Topic: Without Ceasing [DCLM Daily Manna 25 February 2019 Daily Devotional by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi]

Text: Exodus 9:27-35 (KJV)

Key Verse: “And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses” (Exodus 9:35).

MESSAGE:

A woman was in hospital for a heart surgery. After the successful operation, the heart would not start beating. The doctor massaged the heart to get it going and even tried using other procedures, but nothing worked. In an act of desperation, the surgeon knelt down beside the patient and said: “This is your surgeon. The operation went perfectly and your heart has been repaired, but you need to tell your heart to beat again.” Immediately, her heart began beating! The patient needed to cooperate with him. By an act of her will, she had to start her own heart beating.

Pharoah, king of Egypt resisted God’s command to let Israel go. The Lord had to forcefully deliver Israel by sending plagues upon Egypt. It was the seventh plague. The hail and fire had smitten everything in the field – man, beast, herbs and trees. Pharaoh, as usual after each disaster, would plead with Moses to “intreat” the Lord for him to stop the plagues. This time, he confirmed that he had sinned; his people were wicked and the Lord was righteous (verse 27). Yet, his heart was hardened as predicted by the Lord.

The symptoms of hardened hearts as highlighted by Jesus in Mark 8:17,18 are: inability to perceive; to understand; to see; to hear; and to remember. The sensitivity of the heart is determined by what it is focused upon. Conversely, whatever you fail to consider, your heart becomes hardened to. Being hardened is the devil’s strategy to derail the believer, as it leads to lukewarmness, backsliding and outright departure from the faith. The good news is that this condition can be reversed. It requires repentance, study of the Scriptures, soul-winning, living righteously, prayers and watchfulness. You have the power to determine what your heart accepts or rejects. Your heart is in your hand; focus it on God and His Word so that it will always beat for Him.

Thought For The Day: The heart focused on God will never cease to beat.

The Bible In One Year: Luke 22

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: The Spirit of Fika [Our Daily Bread 25 February 2019 Devotional]

Bible in a Year: Numbers 12–14; Mark 5:21–43

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. – Luke 24:30

Today’s Scripture & Insight: Luke 24:28-35

The coffeehouse in the town near my house is named Fika. It’s a Swedish word meaning to take a break with coffee and a pastry, always with family, co-workers, or friends. I’m not Swedish, yet the spirit of fika describes one thing I love most about Jesus—His practice of taking a break to eat and relax with others.

Scholars say Jesus’s meals weren’t random. Theologian Mark Glanville calls them “the delightful ‘second course’” of Israel’s feasts and celebrations in the Old Testament. At the table, Jesus lived what God had intended Israel to be: “a center of joy, celebration and justice for the whole world.”

From the feeding of 5,000, to the Last Supper—even to the meal with two believers after His resurrection (Luke 24:30)—the table ministry of Jesus invites us to stop our constant striving and abide in Him. Indeed, not until eating with Jesus did the two believers recognize Him as the risen Lord. “He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened” (vv. 30–31) to the living Christ.

Sitting with a friend recently at Fika, enjoying hot chocolate and rolls, we found ourselves also talking of Jesus. He is the Bread of Life. May we linger at His table and find more of Him.

Today’s Reflection
Lord, thank You for making time and room for us to abide at Your table.

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

This message was written By Patricia Raybon [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Open Heaven 25 February 2019 Monday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – The Crucified Life

Topic: The Crucified Life (Open Heaven 25 February 2019)

Memorise: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”- Galatians 2:20

Read: Romans 6:1-14 (KJV)

1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Bible in One Year: Acts 10-11, Isaiah 47

Open Heaven 25 February 2019 Monday MESSAGE:

From the onset of the early Church, different people have sort to describe the crucified life. My understanding of the crucified life is one that is wholly given over to God in absolute humility and obedience. It is a life of sacrifice that is pleasing to the Lord, and has its roots in Christ’s atoning work on the cross of Calvary, focusing on the death of the flesh to worldliness and sin. Living a crucified life implies being dead to sin and being alive to God in holiness and righteousness. Children of God living this way are transformed in character into the image of God that they possess within them through Christ.

