Topic: The Mix [Wednesday 29, March 2017]

Memorise: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: – John 10:27

Read: Matthew 25:31-46 (KJV)

31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Bible in One Year: Exodus 35-36, Jeremiah 4:3-18

MESSAGE:

“But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” – Matthew 10:6

The Lord deliberately refers to His own as “sheep”. He affectionately calls them “My sheep”. From the above scripture, we can see that even when He is referring to sinners or those yet to be saved, He calls them the “lost sheep”. The Lord’s parable in Luke 15:3-7 makes it clear that His sheep can get lost. It also illustrates that the shepherd goes looking for the lost sheep until they are found. This means it is possible for sheep to go astray, but when the shepherd goes searching for them, he finds them and brings them back to the fold. In John 21:15-17, in His post-resurrection appearance to Peter, Jesus repeatedly asked him to feed His sheep and His lambs. A lamb is a baby sheep. Jesus does not pastor goats but sheep. He never said, “Feed my goats.” Never! This is why I tell my children not to call themselves “Pastor’s kids”, because kids are offspring of goats and rams. God has no place for goats.

However, in our Bible reading today, you will observe that the sheep and the goats got mixed up together. This is so because wherever the sheep gather, goats would subtly infiltrate their fold (Matthew 13:24-30). This is why some people are heading for Heaven while some others are heading for Hell in the Church. The final separation will take place on the last day. God allows the goats to coexist with the sheep, but on the last day, He will separate them: the sheep will be on His right hand, while the goats will be on the left. He will address them separately and send them to their separate eternal destinations. This is very serious! Furthermore, this co-existence of sheep and goats gives room for pretence. That means the fellow sitting next to you might be a goat pretending to be a sheep. You also might be a goat pretending to be a sheep. This calls for self examination. Jesus gave the criteria for discerning a goat from a sheep in John 10:27. He said:

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:”

Do you pass the test of hearing His voice and following in His footsteps? Does He know you? I was telling one of my sons recently how my father in the Lord use to ask me to pray for patience. In those days, when I saw someone not fully complying with what we were taught, I would go to Papa, compelling him to do something about it. He would just ask me to pray for more patience. Today, I understand better. God allows goats and sheep to coexist. Are you a goat or a sheep?

Action Point: Use the criteria set by Jesus in John 10:27 to judge yourself to whether you are His sheep. If you have strayed from the fold, return to His loving arms and surrender your life to Him.

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: Cleansed by the Blood [Wednesday March 29, 2017]

. . . unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood. — Revelation 1:5

Blood is mentioned 460 times in the Bible. Fourteen times in the New Testament Jesus spoke of His own blood. Why? Because by the shedding of His blood, He accomplished the possibility of our salvation. He paid the penalty for our sin and redeemed us. The penalty for our sin and rebellion is death; Jesus stepped out and said, “I’ll take that death.” He voluntarily laid down His life and took the penalty we deserve. That’s what the cross is all about.

The blood of Jesus Christ not only redeems us, it justifies us. Being justified means more than being forgiven. I can say, “I forgive you,” but I can’t justify you. But God not only forgives the past, He clothes you in righteousness as though you had never committed a sin. Yet it cost the blood of His Son on the cross.

Prayer for the day: Lord Jesus, with a deeply grateful heart I thank You for Your sacrifice upon the cross. Your blood has cleansed my sin and made me worthy of forgiveness.

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.

Topic: That Your Prayers May Not Be Hindered [Wednesday March 29, 2017]

But if we [really] are living and walking in the Light as He [Himself] is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another. – 1 John 1:7, The Amplified Bible

One area of our lives we believers have particularly neglected is the area of our relationships. We simply haven’t heeded the Word of God where they’re concerned. We’ve fussed with one another and criticized one another so much that we’ve hindered the forces that God has given us to make us successful in this world. That’s right! Strife causes trouble in the spirit realm.

It opens the door to the devil. It keeps our prayers from being answered. It even keeps our angels from moving on our behalf!

