Topic: Inside Out [Monday April 24, 2017]

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. – 2 Corinthians 3:18

Have you ever thought about the fact that man is the only creature God created who has to wear clothing to cover himself? All the other creatures grow their own coverings. Some grow fur, some feathers, others scales or leathery hide. But all are clothed from the inside out!

Most people don’t realize it, but in the beginning, man was clothed that way too. He was made in the image of God. And, if you’ll look in Ezekiel 8:2, you’ll find that God is clothed in fire from the loins up and from the loins down. That fire is His glory emanating outward from His innermost being.

When man was first created, he was like that too. He was covered with the very glory of God. It radiated from his inner being outward. That’s why he had no sense of nakedness until after he sinned and the glory departed from him.

It was a tragic day when man lost that glorious covering. But I want you to know something today. It’s not lost forever. The Word of God says we can gain it back.

You see, when you put your faith in the blood of Jesus and were born again, the glory of God once again took up residence in you. It may be well-hidden right now, but believe me, it’s in there.

And the Bible says that as you gaze into the Lord’s face by studying the Word and fellowshiping with Him, as you renew your mind to understand who you are in Christ, you’ll be changed into His image on the outside as well. As you learn to hear His voice and obey it, you’ll start giving outward expression of the glory within you. Little by little, you’ll be turned inside out!

Instead of simply staring into your closet every morning, spend some time gazing at Jesus and beholding His Word. Let Him clothe you in His radiant presence. Once His glory starts shining through, anything you wear will look beautiful on you.

Scripture Reading: Psalm 8

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: You Must Be Fruitful (4)

Dear Reader,

Today, we shall be exploring the topic: Having and Raising Godly Children.  Every child needs to undergo a process of molding, as he or she is instructed and drilled in preparation for the contests of life. In other words, every child needs training. Why? This is because God is in search of godly seeds, and the only way to have godly seeds is through training.

The Bible speaking to couples says: … Yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth (Malachi 2:14-15). For us to make a difference as parents, we must learn the act of not only having children, but also raising them unto the Lord as godly children, who will live and impact their generation for Christ.

No one comes into the world by chance. For every human creation of God (male or female), there is a purpose for him or her. We must be ready, therefore as caretakers of God’s creature, to discharge our duties with utmost care and according to God’s pattern. I believe, therefore, that this article will be a useful tool for both the singles and the married.

For the singles, you have the additional privilege of having all the aces in your hands before you actually begin the experience. If you are young now, remember that one day it will be your turn to marry and begin to raise a family. So, you need this wisdom of God. If you know these things now and you set yourself to applying them, the Bible says, you will be happy. The Word of God never grows old. For those who are about to marry, as you look forward to a godly man coming your way, also begin to plan and get ready to raise  godly children unto the Lord. To the married, having raised or still in the process of raising children, let us seek the ways of God which are higher, better and more result-producing than our ways; that is where we will find rest for our souls. For the grannies, the Bible commands us to ‘teach the younger women‘ (Titus 2:4). Let us learn and pass godly instructions to the future generation, so that our world will be a better place. May the good Lord give us all understanding!

I implore you, therefore, to fasten your seat belt and let your heart be open. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 8:2: And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. Don’t just read and assume that you know it; empty the cup of your mind, and let God fill you. Don’t finish reading this article and throw it away; pick it up again and read it until the light of the Word dawns on your soul and a daystar arises (2 Peter 1:19). The Word of God can never fail. So, if God is ready to speak to us consecutively through this month on this series, we had better pay attention. He doesn’t speak idle words, because our lives and future depend on them. As parents, it is important for us to understand how God sees our children because until we do, we cannot show them the exact direction to go. What is God’s perspective of our children?

Children are His heritage

The Bible says: Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward (Psalms127:3). As far as God is concerned, children are His heritage. The word “heritage” means inheritance. Just as divine health is part of your inheritance in redemption, so are children. Just the same way you will react against sickness and disease, knowing that it is the devil trying to rob you of your inheritance, you must react against barrenness.

