THEME: ENDURE SOUND DOCTRINE.

MEMORIZE:

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 

2 TIMOTHY 4:2

BIBLE READING: MARK 12:18-34

18. Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,

19. Master, Moses wrote unto us, lf a man’s brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

20. Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.

21. And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.

22. And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.

23. In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.

24. And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?

25. For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

26. And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?

27. He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.

28. And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?

29. And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

30. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

31. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

32. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:

33. And to love him with all the heart, and the with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

34. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

MESSAGE:

Today, there are diverse kinds of doctrines. It is not surprising because Jesus had warned that many false prophets would arise in the last days (Matthew 24:24).

Apostle Paul also warned against these false ministers in 2 Corinthians 11:14-15 Erroneous doctrines on grace, tithing, same-sex marriage and many more have become common place in Christendom today.

Usually, these false teachings sound very logical and are backed by a wrong interpretation of the Scripture.

However, Christians who have the Holy Spirit in them can discern between sound and false doctrines.

May you not be deceived in the mighty name of Jesus.

It is easy to fall prey to these teachers if you only want to serve God in pleasure and convenience.

Imagine a fornicator who wants to repent, meeting a Pastor who tells him that as long as he only commits the sin once in a while, the grace of God covers him.

Such a Pastor would not mention the fact that in Matthew 5:28, Jesus said:

“But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”

If such a person is not careful, he might find out too late that all fornicators, whether regular or occasional are going to hell.

Convenience or a semblance of the truth should never be your motivation for adopting a doctrine.

1 Corinthians 14:26 says that the purpose of doctrines is edification. They nourish your spirit man.

Every godly doctrine must align with the word of God and you should be at peace when you practise it, if not, it is not a true doctrine of Christ.

While it is fine to learn from someone else’s perspective on God’s word, stop depending solely on other peoples interpretation.

Read the Bible and ask the Holy Spirit to interpret His word to you directly.

There is no revelation more impactful than the one you receive first-hand from Christ Himself (1 John 2:27).

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please help me know and stay in Your truth.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE.

BIBLE READING IN ONE YEAR:

JOHN 11.

HYMN 18: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE

1. My faith looks up to Thee,

Thou Lamb of Calvary,

Saviour divine!

Now hear me while I pray,

Take all my guilt away;

O let me from this day

Be wholly Thine.

2. May Thy rich grace impart

Strength to my fainting heart,

My zeal inspire;

As Thou hast died for me,

O may my love to Thee

Pure, warm, and changeless be,

A living fire.

3. While life’s dark maze | tread,

And griefs around me spread,

Be Thou my guide;

Bid darkness turn to day,

Wipe sorrow’s tears away,

Nor let me ever stray

From Thee aside.

4. When ends life’s transient dream,

When death’s cold, sullen stream

Shall o’er me roll, Blest Saviour, then in love,

Fear and distrust remove;

O bear me safe above,

A ransomed soul.

"Through the centuries, the number of Jesus' followers has grown and their influence continues to expand. Lives, cultures and societies are being transformed. His kingdom is advancing around the globe--all for his glory.

Have you done any of his works today? Have you shown his forgiveness to anyone? Have you shared his eternal truth?Have prayed for someone and seen his miraculous power? Have you been an instrument for changing someone's eternal trajectory? Have you offered a compassionate hand to a hurting person?

Those are among the reasons why Jesus created you. He wants you to be an instrument of peace. He wants his power to flow through you to a dying world. He desires for you to invest your life in other people's lives.

Open your heart and let him fill you with his love. Then go to where he tells you to go, and give his love away. Work with enthusiasm, as though you are working for the Lord and not for people. He will reward you for all the good you do.

And he will do greater works through you than you could ever possibly imagine." (David Chadwick)

This is another fruitful weekend at hand. Touching someone's life for Christ  is the purpose of our existence. May your activities this weekend brings glory and honor to his name. Happy Monday everyone.

*ENEMIES OF THE CHURCH:*

EPISODE 9

Mr. and Mrs. Alfred sat at the dinning table enjoying their dinner. The children have all gone to their various rooms, some were watching TV in the sitting room. Mrs. Alfred was the one who started the discussion.

*Mrs. Alfred:* Honey have you heard?

*Alfred:* Heard what?

*Mrs. Alfred:* Chief Ike is set to take another wife, the number 7th wife.

