Topic: Spiritual Blessing [Sunday 30, April 2017]

Memorise: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: – Ephesians 1:3

Read: Ephesians 1:1-14 (KJV)

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Bible in One Year: Number 28-29, Jeremiah 23:9-22

MESSAGE:

From our memory verse today, we understand that there are physical blessings and there are spiritual blessings. The best way to distinguish between these two categories of blessings is to look at their lifespan. Physical blessings are temporal, while spiritual blessings are enduring and external in nature. An example of a physical blessing is the rain that God sends on all of humanity. Another example is the air we all have access to breathe. Having a wife or a husband also falls under the category of physical blessings, and so also is having children. Both physical and spiritual blessings come from the Lord.

However, the better of these two categories of blessings is spiritual blessings. Spiritual blessings, though manifesting in the physical world, transcend the present age. This is why Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:19 thus:

“If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”

Spiritual blessings cannot be quantified in material or monetary terms. They include the Holy Spirit and His gifts, power and victory over principalities and powers, redemption through the Blood of Jesus, the forgiveness of sins, etc. The crux of all spiritual blessings can be seen in this response of our Lord Jesus Christ to the question about reward for sacrifice which Peter asked Him:

“29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, 30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.” – Mark 10:29-30

The spiritual blessing of eternal life crowns the physical blessings we have access to through our fellowship with Christ. No matter how long we live on earth, we shall depart from it one day. The question is, “Where will you spend eternity?” Would it be in Heaven or in Hell? My prayer for you is that you will not spend eternity in Hell in Jesus’ Name.  

Action Point: Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour today, and you will be blessed with spiritual blessings. If you are saved, pray that the Lord will load your life with His spiritual blessings today.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries.

iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.

Topic: Be a Cheerful Giver [Sunday April 30, 2017]

Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (that is, He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver…. And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance. – 2 Corinthians 9:7-8, The Amplified Bible

Some people say you need to “give till it hurts.” Don’t you believe it. God doesn’t want gifts given in pain. He wants gifts given in joy! In fact, those are the only kinds of gifts that please Him.

That’s why He tacked His promise of abundance onto His command about cheerful giving. The two are connected.

Cheerful, full of faith, even hilarious giving—that is the key that unlocks the treasure house of God. Have you ever seen a group of people give that way? I have. I’ll never forget it. I was at a camp meeting years ago when offering time turned into a spontaneous, supernatural celebration. Ken was singing Bread Upon the Water, and the people were just dancing their way down the aisles to give their money. The joy in that place was glorious. Great healings and miracles were done that night.

But what stood out to me above all was how joyously and hilariously the people brought their offerings to God. The offering wasn’t extracted from them like a dentist extracts teeth. It was brought forth gladly.

The concept of “giving till it hurts” didn’t come from God. He’d rather you give 10 dollars with that kind of joy than 20 dollars grudgingly. In 2 Corinthians 8:11-12, the Apostle Paul urges the church in Corinth to give with eager willingness. Eager willingness. That’s what God looks for!

If you haven’t given that way in the past, make a firm commitment to start. Repent for the times you’ve given grudgingly. Then spend some serious time with God and His Word in your prayer closet, so when you give again, you can give from a willing heart.

Put the “pain” of giving behind. Become “a cheerful, (joyous, ‘prompt to do it’) giver,” and believe me, your blessings will abound!

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

This message was written by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, the leader of the Kenneth Copeland Ministries (www.KCM.org) that specializes in teaching principles of bible faith – prayer, healing, salvation and other biblical topics.

Topic: Double Portion [Sunday April 30, 2017]

Text: Deuteronomy 21:10-17

Key Verse: “But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his” (Deuteronomy 21:17).

In every family, there are some special privileges and rights that every firstborn enjoys. It is generally referred to as birthright, which ascribes to the firstborn the privilege of inheritance. This could vary in form or size from one family to another. In some cases, it could be estates willed to the individuals while in others, it could be a little less than that. But whatever the case, it is expected that the recipient attach utmost importance to it. The first son in Israel had the birthright.

