assembly. Of course she had obediently said yes. In her heart though, she was scared. What if she said the wrong thing, or made some mistake, what if…what if… Serwaa was deep in thought when she bumped into Ama. Ama noticed that Serwaa seemed shaky. “What’s the matter Serwaa?” she asked with concern. Serwaa told her how she was feeling. Ama encouraged Serwaa. She told her that she was certain Serwaa could do it. She reminded her of the numerous times she had stood before her class to lead prayer. “Ama,” Serwaa said, “this is the whole school!” “relax, Serwaa. God will fill you with the spirit of boldness. It’ll be okay, you’ll see.” Seconds later, the bell for assembly rang. Ama gave Serwaa a quick hug and said a silent prayer for her friend. Serwaa walked up to the front and stood beside the headmistress. “Dear God,” her voice rang out with confidence, “we thank you for such a beautiful day. For your goodness to us. Lord, we thank you that you love us so much. We humbly ask this morning that…” God often puts us in places where people need a kind word to urge them on. We must learn to open our mouths with wisdom. Allow God to use you to encourage a friend today, to speak words that would strengthen someone in the Lord. Prayer - Lord, take my lips and make them yours. Whenever i

open my mouth, Lord let me do so because i have a kind word to share. May i never say things that would hurt or discourage others. god, speak through me today. 67

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February 21

SPREAD THE WORD MeMory VerSe - “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations”. Matt 28:19a

read - John 4:28-30

HeN WAS tHe last time you heard some really good news. I bet you could hardly wait to share it with others! The woman at the well heard the most wonderful news of all, eternal life through Christ Jesus. It was just too wonderful to be true. No wonder she left her jar of water at the well (the main reason she had gone there) just to tell others this good news. I wonder how many of us have this same enthusiasm when it comes to evangelism. When was the last time you told someone about the love of God? Through the Samaritan woman’s testimony, many placed their faith in Jesus. evangelism is not for a special group of people. The command is for all Christians. every day, many die and go to hell because Christians are failing in this task. When we meet people, we are so comfortable discussing all other issues but not the word of God which gives life. The next time you meet someone, tell them the good news of salvation.

thought - The next person you meet might be on his way to hell. Share your testimony about how Jesus saved you!

Daily devotional guide for girls

February 22

SALT AND LIGHT MeMory VerSe - “in the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven”. Matt 5:16 (niV)

read - Matthew 5:13-16

ADONNA WAS SO excited when mom told her she could prepare dinner for the family. It was an opportunity she had been waiting for, for such a long time. She started cooking and very soon the aroma that filled the entire house made everyone’s mouth water. Dinner was set and the entire family sat down to eat. After taking just one spoonful, everyone’s facial expression turned blank. Something was definitely wrong! Madonna forgot to add salt! In the same way as salt is important to give taste to food, Christians are also supposed to preserve and give taste to the earth. How? Our presence must make a diﬀerence. Wherever we find ourselves, we must portray Christ. We must be a channel of God’s love, peace, hope, comfort, etc. We must be God’s light in this dark world. No matter how much we know God, we’ll be as useless as the salt on the shelf and as the lamp hidden under a table, if we do not let others benefit from our Christianity. The next time you eat food without salt, or the next time your light goes oﬀ at night, remember that the world is just like that if you fail as a Christian. Prayer - dear Lord, please help me to shine so that the light might draw others to you. amen

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February 23

REVELATION MeMory VerSe - “…but god has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of god.” 1 Corinthians 2:10(niV)

read - 1 Corinthians 2:9-12

NOWLeDGe OF A thing makes us confident about it to some extent. Because we have learned about that thing, we may be able to describe it, to give a fair idea of what that thing is like. When we walk with knowledge as a tool in any facet of our lives, we are at a risk however of forgetting. A good example is during examination. We often study so hard and are certain that we have mastered some bit of knowledge but when we encounter the same topic in exams, our minds fail us. We are unable to remember what we thought we had learned so hard and kept in memory. A step beyond knowledge is revelation. What is revelation? The easton’s Bible dictionary defines it as an uncovering, a bringing to light of that which had been previously hidden or obscurely seen. When we have a revelation, things become clearer, our understanding becomes deeper and the knowledge that we take in becomes so real to us that we simply cannot forget. It is like reading a book in dim light, we are able to make out some words but we struggle to make head or tail of what we are reading. When the light is turned on, suddenly everything becomes clearer. revelation is that which makes us confident of God’s influence in our lives. It makes our walk with him, a true walk of faith, our level of belief in Him increases. This is because our knowledge of Him is deeper,

Daily devotional guide for girls

our understanding is deeper and His truths are so real to us no one can convince us otherwise. Revelation makes our walk with the savior personal and dear.

Prayer - Heavenly Father, I desire to know You more. Reveal to

me by Your Holy Spirit who You are so that I can worship You as I should.

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February 24

REFLECTING CHRIST MeMory VerSe - â&#x20AC;&#x153;your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.â&#x20AC;? Philippians 2:5(niV)

read - Philippians 2:5-8

S A CHrIStIAN, your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. Though He was God, He did not demand and hold on to His rights as God. He obediently humbled Himself even to the point of death on the cross. As a result, God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him a name that is above every other name. You only have to look at the life of Jesus, His attitude, extraordinary love and compassion towards others- the multitudes, the tax collector, the woman at the well, the lepers, the blind, the prostitute, the outcasts of society, and those who persecuted him- to know how to live with others and relate to them. In any situation, always ask yourself, what Christ would do if He was faced with the same situation. Your attitude should reflect how Christ lived on earth such that if you were to look in a mirror or someone was to look at you, the image both of you would see would be the Christ in you.

Prayer - dear Jesus, as i go through each day in life, help me to reflect your very nature as i ought. amen.

Daily devotional guide for girls

February 25

PRAYER MeMory VerSe - â&#x20AC;&#x153;and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.â&#x20AC;? 1 John 3:22

read -

1 John 5:14-15, hebrews 4:14-16

HAt DO YOu do first when you are faced with a problem or difficulty? Who do you consult when you are in need? God hears us whenever we call unto Him. However, many a time, we even forget the fact that He hears us and pray faithlessly as our last resort. If we live in the consciousness that God will not deny us when we pray according to His will, we will not hesitate to go before Him in prayer. Moreover, we will be circumspect in our thoughts and imaginations, ensuring that we do not think about anything that is not in conformity with the will of God. As you read this passage, are you plagued with any difficulty? Just cast your mind back and see the needless pain you have endured just because you did not commit everything to God in prayer. Go before God in prayer so that you may obtain mercy and find grace to help in times of need. God is always happy and ever ready to listen when He sees you praying to Him. thought - What a privilege to carry everything to god in prayer!

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February 26

GIVE FREELY MeMory VerSe - “he who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he has done.” Proverbs 19:17(niV)

read - galatians 6:7-10

SI JuSt COuLDN’t believe her ears. Her school had decided to give a donation to help Paa pay for his heart surgery. The teacher had said everyone was supposed to contribute something little. And now her circle of friends had made a decision to contribute not less than one cedi. Of course she had to contribute more than anyone else in the group as the leader of the group. If only the contribution was for someone else other than Paa! Paa was her chief suspect for spreading that rumour about her and now she had to contribute some of her money for his surgery. Of course she would pay a big amount but she would always remember and remind Paa about it anytime she saw him. Often, the people who need the things we give out seem not to deserve them. They are people who have oﬀended us in the past, or seem unable to take good care of what we give them. But anytime you are tempted not to give because of any of these reasons, think about yourself and all that God has freely given you. We’ve done nothing on our own to deserve God’s gifts and we sometimes misuse them as well. Yet God keeps giving us freely and does not withhold any good thing from us. We must do the same when it is within our means to do so. Freely you have received and therefore freely shall you give (Matthew 10:8). Prayer - dear Father, thank you for all your wonderful gifts to me

including my friends and family. i ask that you help me give freely and cheerfully always. amen

Daily devotional guide for girls

February 27

PRAY MeMory VerSe - “is any one of you in trouble? he should pray. is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.” James 5:13(niV)

read - James 5:13-18

HeN PrISCILLA WAS a child, she noticed her mum went on her knees to pray to God for help whenever there was a problem. She sometimes wondered the role of her mum’s prayers in solving the problem and what motivated her mum to never cease praying. When Priscilla entered Junior High School, she was finding some of the subjects difficult. This was really worrying her so she sought advice from her mother. Her mother asked, “Have you talked to God about it, sweetheart?” Priscilla answered, “No mum, I thought I had to see you first.” Her mother replied, “No dear, the first person you have to talk to whenever you are in trouble is God. He sees and knows everything. He knows whatever problem you are facing and has the key to your solution. You just have to pray to Him and He will answer (Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not Jer 33:3).” She then sat Priscilla down and read the scripture from James 5:13 to her. As a child of God, never cease to pray. In good and bad times, pray to Him, He is ever ready to hear you.

Prayer - dear god, help me put my trust and hope in you that i may pray without ceasing.

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February 28

FELLOWSHIP WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT MeMory VerSe - â&#x20AC;&#x153;if we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.â&#x20AC;? galatians 5:25(KJV) read - Luke 2:25-34

He BIBLe teLLS us that Simeon was a righteous and devout man and he was filled with the Holy Spirit. When Mary and Joseph entered the temple with the baby Jesus, Simeon was moved by the Holy Spirit to enter the temple court as well. He did not need to be told that the Messiah whom God had promised he would see before his death had been brought into the temple. Simeon knew because he had been moved by the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is a very important person of the Godhead. He comes to live in our hearts when we are saved and is the one who guides us daily to walk in the ways of God. Without the Holy Spirit we would do things with our own human reasoning based on what we feel is right. There is a higher way of living in God. Much higher than basing our daily decisions on common sense and reasoning. It is the way of the Spirit of God. Like Simeon, we can be sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit on a moment to moment basis. How can this be? It is like a simple friendship. When we are so close to someone, we can recognize their voices even with our eyes closed. When we receive a phone call from such a person we can immediately tell who is speaking. In the same way, we can develop friendship with the Holy Spirit as we

Daily devotional guide for girls

meditate on God and his word, as we worship and as we pray. Then we begin to recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit. The more obedient we are to his direction, the more we hear him speak to us.

Prayer - Dear Lord, teach me to develop a deeper fellowship with

the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Thought - Allow the Sweet Holy Spirit of God to be your right hand man.

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Daily devotional guide for girls

March

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March 1

FORGIVENESS MeMory VerSe - “…and when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone,

Forgive him, so that your father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Mark 11:25(NIv)

read - Matthew 18: 21- 35

ArtHA AND JOCeLYN had been friends for the past fifteen years. They had been friends since infancy when Martha was three and Jocelyn was four. One day these two inseparable friends had a huge misunderstanding as all girls their age would have. However these two friends could not get over their diﬀerences and reconcile. They could not forgive each other’s wrongs and remained at loggerheads. This led to a cold war full of bitterness and resentment. What do you do when your best friend wrongs and hurts you so badly? Do you forgive and forget or do you choose not to because the oﬀense committed against you is just too “big”. The bible has the answer: it says we are to forgive each other seventy seven times (Matthew 18: 22) Meaning we should always find a way to forgive. Bible further says we should forgive as our Father in heaven forgives us of our sins. Our father forgives and He forgets (Hebrews 8:12) and we should emulate this. There are times when we find it extremely difficult to forgive others. During such moments we should get past our pride and hurt and come to the father (who knows how to forgive every sin). He will grant us the grace to forgive, get past our sins and teach us to love again. Prayer - dear Lord, grant me the spirit of forgiveness. amen thought - Let go off any bitter or hurtful past.

Daily devotional guide for girls

March 2

GO MAKE DISCIPLES MeMory VerSe - “at that time John the Baptist came to the desert of Judea and started preaching. “turn away from your sins,” he said, “because the Kingdom of heaven is near!” Matthew 3:1-2 (niV)

read – Matthew 28:16-20.

OHN tHe BAPtISt lived his life for one purpose, to announce to people the need to repent and to let them know that the kingdom of God was coming soon. He came to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. John the Baptist was a man of passion. He preached with passion what he knew to be true. He was not afraid of the teachers of the law because he knew that his message was truth. He never failed to turn the eyes of the people to the Messiah and oﬀ himself. today, God has called each one of us to do the same. to speak for Christ, to appeal to the world on behalf of God, that they too may join us in our faith of Christianity. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he commanded us to ‘GO MAKe DISCIPLeS’. When was the last time, you spoke to someone about Jesus? It is easy because God has given us the grace to do it. remember, Jesus commands us to do so, and so has given us authority to speak in His name. Step up to someone today, tell them about Jesus. Prayer - Lord, i pray that you give me the passion of John the Baptist, to spread the good news to my family and friends who do not know you. Lord, speak through me to them that they also would believe in your name, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

thought - go make disciples of all nations.

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March 3

GOD’S TIME MeMory VerSe - “he has made everything beautiful in its time”. ecclesiastes 3:11a

read - ecclesiastes 3:1-11

AMeLA WAS ALWAYS sad. She felt God had forgotten about her. She lost her father at a very tender age and her mom had struggled ever since then to cater for her and her two siblings. One day, she came across a tract which talked about God making everything beautiful in its time. From then, her attitude changed and she began trusting God, one day at a time. Job had every reason to be angry at God and bitter against him. After all, he had lived a righteous life and had done nothing to deserve the calamity that befell him. However he chose not to complain but to wait for God’s perfect timing. eventually, God restored him to a greater glory. There is the need to have patience when it comes to the issues of this life. Things may not always go the way you wish, but always remember that God has the end in mind and if only you wait on Him, He’ll make all things beautiful in its time.

Prayer - dear Lord, help me build my trust and faith in you. amen.

thought - Simply trusting everyday, trusting through the stormy

way; even when my faith is small. trusting Jesus, that is all.

Daily devotional guide for girls

March 4

GOD, OUR COMFORTER MeMory VerSe - “Find out for yourself how good the Lord is.”

Psalms 34:8a(niV)

OD KNOWS uS through and through. He knows our aches and pains, our worries, fears, anxieties, our concerns…our cares. Sometimes we wonder why God watches us go through painful moments. In our tears, we cry out asking where God is. The truth is that, he is right by us, he is with us and in us. ready to oﬀer us the comfort we so badly need to feel better. He is ready to soothe our souls and wipe away every tear. Often when we are sad, we choose to think about whatever is making us sad; like that person who hurt us, the test we failed, the embarrassment we felt when we were punished in front of our friends in school. God wants us to turn our minds to him in times of sadness; to fix our thoughts on him alone. He reaches out to us, to take the pain away but often we are so busy thinking of how hurt we are that we do not accept his oﬀer to comfort us. He is our loving God and our fortress. When we come to God when we are down, he hides us in a place in him where he gives us the strength we need to move on with life joyfully. Next time you feel sad or down, turn to God and enter into the loving arms of his embrace. Determine to allow God to heal your hurt. Find out for yourself how good the Lord is. Prayer - dear Lord, if anyone can understand how i’m feeling when i’m down, it’s you and so i know that only you can turn my sadness into joy. i place my heart in your hands. heal every hurt dear Lord and strengthen me for the days to come. thought - he wipes away all our tears.

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March 5

HE IS WITH US

MeMory VerSe - “The Lord almighty is with us; the god of Jacob is our refuge.” Psalms 46:11(niV)

OMetIMeS We FOrGet how big and mighty our God is. We allow the smallest things to scare us…the dark, examinations, bullies, the list goes on. God is bigger than anything we can ever imagine. If the whole world came together to make a crown to place on the head of the King of kings, and if everyone in the whole world had to support that crown, can you imagine how big such a crown would be? It would have to be even bigger than the earth itself. Yet such a crown for our Lord Almighty, I imagine would only fit on his little finger! He is the Lord Almighty, his majesty and his might is much more than our human minds can ever imagine. This God is with us, He is our refuge. He rules over every single thing on this earth and he is our father, our friend, our teacher, our guide, our comforter, our everything! We have such a mighty God who also is our refuge; we are hidden in Him, sheltered from everything that might even threaten to harm us. today, let this truth sink into your heart; you remain under the protection of God Almighty. Prayer - dear Lord, help me to walk always in the confidence of

this truth, that you truly are my protector and defender. When anything comes my way, that makes me afraid, Lord help me always to remember this truth, that you truly are my protector and defender. Lord, you have said that you are my shelter and my strength, that you are ready to help me in times of trouble. and so Lord, i surrender my day to you. Father, go before me, behind me, stand with me, at all times. in Jesus name, amen. thought - you are the apple of god’s eye.

Daily devotional guide for girls

March 6

HE KNOWS MY NAME MeMory VerSe - “For you created my inmost being. you knit me together in my mother’s womb”. Psalm 139:13 (niV)

read - Psalm 139:1-6

Ate HAS BeeN in her new class for the past three weeks. She always sits at the back of the class in a small corner she had created for herself and thought she was never going to be noticed, let alone acknowledged by her teacher. She however longed for that. You cannot imagine her shock but immerse joy when her teacher walked up to her after class one day and called her by name. She was known after all! Isn’t it amazing that the God of all creation knows you by name? even before you were born, before anyone ever saw you, God knew you. Your birth was not by accident, no matter the circumstances that surrounded it. You have been made in the image of God and are very precious in his sight. Are there times when you feel insignificant, that you are all alone and no one cares? remember in such times that you have a God who truly cares. It thrills Him that you are his handiwork, fearfully and wonderfully made. You are never for once out of His sight and his love is near enough to reach you.

