Open Heavens 24 August 2018 Friday Daily Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye – An Agent of Miracles?

Topic: An Agent of Miracles?

Memorise: “17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”– Mark 16:17-18

Read: Matthew 10:1-8 (KJV)

1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;

4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:

6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Bible in One Year: Psalm 57-63, Matthew 25:14-30

Open Heavens 24 August 2018 Friday MESSAGE:

We need to fully comprehend what our Lord meant when He said “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). More often than not, we think of giving as being limited to material things, and so we lose sight of the fact that we can also give spiritual blessings to others and make spiritual impact. The early apostles realised this truth and that was why Peter and John were not intimidated by their financial limitation (Acts 3:6). They gave from the spiritual deposits God placed in their lives. One of the attributes our Lord Jesus Christ bestowed upon His early disciples was the ability to perform miracles, and we should not be different. They were specifically commissioned by the Lord to go and perform miracles, Matthew 10:7-8 says:

“7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.”

It is a thing of unspeakable joy to receive a miracle. After I gave my life to Christ, the first notable benefit I received from God was victory over malaria that had hitherto plagued my life almost every month. The first month I did not fall sick was a month of celebration in my family. However, the joy of this cannot be compared to the joy I had the day the Lord first performed a miracle of healing through me. I almost jumped out of the window for joy when a dumb child spoke after I prayed for healing. Ever since then, the Lord has made this a continuous experience in my ministry. Countless miracles that may sound unbelievable have been performed by Him through our ministry. You cannot imagine the joy experienced by an agent of miracles, after God uses him or her to put smiles on the faces of several thousands of women who had been considered barren. Many times, some of my children would organise a dinner or luncheon for me, not only because they want to be generous to me, but because of the miracles that would follow from the encounter. I am full of joy when this happens. My prayer is that you also will become an agent of miracles today in Jesus’ Name. All you need to do is to surrender your life to Jesus and leave the rest to Him. He knows how He turned a fisherman into a fisher of men and an agent of miracles (Matthew 4:18-19, Acts 5:14-15). He also knows how He turned a person who was a danger to the Church into an apostle, whose apron could cast out demons (Acts 19:11-12). If you desire to graduate from being a consumer to an agent of performing miracles, He will fulfil the desire of your heart. Only believe!

Prayer Point: Open Heavens 24 August 2018 Friday

Father, please make me a channel of blessings and miracles today in Jesus’ Name.

Also Read: Open Heavens 23 August 2018 – The Sacredness of Life

Open Heavens 24 August 2018 Friday Hymn 18: Conqueror and Overcomers Now Are We

1. Conquerors and overcomers now are we,
Thro’ the precious blood of Christ we’ve victory
If the Lord be for us we can never fail,
Nothing ‘gainst His mighty power can e’er prevail.

Chorus
Conquerors are we, thr’o the blood of Jesus
God will give us victory, thro’ the blood of Jesus
Through the Lamb for sinners slain,
Yet who lives and reigns again,
More than conquerors are we,
More than conquerors are we.

2. In the name of Israel’s God we’ll onward press,
Overcoming sin and all unrighteousness;
Not to us but unto Him the praise shall be,
For salvation and for blood bought victory.

3. Unto Him that overcometh shall be given,
Here to eat of hidden manna sent from Heaven,
Over yonder He the victors palm shall bear,
And a robe of white, and golden crown shall wear.

Open Heavens 24 August 2018 Friday 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 24 August 2018.

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: God wants your home to succeed (Part 3)

Dear Reader,

As God is interested in the family, satan also is interested in the family. Whatever is not good, is not God because God cannot behold evil. So, satan is behind whatever is not good in the home. God’s plan for the family is revealed in Genesis 2:18, And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make an help meet for him.

God established marriage for the purpose of making life good for man. After He instituted marriage, God confirmed that it was very good. However, it was not long after that the enemy came on the scene. As a matter of fact, it was soon after God performed the wedding ceremony, and declared, “Behold Mr. and Mrs. Adam”, that satan showed up.

Satan is the enemy of everything good. Having lost access to goodness; immediately he fell from heaven, he could not stand anyone else enjoying goodness. He is envious of any good thing, so he goes about reversing the order of things. This is what makes him wicked.

