SYMPATHY OR EMPATHY?- Daily devotional with Pastor E.A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Num. 1-3
SYMPATHY OR EMPATHY? Monday, June 13, 2011
MEMORIZE: "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as Hebrews we are, yet without sin.” (Heb. 4:15). READ: 4:14-16 When someone is going through an unpleasant, sorrowful situation, you can ignore, sympathize or empathize with him or her. The easiest of these is to ignore the person, like the priest and the Levites did to the victim of robbers in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:303-3). To sympathize is a little more demanding as you would want to take minimal steps or make some effort even when you know it is inadequate. But the most challenging response is to empathize; that is, to put yourself in the shoes of the victim at the receiving end and ask: 'If I was the one in this situation, what would I expect others to do to me?' Based on such expectations, you will assist the fellow. This was what the Samaritan did (Luke 10:333-5). Empathy is borne out of compassion. Compassion can be said to be mercy in action. If your claim of having mercy lacks expressive action, then it is merely sympathy, not compassion. One very active trait you will find in our Lord Jesus Christ is compassion. Virtually every move He makes concerning us is driven by compassion. According to today's reading, one major reason He is able to identify with us in all our trials, troubles, and tribulations is because He has been here. He has passed this way we are now taking. He knows exactly what we feel. Sometimes, while going through some pains that cannot be described, you wish you had the right adjectives to convey the message.Some people at such trying moments say, 'Lord, I wish you could feel what I feel so that you will understand what I am going through'. He does. He knows every bit of pain in that leg. He knows the difficulty you are going through. He understands. But unlike us, He does not ignore, and will not sympathize with us. Rather, because He is driven by compassion, He empathizes. Just remember that as you go through unpleasant moments, you are not alone. Jesus has passed through what you are undergoing and understands. This helps to hasten a change. Are you going through pain, sorrow or difficulty? The Lord will make a way for you today! KEY POINT: Compassion makes you intercede for others with a heavy heart, carrying their burden in your heart. When last did you pray with a burden?

ANY PROOF OF GOD'S FEAR? - Daily devotional with Pastor E.A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Luke 18-21
ANY PROOF OF GOD'S FEAR? Saturday, April 30, 2011
MEMORIZE: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.” READ: Proverbs 14:26-27 (Psalm 111:10). Apart from learning that no problem lasts forever through the death of the Egyptian king recorded in Exodus 2:23-25, we also learn that only God is eternal. All earthly kings were born one day and would die one day. But the King of kings has no beginning or ending. He was before anything else existed and would continue to exist, without any question, after all is melted and gone. “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Tim. 1:17). Little wonder He calls Himself the I AM THAT I AM (Exod. 3:14). He is the self-existent One. He does not depend on anything or anyone to live, as we humans do. Malachi 3:6 says He is the God that never changes. This means the passing of time never adds to or subtracts from Him. He maintains His essence before and after time. He never grows old. Age does not affect God the way it affects mortals. The implication of God being eternal is that He alone should be feared. The day you begin to fear God is the day you are seen as being truly wise (Ps. 111:10). If you fear men but do not fear God, you are of all men most foolish. In fact, Matthew 10:28 says the terror of man is limited; hence, men should not be feared. That boss threatening you has limited power. Is he asking you to violate God's Word? Don't! The worst he can do is to sack you or cook up stories against you. Now, when God says that boss has reached his limits, he cannot go any further. God, however, is to be feared because not only are His powers and abilities unlimited on earth, they reign also in the hereafter. Decisions on who goes to heaven or hell are with Him. Do you fear God? If you do, you would keep a distance from anything He hates. Are you frolicking with sin and still claiming to fear God? If you fear Him, you will hate sin. If you fear Him, you will not fear men. If you fear Him, it would affect the company you keep. It would affect the places you go and the things you do. If you fear God, you will focus on the things that make Him happy. What is the proof that you fear God? Ask for the genuine fear of God. PRAYER POINT: The fear of God is a very scarce commodity in the Christian community. Ask God to put in you the Spirit of the fear of God.

SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY - Daily devotional with Pastor E.A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Luke 14-17
SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY Friday, April 29, 2011
MEMORIZE:“And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.” (Mark 5:20). READ: Mark 5:14-20 In Mark 1:40-45, an erstwhile leper went everywhere sharing the testimony of his healing with all and sundry, and in the process became a channel of blessing to many. Has God done something in your life? Go and share it with others. Never conceal your testimonies because several lives can be transformed through them. You cannot tell the life-long impact of that testimony you are hoarding! By the grace of God I am a living witness of the reality of divine healing and health. But it was not so at the time of my conversion. After I got born again, I was down with malaria every two weeks. In those days, I heard pastors preach that because Jesus is the Great Physician, medication was unnecessary. I laughed at them, saying they were looking for someone to kill. I was grateful that they had shown me the way to Heaven, but they should not send me there prematurely. In any case, I argued, “How do I know if they are not secretly ingesting medicine in the confines of their homes?” In our church those days, there was an old man of about 86 years. He used a walking stick and was bent over. He said while in his youth, he contracted a venereal disease which brought about a burning sensation whenever he walked straight. Relief only came whenever he stooped. One fateful Sunday morning, this elder stood upright without any aid. I asked what had happened and he promised to share his testimony during the evening service. That evening, I was the first to get to church. Papa said that when he travelled home for a holiday, he began a house-to-house evangelism daily. At some point, the devil said to him, 'Old man, stop deceiving people: Go and sit down. If your Jesus is so powerful, why has He not healed you?' On hearing this, holy anger arose within him and he challenged the devil: “Satan, are you laughing at my God?” Immediately, he broke the walking stick and started to walk straight amidst intense pain. Then he said, “If I am going to die, I am ready, but I will never walk bent again, and neither will you, Satan, ever laugh at my God again”. Feeling a wave of dizziness, he implored God to not let him die on the street but at home. He continued walking home in pain, sweating profusely. Before he got home, the pain disappeared. When I heard his testimony, I believed it, and from that day on, I resolved to make Jesus my doctor. For more than 35 years now, He has kept me in divine health. Share your testimony like the Gadarene demoniac of Mark 5:1-20 did. You will be amazed at its effect! KEY POINT: List 10 powerful things God has done for you in different areas. Prayerfully select 10 people facing challenges in those areas and share your testimonies with them. Pray for them to have testimonies too.

EXPECT ADVERSE WINDS - Daily devotional with Pastor E.A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Luke 10-13
EXPECT ADVERSE WINDS Thursday, April 28, 2011
MEMORIZE: “And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded. READ: Matthew 14:22-25 upon a rock.” (Matt. 7:25). Apart from Abraham, another Bible character who benefited from great divine promises was Joseph. In Genesis 37:3-11, he saw his brothers bowing to him in a dream. This was followed by another dream in which his whole family, including his father, bowed to him. These were great promises for young Joseph. By a twist of fate, the one who was expecting to occupy a throne and enjoy the obeisance of others was a slave en route Egypt (Gen. 39:15-). Later, in Genesis 39:19-23, he found himself in prison. Oh! How he would have wondered: 'God! What of your promises to me?' Eventually, after several years, he found himself on the throne of Egypt with his brothers doing obeisance and offering to be his servants. One thing we learn from this is that the one who has God's promise may be required to go through situations that seem to negate it. God promised Abraham that he would be the father of nations, yet, he spent several years in childlessness. In the same vein, God promised Joseph honour, and respect and a position of relevance with virtually everyone at his beck and call; yet, he spent several years serving others, taking instructions from them. In both cases, nonetheless, God's Word prevailed. This tells us that one who is undergoing an unpleasant situation has the potential of experiencing the exact opposite of what he or she is going through. Are you the laughing stock of those around you? Shortly, you shall be celebrated by all and sundry. Are you barren now? Soon, you shall be a joyful parent. Have you been meeting with several disappointments? Don't give up! An appointment that will rewrite your history for good is just around the corner. Satan's strategy is to make you experience everything contrary to God's promise for your life so that you can give up on His promise. Don't give up! If you remain dogged in the fight and continue to hold on to God's Word, the devil will give up. Another lesson here is that the negative situations you go through are not powerful enough to stop God's promises from coming to pass. Expect contrary winds, but hold on to God's Word that is forever settled. In today's reading, the Lord asked the disciples to go to the other side, yet they still faced contrary winds that got them stuck mid-sea for hours! As you hold on firmly to His Word, every contrary wind will give way this season!               ACTION POINT: A house, family or project built on the Rock will withstand any storm or wind. Build on the Rock

WATCH THAT APPETITE! - Daily Devotional with Pastor E.A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Luke 7-9
WATCH THAT APPETITE! Wednesday, April 27, 2011
MEMORIZE:“And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.” (Prov. 23:2). READ: Proverbs 23:1-3 Storing excessive fat in the body leads to being overweight or obese, which in turn leads to high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, sleep apnea, heart attack, heart failure, arteriosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases. One major cause of obesity is over-eating or gluttony. Food is good but excessive food is injurious to a good healthy life. Some people cannot stop their mouths whenever they see food. Even when their stomach is full, they still continue to eat especially when 'free food' is on offer. They are simply endangering their health! The bottom line is moderation. Proverbs 25:16 says, “Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it”. We really need restraint when it comes to the quality and quantity of food we consume. Proverbs 24:13 confirms that honey is good for the body. It is a lot better than refined sugar if you are advanced in years. It is easier for your digestive system to break down the sugar in honey than that in refined sugar. Replace your intake of sugar with honey. However, as good as honey is, it should be taken in moderation. If you take it in excess at a particular time, it could lead to vomiting. This simply means that even when you are eating the right kind of healthy foods, it should be done in moderation. Gluttons are their own worst enemies. What they love the most ends up writing their obituaries! Is your excessive eating habit gradually sending you to an early grave? Stop it today! You have to be strict with yourself. According to today's passage, if you love food too much, you must put a knife to your throat. In other words, exercise great restraint when you see food. Learn to say 'No' to offers of food. Learn to eat right. It is not only the quantity of food that matters but the quality also. Learn to fast. Sometimes, you can do a food fast that is not necessarily for spiritual blessings. Fasting is also good for the body's cleansing and metabolism. Remember that many are in the grave today, not because of any witch or wizard, but because of their appetite for food. Do not eat what will kill you, but what would sustain your life. ACTION POINT: Consult nutritionists on the benefits of honey. Maximize these benefits for your good.

