Topic: Consequences of Pretence [DCLM Daily Manna 20 September 2018 Daily Devotional]

Text: Mark 12:38-44 (KJV)

Key Verse: “Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation“ (Mark 12:40).

MESSAGE:

Pretence is synonymous with hypocrisy, which is sinfulness dressed up in the garment of righteousness to hide the filth.

This is true of the Scribes in today’s text, who pretended to be true religious leaders by wearing religious garments and acted in a pious way to gain status, recognition and respect. Though, they exploited the people through their religious activities and position, they took time to offer long prayers. The Lord, knowing their impure motives, exposed them by cautioning the people against their sins of pride and hypocrisy. He had earlier rebuked and pronounced woes upon them (Matthew 23:14,15) and now declared damnation on them.

Believers need to take heed to the warning of the Lord. We should know that true followers of Christ are not distinguished by showing off religion, praying unscripturally in the public glare and serving as unsaved workers. Unlike the scribes, our service of giving unto the Lord whether small or big, in secret or in public, should be done faithfully, without pretence and out of a pure heart. Note that, religion without righteousness equals rebellion against God’s word which attracts damning consequences.

God requires that we serve and worship Him in spirit and in truth. Those who believe they can act piously in pretence to gain the adulations of men will eventually discover to their loss that God only accepts and rewards services rendered in holiness and righteousness before Him.

Thought For The Day: Hypocrisy is foolishness before God

Bible Reading In One Year: Haggai

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: Heaven [Andrew Wommack 20 September 2018 Daily Devotional]

Mark 12:25 “For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.”

The word heaven comes from the Greek word meaning “the sky; heaven as the abode of God”; by implication, “happiness; power; an eternity.”

Paul mentioned being caught up into “the third heaven” in 2 Corinthians 12:2. Since “the third heaven” exists, there must also be a first and second heaven. The first is probably the atmospheric heaven, the second, the abode of supernatural angelic beings, and the third, the place where God dwells.

God now dwells in the hearts of His people, but He also sits on His throne in heaven. The Lord’s commitment to dwell in us and never leave us or forsake us, must be taken as an indication of His great love for us. Heaven has a real temple which is patterned after the Old Testament tabernacle. Saints who die go immediately into heaven and into the presence of God.

Paul had a vision of heaven that made him long to go there. Most people cling to this physical life for selfish reasons. Only when we lose our life (die to self and live for Christ and others) do we truly find out what life is all about. If we seriously thought about what the scriptures teach us about our life with Christ after this physical life, we would all think like Paul. The things prepared for us are so wonderful that we can’t totally comprehend them with our finite mind. We need to value our eternal life more and our temporal life less. This would solve many problems and remove a lot of grief.

Also Read: Andrew Wommack Daily Devotional

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: Do You Surrender? [Billy Graham Daily Devotional 20 September 2018]

It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others. — Ephesians 2:10 (TLB)

Happiness and all of the unlimited benefits which flow from the storehouse of heaven are contingent upon our relationship to God. Absolute dependency and absolute yieldedness are the conditions of being His child. Only His children are entitled to receive those things that lend themselves to happiness; and in order to be His child, there must be surrender of the will to Him.

We must admit we are poor before we can be made rich. We must admit we are destitute before we can become children of adoption. When we realize that all our own goodness is as filthy rags in God’s sight, and become aware of the destructive power of our stubborn wills; when we realize our absolute dependence upon the grace of God through faith and nothing more, then we have started on the road to happiness.

Man does not come to know God through works—he comes to know God by faith through grace. You cannot work your way toward happiness and heaven, you cannot moralize your way, you cannot reform your way, you cannot buy your way. It comes as a gift of God through Christ.

Prayer for the day: Ever impress upon us, Lord Jesus, that it is through grace that we came to know You; that it is because of You that we stand righteous before You.

“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.

