For a while now, we have been talking about right decisions. Hope you have been following closely. The reason we are dwelling on this topic is because the way you begin the year matters a lot.
It’s noteworthy to point out that it’s four days into the year already, so much has happened in just three days. I hope you aren’t planning to flow with the tides?
What decisions have you made for the year? Or do you plan to live every day as it comes?
If you want a fruitful year, it’s not too late to set your goals for 2022.
Here are a few things you should consider:
1. Wake up early every day to say a word of Prayer before setting out for school;
It is wrong for you to leave your house without first communicating with your maker.
2. Make sure to read your Bible every day;
Do you remember the Sunday school song ‘read your bible and pray every day if you want to grow’?
3. Be committed to showing love to everyone around:
God made everyone, so show love to everyone.
4. Respect your parents and everyone else:
Do you remember what the scriptures say about showing respect to your parents?
Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. – Ephesians 6:1
5. Do your best at everything:
Do not live a life of mediocrity. Go for the best.
With these few things, you are set for an amazing year already.
God bless you as you do.
Prayer: Lord, help me to make the right decisions this new year.
Action point: Talk to your parents or guardians. Let them help you follow through with your decisions.
Declaration: I make the right decisions this year in Jesus name, Amen.
Hanging out with your friends can be a great way of having fun, especially if they are friends that bring out the best in you and help you to smile when you feel down.
You also have to be a good friend to others. If you make hanging out with you interesting, then you will probably have loads of friends wanting to be friends with you.
Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
Prov 27:17, KJV
There are cool ways to have a great time with your friends. One of such is playing bible games with them.
There are loads of games you can get from the bible. It’s a book filled with many characters that did some fabulous and not too fabulous things.
You could try learning the books of the bible alphabetically and say what each book is about. For example, the book of Proverbs talks about wisdom, Genesis is about creation and how man began to fill up the earth.
You could also have a game of bible heroes- discussing what these heroes did, how they did it, where it happened and so much more.
Another fun game from the bible is searching for who said what in the bible, why they said it, and what it meant.
Acting out events from the bible is also a great way of having fun. Think of the story of David and Goliath – you could act that out with your friends. What about the story of Elijah, Elisha, Gideon, and loads of other characters? Think of costumes, props, lights, and action.
You are not only having fun by doing this, but getting to know your bible back to front, and learning the bible in a fun way.
Also, you are acquiring more knowledge about God.
You are learning about how things were in the bible, how people dressed, what they ate, what they did, and more.
It’s also a good way of bringing unbelievers closer to God. Think of it as a mini form of evangelizing.
So, the next time your friends come around or you go visit them, how about suggesting one of these games to them?
Today, we would be looking at how to believe the Word Of God. In some parts of the bible, we find places where the author writes “…saith the Lord.”
And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
Ex 4:22 KJV
At other places, God Himself speaks, saying “I will…”
Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
Isa 43:19 KJV
These are words that tell us about the promises and power of God.
When you come across such phrases in the bible, what comes to your mind? Do you think these words are still applicable today? Is God still saying “I will?” Are the words written by those writers still in effect? Do they mean that God is still saying?
Everything written in the bible is still as powerful as they were in bible times. God is still saying the same thing. His promises are continuous. He hasn’t changed. Nothing about Him has and never will.
When next you come across such words, believe that God is still saying them to you and everyone. If it is a place where God made a promise, claim it for yourself and others. That is how to believe and enjoy His promises. He even tells us that He honours His words more than His name.
I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
Ps 138:2 KJV
He wants us to believe in Him and His words. We are greatly rewarded when we do so.
What a wonderful God we serve!
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your words are still the same. They are eternal and powerful. I claim every promise you made to me even before I was born. I am grateful in Jesus name, I pray, Amen.
Action plan: Try to find two instances each for where a writer records, “…says the Lord” and God saying “I will.” Read the full chapters and meditate on them.
Declaration: My children are studious. They read, study, and meditate on God’s word daily.
Before the arrival of Jesus, God spoke to His people through the prophets, so you can start studying the Bible by learning from the prophets.
Heb 1:1 (KJV) God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
The prophets received the offerings that the people brought to the temple as sacrifices to God.
They prepared it in accordance to God’s instructions.
Prophets were also sent to deliver messages to someone or a nation.
Jonah was a prophet sent to Nineveh to warn them about their ways.
Elijah was a great prophet, filled with the power of God. He refused to bow to idols worshipped by king Ahab, Jezebel and the false.
Prophets also prayed for sick people and they got healed.
Back in biblical days, prophets were full of God’s raw power, that’s why what they say will happen, will happen. Their words were held in high esteem. So you will grow by learning from the prophets.
There are also stories of good and bad prophets.
Through studying these great men of God (i.e. learning from the prophets), you will learn how and why God chose them.
As you study today, God will bless you with more revelation. Amen.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for the mighty prophets in the bible.
Action Plan: Choose a prophet today and study about him or her.
Declaration: As I study these prophets, I get insights. I am learning from the prophets.
Yesterday, we learnt one way to study the bible. Let’s see yet another way this morning. Another way to approach the Bible is by doing a male character study.
The Bible is rich with stories of both men and women. Even children (little Samuel, Joseph).
They were people who like you faced certain challenges you could be facing right now.
People who had flesh and blood like you, walked the earth, ate food, drank water, much like you do today.
There’s no difference between you and them. The difference is only in how they related to God back then and how you are relating to Him today.
Do a male character study. Study the many male characters in the bible, look at what they did, how they did it and the outcomes of what they did.
Look at how God spoke to them, showed Himself to them, what He promised them and more.
As you study may God bless you with revelation. Amen
Prayer: Lord, help me in my study of Your word. Amen.
Action point: How about picking some names to start studying? Do a male character study
Declaration: I am a student if the word. I will study the Bible for profiting.