*Alfred:* What?

*Mrs. Alfred:* Yes dear, he wants to take another wife. An elder in the church and yet no one is talking to him.

*Alfred:* Who will talk to him?

*Mrs. Alfred:* The Deacons and Deaconesses, the Pastor, the Reverend. Someone ought to talk to him.

*Alfred:* You are making me laugh. Chief Ike is like the pillar of that church, nobody will tell him anything. You want him to angrily leave the church? Who will sponsor the church, who will support the church. Haven't you heard him brag that his tithes alone is enough to settle all the members of the Church for life?

*Mrs. Alfred:* Are you serious? Na wa o. I don't understand our church these days. Pure and physical sin like this and no one will rise and speak about it. Not even the Reverend.

*Alfred:* Which Reverend? Abeg talk of something else.

*Mrs. Alfred:* Talking about the Reverend, I heard his wife is finally pregnant. After all the years of waiting.

*Alfred:* I heard it too.

*Mrs. Alfred:* Thank God for her o, I am very happy for them. Especially for our Reverend. Thank God for them.

Alfred's phone started ringing, he looks at his wife and then picks up the phone and steps out. Mrs. Alfred has been noticing him for some time now, he has been acting funny especially when his phone rings.

Not quite long, he walks back in and gave his wife a peck and told her he was coming and needs to meet up with a client. Mrs. Alfred was not happy because this attitude started recently. But she said nothing, she watched him step out.

Hours later he returned. Mrs. Alfred was still very much awake, but she quickly pretended to be fast asleep as Mr. Alfred took his phone and replied a WhatsApp message that came in and then falls on the bed, and few minutes later he was snoring so loud.

Mrs. Alfred got up and picked up his phone and went through it to see the client that called her husband that evening and kept him so late till this time. She went through the call logs and saw the number saved as Mr. Wale.

Then she went through his WhatsApp chats and she got the shock of her life:

*Mr. Wale:* Thank you for being such an amazing lover. I had fun tonight.

*Alfred:* I had fun too sweetheart. Please no more messages I am off to bed. I will see you tomorrow.

*Mr. Wale:* No problem, I am home already and about going to bed. I hope you are home too and your wife has no suspicion.

*Alfred:* No dear, she is already here snoring like a cow.

*Mr. Wale:* Hahahaha. See you tomorrow Darling, I promise to give you treats that your wife has never and can never give to you. Good night!

Please delete these messages from your phone.

Mrs. Alfred was surprised and furious. The last message from Mr. Wale came when Alfred had probably slept off, because it was not yet read.

Mrs. Alfred was angry, she thought of what to do to her husband whom she has concluded is cheating on her, she wanted to wake him up, slap him or even hit him with the phone but then she thought again, *"who is this Mr. Wale?"*

Obviously, it's not a Mr., it's definitely a woman, and so she picked up her phone and copied out the number and dialed it. What she saw almost blinded her. Boldly written on her phone, *"Mummy Reverend"*

"It can't be!" She muttered. 

"It's not possible!" she repeated. 

How can her own Reverend Leo's wife be having an affair with her husband?

Mrs. Alfred wanted to scream, she wanted to cry, different emotions overwhelmed her, she wanted to go crazy but surprisingly she was just there unable to do anything.

__________________

It was almost 7pm, but Reverend Leo was still seated in his office staring into nothing and thinking of how far his family had grown apart. He and his wife have suddenly become strangers in their own house. He had stopped eating her food and she has moved into another room in the house. They barely even see each other except on Sundays when they pretend before the church and smile to the congregation.

Everyone will be fooled that they are the perfect couple. Rachael's smile sent a lot of messages to the movers who are always ready for gossip. Some believe that she looks more beautiful and younger now that she is pregnant. No one sees the inner pain from the Reverend. He has lost a lot of weight due to staying hungry and always praying for a miracle to happen in his home, despite his looks and unhappiness no one seems to notice the pains the Reverend is going through. Instead they come to him for prayers and advice and even marital problems.

Now he had no one to go to for advice on his own marriage that is falling apart because he is the one the people normally come to. As he sat in his office thinking and brain storming, Sister Tina walks in. 

Sister Tina is one of the very active members of the church, she was always in church from time to time, sweeping and cleaning the church.

Reverend Leo sat up when she came in and greeted her warmly.

