Sunday, December 31, 2017

A Prayer for the New Year

O Lord,
Length of days does not profit me
except the days are passed in Thy presence,
in Thy service, to Thy glory.
Give me a grace that precedes, follows, guides,
sustains, sanctifies, aids every hour,
that I may not be one moment apart from Thee,
but may rely on Thy Spirit
to supply every thought,
speak in every word,
direct every step,
prosper every work,
build up every mote of faith,
and give me a desire
to show forth Thy praise,
testify Thy love,
advance Thy kingdom.
I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year,
with Thee, O Father as my harbor,
Thee, O Son, at my helm,
Thee O Holy Spirit, filling my sails.
Guide me to heaven with my loins girt,
my lamp burning,
my ear open to Thy calls,
my heart full of love,
my soul free.
Give me Thy grace to sanctify me,
Thy comforts to cheer,
Thy wisdom to teach,
Thy right hand to guide,
Thy counsel to instruct,
Thy law to judge,
Thy presence to stabilize.
May Thy fear by my awe,
Thy triumphs my joy.
Amen.

from Christ’s Corner
James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin,
I read in my Bible, if I do certain things, it is sin.
In today's verse, I read if I don't do certain things, I sin. I can just hear a person thinking, “I sin if I do, and I sin if I don't. What can I do!”
We know we sin by doing things outside the will of God. We know we can sin unwillfuly, and, unknowingly. That's when the Holy Spirit prays for us; when we don't know what to pray for.
Today's verse teaches us, if we know to do good and don't do it, we sin! We know to go to church is a good thing, if we don't, we sin. We know to give our tithes is a good thing, if we don't, we sin. We know to honor our Parents, if we don't, we sin. We know to love our neighbor and enemies, if we don't, we sin.
To conclude we can only say we are a bunch of sinners sinning every day! THEREFORE, we need to start every prayer by asking for forgiveness of our many sins, knowing Jesus has paid the price for our sin.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
God Bless;

Walter D. Hill D. Min.


WHAT IS YOUR REPORT CARD FOR THE YEAR?

by Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor)
“So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12 NKJV).


When I was in the primary school in the late 70s and early 80s, we used to look forward to the last day of the school term when every pupil would line up on the assembly ground to be given his/her end-of-term report card where he/she would find what he/she scored in each subject and his/her position in the class. It used to be a day of joy for brilliant pupils who would be firstly called to receive their report cards with possible prizes, and a day of sadness for other pupils that were not that brilliant because they would be called last with no prizes. While the brilliant pupil would be glad and proud to show their report cards to anyone, those that had bad reports would be ashamed to do so.


This is the end of another year. Imagine it is the end of a school term where you will line up on the assembly ground before God to be given report card for what your actions, inactions, words, and thoughts have been this year. What will be your report card? Will you be among those that God will call first to reward for best results this year? Will you be proud to show other people your report card for this year?
The psalmist prayed to God to teach us to number our days so that we may gain a heart of wisdom. If you number your months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, and seconds this year, how many of them have you used to please God? How many of them have you used meaningfully for your own good? How many of them have you used for the benefit of others around you? If God is to rate you this year, what will be your score? If God is to reward you for your actions, inactions, words, and thoughts this year, what kind of reward will you get from Him? Job asked his friends: “Will it be well when [God] searches you out?” (13:9 NKJV), and Apostle Paul emphatically told the Galatians: “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” (6:7-8 NKJV).


If you have done well this year, congratulations! Determine to do better this coming year. It is a pity if you have done woefully in the year. However, you have the opportunity to turn a new leaf and do better this coming year.


What is your report card for the year?


In His service,
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).


Prayer Point: Pray that you will be able to do far better next year in serving God and the humanity.

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