Topic: People Are More Important Than Things [Friday March 17, 2017]

Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. — 1 John 2:15

One day my previous housekeeper was cooking a roast for us in the pressure cooker. She did something wrong and the valve blew off the top, shooting steam, roast, grease, potatoes, and carrots straight up into the air. The ceiling fan above the stove was on full speed. It caught the food and grease and sent them flying all over the kitchen walls, ceiling, floor, furniture—and the housekeeper.

When I came home from work, she was sitting in a corner of the kitchen, crying. She looked so bad I thought she had received some tragic news. I finally got her to tell me what had happened; and when she did, I started laughing. By the time Dave came in, she and I were both laughing hysterically. She said, “I’ve destroyed your kitchen!”

I remember telling her, “The kitchen can be replaced, but you can’t. You’re more important than the kitchen. Thank God you’re not hurt.” There was a time in my life when that would not have been my response. Before I learned that people are more important than things, I would have become angry and said things to make the housekeeper feel stupid and guilty.

If we love people, God can replace things; but if we love things excessively, we may lose people who cannot be replaced.

Topic: Hosts at Heaven’s Gate [Friday 17, March 2017]

Memorise: Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. – Colossians 3:2

Read: Colossians 3:1-4 (KJV)

1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Bible in One Year: Exodus 11-12, Isaiah 62

MESSAGE:

In the world we live in today, a lot of people are overwhelmed by sorrow and are living in depression. It is therefore no accident that one of the crucial assignments of the Holy Spirit is the work of comforting the sorrowful and uplifting the depressed (John 16:6-7). His comfort shifts your focus away from your fears, wipes away your tears, sets your mind on the bigger picture you should see, gives you peace in the midst of the storm and gives you a reason to live beyond that moment of depression. In the end, He also gives you strength to help others in similar situations. In any area you need comfort of the Holy Spirit, receive it today in Jesus’ Name!

Several years ago, while still lecturing at the University of Lagos, I had a particular student we referred to as Brother Moses. He was a passionate soul-winner. His passion for the lost endeared him to me. We became so close that you would even think he was my biological first-born son. After he graduated from the university, he was posted to the northern part of Nigeria for his mandatory one-year service in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme. Within a few months of his service year, his fellow corps members had fallen in love with him. Then suddenly, he died. His fellow corps members could not accept this, and so they began to pray. He died at about 10am and 2pm he came back to life. He told the brethren the Lord asked him to come back to tell them that they were praying the wrong kind of prayers, and that their noise was disturbing Him. The Lord said they should not be praying for Brother Moses to return from glory to join them on earth; they should rather be praying for themselves to finish the race and end up in glory. As soon as he delivered this message, he lay back on the bed and off he zoomed back into glory! When I heard of this incident, I grieved so much. I tried to comport myself with dignity during the Church service but immediately after the service and at other times when I was alone, I wept over and over again. On the third day, the Lord asked me why I was crying. I told Him it was because Brother Moses had died, but He corrected me that I was weeping because of Brother Moses left me behind. Then the Lord asked me this: “How would you feel if you travelled abroad to a place you have never been to and suddenly you bumped into someone you knew before?” I said I would be happy. Then He replied, “When you get to Heaven, Jesus will be there to receive you, but Brother Moses will be there to specially receive you.” That brought comfort to me like nothing else! Beloved, your loved ones who died in the Lord will be waiting for you at Heaven’s gate when your time on earth is up. Just fight the good fight of faith and pray that you finish well.

Action Point: Pray that God should cause the leaders of your nation to walk in honesty and truth. Pray that their hearts will be filled with the fear of God and true love and concern for the people.

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: The Enemy of Destiny Called Indiscipline [Friday March 17, 2017]

Scripture: Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people). Ephesians 5:15 (AMP)

Thought For The Day: There can be no destiny without discipline.

God’s Plan for our lives is to live purposefully and accurately. God never created anybody to be wasted or irrelevant. However, there are enemies that render people’s destinies useless on earth and in eternity.

One of these enemies is the life of indiscipline or lack of self-control. Esau sold his birth-right to his younger brother, Jacob for food. He could not control his appetite and so, he ruined his destiny (Genesis 25:34).

There can be no destiny without discipline. If you cannot control yourself, you can never control your destiny; until you can change something inside you, there is nothing you can change. There are people who are trying to change the world without knowing that they first have to change themselves.

Self-control is a product of mind control (Proverbs 4:23). If you cannot control what enters your mind, you cannot control what flows through your life and destiny. When the flesh rules your life, your future is not guaranteed.

Beloved, you must learn to say “No” to the flesh. Surrender yourself absolutely to the control of the Holy Spirit.

Remember this: There can be no destiny without discipline.

