We are the followers of Christ. We love him and we have been loved by him. We believe that everyone needs Jesus, but do we believe that everyone needs grace? If God called us to go to those who we fear the most; the terrorists, the religious extremists, and so on, can we do it? Or are we functionally willing to deny the Great Commission because we prefer to receive grace even while we refuse to extend it?
The enemy is distraction. Plain, simple, run-of-the-mill distraction. However, when you consider the importance of our mission and the brevity of our lives, this fight against distraction proves to be a paramount battle. It’s one we must win.
A few years ago, I wrote a post entitled, “12 Books I Could Write for Pastors”—which was essentially a list of things I’ve learned as a pastor. Today, I’m thinking about other books I wish someone would write for pastors. Maybe you’d like to see these books, too:
I hope that my students never figure out how to study for a C’s worth only. I hope they aim as high as possible, even if some of them miss more often than not. At the same time, I hope that their ‘downs’ teach them lessons that their ‘ups’ never could. God can do wonders with average material, if we let him; but…
A service will take place in Peterborough to commemorate how God has turned the small church project into a nationwide movement of over 160 churches.
Tim Morfin, Chief Executive for TLG told Premier more about the charity’s achievements.
“Well the vision we began with was just to support local children in Bradford in Yorkshire, but then really sensed God stir us about the need across the nation,” he said.
“The fact that there are over 4 million kids now growing up in poverty, there are over 400,000 exclusions given to children who are entitled to an education but are being denied access to school.
“We just really sensed God stir our hearts to mobilise the Church across the UK to make a difference and that’s what’s happened.
“Churches of all different shapes and sizes have stepped up in partnership with TLG and so by the end of 2018, just in that year alone, we’d supported 5,002 children and we were in partnership with 220 different local churches.”
The TLG team has grown so much that the charity has roots from Newquay to Inverness, and now even in Lisbon Portugal.
More than 800 people will gather at Kingsgate Church in Peterborough to celebrate the contribution people have made to expanding the charity.
Listen to Premier’s Heather Preston speaking to Tim Morfin:
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Baptist minister’s son Benjamin Field, 28, entered into the “gaslighting” relationships with neighbours Peter Farquhar, 69, and 83-year-old Ann Moore-Martin in the Buckinghamshire village of Maids Moreton to scam them out of their savings and become the beneficiary of their wills, it is claimed.
Mr Farquhar, in various journal entries, describes his relationship with Field, with whom he was sharing a bed.
Details from the journal kept by Field were also among the various communications which were read out to the jury at Oxford Crown Court.
Mr Farquhar describes them as having an “intimate relationship” and also says “it was wonderful holding Ben in my arms”.
He describes Field as being “so warm and loving” and notes that he brings him a cup of tea in the morning, the jury also heard.
Mr Farquhar also has a conversation with a friend who says he is concerned about the nature of his relationship with Field.
The friend does not press the issue further but Mr Farquhar states there was no sex involved in his relationship with Field.
Mr Farquhar was said to be “torn” by his sexuality because of his Christian beliefs, the court has heard.
By April 2015, Mr Farquhar notes that he is feeling extremely tired as it is affecting his ability to walk his dog.
He says that Field recognises the tiredness and they have a serious conversation about the future.
“I believe that the lady who caused this injury needs prayers,” Durning said.
“And I’m forgiving her and I would hope that people would also pray for her.”
CCTV of the encounter, which was captured by cameras belonging to the next-door crisis pregnancy centre, BSideU, also showed a woman rushing to the back of the car Gregory entered after pushing Durning.
The woman can be seen taking down the car’s license plate number, which ultimately led police to Gregory.
Durning, who has volunteered as a pro-life “sidewalk counsellor” five days a week for nearly 25 years, has been discharged from hospital and is staying at one of her sister’s homes while she recovers.
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A Promise For You From Bible Promises: [11/MAY/2019]
Topic: He Left Us With A Promise
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14:3.
Read: John 14:1-4
In Matthew 18:2, 3, And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. This is because children believe everything their parents tell them. They hardly question the words of their parents. They are open minded. When you promise them anything, they believe and begin to tell their friends, “my mummy said she will buy something for me when she’s coming back”. And they are always excited to looking forward to their parents’ homecoming either because they love their parents or simply because of the gift.