When the devil tells you through your thoughts that there’s no way you can have children, don’t start weeping. No! You have what it takes to stand your ground and tell him, “Devil, to hell with you! Children are the heritage of the Lord; not you. They are part of my inheritance in redemption. You can’t rob me of my inheritance. Now loose your grip!” I assure you that despite any negative medical report, you will carry your own children in your hands! When you stand your ground, God will honour your faith. In case the devil has made you to shed secret tears because you are yet to have children, I want you to settle in your heart that God has more than enough children for you and He will not deny you the privilege of carrying yours!

Children are in His agenda

God must see children as important; otherwise, they would not have played important roles in His agenda, right from the beginning. Look at Samuel: as a child, he had begun to hear and understand the voice of God. What about David? He was a youth, not an adult, when he killed Goliath. Then, what would you say about Jesus? By the time He was twelve, the Bible says He was already in the temple, reasoning with doctors of the law. So, as a child, He was already in God’s agenda. All through scripture, children have always played important roles in God’s agenda. That is why I know that there is a place in God’s agenda for your children. Please allow them to fit into it.

Jesus Blessed Them

One further proof that God sees our children as very important is found in the life of Jesus. Jesus spent a great part of His ministry blessing children. He helped, healed, raised them from the dead, etc. If Jesus spent time blessing them, why do you see yours as a curse? The Bible records in Matthew 19:13-15: Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them.

Jesus did not only carry the children and bless them, He taught His disciples to respect them. So, children too deserve respect. What is wrong in saying sorry to them when you offend them? That word of apology may look small but those children never forget. But if you keep hurting them and never say “sorry,” you may think that they have forgotten but even after many years, the pain will still be there. If the disciples had to learn to respect children, so must you, because the children of today are the generation of adults tomorrow. Children are therefore not nonentities; they are young human beings. If you have this perspective of them, you will be able to train them more effectively.

It takes being a child of God to truly comprehend and understand the place of a child in God’s agenda. If you are not yet born again and you would like to, please pray this simple prayer: “Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today acknowledging that I am a sinner who needs Your forgiveness. I believe You died for me and rose again on the third day. Forgive me of my sins, wash me with Your Blood and write my name in the Lamb’s Book of life. Thank You Lord for saving me.”

If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through [email protected]; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

A Promise For You From Bible Promises:

Topic: God Loves You[24/04/17]

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16. Read: Jn 3:13-19

The best person to explain the wrath of God better is the one that has experienced it before being saved. Invariably, the best person to explain the Love of God is the one who has or is experiencing it. Beloved, I (I don’t know about you) have experience God’s love practically, in fact, I am the embodiment of God’s love. Apart from dying to save me on the cross, He has so much lavish His love on me beyond my comprehension. Has anyone ever told you “God loves you”? Just as we said yesterday that, when God blesses you, He causes everything to work for your good even in famine. Also when God loves you, He makes everyone to be in love with you and when this happens, help naturally comes your way.

God loves you more than you love yourself. His love for you caused Him His only begotten son – Jesus Christ. No one can love you like the way God does. His love for you is eternal, nothing can diminish it. He doesn’t want you separated from Him, He wants you saved to escape Hell-fire prepared for Satan and his fallen angels. God needs you in heaven, therefore, disappoint Satan (who doesn’t want you to make heaven) who is desperately waiting for you in hell by giving your life to Jesus now. Run for your life and embrace the Love of God today.

#BiblePromisesDeclaration

* Father, thank You for Your love for me, help me to appreciate this love by living my life for You. Help me not to disappoint in Jesus name

Topic: Assigned Duty [Monday April 24, 2017]

Text: Ezekiel 22:1-12

Key Verse: “Now, thou son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city? yea, thou shalt shew her all her abominations” (Ezekiel 22:2).

While speaking in London, evangelist D.L. Moody was approached by a British companion who wanted to know the secret of Moody’s success in leading people to Christ. Moody directed the man to his hotel window and asked “what do you see?” The man looked down on the square and reported a view of crowded streets. Moody suggested that he looked again. This time the man mentioned seeing people – men, women and children. Moody then directed him to look a third time and the man became frustrated that he was not seeing what Moody wanted him to see.