Prayer - Thank you Lord that i’m so special to you.

thought - god discerns my going out and my lying down and he is familiar with all my ways.

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March 7

KEEPING YOUR WAY PURE MeMory VerSe - “how can young people keep their lives pure? By obeying your commands.” Psalm 119:9(gnB) read -

Psalm 119: 9- 11

MA WAS CONFuSeD. She wanted to know whether it was right to drink palm wine; all those she sought counsel from gave her conflicting answers. Some said it was wrong while others were all for it and still others said it was a “gray area” she had to figure out for herself. It depends. That is relative. A lot of times we are unable to know what the right way to live as children of God is. Although we know we have to do good and hate evil, a lot of people around us confuse us with their opinions. One person might say this is right while another may condemn that same act. This can confuse us and make us sin. But God’s Word, though written centuries ago still has relevance for our day and remains the standard for every Christian’s life. The psalmist pondered these same things and asked, “How can a young person keep his way pure?” In response, he said that by obeying God’s commands and hiding the word of God in his heart, he is able to stay away from sin to live the pure life God requires of him. Why don’t you also begin to hide God’s word in your heart beginning with Ps 119:9- 11? Prayer - dear Father, i desire to live a life of purity that is pleasing

to you. i want to meditate on your word day and night and keep it in my heart. grant me the grace to do so for you are gracious and kind. Thank you, in Jesus’ name. amen! thought - The word of god is a powerful weapon for every Christian.

Daily devotional guide for girls

March 8

IDOL MeMory VerSe - “you shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. you shall not bow down to them or worship them; for i, the Lord your god, am a jealous god…” deuteronomy 5: 8-9a (niV)

read - deuteronomy 4:15-19

HAt IS AN idol? What does it mean to have an idol? The Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary defines idol as: 1a representation or symbol of an object of worship; broadly: a false god,2a likeness of something or 3a form or appearance visible but without substance. Our belief in God is by faith. We may not see him, but we experience him through other senses…we feel his presence with us when we worship him, we hear his voice guiding us when we pray to him, we taste his goodness when we trust in him and he gives us breakthroughs in our lives. Perhaps, God chooses not to reveal his form to us because he does not want us to resort to idolatry. He does not want us to worship lifeless forms of him and lose the wonderful relationship we have with him our Maker. This is what he told the Israelites in Deuteronomy 4:1519. Idolatry could be in the form of little things in our lives that constantly occupy our thoughts. This could be food, money, clothes…things that tend to compete with God for our hearts may well be idols in our lives. As Christians we must always be careful to keep our focus on God. The things we are ‘crazy’ about will all fade away someday; they add no value to our lives. The only thing in our lives that is ever sure, tried and true is God. Let us therefore do well to hold fast to God and never let him go. Prayer - dear Lord, teach me to be faithful to you at all times. thought - a true and faithful worshipper is who god desires.

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March 9

LOVING OTHERS MeMory VerSe - “in this is love, not that we loved god but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:10(KJV) read - 1John 4:7-12

F LOvING WAS only restricted to those who love us, everybody could love. Love is what distinguishes the Christian from the unbeliever. The basis of Christianity is love and this distinguishing factor must be evident in all believers. If the meaning of loving is to love only those who love us, its significance would be vague because the unbelievers are even able to do so. true love is demonstrated when we love those who do not love us. If we are able to love those who repel us to the very core; who gossip and say all manner of evil things against us, we have the nature of God in us. God demonstrated his love for us when he died for the very people who were annoying him and doing all the things he abhors. Weighing the love you have for others on this scale, can you say that you truly love them? Are you sure it is not because of what you’ll gain from them that compels you to love them? true love is not selfish. It does not focus on personal gain but the good of those being loved.

Prayer - dear Lord, teach me to love those who do not like me and demonstrate your true nature in loving them in Jesus’ name, amen.

thought - true love is god’s very nature. do you have god’s nature in

you?

Daily devotional guide for girls

March 10

POTENTIAL MeMory VerSe - “and he said to them, “Why did you seek Me? did you not know that i must be about My Father’s business?” Luke 2:49(?)

read - ecclesiastes 10:10

Our LIFe CAN be likened to a virgin forest given you for cultivation. God upon creating you gave you an axe with which to cut down the trees in the forest. The axe represents your talents and abilities. If you don’t sharpen your axe by developing your talents and abilities, you will waste a lot of energy and time cutting the trees because your axe is blunt. Many people are disappointed and fed up with life because they have expended unnecessary energy in cutting very few trees. How do you develop your talents and abilities? Since God is the one who gave them to you, he alone can help you utilize them to the fullest potential. You have to go before him in prayer and ask him what he wants to do with your life. Paul asked Jesus the same question when He appeared to him on the road to Damascus. Thereafter, he spent his entire life fulfilling the will of God till he died. You too can do the same. What prevents you from going before God in prayer today? If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us (1 john 3:20).

Prayer - god, please help me to identify the potentials you have placed in me and grant me the grace to use them to please you. amen.

thought - Make the maximum use of your god-given talent.

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March 11

PEACE IN THE MIDST OF TURMOIL MeMory VerSe – “and Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” exodus 14:13-14 (eSV) read - exodus 14

MAGINe YOu FOrGOt the homework of a very dreaded teacher at home and he won’t listen to any explanation, you cannot also go back home for it and in the next 10 minutes he will be at your desk demanding it, you either have it or bear the full force of his anger. He decides that the punishment for not having your homework ready is caning and then to be sent out to weed during break time. Now, you can’t even stand the humiliation of being shouted at and disgraced before your mates any better than to be seen by the whole school weeding not to talk of your utter dislike of canes, only comparable to your terror for snakes! I’m sure you can imagine that, the Children of Israel many years ago were confronted with a situation like this only that this time it was life-threatening; their most dreaded powerful enemy Pharaoh, with his huge, huge army ready to slay them all, a huge, huge, very huge red sea just before them making it impossible to continue their journey and an unfriendly vast wilderness around them…..now, that was big trouble. Their response, only too natural, they cried not only against Moses but also against God who had delivered them through many miraculous deeds from the egyptians. It sounds like what you’d have done too but it wasn’t what God expected of them. He wanted them to be CALM, reLAXeD as if nothing was about to happen. Is that impossible? Only if you don’t have a Supreme God before and behind

Daily devotional guide for girls

you, but if you are a child of God, you can smile in the midst of trouble, or when your teacher is two desks away knowing that your Father sees and He’s in absolute control. He’s never without a plan for a every problem you meet, be like Moses; pause and consult Him now on what you should do in your state, he has an answer…. LISTEN!

Prayer - Let this song be your prayer today; ‘when peace like a river attended my way…’

Thought - Be still and know that He is God in times of trouble.

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March 12

THE SECRET PLACE MeMory VerSe - “he who dwells in the shelter of the Most high will rest in the shadow of the almighty” Psalm 91:1(niV) read - Psalm 91: 1-8

verYONe NeeDS A place to call home. There is a longing in man to be loved and accepted. God oﬀers us such a place. He created us for His pleasure and desires to share fellowship with us. Making God our dwelling place means to remain and to settle in Him, allowing Him to become our security and place of refuge. However, it will be very difficult to dwell in God if you do not trust Him. This trust will only develop when you have an on-going relationship with Him. In Him you will find rest from the worries and cares of life. You may have anxieties and uncertainties about the future but God knows the future more than you do. He knows the end from the beginning and has promised to be your shield and rampart, once you dwell in Him. Why not allow Him to be your secret place, where the devil cannot find you?

Prayer - Father, may i always dwell in your secret place, amen.

thought - it will do you no good to fear tomorrow, just accept god’s gra-

cious offer to be your dwelling place. he will keep you from all harm, and preserve you to the end.

Daily devotional guide for girls

March 13

WATCH YOUR WORDS MeMory VerSe - “But i tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken”. Matthew 12:36(niV) read - James 3: 5-12

IFe AND DeAtH are in the power of the tongue. Many times we are very careless with our words. We may call them jokes at times but we must always remember that we will be judged by our words. Let us be careful of the things that come out of our mouths for they can either edify or corrupt. As Christians, our words must be in line with scripture. They should be for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. A Christian’s speech should be different. You never know who might be listening and the impression that will be created by the words you speak. Your speech can lead someone to heaven or drive another to hell. You are the salt of the earth so let your words preserve lives.

Prayer - Father, teach me how to speak and may my words be sea-

soned always.

thought - Where words are many, sin is never absent.

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March 14

YOU CAN TRUST HIM MeMory VerSe - For no matter how many promises god has made, they are “yes” in Christ. and so through him the “amen” is spoken by us to the glory of god. 2 Corinthians 1:20(niV) read - Jeremiah 5:22

Ave YOu tAKeN a good look at the earth? Scientists tell us about 70% of its surface is covered by water with the remaining 30% being land. If you have ever stood on a beach before I am sure you have been awed by the relationship between the sea and the shore. On the third day of creation (Gen1:9-10), when God separated the sea from the dry land he made the sand an everlasting barrier the sea cannot cross. This ordinance of God has remained from then till this day. Yes, there are storms and the sea roars and the waves crash at the shore yet they never disobey God’s command given long ago not to cross the boundary. Isn’t this amazing? Just think about it. Beloved, this same God who made this decree that the sea cannot disobey is the one who is our Father and friend. You can trust that whatever promises and declarations he has made about you in his word are true. For example, He forgives our sins and remembers them no more, He loves us, He is always with us and many other great ones. Why don’t you take some time and recall some of these promises? What are you going to do diﬀerently today to remind yourself of these promises and to live them out? Prayer- glorious god, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Thank you that your promises are true and i can depend on them. amen! thought - god’s promises are “yes” and “amen.”

Daily devotional guide for girls

March 15

MOST TREASURED POSSESSION MeMory VerSe - â&#x20AC;&#x153;For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.â&#x20AC;? Matthew 6:21(niV) read - Matthew 6:19-21

S YOu GO through the day, just take 5minutes break. Sit down quietly and begin to ponder about the things that mean so much to you in this world. Begin to write them down if you can. When done, pause and ask yourself these questions; what do I cherish most in my life? Can I live without it or find it very difficult to live without? After going through this exercise, then you would know where your heart is. Are you heavenly minded and Christ centred or worldly minded and self-centred. As a Christian your heart should be focused on Christ and He should be your most cherished and valuable asset that you cannot live without.

Prayer - My most treasured possession, Jesus, continue to grant me the grace to always hold you so dear to me. amen

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March 16

SLOW TO ANGER MeMory VerSe - “he who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit is better than he who takes a city.” Proverbs 16:32(niV) read - ephesians 4: 25- 32

Ove, GeNtLeNeSS, PAtIeNCe and self-control are traits of a Christian. Joseph feared God and had these traits. As a young handsome boy and the favourite son of his father, Jacob, and with a very promising future, he was sold into slavery by his own brothers out of envy. Joseph ended up in egypt where God blessed him so much that in spite of all the hardship he went through, he became the governor of the land of egypt. The brothers of Joseph came to egypt to buy some food for their father and families due to the great famine in the land. Joseph could have shown anger to his brothers for selling him into slavery but he didn’t because he feared God and loved his brothers. If he had been really angry and kept it with him all those years it could have destroyed Gods plan for him. He could have retaliated when his brothers came to buy grain but he forgave them. We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit to help us bear the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control which would make us slow to anger.

Prayer - Sweet holy Spirit, help me develop the fruit of the spirit and be slow to anger. amen.

Daily devotional guide for girls

March 17

NO TO PEER PRESSURE MeMory VerSe - “For god did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline.” 2 timothy 1:7(niV) read - 2 tim 1:7-9

S A YOuNG Christian, it is impossible to fight peer pressure by yourself. No matter how hard you try, the pressure from your peers will overcome you. The Bible tells us in Phil 4:13 that, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me”. The pressure would come all the time but as a Christian you are to please Christ and not your friends. If your friends want you to do something, just ask yourself, “will Jesus be happy if he finds me in that act?” If the answer no, just tell your friends you are a child of God and as such you won’t engage in any activity that Jesus wouldn’t be happy with. Be bold, don’t let them scare you, for Christ has given you the confidence to say no to peer pressure. He has also given you the spirit of self-discipline to be careful in all you do, especially in your choice of friends. Study and meditate on the Word of God to discover what God requires of you and what he wants you to avoid and say ‘no’ to.

Prayer - dear Lord, help me discover all the provisions you’ve

made for me to say no to peer pressure. amen.

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March 18

SPENDING TIME WITH JESUS MeMory VerSe - “o god, you are my god, earnestly i seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” Psalm 63:1(niV) read - Psalm 63:1-7

t WAS eArLY when Gloria woke up. It was about 4:35am still dark. After several eﬀorts of going back to sleep failed, Gloria decided to go and sleep by her mum. She knocked on her mum’s door and gently opened it. to her amazement her mum wasn’t asleep. rather, she was on her knees praying. She tapped the mother on her shoulder and asked, “Are you praying mum?” The mum opened her eyes, smiled and answered, “Yes dear, I’m talking to Jesus. I love to spend my early mornings with Him. He’s so nice to talk to.” As a child of God learn to spend time with Him. enjoy those moments much more than any other thing for God Himself cherish such moments. Christ wants to teach you more about Him, He wants to hold you close always and keep you from harm. Just make time for Him and He’ll be right there with you.

Prayer - Sweet holy Spirit, always create in me a hunger and thirst for more of god. amen.

Daily devotional guide for girls

March 19

SWEETER THAN HONEY MeMory VerSe - “how sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Psalm 119:103(niV) read - Psalm 119:100-105

HAt IS YOur favourite food? I definitely don’t know but I’m sure you like it so much and it tastes really good. David, the second king of Israel was a man after God’s own heart. David loved God so much that God’s word was so sweet to him even to the point that it was sweeter than honey. David might have liked honey too because honey is very sweet but to him God’s Word was the sweetest thing on earth. As a child of God you should delight yourself in the things of God. Going to church, listening to God’s word, studying the Word of God and putting it into practice, praying and caring for others should not be a burden to you but rather a joy. enjoy doing the work of God and let His words taste sweeter than your favourite meal to you and you will be one after God’s own heart.

Prayer - dear Lord, teach me to delight myself in studying and obeying of your Word and in fellowshipping with you. amen.

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March 20

WHEN THEY TEASE YOU MeMory VerSe - “But Jesus did not reply at all, so that the governor was very surprised.” Matthew 27:14(niV) read - Matthew 27:12-14

MANDA IS A J.H.S. 2 student. One Friday afternoon after school, a couple of girls in Amanda’s class met her at the school gate and started teasing her about her shoes. They said they were not nice, they were worn out and that her toes would stick out of them one of these days. Amanda just looked at them calmly and went home without uttering a word. The girls were so ashamed and started blaming each other for what just happened. What do you do when others tease you? Learn from Jesus. Before His crucifixion, the governor’s soldiers made fun of Him, spat on Him, hit Him and even insulted him. Yet, Jesus did not respond. He did not get angry, neither did he say harsh words to them or fight with them. He knew they didn’t know what they were doing. Jesus knew the truth about who He was and what His Father thought of Him. Like Jesus, Amanda knew who she was; a child of God, so what they said did no matter to her because she knew God was much more than enough to her than thousand new shoes. People often say or do things to us, because they don’t know and understand who are and whose we are.

Prayer - Sweet holy Spirit, when others tease me, please remind me of what god thinks of me that i may pass by quietly with so much joy and gratitude to god.

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Daily devotional guide for girls

March 21

WE ARE TRANSPARENT TO GOD MeMory VerSe - “o god, you know my folly; the wrongs i have done are not hidden from you.” Psalm 69:5 (eSV) read - acts 5:1-3

OD IS everYWHere, omnipresent, sees everything and knows everything, omniscient. He is the creator of the whole universe hence nothing is hidden from Him. We are indeed transparent to God. The story of Ananias and Sapphira tells of a man, Ananias and his wife, Sapphira who after selling their land brought part of the money from the sales to the Apostles and insisted it was all the money they had from the sales. Little did they know that God saw all they did and revealed it to Peter that they were lying. They didn’t need to give all the money if they didn’t want to. They could have just said that it was part of it. But they lied about it. God takes lying very seriously. God is a God of truth. Lying is opposite to His nature; it is the nature of Satan, our enemy. I don’t believe God would strike you dead today if you lie, but He takes away the peace in our hearts if we have lied. It is far better to tell the truth and face the punishment than to lie and loose our peace with God, and loose the trust that our parents or friends have in us. telling the truth can be difficult and unpleasant at times but with the help of the Holy Spirit we will succeed. Prayer - dear Lord, teach me to be truthful at all times. amen.

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March 22

LEFT ALONE MeMory VerSe - “he is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” isaiah 53: 3(KJV) read - isaiah 53:3-5

Adeline was a quiet and calm girl in school. She was alone most of the time and did not have many friends. Although Adeline was a nice person, it seemed her classmates didn’t like that and hence she was always left out. Nobody seemed to want to play with her and this could be a very painful thing to go through, Adeline wasn’t hurt for she knew she wasn’t alone and that God was always with her. He was her best and closest friend and loves her so very much. He watches over her each day and sees all that is happening in her life. He sees each tear that falls from her eyes and hears her when she calls. Most importantly, Adeline knows this friend would never leave or hurt her. He is a friend for life.