Assignments:

1. Desist from wrong associations. Surround yourself with positive and disciplined people.

2. Be disciplined in the study of the Bible, praying and fasting.

Prayer: O Lord, I ask for grace to be disciplined in my walk with You. I say No to the flesh and its works, Lord, in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: DEADLY ENEMIES OF DESTINY.

Quote: The quality of your character is determined by the quality of your company. If you move with quality people, you cannot be a low quality person. WHO ARE YOU? by Dr Paul Enenche.

Daily Reading: Numbers 26:1 to 51, Luke 2:36 to 52, Psalm 60:1 to 12, Proverbs 11:15

Today In History: 17/03/1845 – The rubber band was invented.

Amazing Fact: A blue whale can eat as much as 3 tons of food every day, but at the same time can live without food for six months.

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.

A Promise For You From Bible Promises:

Topic: Reliable God [17/03/2017]

Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers. 2 Chronicles 13:18. Read: 2 Chro 13:1-18

As times and seasons change, men also change, hence, the Bible says in Pro 25:19, “Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint”. At any point in time, only God Almighty can be reliable. To be reliable is to be trusted. Psalms 125:1 “They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever”. To be Victorious in the battles of life is to rely on God Almighty. Only those that rely on God are entitled to triumph over the circumstances of life sweatlessly. You can’t be victorious in life by simply depending on your limited strength or on mere mortal who cannot help him/herself.

Here is a battle array between a divided kingdom of David; Jeroboam king of Israel and Abijah king of Judah. Jeroboam came against Abijah with eight hundred thousand chosen men while Abijah came with four hundred thousand chosen men. Jeroboam was smitten and lost the battle to Abijah king of Judah. One lesson to learn here is that, the battle of life is not determined by multitude or how much you possess but who you rely on. It’s determined by who your ally is. Abijah and his men prevailed because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers.

#BiblePromisesThought

* The battle of life is not determined by multitude or how much you possess but who you rely on.

There aren’t many things in this world as precious and as refreshing as water.

However, despite this, a good number of people deprive themselves of the many benefits of water by not drinking enough on daily basis.

This damages their bodies in ways they might not even realise.

Here are 9 signs to help identify when you are not drinking enough water.

Dry mouth

If your mouth is always dry, it’s a clear sign you might not be drinking enough water. However, there are certain medications that cause dry mouth. In this case, the dry mouth might be a side effect of the drug and not caused by dehydration.

Headaches

If you are experiencing slight headaches, check yourself. Assess your water consumption in the past hours and determine if it has been less than adequate. Dehydration may be the cause of the slight headaches. A glass of water, preferably cold but not too cold, may help get rid of that headache.

Reduced urination and dark-coloured urine

If in a day, you rarely have to pee, it is likely you are dehydrated. Also, when you eventually pee, if your urine is dark yellow or worse, dark brown, it is a sign you are probably dehydrated and need to drink more water.

Slight hunger pangs

Slight hunger pangs especially after just eating not too long ago may be caused by dehydration. Before grabbing a snack, try drinking a glass of water. If the hunger pangs recede, then chances are you were actually thirsty not hungry.

Drowsiness

This can be caused by many things but one of the causes is dehydration. In a bid to conserve the water in your body, your body slows down; this leads to lethargy and overall sleepiness. A cool glass of water can help perk your body up and give it what it needs to remain active.

Dry skin

Dry skin is one of the early signs of dehydration. If your skin always feels flaky and dry, and you seem to always have to apply lotion or lip balm to moisturise your skin when the weather is relatively humid, you could be dehydrated. This is also accompanied by lack of sweat, which leads to the body’s inability to wash away excess dirt and oil accumulated during the day.

Dry eyes

Without water in the body, your tear ducts dry up, a lack of or inadequate water in the body thus leads to dry bloodshot eyes. If you always experience dry eyes, a likely cause of this is dehydration.

Digestive problems

Without proper hydration, the amount and strength of mucus in the stomach tend to reduce. This allows stomach acid to eventually damage your insides, leading to heartburn and indigestion.

Constipation

When there isn’t enough water in your body system, the water that should be used by the intestines in the digestive process is used up by the colon. This lack of lubrication in the intestines leads to constipation.

Source: Nigerianeye.com

Topic: After You [Friday March 17, 2017]

Read: Genesis 13:1–18, Bible in a Year: Deuteronomy 30–31; Mark 15:1–25

Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left. Genesis 13:9

In some cultures a younger person is expected to permit his elder to enter a room first. In others, the most important or highest ranking individual enters first. No matter what our traditions, there are times when we find it difficult to allow someone to choose first on important matters, especially when that privilege rightfully belongs to us.

Abram (later called Abraham) and his nephew Lot had so many flocks, herds, and tents that the land could not support both of them as they traveled together. To avoid conflict, Abram suggested they part company and generously gave Lot first choice of the land. His nephew took the fertile Jordan Valley, leaving Abram with the less desirable land.