This was usually given in a double portion. God commands that whatever the father’s relationship with the mother, whatever scores there are to be settled between a man and his wife, the husband “…shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his” (Deuteronomy 21:17). There are blessings, promises and privileges attached to birthrights. Esau lost the Abrahamic blessings; Reuben, the blessing of lineage of Jesus Christ and Israel the privilege of undertaking special assignments for God which they ceded to the Levites.

As Christians and members of the family of God, we have birthrights – promises, privileges and rights. We must be watchful and vehemently resist every temptation to despise and give away our birthright. Because the Levites gave themselves unto the Lord, He also gave Himself unto them. In the New Testament dispensation, believers are partakers of the divine nature and holiness is part of the benefits, promises and privileges.

At salvation, we have peace with God when our sins are forgiven; at sanctification, we have the peace of God when the inclination to sin is removed and the adamic nature is purified and purged. The first part of the inheritance is received by confession of faith and the second part by consecration and faith. We should therefore not despise our birthright for temporal need but strive to keep and guard it jealously.

Thought for the day: Do not trade your birthright; it’s doubly packed.

Bible Reading in one Year: 1 Corinthians 15-16

DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.

Topic: The Cares of The World [Sunday April 30, 2017]

Scripture: And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. Mark 4:18-19

Thought For The Day: It is possible to use money to serve God, but you cannot serve God and money.

One of the weapons of the devil to weaken a man’s faith in God is distractions. Satan would attempt to distract a man from his vision especially if he is focused on God.

There are many things that distract a person from following God. One of those things is the cares of this world. A life that is filled with the cares of the world is a life that is passionate for vanity and passionless for spirituality.

Note that, the cares of the world are the enemies of true spirituality. The pursuit for the latest fashions and fads of this life, the craving to belong and the struggle for the things that this world has to offer are the enemies of true spirituality. Our anchor Scripture talks about the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches and the lust for other things.

Lust is an inordinate affection for that which we are not licensed to get. It is possible to use money to serve God, but you cannot serve God and money. It is possible to master the things of this world and it is possible to be mastered by the things of this world.

Beloved, be focused on God despite the distractions in the world.

Remember this: It is possible to use money to serve God, but you cannot serve God and money.

Assignment:

Refuse to have your passion and affection centred on the transient vanities of this life because everything we see will fade away someday.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: HINDRANCES TO A BUOYANT PRAYER LIFE – (PART 3)

Prayer: LORD, please deliver me from the distractions of the world. Let me glory in You alone. I receive the grace to serve You all the days of my life in Jesus’ Name.

Daily Reading: Judges 11:1 to 12:15, John 1:1 to 28, Psalm 101:1 to 8, Proverbs 14:13 to 14.

Quote: When the rate at which a person masters and conquers his flesh increases, the rate of his progress also increases. Culled from 21 FOOLISH THINGS PEOPLE DO by Dr Paul Enenche.

Amazing Fact: Children laugh about 400 times a day, while adults laugh on average only 15 times a day.

Today In History: 30/04/1789 – George Washington was inaugurated as the first President of the United States of America

Prophetic Parental Blessing

I deploy the judgmental fire mantle of God on my life against every beast in human form after your life, your family and the destiny of this nation. I decree that the earth reject them, I mobilise the forces of nature to fight against them until they are wiped off the face of the earth. I prophesy peace to you, your family and this nation, in Jesus’ Name.

Dunamis International Gospel Centre (DIGC), is a powerfully anointed church, headquartered at Abuja, Nigeria, with Dr Paul and Dr Becky Enenche, as the Senior Pastors. It is a power-packed arena where God’s Presence, Principles and Power are at work for the salvation, healing and restoration of human destinies and dignities.

Topic: Be Consistently Excellent [Sunday, 30th April 2017]

In that day the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be excellent and lovely to those of Israel who have escaped. Isaiah 4:2

One of the keys to excellence is consistency. When an individual consistently maintains a high standard over a long period of time, the individual is said to be excellent. A product is termed to be excellent when it delivers a high level of value consistently. There are people or products that deliver excellence in fleeting moments, without consistency. They hit the high, and just fizzle out of circulation. That’s not what God has willed us to be. He has willed us to be consistently excellent.