Prayer - dear Jesus, please help me to always know you are with

me, and that you love me so very much. Let me always trust in you, my best and closest friend. amen.

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March 23

PREPARED FOR BATTLE MeMory VerSe - “Put on the full armour of god, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” ephesians 6: 11(niV) read - ephesians 6:10-18

S A SOLDIer in the Lord’s army, you should always be prepared for battle against the enemy, Satan. The devil can attack at any time with his deceitful ways and cause you to do things that you’re not to partake in as a child of God. Therefore always be on the lookout and put on the whole armour of God so that you can stand the test of time. If you are wondering how you can put on this whole armour of God, just relax and let the Holy Spirit teach you as you go through the armour of God listed below; Belt of truth – Stand firm in truth and live your life by the truth of God’s word. Breastplate of Righteousness – Walking uprightly before God by the help of the Holy Spirit. Shod Feet – Having put shoes on your feet so that you are ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. Being ready at all times to spread the Good News. Shield of Faith – with which you will be able to put out all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Stand firmly in the faith. Helmet of Salvation – Be 100% sure of your Salvation. If you have truly accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and saviour then be more than convinced that you are saved because doubting gives the devil chance to attack us. 103

Daily Armour

All these armour are for protecting you hence you need to be put them on all the time. There is only one part of the armour which is used for attacking the devil it is; the sword of the Spirit – which is the word of God. You cannot fight the enemy if we don’t know the word of God. No soldier goes to battle without his weapons and armour. Since you are in constant battle as a Christian, study the Word of God and put on God’s armour at all times. Prayer - Dear Lord Jesus, equip me to put on the full armour of God at all times. Amen.

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March 24

ALL FOR YOUR GOOD MeMory VerSe - “and we know that he works all things together for the good of those who love god, who are called according to his purpose.” romans 8:28(niV)

read - romans 8:26-29

veLYN IS A 13 year old pretty girl. When she was younger she felt very ill and was taken to the hospital for treatment. On seeing the doctor, evelyn immediately gave out a loud cry. She knew the doctor would give her painful injection and bitter medicine which were not pleasant at all. The mother tried to comfort and explain to her that the doctor was there for her good and not to cause her harm. On evelyn’s 13th birthday, her mother read this scripture, romans 8:28, to her. She smiled at her mum and said, “mum, just like the doctor, all that God brings our way though might be pleasant or unpleasant are all for our good because He loves us more than we can imagine or think of ”.

Prayer - dearest father, help me come to the full realization of your love for me. amen.

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March 25

NO FAVOURITISM

MeMory VerSe - “Then Peter began to speak: “i now realize how true it is that god does not show favouritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.” acts 10:3435(niV) read - acts 10:1-48

verYONe KNeW MArY’S birthday party on Saturday was going to be grand and everyone secretly desired to be among the few who would receive invitation cards to attend the party. Over the years, it had been Mary’s practice to invite only her favourite people in the school to her birthday parties. But no one remained her favourite from year to year. In fact, only three people had attended every single party Mary had thrown. So the big question whispered all over the school and which everyone tried to answer was “Who will be invited?” God is also throwing a grand banquet for Jesus His Son. He has already printed out the invitation cards, and guess what, your name is on one of the cards! God has already invited you and the question is not who will He invite but rather who will accept His invitation card. Mary’s criterion for selecting who would attend her parties was whether or not the person was among her favourite friends. God’s invitation is to all people, everYONe, including you. Peter realized this after he had been asked to go to Cornelius’ house and he concluded that anyone who fears God and works righteousness is accepted of God. It does not matter where you come from or what you have or don’t have, whether your parents are Christians or not, rich or poor, educated or illiterate God still accepts you. Have this blessed assurance, Jesus is yours indeed! Prayer - dear Lord, i am so glad that my background and circum-

stances do not disqualify me for your kingdom. Thank you for saving me, Jesus. help me to share this truth with others today. amen! 106

Daily devotional guide for girls

March 26

PEACE, BE STILL MeMory VerSe - “he got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “quiet! Be still”. Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.” Mark 4:39(niV) read - Mark 4:35 - 41

MAGINe tHe DISCIPLeS shock when they discovered Jesus asleep in the boat while the storm raged on! After a long day’s work, they were all tired yet their tiredness did not blind them to the storm. Jesus on the other hand simply blocked out the storm. When he was awakened by the disciples, he didn’t panic or pretend he didn’t hear them. Instead, he simply stood and rebuked the sea and the wind and they obeyed. I wonder what the disciples expected Him to do, teleport them to their destination or call angels to rescue them? He could have done any of these things and yet he spoke to the inanimate sea and winds and they obeyed. No wonder the disciples were amazed! This same Jesus is He who calls you friend and asks you to cast all your cares upon him. Are they any tempests blowing that seem to threaten you very existence? Why don’t you take them to Jesus? He may not work things out using your methods but He will surely work things out. trust him with your cares. What a friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and grieves to bear. What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. O what peace we often forfeit. O what needless pain we bear all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. Prayer - dear Jesus, you are such a dear friend. help me know

that you are near every minute of today.

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March 27

LOVE ONE ANOTHER MeMory VerSe - “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35(niV) read - 1 Corinthians 13

HrIStIANItY WAS BOrN out of love. John 3:16 remind us of God’s immense love for us which moved Him to save us from eternal condemnation through Christ. One cannot take love out of Christianity. It is one virtue that every child of God must possess. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always and preserves.” (1 Cor 13:4-7) The list goes on…. We must love God and then love our neighbours. Loving one another, shows that we are children of God. We must not love only those who love us but more so, those who hate us. We must love sinners enough to pray for them and share God’s oﬀer of salvation with them. That will please God and make a diﬀerence.

Prayer - dear Lord, thank you for loving me. help me to extend this love to others, in Jesus’ name. amen

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March 28

KNOWING GOD BY HIS NAMES MeMory VerSe - “The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous run to it, and are safe.” Proverbs 18:10 (niV) read - Proverbs 18:10

GueSS YOu know how it feels like when someone you know and expect to know your name calls you ‘Hey’ just because the person doesn’t remember your name; and how it feels when he calls you by your name. The latter would definitely be more pleasant than the former. The same goes for God. We are His children, and as such are supposed to know His various names. God intends for us to see Him through His names. What we call God says a lot about our relationship with Him. Knowing the names of God causes us to know the riches we have in Him. For every need and circumstance we face, there is a name of God that meets that need. For instance when you are in need of something, you call Him; Jehova-Jireh meaning, “the Lord will provide “and He surely will be your provider. When sick you call Him, Jehovarophe, meaning, “the Lord Who Heals” and He will heal you. When confused or in trouble, you call Him, Jehovah-Shalom “The Lord Our Peace” and His perfect peace would definitely be with you. And when lonely, just call Him, Father, and you’ll realise He’s right there by your side. Anytime you come across one of the names of God in the Bible or in a book, or hear it from someone, just find out the meaning and start calling Him by that name when the need arises. Prayer - dear Lord, please teach me your names that i may run into them at all times and be safe. amen.

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March 29

JUDGING OTHERS MeMory VerSe - “do not judge, or you too will be judged.” Matthew 7:1(niV) read - Matthew 7:1-6

ArBArA WAS ALWAYS finding fault with her younger brother. She accused him of not praying enough, not reading the bible and being selfish. She never for once paused to think of her own shortcomings. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” verse 3. Many times, we are quick to identify the faults of others and even magnify them. A better approach will be to often examine ourselves, not by our own standards but by God’s standards. We will then see how much we are lacking and allow God to change us. We cannot pretend before God. He knows us more than we know ourselves. Let us come out of our hypocrisy. God is always ready to deal with our shortcomings if we oﬀer them up to Him. thought - you can never hide your true self from god!

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March 30

HOLD ON MeMory VerSe - “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” hebrews 12:3(niV) read - hebrews 12:1-3

How many times have you felt like giving up? The more you try, the worse the situation seems to get. It looks like there is no way out. But before you think of giving up, just hold on. Jesus had every reason to give up on us. The ones he came to save rejected him and as if that was not enough, they crucified him. Yet, he had his eyes set on the goal, for the ultimate prize and therefore did not give up. Life has its ups and downs. When the difficult times come, encourage yourself in the Lord and stand strong. When you give up, the devil wins. Your faith must be tested in order for you to develop perseverance. If you run with footmen and they wear you out, how then can you run with horses? (Jer 12:5). The Christian journey is one of a constant battle between God’s generals and the enemy. You cannot aﬀord to give up anytime you face a challenge. thought - Fight the good fight with all thy might. Christ is thy strength and Christ thy right. Lay hold on life and it shall be thy joy and crown eternally.

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March 31

HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT MeMory VerSe - “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore i will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 (niV) read - 2 Corinthians 12:8-10

OMetIMeS YOu FIND yourself in certain difficult situations or circumstances that overwhelm you. It may be in the form of an illness, a disability, academic difficulty, death of a loved one or financial problems. Most times, you try to solve these problems on your own depending on your strength and intellect which can fail. In such situations, God wants you to turn to Him and seek His help. His grace is sufficient and he is ever ready to provide the strength, comfort, wisdom, and all the resources you may need at those moments to see you through. Those are the times when His strength is made perfect in your weakness but if you don’t acknowledge your weakness and ask Him for help then you’ll always struggle with your weaknesses.

Prayer - dear god, please show me my weakness and perfect your strength in me. amen.

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April

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April 1

HE SAVED YOU!! MeMory VerSe - “For god so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16(niV) read - genesis 3

He FIrSt HuMANS on earth, Adam and eve had a very wonderful relationship with God until sin separated them from their creator and destroyed the relationship that existed between them. Since you are a descendant of Adam, you are a sinner by nature and therefore you have ‘come short of the glory of God’ (rom 3:23). By virtue of your sins, you were lost to the world, walking in darkness with no hope. But God wants to relate to you as His child NOt as an outcast, because He loves you! That is why He bought you from sin with an invaluable price- Jesus Christ, His only begotten son. Through the redemptive work of Christ on the cross, you are saved from the bondage of sin. It is wonderful to know that you can be a child of God again and obtain the HOPe of everlasting life. All you have to do is to believe in Jesus Christ and accept Him into your life as your Lord and personal savior. By so doing, you can obtain eternal life; a life that is deep seated, because it is founded upon Jesus himself who is the way, the truth and the life. Prayer - Thank god for saving you from the bondage of sin and ask him to grant you the desire to love him the way he first loved you. iF you want to accept Jesus into your life, pray this prayer: Lord

Jesus, i thank you for my life. i thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. i believe and accept you into my life from today onwards. Come and take your place in my life, so that i will not perish but obtain the hope of everlasting life. 114

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April 2

GROWING IN CHRIST MeMory VerSe - “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.” 1Peter 2:2(niV) read - 1Peter 2:1-3

HeN A BABY is born, the mother has the responsibility to breastfeed him or her. The breast milk contains proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and vitamins. These components of breast milk provide nutrition and protection against diseases for the baby to be strong and grow well. Due to the importance of breast milk every mother is encouraged to breastfeed her baby well. As a young Christian, you need to crave for the pure spiritual milk of the Word of God which He makes available to all. The Word teaches us a lot about God, what he expects of us and the way He wants us to go. The Word is also the sword of the Spirit which Christians use to attack the devil. Are you “growing up” as a Christian? Do you know more about God now than you did when you were first saved? Do you love Him more, and have you learned to depend on His power to obey His Word? Cultivate the habit of spending time with Him in prayer and with His Word. Be a growing Christian.

Prayer - dear Father, teach me how to crave for more of you that i may grow in you. amen.

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April 3

GIVE HIM YOUR BEST! MeMory VerSe - “remember thy creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, i have no pleasure in them.” ecclesiastes 12:1(KJV) read - ecclesiastes 12:1-7, 13-14

AKe A LOOK around your classroom or Sunday school class, try looking at each one. everyone seems to look their best; full set of teeth, diﬀerent shapes and sizes of beautiful lips, nice hairdos, and beautiful skin. There’s probably so much chatter and giggling mostly about nothing in particular. You feel elated, you can laugh out loud without fearing a possible heart attack, you jump high up with joy without risking hospitalization for broken bones and you can also beat anyone to a good dance without having to stay in bed the following three mornings, and oh! that huge appetite for food. It is a season in life, and like all seasons it will pass. It doesn’t last forever. Imagine how life will be if you cannot even see the colour of the dress you put on and can’t chew your meat...a time like that will come if you live long enough. God needs you most when you are in your youthful years and at your best because God gave you His dearest and best, Jesus, His precious Son. How can you keep your life away from your creator? He wants your best. Will you give Him your youthful years? Allow Him to use your extra-ordinary energy and intelligence to win the lost around you. Prayer - Father i am so grateful that you gave me your best, Jesus.

i rededicate my life to you this day. help me to serve you today and all the days of my life.

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April 4

WHAT MANNER OF FRIEND ARE YOU? MeMory VerSe – “do not be misled: “bad company corrupts good character.” 1Corinthians 15:33(niV) read - 2 Samuel 13:1-6

MNON, KING DAvID’S son was in a dilemma. He wanted to sleep with his half sister tamar. This was against God’s laws which he knew very well. He had a friend who was also his cousin (v3) who was described as subtle, cunning, shrewd, or crafty. He advised him to lure his sister into his room so he could sleep with her. That was very bad advice which led to the murder of Amnon by Absalom, tamar’s brother and eventually Absalom’s revolt against his father David. Would Jonadab have given such advice if he had known beforehand all the consequences that would follow? Your guess is as good as mine. What manner of friend are you? Are you like Jonadab who encouraged his friend to do wrong? Or do you have some Jonadab friends? Friends who are afraid to tell you the truth and correct you when you do wrong?

Prayer - Father, teach me to be a good friend like Jonathan

and not like Jonadab. amen.

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April 5

FAITHFUL CHILD MeMory VerSe - “his master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! you have been faithful with a few things; i will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”

Matthew 25:21(NIv)

read - Matthew 25:14-21

AN YOu SING? Are you good in mathematics or any other subject? Are you a good artist or good at any skill? The answer would definitely be a ‘yes’ because each human being is good at something. If yes, then in what ways have you used this great ability of yours to glorify God or help others. God has given you something special, a talent, not to keep to yourselves but to use to help others know God, to comfort others, to make others happy and to bring glory to God’s name. If we are faithful to God, our Master, He will allow us to share in His happiness. No step of obedience is too small for God to notice. No matter how small or insignificant your talent or gift is, just use it fully to glorify God. Being faithful in small things will help you be ready when God wants you to be faithful in big things. The happiness only God can give will be our reward!

Prayer - dear Lord and Master Jesus, please help me to be a faithful steward. amen.

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April 6

PRAY WITHOUT CEASING MeMory VerSe - “Pray continually” 1 Thessalonians 5:17(niV)

read - ephesians 6:10-18

S CHrIStIANS, ONe of our greatest weapons is prayer. It is our source of power. No wonder the saying, “a prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian”. God has freely granted us access into His throne room . We are living in a time of grace. Gone were the days when only the chief priests could go before the presence of God. today, God invites us to “come boldly unto the throne of grace…” Hebrews 4:16 When we pray, we place ourselves in a position where God can intervene. He can do all things without our prayers anyway, yet he gives us that privilege of communicating with him, as a child communicates with his parents. God knows the things that are on our hearts before we even think about them, so in prayer, there is the need to be sincere. Prayer unties God’s hand and unlocks the door to breakthroughs. The more we fail to pray, the less God intervenes in our lives. Prayer must not be a routine we do once a while or only when we are in trouble. It must be part of our very lives, something we do always. We will then see God’s hand at work in our lives always.

Prayer - dear Lord, help me to pray without ceasing as an act of faith and trust in you, inviting you to take control in all situations of my life.

thought - The greatest victories are won on our knees.

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April 7

GIVING MeMory VerSe - “and god is able to make all grace abound to you so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work”. 2 Corinthians 9:8(niV)

read - 2 Corinthians 9:6-11

erNICe IS A young woman with a good job. She works very hard and earns a fat salary at the end of every month but by the middle of the next month, all the money is gone and she starts borrowing. She is very selfish and spends all she has on herself without thinking of others. She does not pay her tithe although she goes to church very regularly. She lacks something very essential; the ability to give. The Bible makes it clear that as a Christian, one must cultivate the act of giving. The more you give, the more you receive and that is one principle that is so true. First give to God your tithe, a tenth of the money you receive. Your gifts and talents can then be made available for God to use in the lives of others. Giving must not be done because we are forced to, otherwise, we lose any blessing that comes with it. God demonstrated the best example of giving by oﬀering His only son as an atoning sacrifice for us. He gave this gift that was of great worth without expecting any payment from us. If He had not done this, there would have been no hope for the world. Let us follow God’s example and excel in this grace of giving. Prayer - all i have is from you, dear god and i will withhold none from you. help me excel in this grace of giving, that needs will be met and lives would be touched. amen

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April 8

FRUITFULNESS MeMory VerSe - “you did not choose me but i chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit- fruit that will last” John 15:16a (niV) read - John 15:1-5

FArMer INveSteD so much time and money in his farm, tilling the land, buying the best of seeds and nurturing them. He did all these with the hope that the seeds will germinate, grow and the trees will yield fruits in abundance. to his disappointment, the trees grew but bore no fruits! What a waste of resources, he thought to himself. In the same way, God has invested so much in us; gifts, talents and diﬀerent abilities. Are we using them to advance His kingdom? Fruitbearing is very essential in the life of every child of God: love, forgiveness, the act of giving, soul-winning, are but just a few. We can only bear fruits that last if we remain in the Father(John15:5). Abiding in God involves spending time in prayer and study of the word as well as a daily dependence on the Holy Spirit. Instead of complaining about the deteriorating state of Christianity, let us begin to bear fruits; Fruits that others will see and glorify God. Prayer - heavenly father, grant me the grace to excel in fruitbearing. help me to always rely on you and your approved ways of doing things. amen

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April 9

DO NOT FORGET THE LORD MeMory VerSe - “Be careful that you do not forget the Lord who brought you out of egypt, out of the land of slavery” deuteronomy 6:12(niV)

read - deuteronomy 6:10-15

INGSLeY WAS BOrN in a village. His parents were very poor. Despite their meagre income, his parents sent him to school and he made it to the university. He had a scholarship to further his education abroad. Life worked out so well for him that he forgot his humble beginnings. He even denied that his parents were those poor farmers and refused to take care of them. Sometimes, many of us behave like Kingsley. We quickly forget where the Lord brought us from. When things start going well for us, we tend to forget the Lord and think that our own strength has done it. It is only when life hits hard at us that we run back to him. God is a refuge, but He wants us to acknowledge Him at all times, not only to seek Him in times of trouble. Forgetting the Lord means being cut oﬀ from your source of life. You will certainly not last long. He has brought you this far and will carry you through if only you continue to acknowledge Him.

