Sound Word Outreach and Ministry

THE CHOSEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL DATE: Saturday 13th June, 2020. TOPIC: The Love Of Money TEXT: 1 Tim. 6:8-10  MESSAGE Money is not evil and can never be evil. It is a legally binding means of entitlement to wealth, payable for all depts and taxes and regulated in supply. Simply put, it is a legal tender - a general acceptable means of exchange and measure of values. So we can see that it is not evil. Many believers, now have preference for money over the things of God. The love of money has drawn too many people a way to commit evil unspeakable. it has Led many away from the faith that they once adhered and professed to.  They now covet money,  amassing of wealth, insatiable and uncontrollable greed to get it quick and more has Led many including notable and numerous men of God into destruction and loss of souls. The love for money has made many to err in feet blinding their faculty. What? The love of money is the root of all evil as many marriages are now in shambles, ritualistic killing,

DAILY MANNA FRIDAY, JUNE 12 2020 It is advisable that you meditatively read the text first THE DANGER OF HAUGHTINESS  TEXT : ISAIAH 2:10-22. 🔑 KEY VERSE   "And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day" (ISAIAH 2:17). The human heart is a very deep reservoir of several ideas, thoughts and actions. When the heart overvalues the man, it pushes him to overestimate who he is and what he can do. No man wishes to put himself down except if he suffers inferiority complex. In fact, the Bible talks about every man proclaiming his own good. So, naturally there is tendency in every man to have some elements of pride. Our passage for meditation today, however, takes a critical look at pride that makes a man to disregard, dishonour and disobey God's commandments as set out in the Scriptures. The picture we have in this narration captures an individual or a group of people, a nation, who deli

MEDITATION A rehearsal of the Great Tribulation? The literal fulfilment of the text will be in the Great Tribulation. For example, cp vv19-21 and Revelation 6:15,16. However, the pandemic is  showing that the fulfilment will be literal. 1. Some modern day sins that will precede the great tribulation a. Proud look vv11,17. Sin is a heart problem, but it  will always seek to overflow to the outward appearance in dressing, physical and outward comportment etc., if not dealt with. Q Mention some of the elements of outward look that show pride and worldliness. b. Arrogance vv11,17. Unprecedented arrogance against God and His word, due mental knowledge, wealth etc. will characterize these last days. P Think of how mental knowledge and quest for wealth have replaced the knowledge of God in this age. c. The idols of latter days will be more of love of wealth (gold and silver), worldly wisdom (knowledge that is exclusive of God and godliness), wickedness, worldliness and wantonness  v20. Are yo

MEDITATION PSALM 5:1-7. Some revelations on prayers 1. Some levels of prayers  vv1-3. a. Meditations or desires v1. Proverbs 10:24b and  Isaiah 65:24 show that God do grant some meditations/desires without asking. So, mind your meditations and thoughts.  Q Can you think of a case in the Bible where mere desire was granted without prayers? b. Worded and vocalised prayers v1. The prayers are worded but none is hearing except the petitioner. An example was Hannah, I Samuel 1:13. Some desires will not be granted until you ask Matthew 7:7. c. Voiced and audible prayers v3. This requires voicing out your requests to God in such a way that others may hear, Jeremiah 33:3.  d. Crying to God v2. This involves seeking and knocking the gates of heaven with passion and strong intensity. Q Apart from Jesus at Gethsemane, which other example do you have in the Bible? e. Prayer of confession of faith/praise vv4,6, Romans 4:20. Q Give an example where Judah resorted to praise when it appeared they did

DAILY MANNA THURSDAY, JUNE 11 2020 It is advisable that you meditatively read the text first PRAYING TO RECEIVE  TEXT: PSALM 5:1-7. 🔑 KEY VERSE   "Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray" (PSALM 5:1,2). Dr George Washington Carver once wrote on the subject of the potency of prayer, "My prayer seems to be more of attitude than anything else. I indulge in no lip service, but ask the great God silently, daily and often many times a day, to permit me to speak to Him. I ask Him to give me wisdom, understanding and bodily strength to do His will. Hence I am asking and receiving all the time." The secret of a close relationship with God is prayer. Regular communication helps any friendship and is certainly necessary for a strong relationship with God. The psalmist considered not only the potency of prayer but also expanded the necessary ingredients that could make prayer effectu