GOD'S TRAINING GROUND - Daily Devotional with Pastor E.A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Luke 4-6
GOD'S TRAINING GROUND Tuesday, April 26, 2011
MEMORIZE: “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10). READ: Exodus 2:1-4 To be chosen as a Kingdom leader, it is good to possess faith, meekness, obedience, knowledge of God etc. God therefore wants His candidates for ecclesiastical leadership to go through some training. No one is a custodian of all vital leadership traits. This means, we may lack one or more qualities we need, to be what we are meant to be. The good news is that through the process of training, such missing traits can be acquired. God is the best Trainer in the universe. Also, He hardly uses those He has not trained. Before He pushes you into the battlefront, He will first ensure that your fingers have been groomed to fight (Ps. 144:1). Similarly, God is the One who decides the place and duration of your training, vis-à-vis His purpose for your life. However, your inputs also count. That is, if you easily cooperate with Him, you may not exceed your appointed training period. But if you prove to be tough, stubborn or slow at learning, you may extend the divine timetable. Do you learn from the events, situations and circumstances that you go through? If you don't, you may need to repeat those classes and examinations. Hence, God wants only those who are teachable. God decides the location of training. He also determines whether we are prepared for an assignment or not. Before using Moses, He arranged for him to go through formal education in the palace of Egypt for 40 years. Some people are in the palace now, but do not know that they are undergoing some training for a period, to enable them fit into God's original purpose for their lives. Moses' peculiar education also tells us that your academic qualifications can still be relevant, and may just be part of God's preparation for you. However, it is not enough. Even if you have 10 doctorate degrees, you will still need another form of training. For this reason, Moses had to go to the wilderness for another 40 years training, to learn what University education could not teach him. He learnt meekness and patience through the tough task of leading sheep. What you cannot learn from men, God may send you to learn from animals, even ants. Are you ready to learn from God? KEY POINT: Moses spent 80 years to prepare for a 40 year long ministry. This means that years of preparation may sometimes be twice as much as years of service. How prepared are you?

WALKING BY FAITH - Daily Devotional with Pastor E.A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Luke 1-3
WALKING BY FAITH Monday, April 25, 2011
MEMORIZE: “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). READ: Galatians 5:24-25 According to 2 Corinthians 4:18, it takes you downplaying your physical senses to bring your spiritual senses into the limelight. Whatever is seen is temporal. Boy, do men love things that are temporal! If you love cars, houses, lands and other material things, you are not different from any other man. However, if you love the things of the Spirit and place them at the top of your hierarchy of needs, you will stand out. This season, the Lord will help you to value the unseen, eternal things far above the mundane. In 1 Kings 18:41-45, the prophet of God declared that there was a sound of abundance of rain, right at the peak of a three-year-long famine. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight:” In other words, anyone who would rely on sight in his or her walk with God, will not be able to go far with God. In fact, such a fellow may not be able to go anywhere at all. The scripture above says faith constitutes the legs with which a believer moves. Without faith, there is no motion. As long as it is your senses you engage in an attempt to achieve that goal or vision, it will be 'all noise and no motion'. But if you can put on the legs of faith, you will see yourself making progress. Why? Faith is the language of the Spirit while sight is the language of the world. You cannot relate with God except through faith (Heb.11:6). If you say you believe in God but you are not making progress, examine yourself carefully: sight might have been engaged and needs to be disengaged for the result that comes by faith to be seen. Once God has spoken, the matter is settled. God's Word is enough for children of faith. If God's Word is not enough for you, and you think you still need to combine it with candles and other ritualistic materials, you are not living the life of faith. If you wait until you see the result of an event before you believe, you are not living the life of faith. A place of faith is a place of honour. The three Hebrew children walked by faith into Nebuchadnezzar's fire. At the end, their faith brought Jesus Christ into that fire, and thereafter, they were honoured by the same king who had earlier ordered them dead. If you can take a walk of faith based on God's Word, it will bring you honour. ACTION POINT: Faith constitutes not only the hands to receive from God but also the legs to draw nearer Him. It is indispensable!