Peter wrote to husbands in 1 Peter 3:7 to live considerately with their wives, “with an intelligent recognition [of the marriage relation], honoring the woman as [physically] the weaker, but [realizing that you] are joint heirs of the grace (God’s unmerited favor) of life, in order that your prayers may not be hindered and cut off” (The Amplified Bible). Husbands and wives. Parents and children. Co-workers. Fellow church members. All of us need to wake up to the danger of strife and start walking in love.

Shed the light of God’s Word on your relationships. Dig in to and get a revelation of the fact that we are all part of each other. Recognize that, as Ephesians tells us, we are one Body and of one Spirit, and be eager and strive earnestly to guard and keep the harmony and oneness of that Spirit (Ephesians 4:3-4).

Let the power of God flow in all of your relationships. Learn to walk in the light!

Scripture Reading: Romans 15:1-7

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: Love of God’s Law [Wednesday March 29, 2017]

Text: Psalm 119:97-104

Key Verse: “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:97).

It is wonderful to have people who really love the Lord and commit the whole of their lives to serve Him. It is however more wonderful to have people who serve the Lord even in the face of great trials and afflictions. Charles Wesley Naylor, born in Athens County, Ohio in January 1874 was a man moulded in the above description. In spite of many challenges he faced, he served the Lord with an unabated love, zeal and passion.

His story is one outstanding example of how a stalwart personality can achieve happiness, success and usefulness in spite of the handicap of a pitifully afflicted and broken body which lasted for more than 42 years. The eight verses of our choice of meditation today aptly befit a life given to the study and love of the word of God. The knowledge of the word of God gives wisdom and an understanding above the cunning and craftiness of worldly allurement.

The disciples of Christ sat at His feet to feast on the Word. They became better skilled than the doctors of divinity. The best way to find the wondrous things of life is to study the Word in prayers which will make it possible for Christ to speak to us through the Holy Spirit. We become more blessed and wiser when we meditate on the word of God every day.

Keeping the laws of God keeps us away from all evils. The instructions derived from the holy Scriptures make us useful in every realm of life; they also make us superior and unrivaled in our every day commitment and endeavours.

Thought for the day: Reading the Bible keeps you away from all evils.

Bible Reading in one Year: Amos 6-9

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: Trial by Fire [Wednesday March 29, 2017]

Read: James 1:1–12, Bible in a Year: Judges 7–8; Luke 5:1–16

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life. James 1:12

Last winter while visiting a natural history museum in Colorado, I learned some remarkable facts about the aspen tree. An entire grove of slender, white-trunked aspens can grow from a single seed and share the same root system. These root systems can exist for thousands of years whether or not they produce trees. They sleep underground, waiting for fire, flood, or avalanche to clear a space for them in the shady forest. After a natural disaster has cleared the land, aspen roots can sense the sun at last. The roots send up saplings, which become trees.

For aspens, new growth is made possible by the devastation of a natural disaster. James writes that our growth in faith is also made possible by difficulties. “Consider it pure joy,” he writes, “whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2–4).

It’s difficult to be joyful during trials, but we can take hope from the fact that God will use difficult circumstances to help us reach maturity. Like aspen trees, faith can grow in times of trial when difficulty clears space in our hearts for the light of God to touch us.

Prayer: Thank You, God, for being with us in our trials, and for helping us to grow through difficult circumstances.

Trials and tests can draw us closer to Christ.

Insight:

James says trials will reveal whether our faith is genuine (James 1:3), and will strengthen and mature us (v. 4). The apostle Paul also believed that suffering is beneficial. He said, “we can rejoice . . . when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment” (Rom. 5:3–5 nlt). Read James 1:12 and consider what’s in store for those who endure testing through faith in Jesus.

This message was written By Amy Peterson [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: Positive Surprises [Wednesday March 29, 2017]

Scripture: “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” – 1 Corinthians 2:9

Thought For The Day: To exist without God is to exist without surprises: To be independent of God is to be insufficient of positive surprises.

Our God is a God of positive surprises. Surprises are his natural operations and realms. That is why, to exist without God is to exist without surprises: To be independent of God is to be insufficient of positive surprises.

Divine Surprises are God’s wondrous, amazing and unbelievable happenings that are beyond human comprehension and apprehension. Those things which are highly impossible to man are very easily possible with God.