Topic: Where to Find Hope [Our Daily Bread 20 September 2018 Devotional]

Read: Romans 5:1–11, Bible in a Year: Ecclesiastes 4–6; 2 Corinthians 12

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5:5

Elizabeth struggled for a long time with drug addiction, and when she recovered wanted to help others in return. So she started writing notes and anonymously placing them throughout her city. Elizabeth tucks these notes under car windshield wipers and tacks them on poles in parks. She used to look for signs of hope; now she leaves them for others to find. One of her notes concluded with these words: “Much love. Hope sent.”

Hope with love—that’s what Jesus gives. He brings us His love with each new day and strengthens us with that hope. His love is not rationed out to us drop by drop but flows out of His heart freely and is poured lavishly into ours: “We know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love” (Romans 5:5 nlt). He desires to use the hard times to develop perseverance and character and bring us a satisfying, hope-filled life (vv. 3–4). And even when we’re far from Him, He still loves us (vv. 6–8).

Are you looking for signs of hope? The Lord gives hope with love through inviting us to grow in a relationship with Him. Our hope for a fulfilling life is anchored in His unfailing love.

Prayer: I’m grateful, God, for the love You lavishly pour on me. Please bring me contentment in You and confidence in what You are doing in me.

Read Hope: Choosing Faith Instead of Fear at discoveryseries.org/q0733.

Hope is the anchor of the soul.

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

This message was written By Anne Cetas [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Open Heavens 20 September 2018 Thursday Daily Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye – Don’t Gamble with your Life

Topic: Don’t Gamble with your Life (Open Heavens 20 September 2018)

Memorise: “The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.”- Psalm 25:9

Read: Psalm 25:8-14 (KJV)

8 Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.

9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.

10 All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

11 For thy name’s sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.

12 What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.

13 His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.

14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

Bible in One Year: Ecclesiastes 4-7, Mark 10:35-52

Open Heavens 20 September 2018 Thursday MESSAGE:

From the beginning, God’s plan for mankind has been that we should live our lives guided by His counsel and direction in the place of fellowship. When we refuse to consult with God before taking decisions, we end up gambling and fumbling, which more often than not damages a fellow’s destiny irreparably. The reality of this truth is visible in the lives of our first parents and Abraham. It would have been a different story completely, if Adam and Eve had told the devil to allow them confirm from God the truth of his counsel. It would have also been a different story if the father of faith had consulted with God before consenting to Sarah’s proposal to have a child through Hagar. The world would have been saved the ordeal of the violent tribe which troubles the nations of the world today (Genesis 16:11-12).

You must be divinely guided in your endeavors if you will not fumble. As revealed in today’s memory verse, it takes a heart of meekness to receive God’s guidance. The proud will not seek guidance, and even if the guidance offered freely, the proud will reject it with impunity. For this reason, Proverb 9:8 says:

“Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.”

Beloved, God can only guide the meek because He does not waste His time with those who despise His counsel. In accordance with His principles, when His people despise His counsel, God leaves them alone (Hosea 4:17).

We are told in today’s Bible reading that the secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him (Psalm 25:14). In other words, the fear of the Lord will also earn us divine guidance, so that we do not gamble with our lives. An example of someone who did not gamble with his life is King David. In 1 Samuel chapter 30, after his camp at Ziklag was raided and he wept with his men for the calamity that had befallen them, David not only encouraged himself in the Lord, he also inquired from Him on the next line of action to take. 1 Samuel 30:8 says:

“And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.”

This assurance from the Lord motivated him to pursue and recover all. This is praiseworthy because he did not allow the emotions of their great loss to push him into taking a gamble by pursuing the raiders without consulting God first. Beloved, I encourage you to begin to entrust your life into God’s hands and never pursue a course of action without first seeking divine counsel about it.

Open Heavens 20 September 2018 Thursday Prayer Point:

Father, please guide me in my entire life’s journey, in Jesus’ Name.

Also Read: Open Heavens 19 September 2018 – The Window of the Heart

Open Heavens 20 September 2018 Thursday Hymn 4: Trust And Obey

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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 Heavens 20 September 2018 Thursday 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 Heavens 20 September 2018 Thursday 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.