"Reverend, how are you? I came in to tell you I am about to leave. Ain't you leaving yet?" She asked.

"Oh, thank you so much Sister Tina, but I will still stay a little while before I leave." The Reverend managed to say.

"Reverend, I hope all is okay with you, I've been noticing you for days now, you come here sit alone in your office and leave very late at night. You ain't the cheerful Reverend I used to know. I also noticed that you don't send me to get food for you anymore like you used to. You don't eat or drink. Or are you on a fasting program? Because I know you are not. Whenever you are on fasting program, I always hear you praying from your office. But lately, I know you have not been praying. So, what is wrong Reverend." She asked.

Reverend Leo looked at her, he needed someone to talk to, he was almost tempted to open up to her but then he held back for reasons he didn't understand. 

"Thanks for your concern Sister Tina but I am fine, the Bible says the temptation a man cannot overcome will not come his way, and so whatever it is I am passing through will pass soonest by the power of the Almighty."

When Reverend Leo made this statement, it sounded like a confirmation to Tina as she had been watching him for sometime now and she suspected something was wrong. The other day, she had suspected that Reverend Leo had slept in the office because when she came in the morning to sweep, she saw him at exactly the same spot where she left him the previous night. But she couldn't summon the courage to ask him. Even though she heard the Reverend well, she decided to push forward.

Reverend Leo was a man she admired so much and before he got married she had shown him the green light severally but he refused to notice her. She had taken the job of cleaning the church just so he would see her everyday and notice how serious and devoted she is to the work of God but still he went ahead and married Rachael. She would have left the church when he finally got married but she decided to stay so she can be close to him until she finally gets her own husband. She was happy all the years the Reverend and his wife suffered because of childlessness and she sometimes wish the Reverend's wife will just die one day so that she can get his full attention and probably marry him and bear him beautiful children.

The news of the Reverend's wife being pregnant broke her heart terribly and she really would have left the church but she somehow felt again that the Reverend's wife might just die during child birth and so she decided to hang on a while longer.

Seeing how sad the Reverend looked, she had decided to try her luck tonight.

"Is it your wife? Is she the reason you feel so lost Reverend?" She asked.

Leo was surprised because his wife was the exact reason why he was like this.

"How did you know? Because of a truth my wife is the reason I am like this, but how did you know?"

Tina smiled before answering, and as she spoke she moved closer to the Reverend putting her hands at the back of his neck.

*Tina:* Reverend, I am a very spiritual and dedicated member of this church, I have devoted my life to the things of God alone and so sometimes He reveals things to me that others don't know. You should have known but you don't ever notice my presence in this church.

*Leo:* Ah! Sister Tina don't talk like that. Everyone sees you and what you do in the church and God will surely reward your good works. I notice you, I see you and I always pray for you.

Tina pushed her effort forward by rubbing his cheeks and trying to show off her cleavages to him.

*Tina:* Reverend about your wife, I want you to relax and not let whatever she does bother you. Sometimes, women are like that. But instead of you to be weighed down you can always call on me and I will take care of you just as I take care of the church.

By now, she was rubbing her breasts against the Reverend, who quickly jumped up and pushed her away.

*Leo:* Sister Tina what do you think you are doing?

*Tina:* Reverend please relax, I am not doing anything, I am only trying to make you relax and calm your nerves from all the stress your wife is putting you through.

*Leo:* Stop that rubbish. Calm my nerves by trying to seduce me? What is the meaning of that?

Tina unbottoned her dress exposing her bra to the Pastor.

*Tina:* Reverend in honesty and truth, tell me when last you felt a woman's touch. I know your wife is stressing you, I just want to ease up some of that tension.

*Leo:* Put on your clothes and leave my office now.

As the Reverend was talking, Tina let the dress fall of her body exposing her thighs and buttocks.

*Leo:* Blood of Jesus!

(Reverend Leo shouted as he picks up his phone and runs out of the office outside) 

Sister Tina I can see that something had possessed you. I bind that spirit out. I am out of here.

Luckily for him, he saw a bike man outside and quickly jumps on the bike straight home. When he got to his house he knew Rachael was not home because the whole place was so dark. This has been her new habit of keeping out late.

He had made up his mind not to ask her anything. And so, he went straight into his room and fell on his bed wondering what just happened in his office.

WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 10

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