The Bible calls us the children of God and Jesus has left us with the promise that He is coming again to take us to where He has gone to prepare a place for us in eternity. Like the children, we ought to be happy, joyous and excited about that wonderful promise from the one that has never failed. We ought to watch and pray and wait earnestly for this promise. Like the little children, we ought to be telling our friends about this promise.
The angels in Acts of the Apostles 1:11 confirmed this promise. Paul by the mouth of the Holy Ghost confirmed this also in 1 Thess 4:13-18. Apostle Peter also confirmed the same thing in 1 Peter 3:1-10.
Bible Promises Thought He has promised and He will never fail. He will surely come for His own. Be among the number.
Therefore I always exercise and discipline myself [mortifying my body, deadening my carnal affections, bodily appetites, and worldly desires, endeavoring in all respects] to have a clear (unshaken, blameless) conscience, void of offense toward God and toward men. — Acts 24:16 (AMPC)
The Roman poet Horace wrote: “Rule your mind, or it will rule you.”
The enemy wants your mind; he wants to control or influence as much of your thinking as possible, but you do not have to let him. The key to overcoming him is learning to discipline your thinking, and disciplining yourself to believe you are disciplined is the beginning.
As my son once said, “Discipline is a discipline!” Most people don’t get excited when the subject of discipline comes up. However, if you learn to understand the power, the liberty, the joy, and the victory discipline brings to your life, you will embrace it eagerly.
Prayer Starter: Father, Your Word says You have given me a spirit of discipline and self-control (see 2 Timothy 1:7 AMPC). Help me today to choose my thoughts carefully and purposely dwell on things that are positive and full of hope. Help me to discipline my thoughts, words and actions so I can enjoy the great future You have for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
John 6:34, ‘Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.’
John 6:31-35
It is probable that these Jews were expecting Jesus to rain down manna on them the way God did before in the wilderness. After all, anyone who could feed five thousand men with one small lunch should be able to produce manna. They were still thinking of physical food.
The word ‘manna’ means literally ‘what is it?’ The children of Israel said, ‘It is manna: for they wist (or knew) not what it was.’ (Ex. 16:15) Manna was a nutritious food which appeared on the ground every morning shortly after the children of Israel left Egypt and began their 40-year wandering in the wilderness. Moses called it ‘bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.’
The Lord, in speaking to Moses, called it ‘bread from heaven.’ It was small and round, like coriander seed, and was white in color or yellowish, like bdellium. The people, after gathering it, ground it in mills or beat it in a mortar, baked it in pans and made cakes of it. It tasted like wafers made with honey or fresh oil. It was gathered every morning and had to be used up that day or it would stink and have worms. An exception was on the sixth day. It could be gathered for the Sabbath and wouldn’t spoil (Ex. 16:22-26).
Although they were looking for pieces of bread to materialize, which would have been a great miracle, it would have been insignificant compared to the miracle of God being manifested in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:16). They were talking to the greatest miracle that God had ever performed, but they were blind to it. Many times, we get so intent on seeking God in one area that we forget the greatest miracle of all, which is the love and redemption given to us from God through His Son.
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).
“21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.”
THE MESSAGE:
The expression “Children of promise” describes those who are truly bam of God. Our passage today used the sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael, to drive home the difference between those living in the flesh and those living in Spirit. Hence, a child of promise is born, not by the will of the flesh, nor by the will of man, but of God. (John 1:13). Children of promise are descendants of Abraham like Isaac, not through birth, but rebirth; not by law, but by promise; not by works, but by faith. You are a candidate of heaven as a child of promise and must manifest the power of God here on earth.
Children of promise face persecution.
The children of the bondwoman will always persecute the children of promise. They do not understand the children of promise and always see them as a threat. The big question you will have to answer is “Are you among the children of the bondwoman or among the children of promise? If not of promise, then bow your head and invite Jesus into your life now. Pray this simple prayer – “Lord Jesus I invite you into my life to be Lord and my personal saviour. I receive the grace to serve you for the rest of my life. Amen! Congratulations!
Prayer: O Lord Jesus, please, help me to remain faithful to you as your child of promise despite the persecutions and trials. Amen.
Key Verse: “And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet” (Luke 11:29).