Scripture says in Isaiah 4:2 that “in that day the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be excellent and lovely…” We are in the days that the Lord was talking about in that scripture. We are the branches of the Lord. And our fruits – products, output, careers, business, ministries, etc – shall be excellent and lovely. And when scriptures says “shall be” it is referring to a present and continuous future terms. That is, God has made us to be consistently – continuously – excellent.

Scriptures talked about Daniel, who was consistently excellent over three generations of kings, so much so that his relevance outlived the lifetime of the kings. This is because he had an excellent Spirit that is the same yesterday, today and forever. You can have the same testimony, because the excellent Spirit of God, Who is ever consistent lives in you. Be consistently excellent and glorious, is not just a command, it is who you are. You are consistently excellent and glorious. Yes you are.

Keep winning daily.

Prayer:

Thank You Lord for Your Spirit that is in me, Who causes me to be consistently excellence in all I do. My fruit is excellent and beautiful. I am not a flash in the pan wonder, I am an everlasting wonder. I consistently produce the excellency of the Spirit always, in Jesus’s Name. Amen.

Topic: Forever Loved [Sunday April 30, 2017]

Read: Psalm 4:1–8, Bible in a Year: 1 Kings 8–9; Luke 21:1–19

Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself. Psalm 4:3

It’s almost impossible for us to get through a day without being snubbed, ignored, or put down in some way. Sometimes we even do it to ourselves.

David’s enemies were talking smack—bullying, threatening, pummeling him with insults. His sense of self-worth and well-being had plummeted (Ps. 4:1–2). He asked for relief “from my distress.”

Then David remembered, “Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself” (v. 3). Various English versions try to capture the full essence of David’s bold statement by translating “faithful servant” as “godly.” The Hebrew word here, hesed, literally refers to God’s covenant love and might well be rendered “those whom God will love forever and ever and ever.”

Here’s what we too must remember: We are loved forever, set apart in a special way, as dear to God as His own Son. He has called us to be His children for all eternity.

Instead of despairing, we can remind ourselves of the love we freely receive from our Father. We are His dearly beloved children. The end is not despair but peace and joy (vv. 7–8). He never gives up on us, and He never ever stops loving us.

Prayer: Father in heaven, the words of others can wound us deeply. Your words to us heal and comfort, and You assure us that we are loved forever.

The true measure of God’s love is that He loves without measure. Bernard of Clairvaux

Insight:

How could we not care what others think or say about us? So much in life seems to depend on how others regard us. Maybe David wrote his fourth psalm after hearing rumors that he still thought he had gotten away with murder and with his scandalous affair with Bathsheba. Maybe he was told how others accused him of using his false humility and self-centered spirituality as a cover for his lust for power. As if knowing our own weak points he wrote, “How long will you people ruin my reputation? . . . How long will you continue your lies?” (v. 2 nlt).

The answer doesn’t seem to be what we might have expected. Without explanation, the songwriter seems to be like a television viewer changing channels. Suddenly the issue is no longer how long others are going to say thoughtless things about him, but rather how long his God is going to love him unconditionally—forever. The thought is better than warm milk and a soft pillow. With the love of God filling his heart, the words of enemies fade into silence. How does God’s unconditional love comfort you?

This message was written By David H. Roper [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Banana is extremely healthy and delicious. Some people scarcely eat it while others consume several bunches at least once a week. Whatever your frequency of eating may be, it is time to ramp up your banana eating game. Jumia Travel and Jumia Mobile Week share reasons why you should be eating more bananas.

Aids digestion

Bananas contain a fair amount of dietary fibre that aids digestion. So, if you are not meeting the daily fibre requirements of your body, Banana is the perfect fruit to eat. You should eat one or two after a meal for better results.

Boost Energy

Banana is loaded with so many nutrients including vitamin C, carbohydrates, antioxidants and potassium. Each of these nutrients works together to protect and energise the body.  This is why quite a number of athletes eat Bananas.