For instance, God can make a woman who has past the age of childbearing(menopause) able to give birth again, as it was in the case of Sarah (Genesis 21:1-2).

One of the keys to experiencing positive surprises is trust in God.
Trust in God is an unconditional commitment and dedication to God. It is the point where one shuns all alternatives and focuses on God.

Beloved, the realm of positive surprises is not a mirage. It is not mystical but practical if you will not waver in your TRUST in God.

I prophesy to you, this week, you shall experience a positive surprise that will catapult your destiny to the next level in Jesus’ Name.

Remember this: To exist without God is to exist without surprises: To be independent of God is to be insufficient of positive surprises.

Assignment(S):

1. Take a little time today to ask God to do the unusual in your life.

2. Determine to trust God with all your heart despite your condition or circumstance.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: POSITIVE SURPRISES.

Prayer: LORD, I ask for the grace to trust You even when I cannot trace You. I demand, O LORD, that You give me a definite positive surprise today that will silence the enemy in Jesus’ Name.

Daily Reading: Deuteronomy 11: 1 to 12:32, Luke 8:22 to 39, Psalm 70: 1 to 5, Proverbs 12:4

Quote: They that trust in God never rust in life. Culled from 365 WISDOM CAPSULES by Dr Paul Enenche.

Today In History: 29/03/1962 – Cuba opened the trial of the Bay of Pigs invaders.

Amazing Fact: A he-goat can mate with its mother while an eagle has one mate for life.

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: God’s Design for a Successful Family Life! (4)

Dear Reader,

Since this month began, we have been examining God’s design for success in marriage and family life. This week, I shall be teaching on what perhaps is one of the most important secret to a successful family life. It is the undisputable foundation upon which every home must be built, and for any lasting, and meaningful impact to be experienced. Most families are thirsty for life, yet they do not know what to do to be satisfied.

Are You Thirsty At Home? The Lord can quench any thirst you may be experiencing in your family. This is because He said: If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink … He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow RIVERS OF LIVING WATER (John 7:38).

Just as God planted the Garden of Eden, placed in it a river to water, and caused everything in it to remain fresh (Genesis 2:8), He also instituted marriage and family life in the same manner (Genesis 2:18, 2 1-25), desiring that with His living water, you will experience pleasure and delight.

Rivers are of tremendous help to humanity. It provides water for several uses: quenching thirst, bathing, refreshing and for cleansing. God’s intention for you is for every thirst you are experiencing in your marriage and family life, to be quenched by the ‘river of living water’, which the Lord Jesus gives.

Thirst will make a family man or woman go after someone else other than his or her spouse, and refuse to return home. It is thirst in the family that makes children prefer to seek dangerous adventure outside the home. It also makes a married man stay back in the office, even when he does not have anything doing. Such homes lack fulfilment.

Thirst makes some women to compare their husbands with other men, and to give excuses rather than fulfill conjugal rights. They lack the refreshing needed for a cool atmosphere at home. This is far from God’s plan for the family. So, return to the Lord Jesus because He said: If any man thirst let him come to me and drink (John 7:37). He will quench your thirst and place a river of refreshing in your home.

What are the characteristics of a River in your family?

Firstly, the presence of a river, among other things, is for cleansing.  Jesus in your home, therefore, should produce a cleansing, which helps the Christian live a life of righteousness and cleanliness, both inside and outside the home. When besieged by all types of unclean habits, immorality, etc., whether introduced by friends, in-laws or relatives, with the Word of God, you will have heaven’s backing and equipment to deal with it.

God’s Word says: “…Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). Bringing your home and family life to Jesus guarantees that the “rivers of living water” are made available to you and your family members.

Secondly, a river gives water, and water is a principal component in the growth of a plant. The Lord Jesus, the provider of the ‘river of living water’, is a principal party in the growth of a healthy and homely family. Rivers can generate electrical light supply to various homes. The ‘rivers of living water’ that Jesus brings also generates spiritual light and heat to create a warm atmosphere in your home.

Thirdly, just as physical rivers have mineral deposits, precious stones and treasures in them, there are diverse treasures in this ‘river of living water’ that Jesus brings into your home. Some of them are laughter, inner peace, rest of mind, satisfaction, joy and love; instead of fears, insecurity and instability.

