Topic: More Than A Friend [DCLM Daily Manna 11 December 2018 Daily Devotional by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi]
Text: 1 Samuel 20:35-42 (KJV)
Key Verse:“And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city“(1 Samuel 20:42).
MESSAGE:
Genuine friendship can only thrive with loyalty, truthfulness, selflessness and sacrifice. Friendship, conjugal relationship and brotherly companionship with divine import and genuine impact are built on these worthy building blocks.
A story was told of a couple who was in a sinking cruise on the high seas. They managed to reach a life boat only to discover that there was only one space left. The wife conceded the space for the husband who jumped into the boat while the wife shouted only one sentence “take care of our child”. On the surface, it would look like an irrational decision but back home, the wife had been diagnosed with a terminal disease and the chance of the survival of their only child rested on the survival of the husband.
In our text, David had hinted his friend Jonathan that Saul, his father, had plotted to kill him (David). This was hard for Jonathan to believe hence he asked for time to verify this and they agreed on a sign from Jonathan to confirm or refute the suspicion. Jonathan was not only a dependable friend; he was also prompt, truthful, loyal and selfless. He did not aid his father’s bid to assassinate David his friend, even when it was ostensibly for Jonathan’s sake so that David would not compete with him for the throne.
In Jonathan, we find the ideal characteristics of friendship, devoid of hypocrisy, selfishness, tribal or fraternal biases, not blinded by jealousy, inordinate ambition and self-gratification. This wonderful virtue should be the desire of all who claim to love the Lord and want to see Him in the end.
Thought For The Day: A friend in need is a friend indeed.
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 Truth about Your Healing [Seeds of Destiny 11 December 2018 Devotional]
Scripture:But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.Isaiah 53:5
Thought For The Day: You are not a sick person trying to get healed; you are the person Jesus had already healed that the devil is trying to make sick.
The knowledge of truth is key to deliverance. Truth facilitates freedom. That is why it is important to know the truth about any venture that you undertake in life. There is nothing that sets free like the truth.
It is true that there are people who got healed and after a while, began to feel some symptoms again. This is because such people have not really grasped the truth about their healing.
Our anchor scripture tell us that …with His stripes, we are healed.
That is to say Jesus has paid the price for us on the cross of Calvary. Now, there were many stripes on Him, the result of being lashed and scourged by soldiers. Every stripe on His Body represents a category of disease or affliction, and the sum total of all the stripes represent different sicknesses, diseases and afflictions. Because of this, you are not a sick person trying to get healed; you are the person Jesus had already healed that the devil is trying to make sick. There is nothing new God is about to do concerning your healing; He has done it already.
Now, how do you receive your healing from God?
Through the act of thanksgiving. Always thank God for your healing (Proverbs 17:22).
Through positive actions. If you want to experience the reality of your healing, do what healed people do (Luke 17:14).
Make positive declarations. Let the weak say I am strong (Joel 3:10). Do not dignify the infirmity with attention.
Ensure you are saved. Your healing is guaranteed if your salvation is confirmed. The Saviour is the same as the Healer and the Deliverer (Psalm 103:1-5).
Beloved, believe the truth of God’s Word about your healing: By His stripes, you are healed.
Remember This: You are not a sick person trying to get healed; you are the person Jesus had already healed that the devil is trying to make sick.
Assignments:
Appreciate God for your healing and good health continually.
Make bold and positive declarations concerning your good health continually.
Prayer: O Lord, I thank You for Your sacrifice for me on the Cross of Calvary. Thank You for carrying away my sicknesses and diseases. I decree that I am totally free from sicknesses and diseases and I reject whatever the devil has put on me, Lord in Jesus’ Name.
FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: THE TRUTH ABOUT YOUR HEALING.
Quote: You were created and redeemed to stand out; not to die out. Culled from BE WISE AND RISE by Dr Paul Enenche
Daily Reading: 1 Chronicles 11:1 to 12:18, Acts 28:1 to 31, Psalm 9:1-12, Proverbs 19:1 to 3.
Amazing Fact: The human heart beats approximately 100,000 times a day.
