Topic: The Comforter [Thursday 2, March 2017]

Memorise: But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. – John 14:26

Read: 2 Corinthians 1:3-10 (KJV)

3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

Bible in One Year: Genesis 28-29, Isaiah 48:12-49:7

MESSAGE:

In addition to knowing God as the Father and as the Son, you also need to know Him as God the Holy Spirit. There are many marvellous things to know about the Holy Spirit. For example, He is the Source of our power (Acts 1:8), a wonderful Teacher (John 14:26) and a Revealer of secrets and of the future (John 16:13). Although all these characteristics are wonderful, one characteristics I find so fascinating is that He is the Comforter (John 14:26). If you have experienced Him as the Comforter, you will be able to comfort others in their time of distress (2 Corinthians 1:4). If you have not experienced sorrow, you cannot be of much use in comforting the sorrowful. When we encounter tragedies and sorrowful situations, the best people can do is to say comforting words like “take heart”, “sorry”, etc. in such situations, the ministry of the Comforter is needed to heal the hurt felt deep inside. Are you presently going through a sad circumstance? Are you so sorrowful that all human attempts at comforting you have failed? The Holy Spirit will reach out and comfort you today in Jesus’ Name.

In times of sorrow, people do not expect some of us who occupy certain positions to express sorrow. This should not be so. I once visited a family who suffered a great loss, and I began to shed tears after seeing what they were going through. Some people began to say, “You are the General Overseer, you are not supposed to cry. We have come here to comfort those who are mourning; we should not be mourning.” I simply told them, “Leave me alone. In a similar situation, Jesus wept. If Jesus can weep, I am free to cry also.” One of my sons lost his mother, and it was extremely difficult to comfort him. His mother had suffered to train her three children and these children had plans to take good care of her. She however passed on while they were still trying to find their feet. This brother began to ask God why He called his mother home at a time when they had not been able to do anything for her. The Lord simply replied, saying “Your mother has come to be with Me. Can you take better care of her on earth than I am doing here in Heaven?” On hearing these words, he dried his tears, apologised to the Lord and moved on. Are you in a situation where you need the comfort of the Holy Spirit? He will reach out and touch you today. He will dry your tears, calm your fears and give you a greater hope.

Action Point: Pray for believers going through sorrow everywhere, asking that they receive the soothing of the Comforter.

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 Way Forward [Thursday February 2, 2017]

The way forward begins from within.

A man device his ways, the Lord directs his paths. Prov. 16:9.

It takes mental movement to experience outward movement.

What you see is the only thing you can show.

Lord, show to me that which I see not.

What God shows to a man is what makes him a show among people.

If you are not moving forward then nothing is moving within you.

If it is truly within you it will show around you.

Stop watching and waiting, if you don’t want to end wasting.

Your world will not give to you what you deserve;  it will give to you what you demand.

Topic: Start a Blessing Box [Thursday March 2, 2017]

Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. — Deuteronomy 15:10 NIV

Here’s an idea: Get yourself a big box and start going through your possessions, asking God to show you what you have that you can use to bless others. Fill it up with things that are nice but that you no longer need.

Look in cabinets, drawers, closets, the basement, and the garage. You will fill up your box quickly. Don’t keep something for years in case you ever need it—if you’re anything like me, by the time you need it, you will have forgotten that you have it and go buy another one anyway.

Take the clutter that is frustrating you and turn it into blessings. Keep the box in a handy place and start asking God to show you who needs to be blessed.

One woman I know, who is a radical giver, got all the things together she wanted to use to bless people and displayed them on her kitchen table. She invited several friends over and told them to take anything they wanted from the table. She urged them to keep on taking until everything was gone.

I encourage you to be a giver and look for ways in which you can use what you have to be a blessing to others.

Love Others Today: I challenge you to start a blessing box before you go to bed tonight. Even if you only put one or two things in it, get it started.

