Topic: Bitter Addictions [DCLM Daily Manna Monday June 25, 2018]

Text: Proverbs 23:29-35 (KJV)

Key Verse: “They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again” (Proverbs 23:35).

MESSAGE:

A bitter story was told of a young man who would have become an Army officer, but was rejected and later became a garage tout because of addictions to hard drugs. One day, while trying to chant for passengers to fill a vehicle, the young man came across a well-dressed Army officer of high rank who happened to stop by the motor park to ask for directions. To his utter amazement, the high-ranking officer had been his very classmate while in military college. What a shame!

Every day, people make decisions and take actions that will either increase their importance or decrease their worth in life and in eternity. Sorrows, contentions, confusions, wounds and injuries to human organs are all consequences of the use of strong drinks and hard drugs.

The way of sinners is often laden with consumption of life-destroying substances that would not only harm body parts, but also damn the soul. Medical sciences have come to the conclusion that most of the life-threatening illnesses today are triggered by the lifestyle of the sufferers. People still engage in such ill behaviours despite knowing the attendant consequences. “They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.”

We are counselled to be filled with the Spirit of God (Ephesians 5:18), instead of being filled with wine. The base nature in man would always want to subject him to eat, drink or engage in self-damning addictions. But a saved man must possess the power, through the Spirit of God, to get addicted to profitable, life-changing ventures that can add value to life and society.

Thought For The Day: Be filled with the Holy Ghost and not with new wine or strong drink.

Bible Reading In One Year: 1 Kings 15; 2 Chronicles 13-16

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read Deeper Christian Life Ministry, DCLM Daily Manna HERE

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.

Flatimes’ Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:

Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.

If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online please send your testimonies and prayer request to [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

Topic: Profane Like Esau? [Teens Open Heavens 25, June 2018]

Memorise: Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. – Hebrews 12:16

Read: Hebrews 12:16-17 (KJV)

16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

Bible In One Year: Job 4-6, Acts 7:20-43

MESSAGE:

Esau was described as a profane person who despised or looked down on holy or sacred things. In his ignorance, he rated material things such as food of more value than spiritual things. He was blinded to the potentials that awaited him with a first born blessing. If only he realised that the nation of Israel would bear the name of his younger brother because of that thoughtless act, he would have preferred to starve.

Genesis also made this terrible mistake. He was spiritually blind, if his eyes were open, he would not have taken the gift that would transfer the sickness of Naaman on him and his generation. Are your priorities right? Are you focused on the right things? How important are the things of the Spirit to you? Ask God to open your eyes today.

Prayer Point: Lord Jesus, change my mindset regarding the material things that I have exalted above spiritual things.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Teen Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor Adeboye’’

Hymn 1:

1. My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!

2. May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire !

3. While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside.

4. When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold, sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll;
Blest Saviour, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!

Daily Devotional for Teen’s 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.

Topic: Forget To Be Fruitful [TREM Devotional Monday June 25, 2018]

“And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house. And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.” Genesis 41:51-52

Joseph had gone through so much in the hands of his brothers. His brothers hated him so badly that they sold him into slavery. They connived to get rid of him because his father openly loved him more than them all. So much for siblings’ rivalry. This should be a lesson for all parents, to beware of creating obvious favouritism in the family. Every child has a part to play and don’t make one child feel preferred than others. It is a dangerous thing.

Jacob had flaunted his love for Joseph so much that it created a sharp enmity between him and his brothers who sold him to slavery. Joseph went from challenge to challenge – from slavery he went to prison for no fault of his; but from prison, God looked upon him and took him to the throne.

The natural person will be bitter and begin to seek the opportunity for revenge; but not Joseph. He understood the fact that for him to move forward, he needed to forgive and forget, and ensure there is no root of bitterness in him. His decision is seen clearly in the names of the children and the order of their names is instructive. The first one is “Forget”, and he said, “God has made me to forget all my toil and slavery” and the second is Ephraim which means ‘to be fruitful’. In other words, you must learn to forget to be fruitful.

Dearly beloved, is there anything you are holding back on? Let it go today. Forgive and move on and see God come through for you as you become fruitful in the land.

Further Reading: Genesis 41: 44-52

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Job 3-4; Evening- Acts 7:44-60

“If you missed yesterday devotional click HERE to read TREM Daily Devotional by Dr. Mike Okonkwo’’

Written by Dr. Mike Okonkwo; Is the Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM); a versatile man of God with over 30 years of dedicated service unto the Lord.