Prayer - dear god, i have come this far by faith, leaning on you. Please help me never to forget you, no matter what i go through in life. amen.

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April 10

LETTING GO MeMory VerSe - “if it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” romans 12:18(niV) read - hebrews 12:14&15

SuNNY DAY is generally considered as bright, whereas a cloudy day is considered dull. It is dull because the heavy clouds block the rays of the sun and prevent them from reaching the earth. Just as the lovely blue sky can get cloudy and heavy, so can our usual happy countenance change into moodiness and irritability. One thing which can cause such a transformation is anger. When we get angry or are embittered against someone, we feel heavy within. The more the anger grows, the heavier we become and the more burdened we become. Carrying a burden is not pleasant especially when it is heavy. Nature, realizing this truth always empties itself when the clouds are full of rain. It is almost inevitable to be annoyed at someone in our daily interactions with people. This is because we are all diﬀerent by nature and so we sometimes disagree on things. However, when we get upset we must learn to relieve ourselves of this burden in order to be at peace with our neighbours. One way to empty yourself is to share your struggle with a trusted Christian friend who will pray with you and encourage you. Who are you embittered against as you read the text today? Share your struggle with a trusted friend and determine to let go with the help of God.

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Thought - If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth. (Ecclestiasis 11:3a)

Prayer - Father please help me to forgive those who have offended me and let go of every bitterness in my heart. In Jesus name I pray, amen.

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April 11

DESPISED FOR YOUR AGE MeMory VerSe - “don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life , in love, in faith and in purity.” 1timothy 4:12 read - 1 Samuel 17:12-37

N HIS FurY, Ananse dashed the gourd to the ground and its contents scattered all over the world. According to a popular folktale, that is how wisdom spread throughout the world. Ananse had diligently gathered the entire world’s wisdom into a gourd which he intended to hide on top of a tall tree. He hang the gourd in front of him and began several futile attempts to climb the tree till his little son, Ntikuma, pointed out to him that he would succeed if he placed the gourd behind him instead. In God’s kingdom, age does not limit us. We are not wise or mature or better based on how old or young we are. Paul admonished timothy to set an example for the other believers in all things irrespective of the fact that he was young. David’s brothers thought he was too young to meddle in military aﬀairs but God showed them that all it takes is a willing and trusting heart because He God, is our sufficiency. Is there anything you are holding back from pursuing or doing because you are only a few years old? God uses the young as well as the old. Just trust Him to do it and you will be that mighty prayer warrior, preacher, expositor, writer anything you can think of in God’s kingdom. Prayer - heavenly Father, thank you that my age does not restrict you to do in me all the great things you have planned for me. i avail myself for your use. Work your mighty works in me in Jesus’ name. amen!

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April 12

LET GOD ORDER YOUR STEPS MeMory VerSe - “But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.” Proverbs 4:18(niV) read - Psalm 1, Jeremiah 17: 5-8

Here IS NO blessing on earth better than the blessing of being led by God. When you are blessed in this way, you are happy and fortunate. Prosperity marks all you do and your sole focus is on the direction in which God leads you. You would therefore not take a detour to live according to ungodly advice from friends, t.v. programs or movies. You do not worry about rejection from friends because you are confident that the Lord is directing your steps into glorious prominence and success. Are you wondering how to become a young person whose steps are ordered by the Lord? The answer is this; delight in God’s word and ask Him for grace to obey His word. The ones who honour the Lord in their youthful days shall be like a tree planted by a river. Such a tree by means of its location has regular supply of fresh water and does not fear even if it doesn’t rain for a long time. Its leaf shall always be green and it shall never cease to bear fruit. There is hope for the God fearing and faithful youth. If you trust and rely on the Lord, you shall not lack any good thing because you will become dear to the lord and He will order your steps toward the place where the good things you need in life are.

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Prayer - Dear Lord, as a young lady, I face many challenges in obeying your word. Please help me to honour you by doing what you want at all times. Amen

Thought - God orders the steps of those who honour him.

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April 13

PRAY ABOUT IT MeMory VerSe – “hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord”. 2 Kings 20: 2 (niV)

read - 2 Kings 20: 1- 20

MAGINe YOu SuDDeNLY fell ill and were rushed to the hospital. At the hospital the doctors run all the tests they know, many family members throng your sick bed, look unto you with gloomy faces and talk in whispers. It dawns on you that it isn’t good; you are probably going to die. What do you do? How do you spend your last days on earth? This is what Hezekiah must have felt when he fell ill. The last straw however was when the prophet Isaiah confirmed that he was actually going to die. Despite this confirmation from the prophet, Hezekiah did not lose hope and did not despair. Instead he got on his knees, turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord. He cried but that was not all he did, he prayed, most importantly. God heard his prayer and said “…I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you…. I will add fifteen years to your life.” 2 kings 20: 5 & 6. God answered Hezekiah’s prayers and He will answer yours as well. The bible says in John 15:7 “if you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you” (NIv). The answer to your problem is just a prayer away; just get on your knees this moment and talk to the Father who answers prayers. He is ever ready to hear from you. Prayer - dear god, thank you for being a prayer-answering god. i ask you to (present your petitions). Thank you for answering my prayer. amen!

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April 14

HIS DEITY MeMory VerSe - “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of god, and the communion of the holy ghost be with you all. amen.” 2 Corinthians 13:14. read - John 1:1-14 and Matt 3:16-17

HAt IS GOD’S deity- his divine being? Have you thought about it before? As Christians it is necessary for us to know the holy being of our God. Knowing who God is entails spending time with him in prayer and/or reading and meditating on His word. This is obviously a life-long process. John 1:1 reveals that the word (the Bible) is God. The word which is God was made flesh, that is in the form of a human being (Jesus Christ) and dwelt among us (John 1:14). When the word (which is God) was made flesh (which is Jesus), the Spirit of God descended like a dove on Him (Jesus) and the voice of God from heaven declared Jesus as the Beloved son (Matt 3: 16-17). This connotes that God is Jesus and the Holy Spirit - a triune being. In other words, God is trinity (three-in-one) but He is one!!( Deut 6:4) NOt three separate beings. The spirit of God teaches us the righteousness of the Son (remember Jesus never sinned when he was born on earth in the form of a man), which unites us with God, the Father. Therefore live in the knowledge that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost will be with you forever because you have a triune God! Prayer - Pray that the holy Spirit helps you to live in the knowledge

that you have a triune god; the Father, the Son and holy Spirit and give you wisdom and deeper understanding of his word so that you can get to know more about his deity.

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April 15

WHAT FIRST? MeMory VerSe – “For the Kingdom of god is ...righteousness, peace and joy in the holy ghost”. romans 14:17.

read - Matthew 6:19-33

OD IS MerCIFuL and lovely. His grace is sufficient for his children. under His grace, we have the power to make choices in life: his kingdom or the world. Nevertheless, He oﬀers the wisdom to make the best decision in life, and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The wise council of God in Matt 6:33 states that we should seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness and all other things including academic excellence, good job good husband shall be added unto us. The Kingdom of God brings joy and peace which enables you to pursue your heart desire under the influence of the Holy Ghost, leading you to the path of righteousness. If you lay down treasures on earth or if you desire earthly things without seeking first His kingdom, you lose them in the end. This is because earthly things including your own body have an expiry date (Matt 6:19-20), but the Kingdom of God (heaven) last forever. Therefore any soul that lay up treasures in the kingdom also last forever and thus obtains the gift of eternal life.

Prayer - Pray that your heart desire the things of the Kingdom of

god which brings righteousness, joy and peace in the holy ghost.

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APRIL 16

THE OUTCOME OF SIN MeMory VerSe – “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of god is eternal life through Jesus Christ our lord”. romans 6:23.

read - genesis 3:1-10

OD CreAteD uS in His own image (Gen 1:27) out of love. He always wants

to relate to us as one of his own. But sin separates us from god and destroys this relationship. When adam and eve ate the forbidden fruit, they couldn’t go near god (gen 3:10). Sin also brings fear in us. When adam and eve heard the voice of god after disobeying him, they hid themselves from his presence (gen 3:8).

Sin robs us of the gift of eternal life that we obtain after salvation and brings us death (romans 6:23). The good news is that if we confess all our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to clean us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9) only if we are ready to forgive those who sin against us. Beloved we are living under grace today but in the second coming of Christ, there will be no grace for the sinner. Therefore live your life today as if it is the last day of your life; for you do not know the hour that you would leave this earth, nor the time that Jesus would come for His children.

Prayer - Search your heart and confess your sins to god and ask for forgiveness. Seek for the strength to overcome the temptation to sin. desire for the spirit of forgiveness that you might be able to forgive those who offend you.

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April 17

IT IS WRITTEN.... MeMory VerSe – “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”. 1 Peter 5:8.

read - Matt 4:1-11

He PAtH OF righteousness is narrow. This is tantamount to the challenges in our Christian life; the temptation to sin. The devil tempted Jesus Christ to turn a stone into bread after He had fasted for forty days and forty nights. The devil always identifies a set back or a weakness in our lives and uses it to lure us into sin. He noticed that Jesus was hungry and he can also for example capitalize on your anger and drive you to insult, fight or hit a friend. But the power of God is made perfect in our weakness because he knows us. However we need to be vigilant of the subtle nature of the devil. One weapon that we can use to overcome the devil is the word of God. In all the three temptations of Jesus, the devil did not succeed because Jesus res ponded that “it is written....” You need to study the scriptures because it is profitable for correction, for reproof and instruction into holiness.

Prayer - Pray for the zeal to search the scriptures and meditate on the word of god.

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April 18

THE ACT OF WORSHIP MeMory VerSe - “now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise god, be honour and glory forever and ever. amen.” 1 tim 1:17. read - Psalm 8 and Psalm 103

t IS NeCeSSArY for a Christian to worship God for whom He is. The act of worship draws one closer to God. David is noted in the Bible as the man after God’s heart because he worshipped God through Psalms. The act of worship connotes our love for God. How deep is our love for God? Our love for God should be enough to drive us to praise or worship God willingly and spontaneously in spirit and in truth. This is the level one should desire to reach- to grow in knowledge of God and worship him out of love.

Prayer - Bless the Lord, o my soul and all that is within me BLeSS his holy name

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April 19

JESUS TEACHES ABOUT PRAYER MeMory VerSe - “ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you”. Luke 11:9. read - Luke 11:1-13 and Luke 18: 10-14

eSuS teACHeS IN Luke 11: 1-4 (the Lord’s Prayer) that we should praise God and ask for His kingdom to reign on earth, when we pray. Sometimes we need to persist in prayer to receive an answer. In Luke 11:5-8, Jesus told his disciples that the persistence of a fellow who is not ashamed to ask a friend at midnight for help, would drive the friend to give to him what he asks though it is inconvenient to oﬀer help at midnight when one is deeply asleep. to persist in prayer; ask, seek and knock! These are diﬀerent levels of prayer you can engage to attain response from God. In Luke 18:10-14, Jesus told a parable about the Pharisee and the Publican and how he was pleased with the prayer of the latter. Jesus teaches about humility in prayer. Prayer - our father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name; thy Kingdom come Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those

who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory For ever and ever, amen.

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April 20

THE UNFORGIVING SERVANT MeMory VerSe - For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you- Matthew 6:14. read - Matthew 18: 21-35

OrGIveNeSS IS NeCeSSArY for every believer. Jesus carried our sins on the cross and so we are privileged to be pardoned for our sins whenever we ask for forgiveness. Therefore, we also have to forgive others who oďŹ&#x20AC;end us. Jesus advises that we forgive seventy times seven (Matt 18:22). This implies that we should endeavour to forgive at all times. unforgiveness yields bitterness which also gives birth to hatred and jealousy. This would eventually draw us away from God. The story is told of a servant who owed a king a large amount of money. The king commanded that his properties be sold to pay for the debt. The servant begged the King, and the king had mercy on him and cancelled the debt. This freed servant held the neck of another servant who owed him a small amount of money and put him in prison. The king became furious upon hearing what the servant did and commanded that he was punished until he paid him the debt he owned him. Jesus Christ is like the King- he forgives all who sin against him but he warns that â&#x20AC;&#x153; if we do not forgive others, our heavenly father will not also forgive our sinsâ&#x20AC;?. Prayer - Lord forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us amen.

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April 21

A NOBLE CHARACTER MeMory VerSe - â&#x20AC;&#x153;She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue.â&#x20AC;? Proverbs 31:26. read - 1 Samuel 25:2-42

The Bible reveals the worth of a wife of noble character in Proverbs 31. During the transition from girlhood to womanhood, God wants us to acquire the attributes and attitudes of a godly woman with a noble character. One such woman is Abigail Abigail was beautiful and intelligent. She was rather married to a foolish and ungrateful man, Nabal. It was the single wise decision of Abigail that saved her household. You can obtain wisdom and insight into a situation from God. You can become the noble woman spelt out in Proverbs 31. Make a decision today and pray for the guidance of God in your life as He moulds you into a woman of substance; a woman with inner beauty. After the death of Nabal, King David married Abigail not only because of her outward beauty but also her innermost beauty.

Prayer Mold me Lord into a woman of noble character

Amen.

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April 22

THE WIDOW’S GIFT MeMory VerSe - “honour the Lord with thy substance.” Proverbs 3:9. read - Mark 12:41-44, Luke 21:1-4

Ne DAY JeSuS watched people as they put their offering in an offering box whiles sitting in the temple. Many people brought their offering including some rich men, but Jesus spotted a particular woman as she gave her offering. This woman was a poor widow but she gave the little that she had. Jesus was very pleased with her offering because she gave out of her poverty and from her heart. As children of God, we should honour the lord with our substance – our gift and offering and we shall receive blessings from the Lord.

Prayer - god, i will honour you with my offering.

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April 23

JOY IN HEAVEN MeMory VerSe – “in the same way, i tell you that there is joy in the presence of god’s angels over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10.

read - Luke 15:8 -10

WO FrIeNDS, eveLYN and Jessie, were playing scrabble in Jessie’s house. They were having a nice time playing and chatting at the same time. Suddenly, Jessie’s mum burst into the room and asked sadly, “Jessie, have you seen my gold watch? I put it in my jewelry box the last time I wore it but it wasn’t in when I checked today.” Jessie and evelyn replied, “Don’t worry mum, we’ll help you find it. Immediately they left their game and went in search of the golden watch. After 30minutes of intensive search, Jessie found the watch in one of her mum’s bag and gladly gave it to her. The mother out of joy hugged the two girls and praised them for a good job done. She prepared their favourite meal and they had a wonderful time that day. Just as the two put their all into the search, God expects all Christians to put in their best, and their all to win men from darkness to light. Christ is counting on you to help find that lost soul and bring him to home.

Prayer - heavenly father, grant me the grace and strength to work

in the field of soul winning. amen

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April 24

HANNAH MeMory VerSe – “Pray without ceasing” 1Thessalonians 5:17...... read - 1 Samuel 1:1-20

ANNAH WAS BArreN. Her husband elkanah loved her but Hannah was not happy because her rival Peninnah had children and always provoked her. Hannah prayed unto God to give her a son. She prayed diligently from her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. even the priest, eli thought she was drunk. God answered her prayers and she conceived. She gave birth to a son and named him Samuel which she explained “I asked the Lord for him”. Hannah had a problem and she prayed. God is able to do everything that is humanly impossible. Go to Him in prayer and tell him about your problems and He will answer you

Prayer - dear god, i am happy you are my friend, and you listen when i pray. amen.

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April 25

SHOUT IT OUT MeMory VerSe - “The woman then left her water pot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come; see a man, which told me all things that ever i did: is not this the Christ?” John 4:28, 29. read - John 4:5-27.