MEDITATION Exodus 1:15-22 Some lessons from idol worshippers 1. The midwives were brought up in an idolatrous environment, yet they believed and feared the only true God above all else. L Your godless background should not be an excuse for not seeking the truth and breaking off from false religions or ways.  vv17,21.  2. All the Egyptians and the task masters cooperated with Pharaoh in carrying out evil racial and hateful assignment except the midwives v11,12.  L Be willing and ready to distinguish yourself from majorityif you want to please God Exodus 23:2. 3. The nurses, in line with their professional training, had a strong conviction on the sanctity of life and were not ready to compromise it vv16,17. Q Are you faithful to the ethics of your profession even when it is tough to do so? vv15,16. 4. Their fear of God made them to obey God above the most powerful king on earth at that time vv17-19. Q Do you have such an uncompromising fear of God? Acts 5:29. 5. God is a faithful rewarde

DAILY MANNA WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10 2020 It is advisable that you prayerfully and  meditatively read the text first WISDOM PAYS  TEXT: EXODUS 1:15-22. 🔑KEY VERSE "But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded, but saved the men children alive" (EXODUS 1:17). The culture of volleying blame, buck-passing and excuses are prevalent in our society. Too often, people are quick to blame others for their misdemeanor, weaknesses and lack of conviction or wicked actions. Employees blame employers for tempting or pressuring them to be unfaithful or lazy because they are not being treated fairly. Some husbands/wives may try to hide under the leaking umbrella of having 'a difficult spouse' as an excuse for extra-marital affair. But the narrative in our passage stands to condemn many people and shut their mouths from giving excuses for failures and lack of fear of God. The midwives had every excuse under heaven to carry out the ungodly and inhuman decree of Ph

THE CHOSEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL DATE: Wednesday 10th June 2020. TOPIC: Constant Companionship With God TEXT: PS 23:3-4  MESSAGE When we agree to subject ourselves to His directives and live in obedience to His word, not turning aside our conscience, he leads us by the still waters, i.e. in dangers, deep and imminent, He leads us. Even when the true believers wander away from the paths into the by paths, God shows them their errors and there is repentance as they come back quickly to their duty post. verse 4 of our text says, "Though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, "FOR THOU ART WITH ME" thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me."  David as a young Lad suffered and passed through series of dangers.  As a youth, Saul sought to kill David with all his military powers and when he was aged, there was internal face off and gang ups that even made him run away from his throne. This was what prompted him to write this psalm - "Though i w

MEDITATION James 2:10-26 More than mental faith and confession 1. The laws of God by which man will be judged are more than the 10 commandments vv9,10.  2. 99.9% obedience = 100% disobedience to God vv10-13. No man can please the Holy God by good works without definite salvation or new birth experience. 3. While good works cannot save any except by personal faith in Christ, genuine faith is known by the good works we manifest vv14-16. 4. Divine Mathematics a. Good works - faith in Christ = 0% (total failure). Galatians 2:16, Ephesians 2:8,9. b. Faith in Christ - good works = 0% (total failure) vv14, 17, 26. c. Faith - good works = vain religion v20.  c. A man of faith without a new life in Christ is not better than Satan v19.  d. Faith + fruits of repentance + good works = 100% v22. e. Any score less than 100% is failure v10. Who said new birth minus holy living is sufficient? Lord, I realise that good trials are not enough, give me the new birth that will turn my efforts into experien

DAILY MANNA TUESDAY, JUNE 9 2020 It is advisable that you prayerfully and meditatively read the text first PROVE YOUR FAITH  TEXT: JAMES 2:10-26. 🔑 KEY VERSE   "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works" (JAMES 2:18). It is all too easy to seek to extol our personal virtues, flaunt our spiritual gifts and make ourselves look better than other people. Whereas, this may impress men, it accounts for little or nothing before God. What matters to Him is the result of whatever spiritual experiences we claim to possess. Apostle James underscored this point when he stressed that believers must not strive for half measures. They either obey all the laws or they fail in all. Their words must match their actions. In the same vein, he said if they profess to possess faith, it can only show by their good works. It is no use telling someone in need, who came to you for help, that God will bless him