Topic: Major Indicators Of Time Wastage [Seeds of Destiny Monday June 25, 2018]

Scripture: And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Ephesians 5:18.

Thought For The Day: Focusing on our past mistakes and errors ruins today and frustrates our tomorrow.

Previously, we looked at time and life wasting activities; we identified procrastination, idleness, plan-less living and aimless socialization as what should be avoided in order to maximize our lives on earth.

It is also important to mention other activities that serve as indicators of time wastage.
1. Garbage Intake
This refers to an intake of what does not edify you for example, aimless watching of the television. Statistics show that aimless watching of programs on television has the potential to reduce the intelligence quotients of people drastically; it destroys learning activities like reading, studying and listening. Garbage intake is detrimental to life and destiny. Just as garbage attracts flies, aimless watching of the TV, movies and video games is dangerous. Garbage intake is a time and life waster.

2. Poison intake
This is the intake of morally poisonous things like the reading or watching of pornographic materials, immoral movies or books; surfing the internet to watch nude pictures, drinking of alcohol and tobacco smoking, etc. Many people have lost their jobs because of internet addiction and pornography. An addict may start with spending thirty minutes daily on the internet, then one or two hours, then he graduates to spending five hours daily out of his official time on the internet. Accessing the performance of an employee who is addicted to the internet may reveal little or no productive output to his credit. This is not correct. Beloved, if you think that you are not being monitored at your place of work and you use the official time for something else, one day, it will catch up with you in life. Alcohol or tobacco damages the brain.

3. Focusing on the past
Focusing on the past ruins the present; focussing on our past mistakes and errors ruins today and frustrates our tomorrow. Anything that is in the past has passed; so, let it pass. Focusing on past failure, hurts, and mistakes kills a destiny.

Beloved, make up your mind not to waste your life; avoid time wasters.

Remember this: Focussing on our past mistakes and errors ruins today and frustrates our tomorrow.

Assignments:
1. Avoid the intake of garbage and poisonous things like pornography, alcohol, tobacco and aimless watching of the Television.
2. Refuse to live in your past in your present and future; forgive and forget the negative past.

Prayer: O Lord, I ask that You deliver me from the intake of poison and garbage. Help me to forgive and forget my negative past, Lord, in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: PROFITABLE USE OF TIME.

Daily Reading: 2 Kings 8:1 to 9:13, Acts 16:16 to 40, Psalm 143:1 to 12, Proverbs 17:26

Amazing Fact: A cow gives nearly 200,000 glasses of milk in a lifetime.

Today In History: 25/06/1580 – The Book of Concord was first published. The book is a collection of doctrinal standards of the Lutheran Church.

Quote: Those who dwell in the past leave their place in the future. Culled from 30 SECRETS TO THE TOP by Dr Paul Enenche.

“If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read Seeds of Destiny by Pastor Paul Enenche“

Today’s devotional was written by Pastor Paul Enenche of the Dunamis International Gospel Centre (DIGC), headquartered at Abuja, Nigeria, with Pastor Paul and 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

Flatimes Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:

Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.

If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online please send your testimonies and prayer request to [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

Topic: Don’t Get in a Hurry [Kenneth & Gloria Copeland, Monday June 25, 2018]

And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt…talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up…. and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. – Deuteronomy 6:6-8

One of the reasons Gloria and I have seen the results we have in our lives and in our ministry is because when we realized what the Word of God would do, we literally immersed ourselves in it. We turned off the radio and television, put down the newspaper, and spent nearly every waking moment of the time available either reading the Word, listening to tapes on the Word, or thinking about the Word.

All that time in the Word eventually had a powerful effect on us. It began to revolutionize everything about us. It began to turn failure into success.

All that didn’t happen overnight, however. It took time. A great many believers don’t realize that. They start out devoting themselves to the Word, but they make the mistake of expecting instant, miraculous results, and when they don’t see them, they get disappointed and fall away.

Don’t do that. Be patient. Give the Word time to do its work.

Jesus once said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). The Word of God feeds the spirit man just as bread feeds the body. Food has to be built into your body. The vitamins and minerals it contains have a cumulative effect on it, don’t they? In fact, almost anything that affects your body instantaneously is considered dangerous.