Abram did not insist on his rights as the elder in this situation but trusted his future to God. “So Abram said to Lot, ‘Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me . . . . Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left’ ” (Gen. 13:8–9). Lot’s choice eventually led to dire consequences for his entire family (see Gen. 19).

Today, as we face choices of many kinds, we can trust our Father to guide us in His way. He has promised to care for us. He will always give us what we need.

Prayer: Father, Your unfailing love and faithfulness guide us in every choice we make. May our lives speak well of You and honor You today.

God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him.  Jim Elliot

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

Topic: Unclean Made Clean [Friday March 17, 2017]

Text: Leviticus 15:1-18

Key Verse: “Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man hath a running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is unclean” (Leviticus 15:2).”

Generally, the Mosaic Law spoke of something as “unclean” if it was unfit to be used in worship to God. Being “clean” or “unclean” was a ceremonial designation governing the ritual of corporate worship. For example, there were certain animals, like pigs, considered unclean and therefore not to be used in sacrifices; and there were certain actions, like touching a dead body, that made a living person unclean and temporarily unable to participate in the worship ceremony. In the text, God declared any man with a running issue from his flesh unclean, including his beddings, clothes and the saddle he sits upon.

Whatever and whoever he came in contact with, was to be declared unclean likewise and had to meet certain purification conditions to be clean again. When he is cleansed of his issue, he is to offer the sacrifice of sin offering (Leviticus 15:13-15). This connotes that the unclean had committed sin which brought about his sickness. The suffering and death of Jesus Christ on the Cross was primarily meant to free mankind from the yoke of sin, diseases, sickness and oppression of all kinds. Far beyond the food modern medical sciences offer, God’s word has been proved for centuries to be health to the body: “My son, attend to my word… For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh” (Proverbs 4:20-22).

The healing of diseases and sicknesses forms an integral part of the package from Calvary. Once you know Jesus, you will know good health and vitality because “…the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke tell how Jesus made “whole” the woman with the issue of blood when she touched the helm of His garment. The unclean was made clean by the touch of Christ. Absolute faith in Christ’s healing power will cleanse you from any form of uncleanness which may be as a result of yoke of sin and make you whole, spiritually and physically.

Thought for the day: The blood of Jesus cleanses all uncleanness.

Bible Reading in one Year: 2 Samuel 9-11

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: Start Planting [Friday March 17, 2017]

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. – 1 Peter 1:23

You won’t really get excited about the Word of God until you realize that it’s more than just a collection of divinely-inspired promises. It’s a living force that literally carries within it the power to make those promises become a reality in your life.

Is it tough for you to believe such a thing is possible?

It shouldn’t be. You see it happen in the natural world all the time.

If I were to put a tomato seed in your hand and tell you that within that tiny, dry seed lies the power to produce a stalk thousands of times bigger than the seed, to produce leaves and roots and round, red tomatoes, you wouldn’t have any trouble believing that, would you? You know from experience that even though that scrawny seed doesn’t look like a tomato factory, somehow, given the right environment, it will become one.

Jesus says the Word of God works by that same principle. There’s miraculous power within it. It is a seed that, once planted by faith in a human heart, will produce more blessings than you can imagine.

Once you grasp that, you’ll get extremely excited about the Word of God. That’s what happened to me.

Over 45 years ago, I caught a glimpse of what that Word could do. I caught a glimpse of the power within it. Before long, I had a Bible in every room of my house, a Bible in my car, and a tape player going nearly all the time.

I spent every possible moment in the Word of God because I wanted the power of that Word inside me more than I wanted anything else in the world. I knew it would blow the limits off my life, limits that had held me back and kept me down for years. I knew that when I read it, I wasn’t just reading, I was planting seeds. Seeds of prosperity, seeds of health, seeds of protection and seeds of victory for every area of my life.

Don’t treat the Word of God like a book. It’s not! It’s spiritual seed that has the supernatural power within it to produce the harvest of a lifetime. Get excited about it and start planting today!

Scripture Reading: Mark 4:23-32

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: Sight for the Blind [Friday March 17, 2017]

. . . one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.— John 9:25

I try to explain to you the joy of following Christ: the thrill, the excitement, the exhilaration—knowing where I’ve come from, why I’m here, where I’m going! There’s a reason for existence. There’s a reason for getting up every morning of the year. I try to tell you what I’ve found in Jesus Christ, and in studying the Scriptures and walking with Him, and you say, “I can’t see that!” Of course, you can’t. You are blind.

Try to explain television to a blind man. He can understand a little of it, but it doesn’t make sense to him. Try to explain a sunset to him. He’s blind to it. The scales must be removed from your eyes, and only Christ can do that. He can remove them right now and you can start living and seeing a whole new world that you never knew existed, if you will let Him open your spiritual eyes.

Prayer for the day: I thank You for that Power that is able to give sight to the spiritually blinded eyes of each person who trusts in You, Lord Jesus.

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.