That means instead of depression, Jesus brings comfort, hope and a future. Instead of shame, He brings honour, respect, dignity and quiet. These are all treasures money cannot buy; but the presence of Jesus and His Word in your home, can bring such “treasurable” experiences, cheaply. So, make sure that you have or better still, invite Him into your life and home today.

Jesus is the only one Who can quench your thirst, but you must be ready to obey every of His Word (the Bible). Invite Him into your home today, and ask Him takeover every aspect of your life. Then, watch as you will begin to experience changes from that moment on, as you obey His instructions.

If you are ready to invite Him into your life and family, please pray this simple prayer: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the living God. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

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).

Topic: Same Attitude As Christ [Wednesday, 29th Mar. 2017]

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Philippians 2:5

Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 20:27 “and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.” Again in Matthew 23:11, He repeated it; “but he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.” There was also a third time He said same thing but with a different analogy, using a child. This is to show us how important the message He is passing to us is. Jesus was reiterating it for us to take it more seriously, and what was He talking about? Humility.

Scriptures say Jesus is God but He never thought about clinging to equality with God. If He did, He would never had come to earth, and we won’t have had a sacrifice for the sins of man. But “instead, He gave up his divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form” (Philippians 2:7). And then humbled Himself to die a criminal’s death of crucifixion. That’s Christ attitude; very humble. And we know what happened in the end. His name was made the greatest and most powerful name in heaven, on earth and under the earth (Philippians 9-10).

But we don’t have humble men these days. Their attitude is terrible, and once they attain a position of importance, whether in the church or in the circular world, pride takes over them, and they will begin to trample under foot those they are supposed to serve. But we must be like Jesus, having His humble attitude guiding our actions as we meet and relate with people in our sphere of influence. Humility will elevate us to great height and gives us honour, pride will bring us down to the level of salt that have lost its savour, that is, make us useless. Choose humility. Be like Christ and stay relevant at all times.

Keep winning daily.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, teach me to be humble just like You are at all times, putting away pride. Help me to be the servant you have called me to be, serving people with a humble heart always, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

A Promise For You From Bible Promises:

Topic: The Hope Restorer [29/03/2017]

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, Luke  4:18. Read: Isa 61:1-3

Jesus Christ is the hope restorer because He is the hope of glory. Col 1:27. Everything about Jesus is hope and change. Whenever you feel all hope is lost and you give Jesus a chance to come in, hope comes alive again. In John 11, Mary and Martha had given up on their brother Lazarus, i.e., their hope was already lost. Even when Jesus told them, take me where you laid him, Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus actually came to comfort those that mourn and set free the captives of the mighty.

Just when the widow of Nain (who had lost her husband and now her son) thought all hope has been dashed, Jesus stepped in and her hope was restored and sustained. Don’t lose hope yet, let Jesus step in now. Call Him now. He is ever present in time of trouble to help if He is called upon. Jesus shall restore your hope because for this purpose He came.

#BiblePromisesPrayer

* Jesus, Jesus, Jesus the hope restorer, please restore my hope now in Your Name. Amen

Today’s Scripture: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” – (Ezekiel 36:26, NIV)

Topic: Choosing Your Heavenly Heritage [Tuesday March 28, 2017]

In life, we all have negative things happen to us. We go through situations that are unfair. I know people who were raised in an unhealthy environment. Their parents had issues, and now it’s making it much more difficult on them. But here is what I’ve learned: when you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, He gives you a new heart. In other words, your bloodline changes. No longer are you subject to your earthly heritage, you become subject to your heavenly heritage! His spiritual blessing always overrides the curse in the natural realm. When you understand who you are and what God has already done, then no matter what someone else has done, no matter how unfair it was, no matter how you were raised, you won’t get bitter. You won’t live with a chip on your shoulder. You realize that nothing can stop you from fulfilling your God-given destiny! Today, remember you came from Almighty God. He gave you life. When you choose Him, you are choosing your heavenly heritage of blessing and eternal, abundant life!

A Prayer for Today: “God, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, so that I may be saved. Today I surrender every area of my life to You. Have Your way in me; let Your will be done in my life. Thank You for making me new in Jesus’ name. Amen”