The great evangelist came to the window with tearful eyes and said. “I see people going to hell without Jesus. Until you see people like that, you will never lead them to Christ.” In the text, Jerusalem was tagged the bloody city. Her inhabitants had committed abominations against God such as idolatry, murder, fornication and adultery; oppression of the fatherless and widows, despising God’s holy things and profaning the Sabbaths. God had to send prophet Ezekiel with an urgent message to showcase the abominations of Jerusalem and warn them of His impending anger and fury.

Today like the days of Ezekiel, we find ourselves in the exact situation of religious, political and spiritual decay. What with all sexual perversion – homosexuality and gay culture, prostitution, lesbianism, pornography, cruelty, infidelity, adultery, abortion, day-light killings in the name of religion, and so on. What of profanity in the house of God – church members are unseating pastors, stealing tithes and offering, project fund, and so on. How abominable can a people be! Christ has charged every believer to become a witness to the fact that He died and resurrected to pay the ransom for man’s freedom from sin, self and Satan. This sacred duty assigned believers is indeed a great and urgent one.

We cannot leave it for pastors, evangelists and church leaders alone. It is so enormous that all born-again children of God must be involved. Rise up for the salvation of souls around you. Plead with sinners earnestly; make the message as plain and simple as possible. Preach it as a discerning watchman, warning the ignorant of imminent doom.

Thought for the day: Warning the ignorant of imminent doom is an assigned duty of the believer.

Bible Reading in one Year: Judges 14-17

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 Non–Negotiable Requirement [Monday April 24, 2017]

Scripture: By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice…By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son. Hebrews 11:4, 17

Thought For The Day: If you do not hold back your sacrifice from God, God will not hold back your harvest.

It has been established that faith is a non-negotiable requirement for seeing Divine Proofs in our lives. Therefore, maintaining a solid faith makes us to experience the inexplicable, incredible, incredulous and the incomprehensible manifestations of God.

Now, what do we do in order to empower our faith?

It is living a life of sacrifice!

A person of faith is a sacrificial person.

The following thoughts on sacrifice are noteworthy:

1. Sacrifice is an avenue for both the expression and amplification of faith.  When you release what you can, you can expect God to do His part.

2. Sacrifice is an act of faith that increases confidence in God’s response and it is the step of faith that commits God to act in the life of a person.

3. The move of God is triggered by the move of man. When a man moves in sacrifice, God is committed to move in his life.

If you do not hold back your sacrifice from God, God will not hold back your harvest from you.

I prophesy the release of the spirit of sacrifice on you in Jesus’ Name.

Remember this: If you do not hold back your sacrifice from God, God will not hold back your harvest.

Assignment(S):

1. Live a life of sacrifice.

2. Ask God to break the power of greed from your life.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: BOOSTERS AND ENEMIES OF FAITH – (PART 3)

Prayer: O LORD, I ask that You baptize me with the Spirit of sacrifice. Break the power of greed and stinginess from my life, LORD, in Jesus’ Name.

Daily Reading: Judges 2:10 to 3:31, Luke 22:14 to 34, Psalm 92:1 to 93:5, Proverbs 14:1 to 2.

Quote: You can never reap until you have sown. Culled from 21 UNCOMMON KEYS TO FINANCIAL OVERFLOW by Dr Paul Enenche.

Amazing Fact: 10% of the World’s population are left handed.

Today In History: 24/04/1704 – The first regular newspaper in British Colonial America, The Boston News-Letter, is published.

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: The Small Things [Monday April 24, 2017]

Read: Psalm 116:1–9, Bible in a Year: 2 Samuel 19–20; Luke 18:1–23

Every good and perfect gift is from above. James 1:17

My friend Gloria called with excitement in her voice. She had not been able to leave her home except for doctors’ appointments. So I understood why she was so happy to tell me, “My son just attached new speakers to my computer, so now I can go to my church!” Now she could hear the live broadcast of her church’s worship service. She raved about God’s goodness and the “best gift my son could have given me!”

Gloria teaches me about having a thankful heart. Despite her many limitations, she’s thankful for the smallest of things—sunsets, helpful family and neighbors, quiet moments with God, the ability to remain in her own apartment. She’s had a lifetime of seeing God provide for her, and she talks about Him to anyone who visits or calls.

