Topic: Handling Family Challenges (3)

Dear Reader,

It is with great joy and excitement that I welcome you once again to this wonderful segment. I know that by now you would have been able to successfully handle those challenges discussed thus far using the recommended remedies. If you have not, I suggest that before you read further, first apply the forces of forgiveness and meekness and see your family take on a new look.
This week, I have decided to bring you another family challenge that sounds so simple, yet has ruined many families. This is Ingratitude.

WHAT IS INGRATITUDE?

It is unthankfulness. It is failing to acknowledge or appreciate acts of kindness either by God or man. The enemy uses this to distract you from seeing what God has done and focus on what has not been done. A man is waiting on God for a breakthrough, but he is doing so murmuring and complaining. He feels he has done all he ought to have done to experience this breakthrough. He feels that his mates or those supposedly younger than him have achieved much, while he still remains at the same spot. Rather than see what God has done, he is wondering what his offence against God is. This is ingratitude to God.

You may not have achieved what you desire yet, but think about this: some who are the same age with you are insane, others are crippled and some others don’t know where the next meal will come from. Instead of dwelling further on your plight, switch to thanksgiving and praises unto God, for the great things He has done for you so far. Turn the reason for ingratitude into the object of thanksgiving. As you do so, you will encounter the God who is glorious in holiness and fearful in praises.

But, What Should You Be Thankful For?

Thank God for the privilege of being alive and well. Thank God for making you a marriageable material. The mad people on the streets are not thinking of marriage. Some of them are not even clothed, neither do they have shelter. But you have all these. These are more than enough reasons to thank God. As you thank God for those things you have, He will perfect all that concerns you (Psalm 138:8).

Jesus lived a life of gratitude and that resulted in the miracle of the feeding of 5,000 men. The Bible says: Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude (Luke 9:16). When Jesus gave thanks, the seemingly insufficient lunch pack of a little boy became sufficient for 5,000 men. Thanksgiving brought about the increase they needed at that time.  Also, Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus who had been dead for four days and was already smelling gave thanks. The Bible says: Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me (John 11:41). When He gave thanks, the dead, rotten and smelling Lazarus came back to life. As you give thanks to God every dead, rotten and smelling part of your family will be restored in Jesus mighty name!

Another type of ingratitude is that towards your partner. Many husbands and wives do not appreciate the little kind acts of their partners. They never say, “Thank you.” Though made up of just two words, saying “Thank You” can bring a lot of joy and peace to the home. Some husbands have stopped providing for the home because their wives never appreciate their efforts. No matter how much they spend, it is never enough.

On the other hand, some husbands find it difficult to appreciate their wives’ inputs at home. No matter how much effort she puts into the smooth running of the home. The man comes in from work, shouting and yelling finding fault with all she has done. The woman soon becomes weary and feels she can never please him. Learn to say “Thank you“ for every little act of kindness and see how exciting your marriage will become.

It is also necessary to appreciate the various inputs of those who live with you and lend a helping hand around the house. Even if you come home to discover that your house-help has done something wrong, don’t start yelling at her and calling her names. You can start by acknowledging the things she has done right and then call her attention to the things not well done. When she does something well, learn to say, “Thank you”. Never forget that good words are worth much more and cost little. You should also learn to say “Thank you” to your children, when they do thank-worthy things. Remember, gratitude is what determines altitude.

To live a life of gratitude like Jesus, you need to accept Him as your Lord and personal Saviour by being born again. If you want to be born again, then make this confession of your faith: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

Congratulations! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now born again and 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).

With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through [email protected], 07026385437 OR 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).

Pastor Faith Oyedepo is the wife of Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide a.k.a. Winners’ Chapel, and Senior Pastor of Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, Nigeria.

Topic: Empowering Your Hands [Teens’ Open Heavens Wednesday 24th, January 2018]

Memorise: He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. – Psalms 18:34

Read: Psalm 18:31-35 (KJV)

31 For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?

32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.