Today In History: 11/12/2001 – The People’s Republic of China joins the World Trade Organization.
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: Expect the Messiah [Our Daily Bread 11 December 2018 Devotional]
Read: Matthew 13:53–58, Bible in a Year: Hosea 5–8; Revelation 2
“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary?”Matthew 13:55
The repairman looked young—too young to fix our problem, a car that wouldn’t start. “He’s just a kid,” my husband, Dan, whispered to me, showing his doubt. His disbelief in the young man sounded like the grumbling in Nazareth where citizens doubted who Jesus was.
“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?” they asked (Matthew 13:55) when Jesus taught in the synagogue. Scoffing, they were surprised to hear that someone they knew was healing and teaching, and asked, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” (v. 54). Instead of trusting in Jesus, they were offended by the authority He displayed (vv. 15, 58).
In this same way, we may struggle to trust in our Savior’s wisdom and power, especially in the familiar and ordinary details of our daily lives. Failing to expect His help, we may miss out on the wonder of His life transforming our own (v. 58).
As Dan found, the help he needed stood right in front of him. Finally agreeing to accept the young man’s aid, my husband allowed him to look at our old car’s battery. By switching just one bolt, the mechanic had the car running in seconds—engine humming and lights ablaze. “It lit up like Christmas,” Dan said.
So too may we expect and experience the Messiah bringing fresh light, life, and help into our daily journey with Him.
Prayer: When I doubt You, Lord, help my unbelief.
What are some practical ways you can remind yourself or others that God is in control and He is able?
INSIGHT Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah, the one promised in the Old Testament who would rescue God’s people and rule them justly. The word Messiah (from the Greek messias) is found only twice in the New Testament—John 1:41 and 4:25. John is careful to translate this word for his readers: “The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ)” (1:41). The word Christ (christos) means “anointed.” It’s the New Testament equivalent of Messiah and is found multiple times, beginning in Matthew 1:1: “This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah (christos) the son of David, the son of Abraham.” The composite picture of the Messiah/the Christ is that He is Jesus, the God-man, the King who has been raised from death and exalted to the right hand of God (Acts 2:32–36). Arthur Jackson
23-Year-Old Christian Woman with Down Syndrome Takes a Stand against Being Screened Out
A 23-year-old woman from the UK who has been outspoken about her life with Down syndrome is taking a stand against disability screening.
Coventry native Heidi Crowter stated that her parents “are being told lies” about Down syndrome. The 23-year-old is hopeful that she can lead by example, and that her life and strong faith will defy the misconceptions held by many.
Heidi is actively involved with Don’t Screen Us Out, a campaign group focused on bringing awareness to Non-Invasive-Prenatal Testing (NIPT), a practice that will likely result in a high number of abortions in the U.K.
Recent figures for Great Britain report that around 92% of pregnancies in which Down syndrome is identified result in abortion.
In Iceland, where NIPT screening has already been introduced, the abortion rate for babies with Down syndrome stands at nearly 100%.
In an interview with The Christian Institute, Heidi’s mother, Liz, stated that in Great Britain: “As abortion is legal up to birth for severe handicap, the pressure to abort is immense”.
“As a parent of a child with Down’s syndrome I see a decline in their numbers being a direct result of discrimination”.
Heidi added: “I think my concern is that more and more babies will be screened out. I’m trying to get them to actually meet the person…
Lauren Daigle Meets with Children’s Hospital Patients, Reveals How One Little Boy Changed Her Life
Christian singer Lauren Daigle recently visited numerous young patients staying at the Florida Hospital for Children in Orlando.
The recording artist took to Instragram to share her experience, writing: “We started off at Florida Hospital for Children learning about music therapy and it’s importance in healing those facing health challenges. I have always had some interest in how music affects not only the emotional part of a human but also the physical makeup.”
“It was amazing to see how these children came alive at the sounds coming from bells and wooden instruments,” Daigle mentioned. “All the struggle melted away. I saw eyes light up and smiles sneak in. I learned so many things this day, but one thing I hold dear: inclusion of people always wins.”