MESSAGE:
The market places in our various communities are a beehive of activities mainly connected with buying and selling. However, the whole crowd do not go into the market to buy the same product. Each individual focuses on what he is in the market to procure. The church is also a place of worship where people gather but it is clear that some people come there for various reasons other than seeking for salvation. The story was told recently of a young man caught in the house of God stealing from people’s bags when praying with eyes closed. The young man came to the church certainly not for a godly purpose of seeking spiritual edification but to steal. Some others do not come to steal but are only passionate about receiving miracles, prosperity, deliverance, spouse, etc.
The text reveals Christ’s encounter with a crowd which came to one of his public ministrations. He could see right into them and therefore wasted no time in rebuking them for seeking Him for the wrong motives. The allusion to the people of Niveneh was to point their attention to the demand of God from them “… for they repented at the preaching of Jonas…”
The church is not a center for entertainment, neither is it a place of commerce as many have turned it. We must understand that seeking for miracles, prosperity, breakthrough, deliverance and so on are not wrong. But to seek for them to the exclusion of the salvation of one’s soul is disastrous. Those who go to church just to admire the pastor’s message, seek for position or wife/husband or to enjoy the service are no doubts lost in the crowd.
The only way to project Christ to the world is to shine the light through our godly living in the world.
Thought For The Day: Always seek God with a right motive.
The Bible In One Year: 1 Corinthians 8-11
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.
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.
The Word of God is a mine of inestimable treasures. The Bible is a bank of spiritual wealth and treasures. No wonder, the Bible has remained the number one bestseller worldwide of all times.
SCRIPTURE: This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Joshua 1:8
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: A contact with the Word of God brings a person into contact with the Blessing.
The Word of God is a mine of inestimable treasures. The Bible is a bank of spiritual wealth and treasures. No wonder, the Bible has remained the number one bestseller worldwide of all times.
The challenge is that many people carry the Bible but do not know what the Bible carries. If everyone will understand the Bible, they cannot remain at the same level.
Now, what are some of the contents of the Word of God?
1. The Word of God is Food for the Human Spirit (Luke 4:4)
What physical food does in a person’s life is what the Word does to a person. Spiritual energy and vitality are supplied by the Word. It is the Word of God that determines the buoyancy of the spirit of man. Every time people begin to lack the Word, they become spiritually malnourished. Their immunity becomes very low and, therefore, they lack capacity to fight spiritual afflictions. He cannot withstand spiritual tension, opposition or temptation. A wordless Christian is a weak Christian.
2. The Word of God is a Blessing Container and a Blessing Channel (Joshua 1:8).
A contact with the Word of God brings a person into contact with the Blessing. There is blessedness in reading, meditating on, and getting insight and revelation from the Word (Joshua 1:8). The more you read the Bible, the more you step into new realms of the Blessing.
Now, the Blessing is necessary because the Blessing is the cure for the curse – be it family, occultic or generational curse. The Blessing brings empowerment unto success and establishes a person in an enviable position. You cannot be a candidate for pity when the Blessing of God is upon your life.
REMEMBER THIS: A contact with the Word of God brings a person into contact with the Blessing.
ASSIGNMENTS:
Read and study the Word of God diligently and persistently.
Let the Word of God be your guide in your daily activities.
PRAYER: O Lord, I ask that You take me to higher realms of the Blessing as I read, study and meditate on Your Word. I decree that I am blessed beyond the curse, Lord in Jesus’ Name.
FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: THE WEALTH OF THE WORD.
QUOTE: The reason there is a shortage of solid Christians today is because there is scarcity of solid Word. Culled from MAKING FULL PROOF OF MINISTRY by Dr Paul Enenche
DAILY READING: 1 Samuel 10:1 to 11:15, John 6:43 to 71, Psalm 107:1 to 43, Proverbs 15:1 to 3
AMAZING FACT: Space is completely silent. There is no atmosphere in space, which means that sound has no medium or way to travel to be heard.
DON’T FORGET TO ATTEND: The Sunday Service tomorrow at 9:00am at the Glory Dome, The Lord’s Garden, Airport Road, Abuja. Endeavour to come to Church with your friends and loved ones. God bless you.
PROPHETIC DECLARATION/WORD: May the Blessing of the Word become reality in your life today; you shall become a visible manifesto of God’s blessing in this season, in Jesus’ Name.
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.
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