33 He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places.

34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

Bible In One Year: Exodus 7-8, Matthew 17

MESSAGE:

God cannot pay you a personal visit and things in your life and around you will maintain status quo. His visits always come with glorious changes. May He visit you this season in Jesus’ name. When He visited the Red sea, a street was created in the midst of it for the Israelites to go through. When He visits you, He will create a way in your wilderness. When He visits you like He visited Peter in Acts 12:5-11, your hands that were tied will suddenly become loose.

Life is war, and you definitely cannot fight and win battles when your hands are tied, but if your hands are free for war, then victory is assured because with a punch of your fist empowered by God, you can strike a lion dead; with a slingshot empowered by God, you can slay your Goliath. Are your hands tied? What is tying your hands? Why can your hands no longer perform their normal duties? Cry out for God’s personal visitation today, and your hands will be divinely empowered to defeat your enemies.

Prayer Point: Father, in any way my hands have been tied, untie them today and set me free.

Hymn 6:

1. Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home:

2. Under the shadow of your throne
Your saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is your arm alone,
And our defense is sure

3. Before the hills in order stood
Or earth received its frame,
From everlasting you are God,
To endless years the same.

4. A thousand ages in your sight
Are like an evening gone
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

5. Time, like an ever_rolling stream,
Soon bears us all away;
We fly forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.

6. Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Still be our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home!

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: A Greater Humility [Andrew Wommack’s Daily Wednesday January 24th, 2018]

Matthew 3:14, “But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?”

Text: MT. 3:13-17; MK. 1:9-11; LK. 3:21-23

John the Baptist was overwhelmed that Jesus was asking to be baptized by him. John had already declared himself unworthy to unloose the latchet of the Christ’s shoes, and now the Christ was asking him to administer His baptism (Lk. 3:16).

Likewise, we are often overwhelmed by the idea that the Lord could use us. Who are we to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ? It is easy to disqualify ourselves and not fulfill God’s instructions. However, Jesus told John that he had to do it to fulfill all righteousness.

As wonderful as it may seem, the Lord has chosen to use us. God’s Word could not have been fulfilled without John’s cooperation. The Lord works through men.

We can do nothing by ourselves, but the Lord will do nothing by Himself (Jn. 15:5; Eph. 3:20). A lack of understanding this has caused many people to miss God’s blessings. They pray and desire God’s best, but wait on God to move independent of them. There are things that we must do to fulfill the righteousness of God in our lives.

John was not seeking to exalt himself, but his failure to baptize Jesus would not have been an act of humility. It would have been stupidity. It takes great humility to recognize the call of God on your life and let Him use you.

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: Meeting Spiritual Needs [Billy Graham’s Daily Wednesday January 24th, 2018]

Go and make disciples in all the nations . . . — Matthew 28:19 (TLB)

Christian missions is unique in the aggressive movements of history. Christianity in its pure form has no “axe to grind,” no system to foster, and no profit motivation. Its job is simply to “seek and to save that which is lost.” Nothing more, nothing less. The words “apostle” and “missionary” mean the same thing: “One who is sent.” The word apostle is from the Greek; and the word missionary is from the Latin.

The New Testament is a book of missions. The Gospels tell of Jesus’ missionary accomplishments, and the Acts tell of the missionary endeavors of the apostles. The disciples were launched into the world by the power of the resurrection, and the Gospel made its impact upon the world’s people. Peter went to Lydda, Joppa, Antioch, Babylon, and Asia Minor. John went to Samaria, Ephesus, and to the cities on the Mediterranean. Thomas journeyed to far away India. Paul, the peer of all early missionaries, used the roads Rome had built to take the Gospel through the Empire. Today the need for missions is greater than ever before! The world is shrinking in size but expanding in population. We live in a world of conflicting, confusing beliefs! We live in a world of complex problems! But, more important, we live in a world of dire spiritual need.

Prayer for the day: Father, help me to be a light in this world of darkness, ready for each opportunity to share Your love with those whose spiritual needs are great.