THE CHOSEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL DATE: Tuesday 9th June 2020. TOPIC: No Other Foundation. TEXT: Isaiah 58:12.  MESSAGE A part of Isaiah 52:12 says "the repairer of breach" which means that true Christians are repairers or the ones responsible to retain, sustain, amend ruptures in marriages and settle amicable any breach in content of promise to avoid the outbreak of violence, rift or confusion. For our righteousness to shine and for our lights to rise and dismiss obscurity we need to (a) loose the brand of wickedness (ii) undo the heavy burdens (iii) let the oppressed go free (iv) break every yoke (v) deal our bread to them that are hungry (vi) provide shelter for the homeless (vii) clothe they who are naked and (viii) have total and perfect compassion and tender affection for the above mentioned classes as if we were doing it for our own selves. Ministers of the gospel must be wise master builders so as to be able to guide the members in the areas where they can help and be helpe

MEDITATION James 1:1-15 Don't count it a strange experience please 1. The reality v2. You will at one time or the other experience divers (not just one) situations that will tend to shake your faith John 16:33. 2. The righteousness v2,12. This is different from temptations to sin. Believers are not to fall into temptations but we will fall into trials. We are not to endure temptations but to resist them; we are to endure trials. No sinner will experience a trial of faith because they don't have saving faith. 3. The rationale v3. Trials of faith are permitted by God to try, test, toughen and make your faith triumphant in troublous times. 4. The roughness v8. It is a rough experience that will expose your hypocrisy and unfaithfulness, if you don't have genuine faith, thereby propelling you to seek for the real experience. 5. The radiance v2. Radiate the joy of the Lord without despondency because trials show that God is interested in pulling you out of the register  of hypocr

DAILY MANNA MONDAY, JUNE 8 2020 It is advisable that you prayerfully and meditatively read the text first PERFECTED BY TRIALS  TEXT : JAMES 1:1-15. 🔑 KEY VERSE "Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing" (JAMES 1:3,4). "The tree that never had to fight for sun and sky and air and light, that stood out in the open plain and always got its share of rain, never became a forest King but lived and died a scrubby thing..." So wrote Douglas Malloch in his poem, Good Timber. Similarly, as observed by Mildred Witte Struven, "A clay pot sitting in the sun will always be a clay pot. It has to go through the white heat of the furnace to become porcelain." That is the case with our faith. Our text makes it clear that the trying of our faith produces patience which in turn works out our perfection. Our attitude therefore when we "fall into divers temptat

THE CHOSEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL DATE: Monday 8th June, 2020. TOPIC: It Is Not An Easy Road TEXT: 2Tim. 2:2-6  MESSAGE Apostle Paul said,  "I have fought the good fight of faith" and in 2Tim 2:3, he said, "Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." When soldiers return to their countries, the largest aviation goes to the victorious regiments.  Encomiums are not for those who fought and ran away. Even the wounded and the Dead are always remembered for their valiance and bravery. John the Baptist although the greatest prophet born of a woman was the lease in God's kingdom (Matt. 11; Luke 7:28) for the Holy Spirit has not been poured out.  Jesus was not pleased with John's faithfulness and he was later beheaded. So it will be with Christians who were too fearful to wrest others from the devil's mouth or stand their ground in fierce battles. Those who fought the most battles and suffered great losses for the LORD will receive the highest h

DAILY MANNA SUNDAY, JUNE 7 2020 It is advisable that you prayerfully and meditatively read the text first TRAIN UP YOUR CHILD  TEXT: 1 SAMUEL 3:11-21. 🔑 KEY VERSE "For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not" (1 SAMUEL 3:13). There is an adage that says, "the child that we refuse to build up (train) will end up selling off (squander) the house that we built." This underscores the significance of training children to prepare them to be responsible adults in future. This was what Eli failed to do. His children abhorred the offering of the Lord. They forced those who came to Shiloh to offer sacrifice unto God to give them the meat that was meant for the sacrifice and took as much as they wanted. God counted their action as a desecration of His sacrifice. They did all this in the time of their father, the priest. And since Eli failed to take concrete actio