He WOMAN FrOM Samaria after meeting Jesus at the well was changed forever. She had an encounter with the Messiah and her life was transformed. She totally forgot why she was at the well, left her water pot and run into the city. She was virtually screaming at the top of her voice to witness to the people of Samaria the wonderful man she had just met. On that faithful day, many came to Jesus and their lives were changed because this woman did not keep the Good news to herself but shouted it out with so much joy and zeal that all men may hear. Oh! How beautiful and wonderful it would be in heaven when so many people approach you and say, “thank you” just because you decided to shout the gospel out that all men may hear. God richly bless you as you decide to share Christ with others today and always.

Prayer - dear Lord, please grant me the passion for soul winning and the boldness to step out and share the goodness with others. amen.

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April 26

REWARD OF KINDNESSS MeMory VerSe – “and let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” galatians 6:9.

read - gen. 24: 1-22

Ne DAY, A young lady went to the well in her community to fetch some water. On her way home, an old man approached her and asked for a drink which she gave him, and even offered to draw some water for the man’s camels till they are all filled. She made several trips to the well to fetch enough water for the man. The old man rewarded her with a nose-ring and two bracelets, all of pure gold. Later she realized that the man had been given the task of choosing a wife for his master’s son. He asked God for a sign to help him make the right choice which was that the young lady who volunteered to give water to his camels after he had asked her for a drink for himself would possess those traits of character he was looking for in a wife for his master’s son. The lady, rebecca, as a result, was chosen as the wife of a God-fearing man, Isaac, Abraham’s son and they were greatly blessed by God. As a Christian, you should always extend a hand of help to all people whether known or strangers when the need arises and the good Lord shall surely reward your labour of love.

Prayer - dear Lord, grant me the grace to show love to all men.

amen.

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April 27

SELFLESSNESS MeMory VerSe – “Bear one another’s burden, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” galatians 6:2.

read - ruth 2:11-12

utH WAS tHe wife of Mahlon, one of elimelech and Naomi’s sons. When Naomi lost her sons as well as her husband, she longed to return to her hometown, Bethlehem but wanted her daughters-in-law to stay in their own country, Moab, as she couldn’t be of any help to them. But ruth wasn’t interested in what Naomi could give her but rather what she could do to help Naomi. And ruth said; “Do not beg me to leave you, to return from following after you. For where you go, I will go. Where you stay, I will stay. Your people shall be my people and your God my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May Jehovah do so to me and more also, if anything but death parts you and me”. (ruth 1:16-17) In Bethlehem ruth worked in a field tirelessly to feed Naomi and herself. God saw all the sacrifices ruth made and blessed her abundantly. May the good Lord notice your labour of love as you step out in selflessness today and always and bless you more and more abundantly. Amen. Prayer - heavenly father, help me to cultivate this attitude of

selflessness. amen

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April 28

SHINING BRIGHTLY MeMory VerSe – “you are the light of the world. a city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14. read - John 5:14-16

eSuS NOt ONLY says, “I am the Light of the world,” but to Christians he says, “You are the light of the world... let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven”. Christ is the source of our light to the world as Christians. It is only when we abide in Christ and he abides in us that we can shine brightly in the world. As Christians, it is our responsibility to shine forth the light of God, just as Jesus did when He was here on earth. We have to preach the Good news and lead lives that testify that indeed we are for Christ and are living for him. We have to live like Jesus, bringing truth to the blind and ignorant, hope to those burdened by sin, acceptance to the forgotten and unloved. to those confused about life, we bring God’s word of comfort and to the sad, we bring joy.

Prayer - dear Lord Jesus, just like you help me to shine brightly

wherever i go. amen.

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April 29

PERFECT IN HIS EYES MeMory VerSe - “i will praise you; for i am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are marvelous and my soul knows it very well”. Psalm 139:14

read – Psalm 139:13-18

ANY A tIMeS we compare ourselves with each other and some end up sad, hurt and down as they conclude they are either not beautiful or intelligent or short or tall or slim or big or fair or dark or rich or poor and the list goes on and on. A story is told of a little flower which grew at the edge of a garden. One day as all the big and nice flowers were complaining about their looks, the little flower said to the gardener as he approached, “I know I’m little, and not many people notice me, but I’ve realized that if I wasn’t beautiful and precious to you, you wouldn’t have planted me here. I know I’m perfect in your eyes and as such I’m determined to be the best little flower I can ever be!” God has created a very beautiful earth, His garden and has planted you and I in it. None of us is greater than the other. We were all made in His own image to His perfection. We must come to a place where we trust that God has a reason for creating us the way He has and has situated us at the right place. Comparing ourselves with one another will only make us unwise and forget how much God loves us.

Prayer - My Lord and my maker, help me see myself as you see me

and be determined to be the best that i can be for you. amen

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April 30

MAGNIFY THE LORD MeMory VerSe- “ Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; and let them say continually, “Let the Lord be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.”.” Psalm 35:27

read - Psalm 40:16, 17

HO DO YOu magnify in your life? What do you revere and magnify above all things? Many people magnify their worries. They exalt their problems in their minds such that in reality, their worries keep increasing. If your troubles overwhelm you and you love the intervention of God, learn to say continually that the Lord be magnified. As you keep saying it, you focus less on your worries and the import of the words become practical in your situation. The Lord is magnified above your problems and all your worries sink into oblivion at the presence of the Lord. It is natural to worry about injustices, unfair deals, anticipated troubles and hardships, however, it takes a simple act of faith to counteract the devastating eﬀects of worrying. Just keep repeating to yourself and your situation “The Lord be magnified.”, and He will be magnified who has pleasure in the prosperity of his saints. Don’t get worked up trying to solve your problems on your own. Just magnify the lord.

Prayer - Lord Jesus be magnified over every problem and situation

in my life. amen

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May

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May 1

ESTHER MeMory VerSe – “Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord shall be praised.” Proverbs 31:30.

read - esther 2:1-18

StHer WAS A Jewess who lived in Persia with her cousin Modecai. Modecai adopted her and brought her up as his own daughter (esther 2:7). esther was a beautiful young woman. She feared God. Owing to her obedience, she grew in favour of God and men – King Xerxes, Hagai and Modecai. Through obedience to Modecai; humility to the eunuch Hagai and favour from God esther became the chosen queen of Xerxes (esther 2:8-18). esther was victorious because she feared God. Prayer - Lord, come and live in my heart

Let me live to obey your word So that i would gain wisdom, in Jesus name amen.

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May 2

PRAISE FROM GOD MeMory VerSe – “how can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only god” John 5:44.

read – John 5:41-44

MA tHrIveD IN the praises people showered on her … that was a known fact, for everyone around her was charmed by her soft – spoken nature, her sweet smile and her industriousness. Whether at home or at church, school or on the playground, everyone adored and looked up to her. She was thus very careful of how she conducted herself in public; now, she lived for the people’s praises. And yet, unfortunately, she managed to keep a hidden life; character traits that were not so pleasant were all hidden under a carpet … a carpet only her mum could see! Looking again at the verses for consideration today, she just thinks … “if I were to strive to obtain God’s praises, I would not wait to do the right thing only if people I regard as important are around … like being careful to greet because there are church elders around!” For God is omnipresent (everywhere); and He had been watching her all her life. He had seen everything she did each passing day. He knew how everyone at home saw her as a good girl. All her teachers at school and at church, all her cousins and other relatives, even her school mates, they all saw her as a good girl… and He also knew all those secret sins of hers that ranged from sneaking out to parties when her parents travelled to watching all those movies they would not allow her to watch! “Hmmm, I had better watch my life if I really want to please God then… it will be very sad if the whole world should praise me only for Him to find nothing worthy of praise

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in me !!” Meditation - What about you? Do you live for the praises of the people you so badly want to impress? Are you more conscious of their opinions than you are of God’s opinions concerning your life?

Prayer – Heavenly Father, help me to rather seek your praise than from my fellow man. In Jesus Name. Amen.

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May 3

TRUST MeMory VerSe – But i have trusted in your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in your salvation.” Psalms 13:5

read - 1 Samuel 17:34 – 37

ruSt … HOW many times have we not heard this word? We often take it for granted but to God, it is a very important thing… something we must learn to do totally. David trusted God and it was not just in theory; it was in practice. For he had practiced that so many times throughout the period he was caring for the sheep. The role of the shepherd given to him trained him for the fight with Goliath. His trust in God eliminated the fear of apparent danger… from bear to giant! Because he took the shepherding job seriously, he was able to learn how to trust God. For, his trust in God must have been rewarded after his very first run – with the lion and or bear! Are we faithful when we are given responsibilities or do we just play with them? See, David would have never done a good job with Goliath if he had not done a good job as a shepherd. May we all learn to make the most of every responsibility given us, no matter how small. And, most importantly, may we not work because we must, but because we want God to be happy with what we do. We could never go wrong with that!! Prayer- Father in heaven, help me to know that situations are training me for the future and let me truly and completely trust you. in Jesus name

Amen.

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May 3

TRUST MeMory VerSe – But i have trusted in your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in your salvation.” Psalms 13:5 read - 1 Samuel 17:34 – 37

Amen.

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May 5

LOVE GOD MeMory VerSe – “Jesus said to him, “you shall love the Lord your god with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Matthew 22:37. read - John 6:26-27

Go to church and God will bless you; He’ll give you a good husband in future, let you have money, a visa and very good grades in school. Isn’t that why we often go to church? Consider this … A certain rich man loved a girl from the remote village of “Aberewabeboball”. He took her with him to his mansion in Accra and married her. Now, the wife did not love her husband, the rich man, but she liked his money a lot so she always went to him whenever she needed money. When she felt she was ok, she ignored him. The husband got hurt because all he wanted to do was to spend time with his wife and get to know her better. Don’t we do that to God a lot? Follow not because we love him, but because we want something from him? May we learn to revere God with deep devotion and not think we can manipulate Him into getting things for us. Meditation - Why do i go to church? Why do i do the things i do for god? is it out of love for him? or is it because of what i will get in return?

Prayer - help me, Lord, to love you unconditionally. in Jesus name amen.

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May 6

CHOOSE RIGHT! MeMory VerSe - “enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13,14 read – deuteronomy 30:15-20

Here’S Never A middle ground in life; for the ways have always been two; …. Good or bad, easy or difficult …. broad or narrow. A way that leads to heaven, and the other, which leads to hell. One has a smooth surface with a lot of people walking on it, the other, has only few people on it and it is rough. Once we are followers of Christ, we must definitely be ready for the narrow, difficult way that leads to heaven. Narrow, because it will not encourage us to do as we like; we will need more discipline and less inclinations for having fun. We must be prepared to stand alone at all times if we must speak the truth in the midst of people who will not mind lying. We must learn to deny our bodies through fasting, fleeing sexual immorality, etc. This is what the narrow way is all about and if we are able to walk through it to the end, a crown awaits us in that heavenly city… So, onward then we march, Christian soldiers!!

Prayer - Lord, help me to choose the right, narrow way and give me the strength to go through. in Jesus name aMen.

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May 7

NONSTOP PRAYERS MeMory VerSe – “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” Luke 18:1.

read - Luke 18:1-8

rAYer … I always thought of doing that only before meals, sleeping and writing exams. Prayer meetings were a boring idea… till it was time to write my BeCe… Imagine, God actually wants us to pray without ceasing… nonstop prayers!! (1 Thess. 5:17) Goodness… And there are so many things to pray about your family, country, class mates, help with academic work, help to understand the bible, receive God’s promises, etc. So, let us cultivate that habit of prayer. Spending time alone with God to chat… yes, chat, Because as we talk, we listen and give Him room to speak to us too. Isn’t this wonderful? Just like having a secret conversation with Him all day. So cool!! And it doesn’t just end there, we also pray and we command situations … like Jesus calming the storm! The most satisfying thing about prayer too is this … it works!! God answers prayer … and beyond that, it makes us build a relationship with Him. Oh, that we would not despise prayer but come to love it more and more with each passing day.

Prayer – dear heavenly Father, i yearn to have day to day, and moment to moment communication with you. So, help me. in Jesus name Amen.

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May 8

STUDY THE WORD MeMory VerSe – “do your best to present yourself to god as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 timothy 2:15

NIv

read – John 14:23-24

O YOu LIKe reading story books or watching movies or playing games? I’m sure you’ve completed a lot of books, games and movies! How many books of the bible have you read through before? ruth, Obadiah, Genesis, 1 John, Acts, titus …. Huh? I can’t hear you! Well, it’s about time we picked up our bibles and begun to read and study them very well, so we can know what is contained in them. If we are Christians, then we are like Christ; we’re His followers! And what better way to follow Him than to follow His word? Do you know that Jesus Christ is the Word of God (Jn. 1:1)? So as His followers we must be filled to the brim … till we are even overflowing with His Word! Followers of Christ today know more about the latest movies and series and games than they do about the Word of God, which is always stashed away somewhere in their room. And mind you, the word says we must correctly handle the word of truth. That doesn’t come through casual reading… it comes through a careful study; like the way you would study Science or Maths. So, my next question is …. When will you start? Maybe you should start a character or book study, or better still, a read - the - Bible - in - a - year plan! Dig in! Prayer – heavenly Father, help me to learn your Word that is life unto those who do them. in Jesus name. amen

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May 9

CHURCH! MeMory VerSe - “ Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another — and all the more as you see the day approaching.” hebrews 10:25niV

read – acts 4:23-31.

OJO WOKe uP as the cock crowed …. Another Sunday morning!! If he had his own way, he would still be sleeping. But he knew better than to arouse the anger of his mother this morning. She liked church so much! When he was much younger, he used to suspect that they paid her for going … why else would anyone be excited about ‘that place’? to him, it was …. boring! … A place to meet friends and buy snacks after closing… So you can imagine how shocked he was when he found out at church later today that in the days of the apostles, they used to meet in the temple courts every day!! They must have enjoyed going there every day. He could just imagine Peter, James and John, singing happily on their way to the temple! O how he wanted to be as close to Jesus as those men had been … eating with him, praying with him, etc. Then, the next question came … and his response was … ‘Of course, I’m a Christian’ … And ‘yes, when That Day comes… The day Jesus Christ comes again … I want to be part of those who would be with Him’. Looking at the verse for consideration again, he realized that going to church helped him to gain encouragement; encouragement to continue serving God, to get to know Him better. true, if he had been going to church with the aim of learning more about Jesus, he would have realized the importance a long time ago. But most times, he just refused to pay attention to the testimonies, Bible readings, and the sermon especially. Well, next time I go to church, I will be very attentive to all that will be taught!

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Prayer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; LORD, help me to be glad to go to Your house and

strengthen me to be attentive. In Jesus Name Amen.

Thought â&#x20AC;&#x201C; There is power in togetherness in worship.

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May 10

HELL OR HEAVEN? MeMory VerSe - “all men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall.” 1 Peter 1:24 (niV)

read - revelations 20:11 – 15

He BIBLe HAS stated this…. And man has observed it over the years that … Life is short and so it must be lived to the fullest. Yes, this is true … though we might have diﬀerent definitions for ‘living life to the fullest!’ In the passage, all the dead, both great and small, stood before the great white throne! Presidents, taxi drivers, ministers of state, cleaners, doctors, lawyers, and billionaires, all these people will stand before God on that day. So, if living life to the fullest is about acquiring so much money, or so much knowledge, we will be found wanting; for the only significant things are …. 1. That your name be found in the Book of Life and 2. That the things you did on earth are worth rewarding. So, have you ever stopped to think that maybe, even with how busy and popular, or quiet and seemingly insignificant you are, you may actually be doing nothing worth noting in eternity? The books will testify and we shall all receive our due reward. So, all we can do now, is to ensure that … 1. Our names are written in the Book of Life (that is true for every Christian) and 2. That our deeds please Him. (rev 22:12). May grace abound as we examine ourselves … Amen!

thought – is my name in the book of life? am i living a life worthy to be called a Christian?

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May 11

ACCUSER OF THE BRETHREN MeMory verse – “…for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our god day and night, has been cast down.” revelation 12:10 read – hebrews 4:14 - 16

ANA ABeNA rAISeD her hand in worship as the praise team lifted up another song of worship … she was in heaven! Then, all of a sudden, without any warning, she remembered yesterday… a thought followed, ‘How could you raise such filthy hands in worship of a holy God? He wants clean hands; not the kind of hands that smoke and drink with boys and afterwards, allows them to sleep with her!’ Swallowing the great sob that was building up, she lowered her uplifted hands and head, and with tears, walked out of the chapel! Dearest, we must remember that Jesus Christ acts as our High Priest! He intercedes for us when we sin … and He does a very good job because He has been human before. Though He has never sinned, He understands our struggles whenever we are tempted. Now, if you fall, confess and move on for His blood is able to cleanse us and He is able to forgive us. (1 Jn.1:9) The devil is the accuser of the brethren (rev. 12:10) and he aims at making life miserable for Christians by reminding them of the past. remember that he is a liar. Go boldly before your Heavenly Father and never allow the devil to take you away from God’s loving presence for all He wants is to be in close fellowship with all His children … especially you! Prayer- Please Lord, constantly remind me of your power over the accuser. in Jesus name amen.

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MAY 12

TELL OTHERS ABOUT JESUS MeMory VerSe - “how then can they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” romans 10: 14 read - John 4: 28- 30

OW CAN tHeY believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? How can they hear about Him unless someone tells them? How can your friends hear what your Sunday school teacher said in class if you do not tell them? How can they come to church with you if you do not ask them to come with you? Don’t keep quiet. tell others about your new Bible story and what you learnt from it. The woman told everybody about what Jesus had told her. See, all the people went to listen to what Jesus had to say. Your Sunday school songs must be sung at home, school and at any other place.