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: I Shall Shine! I Am A Puzzle For Them In 2018! [Our Daily Manna ODM Wednesday, January 24th, 2018]

Basic Scripture: Isaiah 60:1-11, Mark 5:22-23

Welcome to today’s encounter with He that is called the High and Lofty one, The supper arranger, Master Builder, Master planner, The storm stiller, The storm stopper, The lion of the tribe of Judah, The root of Jesse, the man of war! He is the Game Changer, He is your refuge and banner and your Voice of hope for 2018! Glory to God! Oh, make sure you don’t miss the WORLD ANOINTING CHANGE OF GARMENT NIGHT taking place in 48 hours time! Come with a dress, shirt or any wear you can afford to tear after praying with it! Oh! It is a night and a year that your COVERED LIGHT WILL SHINE AGAIN and your UNCOVERED LIGHT SHALL SHINE BRIGHTER! Isaiah 60:1 says “Arise, shine; for the light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.”

Light is what disgraces and OVERCOMES DARKNESS! John 1:5 says, And the light shineth in darkness; and darkness comprehend it not. Another translation says “… and the darkness was not able TO UNDERSTAND IT “ Oh Glory! That means in this year 2018, YOU WILL BE A MYSTERY TO THOSE WHO HATE YOU AND YOU WILL BE AN EQUATION THEY CAN NEVER BALANCE! Yes! You will be a puzzle they cannot interpret and a BONE THEY CANNOT CRACK! YOUR LIGHT HAS COME! Your time to flourish, prosper, dominate, succeed and manifest has come! It is a season when RESULTS WILL CANCEL INSULTS and speed will terminate stagnation! Rise, pray seriously now and declare: I SHALL SHINE, BE UNCOMMON AND BE SEPARATED FROM CROWD! I AM A MYSTERY AND CANNOT BE UNDERSTOOD, EXPLAINED OR INTERPRETED this year in Jesus name! Sow your CHANGE OF GARMENT, “BONE THAT CANNOT BE CRACKED SEED” for yourself and ON BEHALF OF SOMEBODY ELSE (Remember Jairus stood for his daughter – mark5:22-23) and be at the WORLD ANOINTING CHANGE OF GARMENT NIGHT with a dress you can afford to tear thereafter! You can come and stand for others! This is your year!

TODAY IS DAY 19 OF THIS FASTING PROGRAMME! Turn to page 79 of the “WAR AGAINST HAMAN 13” Booklet and pray Today’s prayers. Then be at the TBS Lagos on Friday, January 26th 7 pm for the change of garment world anointing decoration Night! Bring a second dress you can afford to tear after prayers! It will be Great!

Prayer Points: Take song 1: Draw me nearer…..

• Thank God for today’s word and pray as you are led!
• I must shine! LORD, make me an “equation” that cannot be understood this year in Jesus name.
• See your WAR AGAINST HAMAN 13 BOOKLET NOW and pray the above prayers!
• Pray about today seriously and any other issues affecting your peace.

By Bishop (Dr) Chris E. Kwakpovwe (Cek)
Publisher/Writer Of ODM And

Rev (Mrs) Flora E. Kwakpovwe (Fek)
Co-Publisher/Writer Of ODM.

Topic: God of Life [Our Daily Bread 24th Wednesday January, 2018]

Read: Psalm 104:1–12, 24–30, Bible in a Year: Exodus 9–11; Matthew 15:21–39

Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. Psalm 104:1

A few winters ago, my hometown experienced an unusually long blast of bone-chilling temperatures that finally gave way to the warmer weather of spring. For two weeks straight, the outside thermometer dipped well below the sub-zero degree mark (-20 C; -5 F).

On one particularly bitter cold morning, the sound of chirping birds broke the silence of night. Dozens, if not hundreds, sang their hearts out. If I didn’t know any better, I could have sworn the little creatures were crying out to their Creator to please warm things up!

Bird experts tell us that the multitude of birdsongs we hear during late winter mornings are mostly male birds, attempting to attract mates and claim their territories. Their chirping reminded me that God fine-tuned His creation to sustain and flourish life—because He is a God of life.