We don’t know what difficulties the author of Psalm 116 was encountering. Some Bible commentaries say it was probably sickness because he said, “the cords of death entangled me” (v. 3). But he gave thanks to the Lord for being gracious and full of compassion when he was “brought low” (vv. 5–6).

When we’re low, it can be hard to look up. Yet if we do, we see that God is the giver of all good gifts in our life—great and small—and we learn to give Him thanks.

Prayer: What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me? . . . I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving (Ps. 116:12, 17 esv).

Praise to God comes naturally when you count your blessings.

Insight:

This marvelous psalm celebrates the miraculous deliverance we receive from the God who comes to our rescue. Verses 1–9 recognize the call for help, the gracious response of God, and the praise and rest that come to us after a stressful time. Verses 8–9 also give us an eloquent summary of God’s deliverance: “For you, Lord, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living.” These two verses are worth memorizing as a means of strengthening our faith, giving thanks for past help from God, and in preparation for future trials. Fear of death, tears of sorrow, and even stumbling feet find their comfort and restoration in the God of grace. All of these offer reasons to count our blessings.

For what can you praise God today?

This message was written By Anne Cetas [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: He Is Alive! [Monday April 24, 2017]

Because I live, ye shall live also. — John 14:19

For personal Christianity, the resurrection is all-important. There is a vital interrelation to the existence of Christianity itself, as well as to the individual believer, in the message of the Gospel. The Swiss theologian, Karl Barth, said, “Do you want to believe in the living Christ? We may believe in Him only if we believe in His corporeal resurrection. This is the content of the New Testament.

We are always free to reject it, but not to modify it, nor to pretend that the New Testament tells something else. We may accept or refuse the message, but we may not change it.” Christianity as a system of truth collapses if the resurrection is rejected. That Jesus rose from the dead is one of the foundation stones of our faith.

Prayer for the day: Lord, let me live today with the constant thought that You are alive!

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: God Bless And Keep You [23/04/2017]

And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kind, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he swore unto thy fathers to give thee. Deuteronomy 7:13. Read: Deut 7:11-15

When you pray a simple prayer for some people (who believe you  could have prayed further to pacify God on their behalf) like “God Bless You”, you hear some say, I know, but is that what I will eat. Some hardly say Amen to such simple yet powerful prayer because of their mindset and level of understanding simply because they were not given physical money or other material blessings, they don’t believe. Beloved, when God blesses you, you have no need of any man’s blessings. when God blesses you, you are blessed indeed. I am not talking about the deceptive “God Bless You” recorded in 1 Jn 3:20. Am talking about God blessing you from His heart through such simple prayer when you keep His commandments to do them.

When such prayer is offered by anybody to you, claim it by faith and begin to walk with the consciousness that you are blessed according to God’s word. This is how it works, when you claim such prayer in faith, God causes all elements to work on your behalf to bring upon you that blessings. Everything will begin to work for your good. Be blessed of the Lord.

#BiblePromisesPrayer
* This week and beyond, God Almighty will bless you beyond your imagination
* He shall bless your water and your bread, He will remove sickness from your dwelling place
* Everything will work in your favour
* All your disappointment and failures shall be converted to miracle and testimonies
* All your labour shall be turned into favour with men in Jesus mighty and precious Name.

Topic: A Rock-Solid Foundation [Sunday April 23, 2017]

[Jesus] said to them, But who do you [yourselves] say that I am? Simon Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. — Matthew 16:15-16

When Peter said that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God, it was a statement of faith. In making this statement, Peter was displaying faith.

I don’t think Peter just casually or nonchalantly made that statement. I think he did it with a surety and a certainty that impressed Jesus because He immediately turned to Peter and told him that he was blessed. Then He went on to say that it was upon this rock-solid foundation of faith that He would build His church.

Jesus was saying to Peter, “If you maintain this faith, it will be a rocklike substance in your life upon which I will be able to build My kingdom in you, and through you. Your faith will be developed to the place that even the gates of hell will not be able to prevail against you.”

There have been many times in my life when I have been discouraged and not known what to do, or felt that nothing was working and that everybody was against me. The words I have heard over and over again are, “Only believe.”

This promise was not just for Peter alone. Jesus is saying the same thing to you and me. Only believe!