Prayer - Father, please help me to be a witness for you. in Jesus name. amen.

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MAY 13

WITH JESUS, NOTHING IS TOO LATE MeMory VerSe – “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”2 Peter 3:9 read - Matthew 9: 23- 25

ADDY HAS NOt bought for you the new story book he promised. It is too late, he might have forgotten about it. What do you want Mummy or Daddy to do for you, tell Jesus about it for he is never late. When it is time for you to get it, He will help them to get it for you. One day, a man called Jairus asked Jesus to pray for his sick daughter. On their way to Jairus however, someone told them the daughter was dead. With Jesus nothing is too late. Jesus encouraged Jairus and said “Don’t worry! She will be well”. Jesus can help you in any difficult situation. All He wants us to do is to tell Him about it and wait for Him because He is never late. Jairus’ daughter was dead but when Jesus prayed for her, she got up! Halleluyah!

Prayer – heavenly Father, help me to endure and be patient today

and the days ahead for i know what you have said will surely come to pass. in Jesus name amen.

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MAY 14

LET US PRAISE GOD MeMory VerSe – “let the peoples praise you, o god; Let all the people praise you.” Psalm 67:3

read - Matthew 21: 7- 10

et ALL tHe people praise God. What would you tell uncle Owusu if he gave you a talking computer? What would tell Mummy if you came from school very hungry and she gave you your favorite food? Don’t you think Mummy or uncle Owusu, would be happy and smiling if you shouted “Thank you” to them? Like Mummy or uncle Owusu, God is also very happy when we say “Thank you” to Him. You say, sing or dance your “Thank you” to God at every time and at everywhere. The people of Jerusalem upon seeing Jesus on the donkey run after Him singing praises to God. Before you get out of your school bus you can say “God thank you for taking me to school and back home”.

Prayer- Praise, glory and honour be unto you, o god, for your

unfailing mercies. in Jesus name amen.

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MAY 15

GOD SEES YOU MeMory VerSe - “i have been with you wherever you have gone” 1 Chronicles 17:8

read - acts 9: 1- 7

ID ANYONe See you when you hurriedly and alone took your friends homework book and copied? No! except God who was with you as you were busily copying. Did you switch the television oﬀ and pick your story book when you heard Daddy’s car hooting at the main gate? Daddy will tap at your shoulder and say “Good girl/ boy keep it up”. He did not see what you did but God saw how you quickly changed from watching television to reading your new story book. God is with you and sees everything you do. God knew of the harm Saul was causing Christians. God knew the very day he was going to Damascus to do his bad works against the Christians there. Seeing him as he travelled to Damascus God taught him to stop his bad works and do what was right. thought – do i do the right thing when no one is watching?

Prayer – heavenly Father, help me to do the right thing always,

even if no one is watching. in Jesus name amen.

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MAY 16

GOD WANTS YOU TO PRAY MeMory VerSe - “Pray at all times.”1 Thessalonians 5: 17 read – daniel 6:11-16

Ou WOKe uP one day and did not say, “Good Morning” or talk to any of your family members. You took your bath and went to school without taking money from either Mummy or Daddy. Strangely, you went to school without sitting in Daddy’s car. While at school, you did not talk to any of your friends or siblings. After school you did not talk to Mummy who was at home when you went there. You quietly got into the room and would not come out. What do you think your family members will think and do? Mummy will not spare the least time to call Daddy and say “Daddy, Kofi is at home but will not talk to me… Please come now… Daddy will drive at high speed perhaps overlooking all traffic regulations, wanting to get home quickly only to find out what is happening to you. Your siblings will all do what they can to let you talk. everyone will not feel good until you talk. God will not feel good if you don’t pray- talk to Him. He wants you to talk to Him at all times and at every place. Daniel was such a man who could pray three times, even though a law was made against praying! thought- What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and grief to bear.

What a privilege to carry everything to god in prayer!

Prayer – dear Lord, remind me to talk to you always. in Jesus name. amen.

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MAY 17

DON’T BE AFRAID MeMory VerSe - “do not be afraid, for the Lord will be with you.” deuteronomy 3:6 read - Luke 1: 8- 13

HAt WOuLD YOu do if your school bus in which you were sitting burst a tire and suddenly changed direction from the road? Never be afraid for God is with you wherever you go. Be bold to face any situation after asking God for his help. God in His Word has promised you many a time not to be afraid because He is with you. Once a pastor named Zachariah saw the angel he was afraid. The angel told him not to be afraid for God was with him and was going to do what he had asked of Him. thought – “don’t be afraid” appears in the Bible 365 times! There are

enough “fear nots” for each day of the year! is it not better to listen to this Word and not be afraid?

Prayer – Fear is not my portion. dear Lord, help me get rid of it. in Jesus name. amen.

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MAY 18

GOD WANTS YOU TO FORGIVE MeMory VerSe - “if you forgive others the wrong they do to you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” Matthew 6: 14 read - Luke 16: 25- 32

“DON’t COMe NeAr my football”, so said your friend Kofi when he brought a nice Nike football to school and everyone wanted to play. You have your new Adidas football now, his is lost, and should you let him play? Yes! You should. Sir, but she spat at me and insulted me. Yes, but you did not have to beat her. She is your younger sister. Ok, tell her you are sorry. There are times when family members, school mates, friends at home or people at church hurt and annoy you. Have you been oﬀended by someone like that and you have decided not to forgive? God wants you to forgive. When the father saw his son he went to him and said “Boy, even though you have spent everything you took from me, you are warmly welcome home! thought – “For if you forgive people their wrongdoing, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well.

Prayer – give me strength to forgive others always. in Jesus name

amen.

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MAY 19

GOD MADE YOU SPECIAL MeMory VerSe – “For we are his creation – created in Christ Jesus for good works, which god prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.” ephesians 2: 10

read - genesis 1: 26 – 28, romans 12: 6

HAt FruIt DO you like most? Is it mango? No! That is the fruit I dislike most. I like banana. Do you see we do not like one fruit? God made you so special and made me special too. Adjoa was tall and would always be asked to clean the chalkboard. One day Kofi begged his teacher to let him clean the chalkboard instead of Adjoa. Because Kofi was short he had to stand on a table to do the cleaning. The weak table broke and Kofi fell. People are made diﬀerent by God. Some are tall others are short; some are dark, others are fair; some are slim others are fat. God made you diﬀerent with a special gift to do certain things well. There is no one like you, you are special! thought – do i see myself as fearfully and wonderfully made?

Prayer – help me to see myself as you see me, o god, just as special and precious in your sight. in Jesus name amen.

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MAY 20

BELIEVE IN GOD MeMory VerSe – “trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3: 5 -6

read - 1 Samuel 17: 45 – 50

HAt CAN YOu do very easily? Fasting or riding a bicycle? What do you think Mummy or Daddy can do easily? What about your friend?

Lily thought every Mathematic question was easy for Nancy to solve. Therefore nothing could stop her from copying from her during mathematics test. Lily believed in Nancy. One day they took a test in mathematics and as usual Lily copied from her friend not knowing the test was difficult for Nancy. Nancy scored zero and so did Lily. Believe in God for He can help in all situations without fail. At all times believe God will be your Helper. Goliath believed he could kill anyone with the spear, javelin, sword and the armor he had. Believe in God. David believed with God he could kill the giant and well-armed Goliath and he did. thought – it is better to put confidence in god than in man.

Prayer – Lord, increase my faith and trust in you. in Jesus name

amen.

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MAY 21

BE A HELPER MeMory VerSe – “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” galatians 6:2

read - 2 kings 5:3 -6

Why do you look on when you can help?

Our HeLP tO him or her can bring a great joy. What a relief it was to him when you held his hand to get up after he had fallen. If you had laughed at him instead of helping him, he could have remained on the ground for a long time because he was injured. What Naana does every morning is to get up at 5:00am, brush her teeth and take her bath, put on her school uniform and sandals, eat and go to school. Naana’s elder brother washes his father’s car before going to school every morning. Their mother makes sure breakfast is ready on time for them. On a day when their mother was sick Naana prepared breakfast for her family. What do you do to help Mummy at home? The little girl helped Naaman by telling Mrs. Naaman where Mr. Naaman could be healed. Mrs. Naaman helped by telling Mr. Naaman what the little girl had said. Always be a helper

Prayer – heavenly Father, help me to be sensitive to the needs of others. in Jesus name amen.

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MAY 22

JESUS IS WITH YOU MeMory VerSe – “For the Lord your god will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 b

read - Luke 24: 13 -21

O YOu KNOW Jesus is with you wherever you are? He is with you and will be with you forever. What will you do if you wake up at mid-night and it is raining heavily amidst lightning thunder and wind? Whilst everyone is asleep you are alone in your room. Jesus is with you and will be with you always. The two guys did not know Jesus was with them on their way to the village. They kept discussing the death of Jesus and what happened after His death. Jesus walked along with them. everywhere and at all times Jesus is with you. Jesus is with you!

thought - “and behold, i am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20b.

Prayer – help me to realize you are with me always, Lord. in Jesus name amen.

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MAY 23

BE OBEDIENT MeMory VerSe – “…….to obey is better than sacrifices.” 1 Samuel 15:22

read - 1 Samuel 15: 7 – 18

Ater HAD NOt been running from the tap for months. One evening Mr. and Mrs. Owusu left their house for a meeting with this instruction- “Do not go out of this house until we are back” to their children. Kwame and Akua ate and played in the house after they had finished working. Whilst they were playing, Kofi came in. He had heard of a water tanker that had come to the community and he called Kwame to go with him. Kwame said “let us go perhaps when Mummy and Daddy come they will bath with the water I will bring”. Some few minutes later, Mr. and Mrs. Owusu returned. “Where is Kwame?” , asked Mr. Owusu. “He has gone with Kofi to fetch water”, Akua replied. Father did not look happy. He said “I told him not to go out, he has disobeyed me”. Be obedient because that is what God wants you to be at all times. God asked Saul to destroy everything the people of Amalek had but he and his men disobeyed God and took some cattle and sheep.

Prayer – Father in heaven, help me to obey always. in Jesus name

amen.

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MAY 24

SPEAK GOOD WORDS MeMory VerSe – “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” eph. 4 : 29

read - 1kings 17:1, Proverbs 18: 21

uNtIe MAGGIe WAS alone in her house at night she heard a strange noise and knew there were armed robbers in the house. She heard a gunshot from her hall. She kept quiet for a while and began to pray very loudly. She prayed, “Lord I thank you. Give anyone who is jobless a job. Young men are robbing people because they have no job and no food. Please give such people jobs to do…” God wants you to speak good words because your words can make someone happy or sad. The robbers were surprised and touched by Auntie Maggie’s words to God. They left her house at once without taking even water from the refrigerator. You do not lose anything in telling your friend “thank you” or “God bless you” for the help he/she gave you. You do not lose anything in telling your friend “you are looking nice” when he/she is neatly dressed in his school uniform. “God be with you, see you tomorrow” when you are parting company after school. By insulting him or laughing at him, he will get hurt and might not talk with you anymore. Let us speak good words. Your words can bring to you a friend who will love you forever. Your words can earn you an enemy who will hurt you forever. elijah said it will not rain and it did not rain. Speak good words. thought – do good words proceed out of my mouth?

Prayer – Lord, keep the doors of my lips so that i may utter only that which is good. in Jesus name amen.

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MAY 25

CONTROL YOU TEMPER MeMory VerSe - “in your anger don’t sin and do not stay angry all day.” ephesians 4:26

read - acts 7: 54 – 60

errY WAS tHe youngest in the family. Mummy gave each of the three children four doughnuts plus milo, porridge or tea for breakfast. For three days someone was stealing Jerry’s dough nuts. He reported to Mummy but nothing was said or done about it. Don’t get angry easily. even when you are angry, please do not let your anger lead you to do anything bad. It was Monday morning and everyone was preparing to leave for work or school. every Monday morning was special for breakfast because Mummy served bigger doughnut. Jerry spotted his elder brother Joe hurriedly taking a doughnot into his mouth from his plate. He got angry and ran to his brother only to hit him hard at his abdomen. Joe got shocked and vomited everything. Stephen was only telling the council members what he was seeing from heaven. But you see, because of their anger at Stephen they took him away to stone him – in your anger learn to control yourself because you might do something that you will later not like.

Prayer – heavenly father, help me get rid of anger in my heart, in Jesus’ name. amen.

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MAY 26

GOD IS A PROVIDER MeMory VerSe – “But my god shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

read - 1 King 19: 1 – 9

O YOu KNOW God can give you all you want? But God decides when, how and what best to give. God only wants you to ask him what you want. Millie learnt the Lord’s Prayer at school. When she went home her Mummy was seriously ill and could hardly sit or stand. The following morning Millie saw there was nothing in the house to eat. She prayed, “our Father Who art in heaven, give us this day our daily bread……”There was a provision store where bread was sold. Millie walked into the store picked two loaves of bread and was walking out. The store keeper shouted “Little girl, where is your money?” Millie answered “I asked God to give me my daily bread and have come for it”. The storekeeper laughed and said “Anyway, you go” God will always provide for you. But He knows how and when to give. elijah asked God to kill him because Jezebel wanted to kill him. But God fed and guided him and he did not die thought – god always provides for me in marvelous ways.

Prayer – Thank you for always providing for me, dear Lord. in Jesus’ name amen.

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MAY 27

DON’T GIVE UP MeMory VerSe – “i can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

read - 2 Kings 2: 1 – 6

O NOt GIve up; keep on so long as you keep trying you will be perfect one day. You can do everything because Jesus is with you and helping you to do it. Alice and Frank were in the same class at Kindergarten two. Alice could not draw a car whilst Frank could not write the letters e, w, and g”. At class one day Alice could easily draw a car nicely and this really surprised Frank. Frank asked her how she got to learn to draw a car. Alice answered” I spent time at home to practice” there is nothing too difficult you cannot do. Whatever you want to do, you can do and must do. Since then Frank kept practicing how to write the letters everywhere – on the floor, in the sand, on letters, in writing books and even in the thin air. Soon he should easily write those letters perfectly. elisha did not give up but followed his master to the end despite everything his master and friends of his master did.

Prayer – dear Lord, help me never to give up and always to

follow you. in Jesus’ name amen.

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MAY 28

BE MERCIFUL MeMory VerSe - “blessed are those who show mercy to others for they will be shown mercy. Matthew 5: 7

read - 2 Kings 1: 7 – 15

F YOu SHOW mercy to a friend, brother or a neighbor, you will also be shown mercy. It was a pity how Kwadwo cried mercilessly because his young brother Kwame had disallowed him to enjoy playing a game on his new play station. Hence no pleading from anybody would let Kwadwo allow Kwame to play his new white and black Nike football. Kwame held the ball high and after series of begging began to cry and kept crying loudly when he could not reach the ball. How do you treat people when they need your help? Do you turn them down? Do you oﬀer them your help? As you sow mercy, so will you be shown mercy, how do you deal with people who hurt you or who hate you? even though elijah could have called fire from heaven to burn the third group as well he had mercy on them and went with them to face the king.

Prayer – help me extend the mercy you have shown to me, o god, to others. in Jesus’ name amen.

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MAY 29

GOD KNOWS YOU MeMory VerSe – “you know everything i do; from far away you understand all my thought.” Psalm: 139: 2

read - acts 9:10 – 19

verYtHING ABOut YOu is known by God. He knows your thoughts, your likes and dislikes, where you stay and even where you want to go, what to do today. He knows even the number of hairs on your head. Nancy put on a very nice dress, neatly combed her hair and fixed brightly coloured ribbons to match the new dress and shoe she wore one Sunday. All the boys and girls looked at her in admiration. Her Sunday school teacher began to teach. He said “God is not like man who sees only what is outside; God knows what you are thinking about now. Before you speak God knows what you will say” Nancy remembered the money she had taken from her Mummy’s purse on the Saturday. She felt sorry because God knew about that theft. God knew where Saul was staying. He gave Ananias the house address “Get ready and go to Straight Street, the house of Judas and ask for Saul. God knows everything! thought – god sees all i do every time, anywhere.

Prayer – help me to be mindful of what i do because you know all things, o god. in Jesus’ name amen.

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MAY 30

GOD IS FAITHFUL MeMory VerSe - “his promises are yes and amen.” 2 Corinthians 1: 20

read - Luke 1: 57 – 66

OD IS ever- ready to help when we call on Him. either good or bad He loves you. His love for you knows no condition. It was surprising how Mansa bitterly ended her friendship with esi. The two were very close friends and could always be seen together. One day a new girl was admitted into their class, her name was Sussy. Sussy liked esi and Mansa. A month later esi had a motor accident and had to be hospitalized for some weeks. When esi returned to school her friend Mansa would not talk to her. Mansa had told lies about esi to Sussy. unlike Mansa, God is a Faithful Friend. Whatever, God has promised He will do it. trust Him for He will always be there for you. God promised Zechariah a baby boy and He gave him. The angel of God said Zechariah would be unable to speak until the baby was born and it happened. thought – Whatever god says happens. do i trust his promises?

Prayer – great is your faithfulness, o Lord. Man trusted in you and he is helped. in Jesus’ name amen.