Topic: Fine Your Relevance [Thursday, 2nd March 2017]

Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 1 Corinthians 12:29

One thing about the members of the body of Christ is that they are all relevant. Most times, some folks feel that they are not relevant to any course. They come to a gathering, sit and listen and then go home. Even in their private lives outside the church, they portray this same ‘i-am-not-relevant’ attitude. Most times, this is a function of their mindset or inferiority complex. But that does not remove anything from the truth that every member of the body of Christ is relevant.

Not everyone will be a pastor. Not everyone will do great miracles, not everyone will be a prophet. But most times, we set that as the benchmark every Christian should be operating with. And this has left so many folks thinking that they don’t have anything to offer the body of Christ, especially when they don’t “measure up”. How untrue this is! Everyone is important and relevant, no matter how less grand we think them to be. You just need to find out what you are good at and use it to be a blessing to the body of Christ.

There are other things which might not bring us to the ‘spotlight’, that we can do in the body of Christ. It is this craze for the spotlight that have actually broken the resolve of people, especially when they are not gifted to always be in the ‘spotlight’, to find their relevance. But that should not be the aim. The aim should be to use your gifting to add value to the body of Christ, and you can only do that when you find your relevance.

Keep winning daily.

Wise Action:

Put your giftings to use and be relevant to the body of Christ, even if it does not bring you under the spotlight. There you will find your relevance.

Topic: Faith Enhancers [Thursday March 2, 2017]

Scripture: For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2:26

Thought for The Day: Prayerlessness is a confirmation of faithlessness

In Habakkuk 2:4, we see that the just can only live by his faith. So, the matter of faith is non-negotiable. It is important to understand that faith is not something that happens without conscious effort; it is something that must be worked into manifestation (1 Thessalonians 1:3). A child of God who is not ready to work is not ready for victory in life.

Now, we are going to look at some of the factors that make faith work (Faith Enhancers).

1. Prayer: A quality prayer life is a necessity for the boosting of faith. The truth is, prayerlessness is a confirmation of faithlessness; it is a manifestation of lack of faith in the God Who answers prayer.

2. Fasting: When Jesus’ disciples could not cast out a demon, Jesus said that it was because of their unbelief; he also said, Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:14-21). So, there is a connection between belief and fasting. Fasting sponsors high spiritual sensitivity and makes spiritual signals accessible; and those signals can fuel faith.

Remember this: Prayerlessness is a confirmation of faithlessness.

Assignment (S)

1. Endeavour to live a life of prayer.

2. Engage in fasting at least once in a week.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: FAITH ENHANCERS AND FACILITATORS (PART 1).

Prayer: O LORD, I receive the grace to grow my faith. Draw me closer to You and cause me to be addicted to prayer and fasting, Lord, in Jesus’ Name.

Daily Reading: Leviticus 25:47 to 27:13, Mark 10:32 to 52, Psalm 45: 1 to 17, Proverbs 10:22

Quote: Those who wait on the Lord cannot waste on the earth. Those who trust in God cannot rust in life. Culled from 30 SECRETS TO THE TOP by Dr Paul Enenche.

Amazing Fact: The human brain cell can hold 5 times as much information as the Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Today In History: 02/03/1956 – Morocco gained its independence from France.

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: Defeat Your Giant [Thursday March 2, 2017]

Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? – 1 Samuel 17:26

You may be facing a giant today. He may be a giant of sickness or failure, of financial shortage or another kind of trouble. But don’t let him scare you. You have a secret weapon. A weapon that once turned a shepherd boy into a bear-busting, lion-killing, giant-slaying champion. That weapon was a blood covenant with Almighty God.

Back in David’s day, circumcision was the sign of that covenant. So, when he called Goliath uncircumcised, David was saying: “This guy may be a giant; he may be strong; but he has no covenant with God and that’s why I will defeat him.”

Just like David, you, too, have a covenant. But yours is better. You see, the covenant David had, offered a wealth of blessings to those who kept it, but it also included curses for those who broke it.