THE CHOSEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL DATE: Sunday 7th, June 2020. TOPIC: The True Picture Of The Church Today II TEXT: Rev. 3:15  MESSAGE "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot".Vs 15, so then because thou art lukewarm, neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Lukewarmness and indifference in religion is the worst tempter in the world. The husband of a lukewarm wife is always confused as he would not know when and how to please the wife. So are members of the church whose heart cannot be determined. They are between two opinions. We also have these in the church because they are high minded and proud, they have unknowingly overlooked the necessity of their souls as they gorgeously dressed up in Costly apparel at the expense and decay of their souls, making them to be wretched poor and miserable.  Also there is the state of blindness which the devil is using against the church today which has made them very weak and defensele

DAILY MANNA SATURDAY, JUNE 6 2020 It is advisable that you prayerfully and meditatively read the text first DON'T LOSE HOPE!  TEXT: 1 SAMUEL 1:1-13. 🔑 KEY VERSE "And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore" (1 SAMUEL 1:10). Perseverance pays. God knows where we are hurting and He is always moved by our tears of sorrow as a compassionate Father. The story of Hannah is a classic example of God's faithfulness to those who trust Him. Although it seemed her journey to Shiloh really yielded no dividend, she continued. She was always part of the worshippers, though with a heavy heart. Only God knew how much she must have cried for the blessing of the womb. Each time she went to Shiloh, she had one special request - that God should touch her womb. To make matters worse, Peninnah, her husband's second wife, was always in the habit of deriding and reminding her of her barren status. In spite of this, Hannah persevered because she knew only G

THE CHOSEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL DATE: Saturday 6th June 2020. TOPIC: The True Picture Of The Church Today I TEXT: Rev. 3:14-22  MESSAGE Probably we are in the last age of the seven ages as it is observed in this chapter. As it was with the church at Laodicea, so churches are numerous today. There is no gainsaying the fact that churches organisations are counted amongst the wealthiest organisations as the soul winning has become very enterprising and competitive. The fact that churches are very rich in financial and material resources has spiritually impoverished and enslave them through the vanities of the world. They have neglected the truth, the WORD and rejected the working and anointing of the Holy Spirit and so they are highly infested by all the spiritual pitfalls characterized by the church in Laodicea. The Holy Spirit which was the center and played the vital role in the central stage over time has been locked outside, leaving the church in gross spiritual darkness as the glory of

MEDITATION The day to always celebrate 1. The day Israel was delivered from Egypt and not the day Israel was born as a nation v1. 2. The purpose of the celebration was to remember the day of deliverance from Egypt v3b,12. 3. It must be characterized with worship (vv5,6), sober and reflective mind (bv3,8) as opposed to fleshly pleasurable or hilarious celebrations (vv7,8). 4. It should be a time of rejoicing in the presence of the Lord because salvation is a thing of joy v11. All other "anti-joy" challenges must be set aside through the spirit of faith, praise and appreciation of the greatest miracle of salvation any one can ever get. 5. For born again child of God, it is the day a person got delivered from sin, worldliness and power of Pharaoh (Satan). It is the day of salvation. Q What are the benefits of recalling and reflecting on your day of salvation. Note  a. Nowhere was Israel asked to celebrate the day she was born as a nation. b. No where were Christians asked to cel

DAILY MANNA FRIDAY, JUNE 5 2020 It is advisable that you prayerfully and meditatively read the text first FREEWILL OFFERING  TEXT : DEUTERONOMY 16:1-12. 🔑KEY VERSE "And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand which thou shalt give unto the LORD thy God, according as the LORD thy God hath blessed thee" (DEUTERONOMY 16:10). Some years ago, some of the world's wealthy people decided on an unusual campaign headed by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. These two men ranked among the richest people in the world and were pushing to get other world's super rich to donate a good part of their wealth to tackle social, political and economic challenges in the world. They had given and we're still committed to giving more through their foundations in support of some worthy projects around the world. Commendably, over 50 billionaires and multi-millionaires have joined their mega-giving wagon. The big givers'