A particularly memorable part of Daigle’s visit was when she met a young patient named Gabriel.
“I met Gabriel today. He lit up the entire hospital,” the singer wrote. “He would sing at the top of his lungs and laugh with joy that would shake your bones.”
“I’ve never seen a human more passionate about people,” Daigle expressed. “If he was happy, he made sure you felt it too! Wanna know something wild? He had half of his brain removed when he was 6 months old. Love is a choice! This sweet boy changed my life. I prayed tonight,…
The event – which took place in the city of Oran, was a first ceremony of its kind in a Muslim country.
The men and women killed from Tunisia, Spain, France, and Belgium were declared martyrs by the Vatican in January because it said they had been killed out of hatred for their faith.
This paved the way for their beatification which is the step before sainthood in the Catholic Church.
Those honoured included seven French Trappist monks who were kidnapped from their monastery in the capital 1996.
Their skulls were discovered two months later but their bodies were never found.
A radical anti-government group – the GIA, claimed responsibility for the killings.
The other Catholics were murdered in separate incidents.
Pope Francis said in a message that he hoped the beatification would “heal the wounds of the past and create a new dynamic of meeting and living together”.
Roughly 1,200 people attended the event where a moment of silence was held for the 250,000 people killed as the army fought an Islamist insurgency between 1991 and 2002.
The ceremony also honoured 99 imams killed in the fighting.
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Open Heaven 11 December 2018 Tuesday Daily Devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Operating on the Right Side
Topic: Operating on the Right Side (Open Heaven 11 December 2018)
Memorise:“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”– Psalm 119:105
Read: John 21:3-12 (KJV)
3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.
6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.
8 And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.
9 As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.
10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.
11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.
12 Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.
Bible in One Year: Daniel 7-8, John 9:35-10:21
Open Heaven 11 December 2018 Tuesday MESSAGE:
The story narrated in today’s Bible reading contains some vital lessons for those who desire not to live in failure and frustration. From this story, we discover that our Lord Jesus Christ can choose to be humourous sometimes. Asking a group of frustrated fishermen whether they had food was a dose of humor from the Lord in order to change the gloomy atmosphere of failure that had enveloped the disciples. As a gesture of gratitude for being of great service to me, I once gave a small gift to a young man to pass on to his children at home. Unknown to me, this young man had no child since he got married. The Lord turned the gift into a prophetic tool, because by the time I was visiting that country the following year, the miracle child this young man had been waiting for had come. I decree that God will spice up your life with pleasant humour today in Jesus’ Name. When the Lord asked the disciples whether they had caught anything, He was also teasing them with His question because they were no long supposed to be in the fishing business. You will recall that in Luke 5:10, He had already said to Peter, in the presence of some of these disciples, that from that moment he would be catching men and not fish. Peter and his team failed because they were operating on the wrong side of their destiny.
It would not be out of place to be puzzled by Jesus’ instruction to His disciples in John 21:6 when He said “Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find”. This instruction should not be seen as symbolic, because there was nothing at the other side of the ship. Immediately the disciples cast their net on the right side as instructed, they caught a multitude of fish. Beloved, when you operate on the wrong side of life, you are bound to get nothing out of it. The Lord’s side is the right side of life. He said in John 14:6:
“…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
He is still leading men to the right side of life today through His word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, for you to continually stand on the right side of life, you must be addicted to the study of the Bible and be sure to listen to the Holy Spirit’s voice, guiding and leading you into all truth (John 16:13). However, having experienced the right side of life, it would be disastrous to abandon it for the wrong side of self-will. Jesus committed the work of the ministry to Simeon Peter, but he and his team went fishing instead. What did they get out of their efforts? Nothing! Nevertheless, the compassionate Master went ahead to prepare a delicious breakfast for His errant disciples (John 21:9). There is no form of lack on the Lord’s side. Beloved, I appeal to you to come to the Lord’s side in perfect obedience to His word today, and failure will become alien to you and your generation.
Open Heaven 11 December 2018 Tuesday Prayer Point:
Father, please bring me to the right side of Your purpose for my life, and cause me to begin to succeed where I have been failing.