Yours doesn’t. Yours is a new covenant that Jesus bought with His own blood. It doesn’t depend on your ability. It depends on Him and what He has already done. He has done it all! All you have to do is believe it and receive it.

Right now, read Deuteronomy 28:16-68. That’s a list of the curses Christ has freed you from. You might even call it a list of the giants Jesus has already slain for you. It contains every diabolical thing the devil could ever use to destroy you.

Read them and rejoice. Those are the things God has healed you of and delivered you from!

Don’t let any giant intimidate you. You have a blood covenant with Almighty God. There’s no uncircumcised circumstance on the face of this earth that can take your victory away from you.

Scripture Reading: Galatians 3:13-29

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: One of Us [Thursday March 2, 2017]

Read: Hebrews 2:9–18, Bible in a Year: Numbers 26–27; Mark 8:1–21

Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 2:18

At the memorial service for Charles Schulz (1922–2000), creator of the beloved Peanuts comic strip, friend and fellow cartoonist Cathy Guisewite spoke of his humanity and compassion. “He gave everyone in the world characters who knew exactly how all of us felt, who made us feel we were never alone. And then he gave the cartoonist himself, and he made us feel that we were never alone. . . . He encouraged us. He commiserated with us. He made us feel he was exactly like us.”

When we feel that no one understands or can help us, we are reminded that Jesus gave us Himself, and He knows exactly who we are and what we are facing today.

Hebrews 2:9–18 presents the remarkable truth that Jesus fully shared our humanity during His life on earth (v. 14). He “taste[d] death for everyone” (v. 9), broke the power of Satan (v. 14), and freed “those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death” (v. 15). Jesus was made like us, “fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God” (v. 17). Thank You, Lord, for sharing our humanity so that we might know Your help today and live in Your presence forever.

What fears and concerns do you have? What should you do with those fears? (1 Peter 5:6–7). What does the Lord promise to do for you? (Heb. 13:5).

No one understands like Jesus.

Insight:

Hebrews 2:5–18 explains why Jesus being fully human is so significant. The author of Hebrews quotes from Psalm 8 to show that God from the beginning intended humanity to rule over creation. Although we are not yet ruling fully as God intended, the resurrected Jesus has been crowned king of creation and someday we too will reign with Him. Hebrews 2:12 quotes Psalm 22:22, which describes Jesus celebrating in worship with His brothers and sisters. Because Jesus is not only our Lord but also our fully human “brother,” we will someday rule alongside Him.

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

Topic: Dealing With Falsehood [Thursday March 2, 2017]

Text: Deuteronomy 13:1-18

Key Verse: “Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 13:3).

God hates falsehood and any attempt to contaminate and adulterate His holy standard. Moses warned the children of Israel against false prophets, false teachers and fake dreamers who might come with new dreams and revelations to divert their minds from the true God. Israelites were warned to guard against listening to any self-acclaimed prophets or anyone else who might get them to worship any other god even when the individuals could be close friends or family members.

In the Old Testament period, such fake prophets and teachers were to be stoned to death to safeguard the sanctity of true godly worship. The battle for truth and war against falsehood demands conviction, courage and concern for the glory of God. Believers must uphold Bible truth above ego trips and personality cults. False prophecies, fake dreams and revelations in any assembly easily engender disunity, discouragement, discord, fear, suspicions and unnecessary bondage where true freedom and sincere brotherly love should exist.

A true child of God must make clear his stand especially when biblical convictions are at loggerheads with mere emotions and fantasies that have no root in the Scriptures. When people claim to speak for God today, we need to confirm whether they say the truth. False prophets and dreamers of dreams still abound today. Wise people must therefore test their claims with the word of God and take a position for God’s glory alone.

Thought for the day: “Buy the truth, and sell it not”.

Bible Reading in one Year: 1 Samuel 8-9

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.