Deal with muscle cramps

Do you have muscle cramps almost every day? It is because your body lacks potassium. So with bananas having a reasonable amount of potassium, you can deal with muscle cramps by consuming more of it.

Healthy heart

Potassium is one of the essential nutrients for keeping your heart in good condition. The potassium eases the flow of blood from the heart to other parts of your body.

Prevent heartburn and stomach ulcers

You are likely to have heartburn after consuming a spicy meal. You can prevent this by eating Bananas. It is the same for stomach ulcers.

Low-calorie snack

Calories are units of energy you get from the foods you eat. People on a very low-calorie diet will complain of fatigue, constipation, nausea, and diarrhoea while the result of high calorie is weight gain and higher body fat. So, to get the balance of both ends, you should eat more bananas. Banana has a calorie count of 110.

Improve sight

Banana contains vitamin A which is good for the eyes. It enhances vision and also helps you sleep better at night.

Strengthen your bones

Manganese is an important nutrient for building strong bones and the ultimate source of manganese is Banana.

By Adeniyi OGUNFOWOKE
PR Associate at Jumia Travel
+2348090747241

Topic: Always Be Vigilant [Sunday April 30, 2017]

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. — 1 Peter 5:8

When I was in the hospital in Hawaii, I read again of the shocking events which led up to the destruction of the United States fleet at Pearl Harbor. On that fateful day of December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked. We know now that that attack was invited by our failure to be always vigilant. The result was the destruction of our fleet-the cause was tragic indifference. When comfort and ease and pleasure are put ahead of duty and conviction, progress is always set back.

What makes us Christians shrug our shoulders when we ought to be flexing our muscles? What makes us apathetic in a day when there are loads to lift, a world to be won, and captives to be set free? Why are so many bored, when the times demand action? Christ told us that in the last days there would be an insipid attitude toward life.

Prayer for the day: Take away the apathy, Father, that so often blinds my vision.

Written by Billy Graham, Founder of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association(BGEA). BGEA exists to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ by every effective means and to equip the church and others to do the same.

A Promise For You From Bible Promises:

Topic: Little And Despised? [29/04/2017]

I am small and despised: yet do not I forget thy precepts. Psalms 119:141. Read: Ps 1:1-3

Do men despise you because of your status or you even write yourself off before men. Do you believe that nothing good will ever be done through you because of your present predicament? Has men said to you that, you won’t amount to anything in life? Have you concluded yourself as “Not do well person” due to your family history? Listen to me, no matter how genuine they may seem, they’re just mere superstitions. It was concluded that nothing good would ever come out from Nazareth, yet, Jesus Christ (the Saviour of the human race) came from there. Jn 1:46. And he (Gideon) said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house. Jdg 6:15. Yet, he delivered the Israelite.

Don’t let your background get your back down, rather, use your background as a stepping stone to your greatness in life. How? David said, I am small and despised: yet do not I forget thy precepts. Your distinction in this life is located in the word of the Lord. Your success in all your endeavours is in the word. Jos 1:8. Anybody can write you off destiny, but if you allow God’s word in your life, they will rewrite you in when they see the Lord’s glory. The Word of God makes men and gives to them an entirely new life. Give yourself to God’s word and experience a change of story.

#BiblePromisesPrayer

* Father, let me experience a change of story today as I give myself to Your Word in Jesus name

Topic: Superiority Of Praise To Prayer [Saturday April 29, 2017]

In prayer we travail but in praise we prevail.

We engage in prayer but we triumph in praise.

When you praise God you are putting your small hand in His big hands.      

In praise you transfer your battle to God.

Praise is the invitation that God does not say “No” to.

He will always respond to praise.

When Praise goes up, God comes down.  Acts 2:47, Psalm. 67:1-7.

Nothing dies where praise is.

Praise fertilizes and enhances yield.

Praise is a catalyst.

Praise is yeast – John.6:1-11

Praise is a booster – Joel 2:21-26

When you see blessings, ask, ‘All of this?’  and it will never remain as it is.