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MAY 31

LEARN TO SAY SORRY MeMory VerSe – “for if we openly confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us all our sins.” 1 John 1: 19

read - Luke 3: 2 – 10

et uS LeArN to say sorry when we go wrong. Accept your wrong doings and ask to be forgiven. Don’t let the saying “I am sorry” be difficult for you to say. Please, do not walk away without saying “I’m sorry” if you wrong a brother, sister, Daddy, Mummy, a neighbor or a friend. Kofi played a deadly trick on his elder brother Sammy one Sunday afternoon. Mummy had prepared delicious jollof rice with chicken which was the family’s favorite. Mummy shouted “Food is ready ooo!!!” everyone became happy. Because Kofi was excited he rushed into the dining room and knocked the food oﬀ the table. everyone was sad! Kofi said, “I’m very sorry”. I did not mean to hurt you o! Let us learn to say sorry because it brings peace. John the baptizer was telling everyone to tell God how sorry they are for what they had done. thought: will i be happy if someone hurts me and does not say sorry?

Prayer: Lord please help me to always say sorry when i hurt someone. in Jesus’ name, amen!

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June

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June 1

LEARN TO SAY THANK YOU MeMory VerSe – “in everything give thanks for this is the will of god for your life in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5: 18

read - Luke 17: 11-19

et uS LeArN to say, thank you “to show our gratefulness. to appreciate what someone has done for you say “thank you” if someone oﬀers you help or gives you a gift say “thank you”. If you thank people for what ever they do for you, you will always benefit from them. Johnny started school at a very tender age. At nursery one he could not speak clearly the english language Jonny’s teacher taught them to say “thank you” when they are given a gift. One afternoon when Johnny’s father came from him after school, he gave him biscuits and fruit drink. Johnny said “Art you, dada” when they got him Mummy served him, his lunch Johnny said “Thank you Ma” his father asked is what did he say” Mummy replied “He said thank you, Mummy” Jesus was happy when he saw one of the ten leapers he had heal come to thank God Jesus asked where are the rest? He wanted them also do have come to say Thank you God

Prayer – heavenly Father, i am thankful for all you have done for me. amen.

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June 2

BE IN GOD’S HOUSE MeMory VerSe - “let us not stop the habit of meeting together” 10: 25

read - Luke 2: 41 – 52

O YOu StruGGLe or find it easy going to church on Sunday? Which will be your choice going to church or watching cartoon network on tv3? God wants you to be in his house at all times. Make use of the time to meet old and new friends to worship God at church on Sunday. Please, so long as you can go to church do not be absent. A very wicked woman had arranged with a certain baker to kill a young boy. This wicked woman sent the boy to the baker. On his way to the baker he suddenly realized he would be late for church if he was to go the baker. He decided to go to the baker after church. The wicked woman sent her own to ask the baker if he had killed the boy. The baker, who had agreed to kill any young boy sent to him by the wicked woman, immediately killed the wicked woman’s son. Like Jesus when he was young God wants you to be present at all time in church.

Prayer – Let me dwell in your sanctuary, o god. amen.

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June 3

KEEP GOOD FRIEND DAYS MeMory VerSe – “don’t fool your selves. Bad friends will destroy you”. i Corinthians 15: 33

read - daniel 1: 8 – 17

t IS ALWAYS good to have friend who will help us to obey God’s word. You need to have the right kind of friends who will help you to do what is right at all times. Mickey was going to play table tennis after school. As usual he had kept his money to but on a game. He wanted to take his friend Mike with him. Mike was ready to go home after school. As he started down the road, mickey came running to catch up with him. He said “Jack will win more money” mike was excited and wanted to go with mickey, but he answered,” “I told Mummy I would come home after school to help her. “tell Mummy you forget, or that teacher kept you after school to do some work” said Mickey mike, was shaking his head, “No”, he said, “I will not tell a lie to Mummy. I must go home as I promised. Mickey’s tricks got mike to the table tennis stand. unlike mike, Daniel had good friends who helped him to do what was right. Be careful who your friend becomes. thought – Bad friends corrupt good morals.

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June 4

GOD WANTS YOU TO GIVE MeMory VerSe – “give to others and god will give to you. give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down and shaken together and running over.” Luke 6: 38 read - 1 Kings 17: 12 – 22

t IS GOOD to give; it does not matter whether your present is small or big. Your friend will be happy because you gave him what he asked. rarely would one find Sammy playing or talking with any of his classmates. It was therefore difficult for Serwaah to ask him for a pen, when hers stopped whilst they were writing a class test. But Serwaah was surprised that Sammy could willingly give her his spare pen. The following day Sammy could not come to school. After school Serwaah went with her mother to Sammy’s house to find out the reason for his absence from school. Whilst in house, she taught Sammy the new day. She also helped Sammy to do the home work they were given. We must learn to give because God wants us to do so. Like Sammy the widow baked bread from her little flour for elijah and she received did not lack oﬀ and flour for more and more flow every day, The rest of her life.

Prayer – dear Lord, help me to give with love daily to others.

amen.

thought – i will look for avenues to give to others today, and always.

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June 5

SHARE YOUR TESTIMONIES MeMory VerSe – “Come and hear, all who fear godPsalm 66 : 16 read - John 9 : 1 – 11

e MuSt LeArN to share with our friends, brothers, and sisters, about what God does for us. It is good to thank God for what He does for you but it becomes more beneficial when you tell people about it. Papa was excited when he saw how to use the new I-PACK Interactive talking computer on television. He so desired to have one. He told his father to buy one for him and began to pray about it. A month later Daddy bought the computer for him. When papa went to school he told every friend of his about the new computers invited some of his friends home to have a look at his new computer. God wants you to tell people at home, school or elsewhere about whatever the does for you. Please don’t keep it to yourself. The blind man told everyone in his community about how Jesus healed him.

Prayer – i am thankful, o Lord for your unfailing love and the

many marvelous things that comes my way. your praise will always be on my lips. amen.

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June 6

LEARN TO TELL THE TRUTH MeMory VerSe - “do not lie to one another, for you have taken off the old self with its habits.” Colossians 3: 9

read - esther 3: 5 – 11

et uS LeArN to tell the truth always. If you lie, you put yourself in trouble. It is good to tell the truth and be free than to lie. Seth and his friends namely Sammy, Simon left school at first break for motor racing. Although they knew the break lasts for thirty minutes, they spent forty five minutes at the park. Seth told his friends “when we go to school we will tell the teacher that we went out to buy pen during break. Whiles we were coming we met and old lady who was carrying a basket and we helped her. That’s why we are late. “teacher did not believe them. He gave them pieces of paper and ordered them to sit at a diﬀerent places distanced from one other. He told them to write the name of the one who carried the old lady’s basket home. each one though of himself and wrote “Me”. Seth and Fred got punished severely. Haman lied to the king about the Jews and died as a result .

Prayer – Keep the doors of my lips , dear Lord, and keep lies from my tongue. amen.

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June 7

JESUS, OUR HEALER MeMory VerSe – “i am Lord, the one who heals you.” exodus 15 : 26 .

read - Luke 15: 12 – 16

eSuS CAN HeAL all our diseases. Just let him know your sickness and ask him to help heal you. You don’t have to be afraid you will die when you are sick. Bernard shouted Mummy!, in the middle of the night. When Mummy got to his room she saw Bernard panting. She touched him and felt his body was hot. Bernard asked Mummy to call the doctor or take him to hospital. Mummy prayed for Bernard and gave him some water to drink. Bernard asked “Mummy will I die? Mummy replied” “NO” just sleep Jesus has healed you”. The next day Bernard woke up and wanted to go to school. Let us call on Jesus for our healing.

Prayer – “heavenly Father, i know you are my healer. Please heal

any hidden or physical illnesses of my family, friends and i. amen.

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June 8

BE A DOER OF THE WORD MeMory VerSe – “do not deceive yourselves by just listening to his word, instead, put it to practice.” James 1: 22

read - John 2: 3 -10

OD WANtS uS to practice his word. God’s words are pieces of advice to you and you must follow them. We must do our best to do what the bible says when read it.

God’s word is the way to what you want from him. One day, Jesus attended a wedding. When the wine finished, Jesus’ mother got him informed and advice the server to do whatever Jesus would tell them. It is always good to obey the word of God because it will help and save you. When the servers did what Jesus told them, they got more and new wine for the guests. If you become obedient to God’s word, you will get what you want from God.

Prayer – heavenly Father, Write your word on my heart, and make

me a doer of it. amen.

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June 9

GOD, YOUR PROTECTOR MeMory VerSe – “ he shall cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you shall take refuge.” Psalm 91:4.

read – exodus 14:13-28

OD IS ALWAYS with you everywhere. He is watching over you. He will keep you from any harm. It was another year again where Sally and her sister Sandy were attending the famous children’s fun fair clubbed the do. Daddy drove them to the fair grounds and promised to come for them at 5:30pm most the programme ends. At above 6:30pm most children had left the fair grounds and Sally began to cry. She asked “when is Daddy coming. Sandy was disturbed too, but she said “God please help us bring Daddy now” God will help you when you call on him in times of trouble. He will keep you safe. Few minutes after Sandy had prayed Daddy came. He told the children how his car broke down on his way coming for them. As he took care of the Israelites so will he be with you when

Prayer – dear Lord, let me feel your presence when i am afraid, because you are my protector. amen.

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June 10

DEVELOPING OUR GOD GIVEN GIFTS a Quote - “When we were born, we cried and the world rejoiced. Live a life that when you die, you will rejoice while the world cries.” read - Matthew 25:14-30

He ServANtS reFer to diﬀerent groups of people (of which we are a part) and the talents refer to God’s gifts to them. The servant who was given 5 talents worked hard and gained 5 extra talents – this refers to people who have many gifts yet work hard on their gifts, develop them and learn new extra things. Apart from the well done they will receive from God, these are the people who will be remembered and the world or community will cry because they are no more. The servant who was given 2 talents also developed 2 extra talents – this refers to people who try us much as possible to develop the little the Lord has given them and they also gain extra gifts to the glorification of our Lord. Apart from receiving a well done from God, they too will not be forgotten especially by their family and the family will cry because these people are no more. Finally, for the servant who decided not to work, what he had was taken from him. He also was referred to us a wicked and unfaithful servant. Apart from this, he will not be remembered his own family, how much more his family.

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So what do we learn? We therefore have to do the best we can with our lives so that everywhere we go, we live a mark on the hearts of the people around us. Thought â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I would maximize my talents always so that I can give a good account someday.

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June 11

DID ELIJAH FORGET? MeMory VerSe: “Praise the Lord, o my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” Psalm 103:2 (niV)

read - 1 Kings 18: 25- 38, 19: 2- 9

LIJAH WAS ONe of the great prophets of the Old testament. He performed many great miracles including raising a little boy from the dead (1 Ki 17:19-24). For sheer drama, few scenes can match the one that transpired on Mount Carmel. Not even the confrontation between the forces of good and evil in books like J r r tolkien’s “Lord of the rings” can match up to the contest that took place on Mount Carmel when elijah challenged the prophets of Baal. After his dramatic encounter with the priests of Baal (850 in all), the Bible says he soon went into hiding because Jezebel the wicked queen wanted him dead. elijah was afraid and ran for his life into the desert. He prayed that he might die “I have had enough, lord...take my life…” He forgot what God had done on Mount Carmel and allowed fear to take over. There are many occasions in life when we may feel like elijah, gripped with fear. We become dejected and forget the wonderful things or blessings we have received from God and we become crippled by our circumstances. In such situations we should remember that we serve a God who has done it BeFOre and is able and willing to do it again (more than we can ever imagine eph 3:20). He does not change. We serve a God who makes the impossible possible so we shouldn’t shudder in difficult times. Are you going through difficult times right now – trouble in your family, sickness, examinations or unpaid school fees? trust God to see you through. 193

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Prayer - Dear Father, I thank You for these words of encouragement. Thank You for the many times that You have delivered me, even when I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t aware. As you saw me through in times past please see me through this (whatever difficulties you are facing). Amen!

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June 12

HOPE MeMory verse – “For i know the plans i have for you,

declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 read - romans 5:2-5

DeFINe HOPe as “the happy anticipation of good things.” Are you aggressively hoping for something good to happen to you? Do you wake up in the morning excited and expectant about life? You can do that by learning how to celebrate and enjoy this journey called life. everything in life is a process in motion. Without movement, advancement and progression, there is no life. Once a thing has ceased to progress, it is dead. In other words, as long as we live, you and I are always going to be heading somewhere, and we should be enjoying ourselves on the way. God created us to be goal-oriented visionaries. Without a vision, we become bored and hopeless. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, according to Proverbs 13:12, but when the desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life. There’s something about hope that makes people lighthearted and happy. You’re not going to be happy if you don’t have hope. The more hope you have in God, the happier you become. Biblical hope is a close relative to faith. I don’t see how you can have faith without hope because hope is the foundation on which faith stands. Hope believes everything is going to turn out all right—hope is positive! to enjoy life you must maintain a good, positive attitude. God is positive, and He wants positive things to happen to each of us, but that isn’t likely to happen if we’re not filled with hope and faith.

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Some people are afraid to hope because they have experienced so much hurt and disappointment that they don’t think they can face any more pain. They refuse to hope so they won’t be disappointed. Disappointment is painful! Rather than being hurt again, they simply refuse to hope that anything good will ever happen to them. This type of behavior sets up a negative lifestyle. Everything becomes negative because their thoughts are negative. Proverbs 23:7 says, For as he [a person] thinks in his heart, so is he.... Hope is a powerful, spiritual force that is activated through our positive attitude. We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose (Romans 8:28). What Satan means for harm, God intends for good. All things work together for good for those who love God. Satan wants to hurt you and have you spend your life distrusting everyone because somebody hurt you when you were a child, while you were in school etc. The list of who, what, where and how you can be hurt is endless. You have to say, “No! That is subject to change! I am a child of the living God! Something good is going to happen to me!”

Prayer – Dear Lord, help me to hope in You always. Amen.

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June 13

LOVE MeMory VerSe - “in this is love, not that we loved god but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:10

read - 1John 4:7-12

you?

Prayer – god please help me do love those who do not like me and demonstrate your true nature in loving them. in Jesus’ name amen.

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June14

THE COST OF DISOBEDIENCE Memory verse - “But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt oﬀerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice f the Lord? to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.”” 1 Samuel 15:22 (NIv) read - 1 Samuel 15:10-23 Saul was the first king of Israel that God through the prophet Samuel appointed. God decided to punish the Amalekites who had waylaid the children of Israel as they came up from egypt (v 2) and told Saul through Samuel to go and attack them and totally destroy them. Saul and his men however did not carry out all the instructions God had given them. They decided to keep the best of the livestock to sacrifice to God. They thought they were doing God a favour. God does not delight in our disobedience, no matter the reason for it. He wants us to be completely obedient to Him. There are so many instances in our lives when we think we are doing the will of God, when are in fact just doing things that will justify our own consciences. God requires total obedience from us in every aspect of our lives. He is very grieved when we disobey Him, as was shown in the passage where God rejected Saul as the king of Israel because of his disobedience. God even likened disobedience to witchcraft (v 23), showing us how serious disobedience is to Him.

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As we walk with God, may we learn to obey Him completely. Thought - “Trust and obey, For there’s no other way, To be happy in Jesus But to trust and obey”

Prayer - Father, I am sorry for all the times when I have disobeyed you (mention these specific incidences). Please grant me the strength to obey You in all things at all times no matter the cost. Amen!

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June15

LONG LASTING JOY MeMory VerSe – “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Psalm 30:5

read - Psalm 30:4-5

ANY At tIMeS when people lose their loved ones or relatives, sympathizers comfort them by saying that time is the healer but the Word of God tells us Christians that God is our Healer. The passing of time may bring healing of a kind through forgetfulness but total comfort and complete healing comes from God. Many people including Christians tend to forget that no matter the pain or difficulties one may go through, if only we recognize God as the perfect healer and seek Him, the sad and difficult moments may come but we would be like the fish that swims peacefully under a stormy sea unaﬀected because the joy and peace of God has enveloped us. The weeping moments like death of a dear one, failing of an exam, financial problems of parents, may come, but will be for a short while and the joy of the Lord will always be with us and He will see us through those times. It’s only God who can soothe and bring us perfect peace and a lasting hope. Hope where there is no hope and restoration where there is lack. Prayer- dear Lord, you are indeed my healer for you wipe away my tears and bring me joy. Thank you for the hope you give me each day to carry on. amen.

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June 16

NO MORE MeMory VerSe – “he will wipe every tear from their eyes. There won’t be death anymore. There won’t be any grief, crying, or pain, because the first things have disappeared.” revelation 21: 4

read - revelation 21:1-5

Ave YOu ever wondered how heaven would be like? No matter how nice or beautiful you think a place on earth is, it cannot be compared to the beauty of heaven. uncle Paul, a retired teacher was on his sick bed one Saturday, when his grandson, Michael, approached him and started conversing with him. Some few minutes later, there were tears in Michael’s eyes. He said, “Grandpa, when are you coming home, I miss you so much”. Then grandpa replied, “little one, I miss you too but even if I don’t come back home, don’t be sad because we will meet in a much glorious place, Heaven, someday. It is the most beautiful and nicest place ever. Jesus took His time to prepare that place for all God’s children. There, we’ll be together forever. It would be so much fun. There will be no more pain, no more dying, and no more crying. Jesus Himself would wipe every tear from your eyes and fill your mouth with laughter. We will all live together happily ever after.” Three days later uncle Paul died. When Michael heard the news, he broke into tears but wiped his face when he remembered what he told him. He whispered to himself, “see you in heaven, grandpa.”