In a psalm that marvels at God’s flourishing earth, the author begins, “Let all that I am praise the Lord” (Psalm 104:1 nlt). He went on to write, “The birds of the sky nest by the waters; they sing among the branches” (v. 12).

From singing and nesting birds to a vast ocean “teeming with creatures beyond number” (v. 25), we see reasons to praise the Creator for the lengths He’s gone to ensure that all of life thrives.

Prayer: Thank God for the world He has made. List the parts of His creation that you especially enjoy. Thank Him for them one by one.

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17

This message was written By Jeff Olson [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: Do Your Own Praying [Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Wednesday January 24th, 2018]

Is anyone among you afflicted (ill-treated, suffering evil)? He should pray. – James 5:13, The Amplified Bible

The Greek word translated afflicted doesn’t mean the result of sickness and disease. It means “troubled.”

If you’re in trouble, you need to pray. That’s what the Word says. Notice it didn’t say your pastor needs to pray for you or your friends need to pray for you. It says you need to pray.

Too often we try to find a quick fix to our problems by asking everyone else to pray for us. There’s nothing wrong, of course, with having others pray for you, but you’ll never get your life to a place of permanent victory until you begin to pray yourself.

The biggest church in the world is in Seoul, Korea. It’s pastored by Dr. David Cho, and the last I heard, it had more than 700,000 members. How did that church grow to be so large? According to Dr. Cho, the key is prayer. Not just his prayers but the prayers of his people. Praying is a way of life in that church. They have a place called Prayer Mountain where thousands of people come every day to pray.

I once heard Dr. Cho’s mother-in-law on television talking about the emphasis they put on prayer. She said that when their church members are in trouble, when they have marriage problems or problems in their personal lives, before anything else is done, those church members are told to go and fast and pray for 24 hours.

We need to do more of that here in our churches in the United States. We need to quit training our people to run around asking others to pray for them and train them instead to do their own praying.

You see, if I pray for God to solve one problem for you, you may enjoy success for a while, but then another problem will come along because you’ll still be making the same old mistakes that got you in trouble the first time. But if you buckle down and do that praying for yourself, if you discipline yourself to start searching out the things of the Spirit, you’ll get permanent answers. You’ll learn how to make adjustments in your life that will keep those problems from cropping up again.

If you have made Jesus your Lord, you have access to the throne of Almighty God. He has every solution to every problem you’ll ever have, and He’s just waiting for you to come to Him, so He can give you the answer. It may take some private time alone with Him for you to hear it, but He will never disappoint you.

Don’t depend on others to do your praying for you. Go personally to the throne of God today.

Scripture Reading: Psalm 5

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: All Things Are Working For Your Good [TREM’s Daily Wednesday January 24th, 2018]

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (KJV)

As we climax the age, you will notice an unprecedented increase in the activities of the enemy.  Today, when you watch television or read the newspapers or even surf the internet, it appears that evil is on the increase. You will notice that things that were hitherto considered secret and forbidden to be spoken about openly are now being advertised. The devil has literarily gone on a rampage. Things are unfolding at a very fast rate to the point that you will begin to ask yourself: what is God doing?

Like I have taught severally, the events in the world today have not come to our God as a shock. The things that are happening in your own life are not strange to Him either. God does not react; neither is He bereft of ideas or wondering how to bail you out. No! In fact, all things; including your current situation, are working together for your good. The Bible says in Jer. 29:11 that His thoughts towards you are thoughts of good and not of evil to give you an expected end – a hope and a future. If I put Romans 8:28 in my own words, I will say: “ALL THINGS are working together for your glory”.

The Apostle Paul said “for our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2Corinthians 4:17-18 KJV).  Can you see that! What you are going through now will give way to glory. The message translation says they are small potatoes compared to the coming good times! Beloved, God’s word is not void of power, the truth is that there is a glory that God has prepared for you and I declare that you will partake of it in Jesus name.

Further Reading: 2 Corinthians 4: 16-18, Romans 8:28-32

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Exodus 9-11/ Evening: Matthew 15:21-39

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.