Much the same thing is true with the Word of God. It has a cumulative effect. Yes, at times God will act instantly and perform a miracle, but only to get things back on track. What He really intends is for you to feed on His Word to grow in strength and in faith and to bear fruit in due season.

So don’t get in such an all-fired hurry. Stay in the Word. Be patient. The results will come!

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 7:11-23

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Kenneth and Gloria Copeland’s Daily Devotional Here’’

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: Saying Grace [Our Daily Bread 25 Monday June, 2018]

Read: Colossians 3:12–17, Bible in a Year: Job 3–4; Acts 7:44–60

Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17

For many years, I’ve enjoyed the writings of British author G. K. Chesterton. His humor and insight often cause me to chuckle and then pause for more serious contemplation. For example, he wrote, “You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the play and the opera, and grace before the concert and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing; and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.”

It’s good for us to thank the Lord before every meal, but it shouldn’t stop there. The apostle Paul saw every activity, every endeavor as something for which we should thank God and that we should do for His glory. “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17). Recreation, occupation, and education are all avenues through which we can honor the Lord and express our gratefulness to Him.

Paul also encouraged the believers in Colossae to “let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful” (v. 15).

The best place to “say grace” is anywhere and anytime we want to give thanks to the Lord and honor Him.

Prayer: Thank You for Your gift of life eternal. May we acknowledge and honor You throughout this day.

In all we do, let’s give thanks to God and honor Him.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Our Daily Bread Devotionals HERE”

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

Topic: About Those Pharisees [Andrew Wommack Monday June 25, 2018]

John 9:34 “They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.”

Text: John 9:34

Much of the Pharisees’ problem was spiritual pride, as is very evident by this statement. They were so blinded by their arrogance that they couldn’t believe anyone who hadn’t been through their “seminary” could teach them anything.

The name “Pharisees” comes from a Hebrew word meaning “separate.” This term was applied to this sect because of its extreme devotion to the Mosaic law and commitment to leading a separated life. This was a reaction of the devout Jews who came back to Jerusalem from the Babylonian captivity, and saw the pagan customs and influences of the Babylonians everywhere. Not only their religion but their identity as a nation was being threatened. The Pharisees were patriots as well as religious zealots, who in the beginning served a very needed function in the Jewish nation which was struggling for survival. However, over the centuries the Pharisees had departed from the Mosaic law and had written their own interpretations of the law – interpretations which they held to be God-inspired and equal to that of Moses. In Jesus’ day this group was characterized by hypocrisy and self-righteousness. They, as a whole, persecuted Jesus and His followers and received the Lord’s most stinging rebukes.

The Pharisees, like many people today, were ignorant of achieving right standing (righteousness) with God through the simple act of receiving His forgiveness by faith and were trying to earn salvation by their own acts. No one can fulfill God’s commands (Rom. 3:23) except Jesus (Heb. 4:15). Therefore, to be righteous, we must put our faith in what He has done for us.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read Andrew Wommack’s Daily Devotional HERE

This message was written by The Association of Related Ministries International (ARMI) is an extension of Andrew Wommack Ministries (AWM). ARMI is a unique partnership committed to providing resources to help like-minded ministers succeed in a spirit of excellence and to draw from the experience and expertise of both the AWM and Charis Bible College staff. (www.awmi.net).

Topic: True Happiness [Billy Graham’s Devotional Monday June 25, 2018]

And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward . . . — Luke 12:42

It is not wrong for men to possess riches. But the Bible warns that money cannot buy happiness! Money cannot buy true pleasure. Money cannot buy peace of heart. And money certainly cannot buy entrance into the Kingdom of God. Often money is a hindrance to these things. Money takes our minds off God. Riches, when used selfishly rather than for the glory of God, tend to corrupt in our hands. Money cannot be a substitute for God. If God has given you more wealth than your neighbors, dedicate it to Christ. Realize that you are only a steward of that which God has given you and some day you will have to give an account of every penny you have spent. The Internal Revenue Service wants a record of how you spend your money, but that is nothing compared to the books God is keeping.

Prayer for the day: Father, I would be a faithful steward of all You have given to me. Make me constantly aware of Your leading so I may wisely spend any money with which I have been entrusted.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read Billy Graham’s Daily Devotional HERE 

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.