Open Heaven 11 December 2018 Tuesday Hymn 4: Trust And Obey
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, What a glory He sheds on our way! While we do His good will, He abides with us still, And with all who will trust and obey.
Chorus:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies, But His smile quickly drives it away; Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear, Can abide while we trust and obey.
Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share, But our toil He doth richly repay; Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross, But is blessed if we trust and obey.
But we never can prove the delights of His love Until all on the altar we lay; For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows, Are for them who will trust and obey.
Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet, Or we’ll walk by His side in the way; What He says we will do, where He sends we will go; Never fear, only trust and obey.
Open Heaven 11 December 2018 Tuesday 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 11 December 2018 Tuesday 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.
Transgender Person Who Murdered Parents over Gender Issues is Sentenced
A man who identifies as a woman was sentenced last week to 40 years in prison for the 2016 murders of his parents.
Andrew T. Balcer—who now identifies as “Andrea”—told a local newspaper the murders followed a disagreement over gender identity. Balcer also claims he was sexually molested.
“I wanted to grow up and be a woman,” Balcer told the Kennebec Journal. “They kind of sat me down and told me and kind of physically forced into me that that was something that was not acceptable.”
But Balcer’s brother, Christopher, says his parents would have supported Balcer’s new choice of gender.
Balcer, now 20, stabbed his mother and father to death on Halloween 2016. Balcer spared Christopher, who fled.
“I spent however many years being raised as a boy, as a man. It was drilled into me what men do, what they’re supposed to be,” Balcer told the newspaper. “I was never raised the way I wanted to be. So I am conflicted between the person that I was raised to be and the person who I want to be.”
Balcer regrets what happened.
“Only a monster would not feel remorse at that kind of thing,” Balcer said from jail. “I’m not happy that all of this happened. It just traded one hell for another.”
The Salvation Army and Crisis have had to turn applications from potential volunteers down, as they have had too many people offering their time.
Claire Bonham, Volunteer Development Manager for The Salvation Army told Premier: “It’s a lovely problem to have… it’s hard to be critical of people who want to volunteer at Christmas, and we’re really not!”
Explaining the reason for the boom, she said: “It’s more on people’s minds at this time of year, when people are thinking about family and counting their blessings in a way, to think about those who don’t have what we have, people who are out on the streets when it’s really cold, people who are lonely, perhaps people who are in debt.”
“It’s a fantastic opportunity to give back, but unfortunately our programmes do get filled quite quickly.”
Asked if the Salvation Army had to turn away volunteers at any other part of the year, she said: “There is something really special about Christmas.
“It allows people to take stock, and I think as Christians we’re thinking more about the incarnational ministry of Jesus at this time of year and that leads people to think about those who are less fortunate, so it tends to be mainly Christmas [that is busy].”
In the absence of volunteering opportunities, the Salvation is asking people to pray for its ministries over the Christmas period.
Parents Raising Genderless Baby, ‘Zo,’ Who Will Pick Gender When Older
The father of a 22-month-old says in a new video that he and his partner are raising their child gender-neutral and will let the child choose a gender when older.
They named the child “Zo.”
“We use ‘they’ pronouns for Zo,” the father, Nathan Levitt, says in a new video for TicToc, a Bloomberg Twitter feed. “We felt like there are so many gender stereotypes that get put on kids. From the second they’re born, the question is, ‘Is it a boy or a girl?’ And then so many decisions are made from that. … Are you going to buy pink clothes or blue clothes? Do they play with trucks or with dolls?
“And we felt we really want, as best as we can, to have our child not have those stereotypes put on them. And our child to have the openness to identity as whatever gender they want to whenever they feel that’s right for them.”
Levitt and his husband identify as transgender men.
When strangers ask Levitt or his husband “is it a boy or a girl?” they often respond, “We don’t know yet. We’re waiting for Zo to tell us.”
“We are preparing for whatever Zo might say and however Zo might identify, knowing that might change,” Levitt says. “So there might be a time where Zo says. ‘I don’t feel like a ‘they.’ I feel like a ‘she’ or I feel like a ‘he.’”
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