“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” – Romans 6:6

“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” – Galatians 5:24

These two passages confirm that the subjection of our flesh to the power of the cross of Jesus Christ is not negotiable for us as Christians. To be born again means to put our old way of life in the flesh to death on the cross, and to thereafter receive a new kind of life which is yielded to God in righteousness, made available through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. After you become born again, you need to enforce the power of the crucified life that you possess inside of you continually by not yielding your natural body as an instrument to sin. The crucified life destroys the power of sin over God’s children. Galatians 5:24 says clearly that those who belong to Jesus Christ by being born again have crucified the flesh with its affection and lusts. You need to believe this and walk in its reality.

Moreover, the crucified life is absolutely committed to following the footsteps of Jesus Christ. It wants to love like Him and be more like Him in thoughts, speech and action. The whole essence of spiritual perfection has everything to do with mirroring the image of Jesus Christ the Author and Finisher of our faith. We attain this level of grace by daily walking in the Holy Spirit, who lives inside us. He continually ministers the mind of Christ to us on what to do at every point in time. When you consistently follow His guidance, the life of the resurrected Christ will show forth in you and sin will no longer be an issue in your life.

Open Heaven 25 February 2019 Monday Prayer Point:

Father, I receive the grace to walk in the reality of Your truth that my flesh has been crucified; help me to daily walk in the life of the resurrected Christ in Jesus’ Name.

Also Read: Open Heaven 24 February 2019 – Are you a Stumbling Block?

Open Heaven 25 February 2019 Monday Hymn 10: I Have Decided To Follow Jesus

1. I have decided to follow Jesus;
   I have decided to follow Jesus;
   I have decided to follow Jesus;
   No turning back, no turning back.
2. The world behind me, the cross before me;
   The world behind me, the cross before me;
   The world behind me, the cross before me;
   No turning back, no turning back.
3. Though none go with me, still I will follow;
   Though- none go with me, still I will follow;
   Though none go with me, still I will follow;
   No turning back, no turning back.
4. My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
   My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
   My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
   No turning back, no turning back.
5. Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
   Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
   Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
   No turning back, no turning back.

Open Heaven 25 February 2019 Monday 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. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC. Open Heaven 25 February 2019 Monday Daily Devotional

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.

Rhapsody of Realities 25 February 2019 By Pastor Chris Oyakhilome – Spirit-Controlled At All Times

Topic: Spirit-Controlled At All Times

…be filled with the [Holy] Spirit and constantly guided by Him (Ephesians 5:18 AMP).

A dear lady was very angry with another Christian sister, and as they bandied words, she said to her neighbour, “Any more word from you, I will drop this Bible, and smack your face!” Meanwhile, she wasn’t holding a physical Bible, but she meant that she’d keep aside whatever caution the Bible gives, and hit her.

What does that show? It shows the Word wasn’t yet in her heart; it was still in the Bible. When the Word is in you, you can’t drop it; it’s your life. Every Christian wants, and should live the life that’s Spirit-ruled and Spirit-controlled; the life that’s filled with God. That’s what Christianity is: Christ alive and at work in you, such that you’re always under the sway and regulation of the Spirit; not such things as anger, wrath and malice.

Don’t be controlled by your feelings or emotions; be Spirit-ruled. It makes no difference how angry you are; hold yourself in; it’s called in 2 Peter 1:6 “egkrateia” (Greek). The Bible says, “Be ye angry, and sin not…” (Ephesians 4:26). In other words, “Manage your anger.” You can be tempted to be angry, tempted to act in a way that’s inappropriate for a Christian, but if you walk in the spirit, you’ll not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

How do you walk in the spirit? It’s by walking in the Word of God; walking in the light of God’s Word. You’re in Christ now; walk in love. Be Spirit-ruled, and Spirit-controlled at all times. Read our opening verse again and notice how often we should be filled with the Spirit: always! When you’re filled with the Spirit, you have a Spirit-controlled life. Hallelujah!

CONFESSION
I’m full of the Spirit. I’m patient and full of divine wisdom; I express the beauty and excellence of divinity through my words and actions every day, being continually led of the Spirit, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:
Romans 8:13; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 4:1 NIV

1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Mark 7:1-23 & Leviticus 26-27

2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Matthew 17: 22-27 & Exodus 6

Click HERE to Read previous Messages

Rhapsody of Realities 25th February 2019 Devotional was written by Pastor Pastor Chris Oyakhilome (D.Sc., D.D.). President of Loveworld Inc. aka Christ Embassy Int’l.