Prayer - Thank you dear Lord Jesus for preparing such a wonderful place for me. amen

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June 17

HE IS ABLE TO SUCCOR MeMory VerSe – “For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” hebrews 2:18 (eSV) read – Matthew 4:1-11

Mary’s gum had been swollen since she woke up. She barely managed to brush her teeth and could only drink her tea because she couldn’t bring herself to bite into the bread and chew it. All during the first four periods in class she had her head on her desk for the painful gum had started giving her a headache. At break time, Anna came and sat next to her. Without asking what was wrong, Anna simply said, “you must be in a lot of pain, Mary. I am sure you are hungry but you cannot eat. I felt the same way when my gum got swollen some months ago.” Mary gave her a grateful half-smile (that was all she could manage) and just nodded. Anna moved closer, placed an arm around her and oﬀered her bottle of juice. “Here, drink this,” she said, “It was all I could drink. You have to go and see the dentist after school. He gave me some drugs which helped me and I am sure he will be able to help you too. Isn’t it just great when you have someone who knows or has experienced what you are currently experiencing and is able to help you overcome them? Like Anna who recognized Mary’s pain and could share in it, Jesus our saviour also knows how it feels to be tempted. But unlike Anna who could only identify with Mary’s pain but could not really help her, our saviour and friend Jesus not only faced temptation but also overcame each one. Our text says he was tempted in every way yet was found without sin. He wants you to trust him in the times of your temptation to sin because he can and he will help you if you do. So the next time someone makes you so angry and an unkind word is on the tip of your tongue, just remember that Jesus was tempted to say unkind words too but He didn’t. He chose not to and so should you. 202

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Prayer - Dear Jesus, thank you for assuring me that you understand my temptations and are able to help me overcome them. As I go through today, help me to remember this fact for every temptation that comes my way.

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June 18

SAVED MeMory VerSe – “Let us thank god for his priceless gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:15

read – romans 5:6-11

ALvAtION IS MOre than a nice thought, it goes beyond belonging to a church or a select group called “Christians”. Imagine you were sitting in a vehicle travelling a long journey and the driver was moving at a very fast speed. So fast that you had your hands tightly on your seat handle and your eyes fixed on the road in fear for your life. Much to your alarm, a truck about four times the size of your car, is heading your way. The driver of this truck does not seem to notice your small car and is driving right into you. Your heart begins to beat faster and you begin to sweat profusely and you scream louder than you ever have in your whole life. Seconds before the truck collides into your car, a gentle, giant hand lifts you up. In your heart and mind, you knew you were heading for certain death but suddenly somehow you have been saved. How would you feel now? Grateful… thankful…appreciative…indebted…no word can describe your emotions towards this hand that redeemed you. This hand is God. How did he save us? By giving us the precious gift of his Son Jesus. Why did he save us? He did because he loves us. Prayer - Lord sometimes i forget how priceless your gift of salvation

is. today god i thank you with all my heart. everything within me rises to give you thanks. Because of your priceless gift, i live my life with a new joy, a confidence in you my god, and a sure hope of seeing the face of my Saviour Jesus someday.

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June 19

GOD FILLS THE VOID… MeMory VerSe – “o Lord, you have searched me and you know me. you know when i sit and when i rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.” Psalm 139:1,2.

read - 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

WAKYeWAA SNIFFeD QuIetLY in her bed. She felt so down today too. The angel of the Lord stood by her bed and looked upon her with a sad smile and much concern. God had sent him to Kwakyewaa’s side to protect her and wipe those tears away. All she needed to do was to open her mouth and say that prayer asking God to help ease her hurt. There are many days that we cry, we get upset and we get hurt. We may try to do several things to cheer ourselves up, to brighten up our day again. Maybe we’d make our favourite meal, talk to a dear friend, play a game, watch a movie…it is true that these things may help us feel better but usually it is only for a while. In our hearts, at the very core of our being is an empty space that calls out in despair to be filled whenever we feel low. This place cannot be filled by anyone but God. He put that place in us that he might fill it and make us whole. Without God, we have no solace and our tears in times of hurt will never dry up. Why? Because only God knows just what we need at any point in time to keep us whole. Without him, we are incomplete.

Prayer - Lord, forgive me for trying to fill the emptiness with other things. help me to tap into the grace you provide and the comfort you readily provide. Fill me up oh god, that i may be one with you again.

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June 20

NEVER TRADE THE BLESSING MeMory VerSe - “That in blessing i will bless thee, and in multiplying i will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies” genesis 22:17 (KJV) read - genesis 25: 24- 34

HeN ISAAC WAS sixty years old, his wife rebecca gave birth to twin sons; esau and Jacob. In those days, the first born son was given a special honour called the birthright. The child received a double portion of the family inheritance as well as the eventual privilege of family leadership. The birthright could be traded, but all future birthright blessings were lost. “Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, esau came in from the open country famished. He said to Jacob,’ quick, let me some of that red stew! …’ Jacob replied, ‘first sell me your birthright.’ Look, I am about to die…..what good is the birthright to me? “Genesis 25: 29 – 32. esau was a young man who lived in the moment and traded his birthright for a bowl of red stew. He placed much greater value on immediate gratification than on future blessings. esau’s decision to let go of his birthright was based on temporary needs he could see and feel. His focus on the immediate caused him to lose the blessings which were greater and long lasting, but unseen. Similar trades are made today. When a child leaves home in rebellion, they trade the blessing of an honouring relationship with their parents for perceived pleasures of immediate freedom, and when we fail to wait upon the lord with decisions we have allowed our impatience to trade away our blessing of walking in God’s perfect will. 206

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What bowl of stew are we trading for today? God has promised a blessing for those who believe in Jesus as lord and savior. He has promised to set us free to live a life of true peace, purpose and contentment and an eternal glory in His presence. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s keep our eyes on the eternal and never trade the blessing. Thought â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t trade a blessing for silver or gold.

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June 21

BE READY! MeMory VerSe - “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of god.” 2 Corinthians 7:1

read - 1 John 3:1-3

HeN I WAS young, my dad travelled for a period of three months. I really missed him while he was away. On the day of his return, I searched through my clothes and ironed my best shirt. While eating that day, I was very careful not to soil my shirt. Have you been in a similar situation before? I am reminded of Christ’ second coming when I see changes in the sky. Sometimes, I am happy and actually wish he appears that very moment. At other times, I am afraid and quickly confess all my sins. As a child of God do you anticipate his coming? Are you eager to meet him? The joy and eagerness with which you contemplate his coming will determine your preparation for Him. Anyone who lives in the hope of Christ’ return purifies himself from all sin and lives righteously. Considering your life right now, how prepared are you for his return? Knowing that he will come for those who cherish his coming, get rid of every sin and live a holy life for him. thought – how ready am i for his second coming?

Prayer - Lord prepare me to be a living sanctuary pure and holy

for you. amen

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June 22

IF YOU WILL MeMory VerSe - trust in him at all times, o people; pour out your hearts to him, for god is our refuge.” Psalm 62:8 (niV)

read – Mark 1: 35-42

NCe AS JeSuS walked through the town of Galilee, a leper approached Him. The man asked Jesus if He would heal him and Jesus immediately replied that He would and made the man clean instantly. Jesus’ quick response to the man’s plea assures us that Jesus is willing to help us and deliver us even when it seems we have no strength to endure. Are you facing a difficult time right now? Does it seem like you are all alone and helpless? God’s precious saint, do not despair and do not be afraid for Jesus, your Saviour, is more willing than you know to help you and deliver you. Just ask in prayer and you will receive. Jesus is willing and ready and waiting to help you. The question is are you willing to ask for His help and to take the help He oﬀers you?

Prayer - Lord Jesus, i know that you know and see all that i am

going through. i rejoice to know that you are not just looking on but you are willing to help and deliver me as well. i ask that you help me this day with (present your requests). Thank you for your amazing love. amen.

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June23

KEEPING YOUR WAY PURE MeMory VerSe - “how can young people keep their lives pure? By obeying your commands. Psalm 119:9 gnB

read – Psalm 119: 10 - 16

MA WAS CONFuSeD. She wanted to know whether it was right to drink palm wine yet repeatedly, all those she sought counsel from gave her conflicting answers. Some said it was wrong while others were all for it and still others said it was a “gray area” she had to figure out for herself. It depends. That is relative. A lot of times we are unable to know what the right way to live as children of God is. Although we know to do good and hate evil, a lot of the people around us confuse us with their opinions. One person might say this is right while another may condemn that same act. This can confuse us and make us sin. But God’s Word, though written centuries ago still has relevance for our day and remains the standard for every Christian’s life. The psalmist pondered these same things and asked how a young person can keep his way pure. In response, he said that by obeying God’s commands and hiding the word of God in his heart, he is able to stay away from sin to live the pure life God requires of him. Why don’t you also begin to hide God’s word in your heart beginning with Ps 119:11? Prayer - dear Father, i desire to live a life of purity that is pleasing to you. i want to memorize your word and store it in my heart. grant me the grace to do so for you are gracious and kind. Thank you, in Jesus’ name. amen!

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June 24

THE SAMARITAN WOMAN MeMory VerSe – “dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from god. everyone who loves has been born of god and knows god.” 1John 4:7.

read - John 4: 1-15

StOrY IS told of a Jesus’ encounter with a Samaritan woman. Jesus was a Jew and he requested for water from this woman. The woman was surprised because Jews did not associate with Samaritans. Many a time Jesus request something from us through our neighbours, friends or classmates but we do not make any oﬀer because we presume that they are not our associates or co-equal. It is good for us to show love and kindness to those in need because they are God’s creatures just like us. Showing love to others implies showing love to God, and this will command the blessings of God unto us. The Samaritan woman refused to oﬀer Jesus water but she did not know that Jesus was a source of the living water which was far valuable than ordinary water. There is always something big in store for those who diligently show kindness to others. When she learnt about Jesus as the source of living water she wished to have some. In life, it may be too late to obtain such a blessing if we refuse to show love. May the spirit of God empower us to show love and kindness to others. Prayer - My heart, my mind and my soul belong to you. My love and my life belong to you.

Amen.

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June 25

GOD ON EARTH MeMory VerSe - “For god so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”John 3:16

read - John 3:16-18

ANY PeOPLe WONDer how God is like. They try to picture Him through His handiwork. The splendour of the earth and sky tells us God is awesome but doesn’t give the whole picture of God. God gave us His one and only son to save us from eternal destruction whilst we were still sinners. Christ, the son of God and God himself came to live among men to reveal the nature of God to us. The beautiful, self-sacrificing life of Jesus and His death on the cross revealed God more clearly than ever to mankind. The very nature of God, love, was revealed to us through Christ. When we come to know Jesus and learn more about Him, His life on earth and death on the cross, in God’s Word, we get to know God well and learn to appreciate Him as He is. Seek God in His word and you will find him.

Prayer- dear Lord, thank you for revealing yourself to man through Christ. Please help me to know you as thou art that i may worship you as i ought. amen.

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June 26

RECONCILIATION MeMory VerSe – “This is how god showed his love among us: he sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” 1 John 4:9.

read - 2 Corinthians 5: 14 – 20

IN BrOuGHt AN eternal separation from God. This was not the plan of God when he created Adam and eve. God’s plan for man was that of an eternal intimate relationship with him. He was therefore not amazed with the separation sin brought between Him and man. Nevertheless, His continual love had always been sufficient to bring reunion through the death of His son Jesus Christ. This is what reconciliation is all about. God is not pleased with divisions. Therefore we must also learn to be reconciled to others who have oﬀended us. We should remember that but for reconciliation, man would have remained eternally condemned to doom. God also expect us to demonstrate this love He showed to us to others by preaching to them about the good news so that they can also be saved and be reconciled to Him. Without evangelism, salvation cannot be obtained and reconciliation cannot be eﬀected. We should therefore endearvor to witness to people about Christ and the need for salvation so that more are reunited or reconciled to God in his kingdom.

Prayer - oh lord, give me the passion to witness to others about Christ. amen.

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June 27

TSUNAMI MeMory VerSe – “nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.” Matthew 24: 7

read - Matthew 24: 4 – 22

He DAY WAS December 26th, 2004, a day after Christmas. Many across the globe went about their normal duties of the day thinking that it was just another day. But somewhere else on the globe in the ocean was an earthquake which produced what the Japanese call a tsunami. unfortunately the tsunami was catastrophic and destroyed thousands of lives. Many wondered “why on earth should this happen to innocent lives.” Many also wondered “why did God allow this to happen. Isn’t he supposed to be the loving father?” But as Christians, the bible teaches us in Matthew 24:7 that in the end times, nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. As believers we should not be astonished when such natural disasters occur. We shouldn’t join the rest of the world in wondering the rationale behind these occurrences. rather we should bear in mind that the word of God which is paramount clearly states that these will happen. These signs should rather be warnings that will prompt us to prepare our hearts and lives for the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 peter 3: 11-12 vividly states that “we ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.”

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So the next time we hear of floods or earthquake in our own country or elsewhere we shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t shudder or wonder what is happening. Instead should just know that God is still in control.

Prayer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Dear Lord, Let me stand for You in these last days as a faithful servant. Amen

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June28

TRUST MeMory VerSe – “They put their trust in god and prayed to him for help, and god answered their prayers and made them victorious over the hagrites and their allies.” 1 Chronicles 5:20

read – Proverbs 3:3-7

erWAA LOOKeD At her exam paper in tears. The red ink boldly said 54%. She could not believe her eyes. Serwaa was the best student in her class. “God,” she prayed in tears, “why? Why did you allow this to happen? I studied so hard!” Serwaa felt an arm on her shoulder. It was her best friend Akosua. Akosua didn’t know what to say to comfort Serwaa. She gave her a hug and said gently to her, “trust in God Serwaa. You thought you would get a good mark because YOu studied so hard. You were trusting in your own knowledge. God wants us, his children, to be solely dependent on him, no matter what we think we’ve done to make everything turn out alright.” As Akosua spoke, Serwaa remembered that in the days leading to the exam, she had completely stopped doing her quiet time and often forgot to pray. She didn’t even pray before the exam, she felt so ready to prove on paper that she was the best. In her heart she knew she had not trusted in God but in herself. At the end of the next term, during exam time, Akosua and Serwaa were studying together. “Did you pray this morning?” Akosua asked her friend with a smile. “Yes, I did. This time, I’m placing my trust in God,” Serwaa answered. Sure enough, God was faithful to her, and she had a good grade in her exams. When we place our trust in God, and have faith in Him, he never fails us. He gives us victory in every situation. Sometimes, it seems to us that we have failed. But God often uses what we call failures, as stepping stones not stumbling blocks, to bring us to an expected end, a place of victory. 216

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Prayer – Dear Father, I thank you that you hear and answer all my

prayers. I am sorry for the times I have trusted in my own ability to do things and completely ignored you. I want to trust you with all my heart in all things – school, friends, and family. Help me to do this in Jesus’ name. Amen!

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June29

SELF DENIAL MeMory VerSe - “and he said to all, “if any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23

read- Matthew 16: 13-27

S CHILDreN OF God, we have to be careful of what we hear. Sometimes, even anointed people can lead us astray away from the will of God for our lives. In the passage for today, Peter had just been anointed by Jesus. He had been told he would be the rock on which the church of Jesus Christ will be built. Just after this declaration upon his life, he went ahead to discourage Christ from the very act which would form the basis of His church. Notice how Christ counteracted his comments. “You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men.” any suggestion that is not on the side of God’s will for your life must be ordered to get behind you. Suggestions and influences of friends must all be subject to the will of God. If not they will become stumbling blocks which will prevent you from getting to your God chosen destiny. Note however that for most of the time, it will cost you. It will cost you self denial. But that is exactly what Christ said. “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

thought - what do i have to deny myself today in order to take up the cross of Christ?

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June 30

DOES GOD STILL SPEAK TODAY? MeMory VerSe – “My sheep listen to my voice; i know them and they follow me.” John 10:27 (niV) read - 1 Sam. 3: 1-10

This is a question many Christians ask themselves these days. Many of today’s believers think that we are past the age where God speaks to people, and even if God does speak to people, he speaks to a certain group of people like preachers and teachers of the Gospel, and the prophets of today. This is however, a wrong notion. God still speaks. You only have to listen. God does not change( Mal 3:6) and if He spoke in the days before Christ walked the surface of this earth, how much more in these days when we have the Holy Spirit who is always with us! From the text, Samuel was not used to hearing God speak, so he did not know that it was God speaking to him at first. He had not identified the particular way God spoke to him. Most of us expect thunder and lightning when God speak to us. God still speaks to each of us in a unique way. It may be through the still small voice, dreams, visions, other people, and more importantly, His Word. We have to identify the way God speaks to us to eﬀectively and constantly hear Him. One of the hindrances to hearing the voice of God has always been sin. eli and his sons were priests of the Lord, but God did not speak to them (“... in those days the word of the Lord was rare: there were not many visions” 1 Sam 3:1). This was because the sons of eli were involved in sin (1 Sam 2:12-26), and their father eli did not do enough to stop their wickedness (1 Sam 3:13). 219

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To hear God speak and guide us constantly in our walk with Him, we should purify ourselves, and desire to hear Him speak, and most importantly, obey what He tells us. He is speaking to you right now, can you hear Him?

Prayer - Dear God, You have said that Your sheep know You and

they hear Your voice. I desire to hear You speak to me. Help me to hear You. Amen!

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