People attribute the crisis in homes to incompatibility or disagreements; but it is actually satan who is behind the woes in families. He has determined to cause havoc in homes. He would do anything or pay any price to shatter a home. Quite a number of people, even in the Church, are victims of this satanic onslaught against families.

Some wish they were never married, yet God says, “I created it for your good.” I can imagine Adam wishing he was never created, when he was driven out of Eden into the wilderness. I picture him running away from the wild animals, which were his pets, before satan entered the garden and sent him out.

I perceived that satan was envious of the fact that the couple were standing on their feet, while he was crawling on the ground. So, he came with a mission to have them grounded. But the good news is that although satan bruised the heel of mankind, to floor him, man can bruise his head and wound him fatally. This was what Jesus came to do on earth. As the seed of the woman, His mission on earth was to bruise satan’s head and empower us to do same. God’s Word says: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel (Genesis 3:15).God’s Word also says in Luke 10:19, Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

To counteract the activity of satan against the family unit, Jesus’ first miracle was at a wedding ceremony in Canaan of Galilee (John 2). Whereas the first thing satan did was to destroy a family, the first miracle Jesus performed was to wipe away shame from a family. Jesus summarizes the situation and His mission on earth very clearly in John 10:10; The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy, I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Satan’s mission of stealing, killing and destroying is first targeted at the home. His primary concern is how to steal the joy, peace and love that exist between couples. His plan is on how to move the man against the woman, so that one of them would eventually move out of their home, the same way he drove Adam and Eve out of Eden. He still prowls around looking for gullible people to drive away from their homes.

That is why you suddenly find a couple who, just a few minutes ago, were calling each other “Sweety” or “Honey”, pouncing on each other as bulls in a fight. The sweetness in their home turns sour, until it becomes so bitter that there is no trace of sweetness in it again. Perhaps, if the husband used to call his wife “honey”, satan comes in and moves him to say to her, “If this marriage wants to break, let it break. After all, marriage is not the Kingdom of God.” All satan wants is to destroy the union, by destroying the things that join them together.

That is why Jesus said: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.That abundant life is first directed to the homes.

Satan hangs around beautiful things, so he can corrupt the beauty. He hung around Job, because his life was beautiful. He continued till he destroyed the beauty around him. Satan has not changed his techniques. Once he sees any joyful couple, he says, “I must get them.” He hates to see any family being successful; and he would stop at nothing to destroy it.

Every family is vulnerable to satan’s attacks. He still goes about to and fro as a roaring lion, seeking families to devour. However, it is within your power to oppose him.

One of the enemy’s trump cards against the home is polygamy, particularly in Africa. He deceives a man into marrying another wife under the excuse that the first one is not living up to expectation. So, the man takes a second, a third, and even a fourth wife, because he soon discovers that subsequent wives are worse than the first.

Satan is a trickster! He has no power; only tricks. Right from Eden, he had no strength, but tricks. When you are unaware of his devices, he takes advantage of your ignorance to buffet you. He is still looking for families to push out of their gardens of Eden today. His method is still the same. He questions God’s instructions and challenges everything God says. He still whispers to husbands, “Has God said, ‘Thou shalt love thy wife as Christ loved the Church? But can you call that woman a wife? She is a witch! God said you should love your wife, not a witch”.

Then he goes to the woman and says, “Has God actually said, ‘Thou shalt submit to your husband in everything? No, not when it is obviously a stupid thing to do. Remember that the reason you went to school is to be able to reason out issues!

For you to escape satan’s tricks, you need to be born again. This is done by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. If you are already born again, rejoice because your case is settled. If you are not yet born again and you desire to do so right now, please pray this prayer with faith in your heart: 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 personal 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).

“Please click HERE to read other inspiring articles by Pastor Faith Oyedepo”

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: Perfect Love Casts Out Fear [TREM 23 August 2018 Daily Devotional]

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love”. 1 John 4:18

When you are afraid, it is an indication that you are not perfect in God’s love. Our love for God can never be perfect when we live in fear. We receive things from God based on His love for us. Our love for Him is in response to His love for us. When the bible is talking about perfect love, it’s talking about God’s love for you. It is everlasting, unfailing and unconditional. What makes it perfect is that He knows you in and out.

All things work for good to them that God loves. Look around you, there is always something to thank God for. We should be the most joyful people. The bible says your faith will become effective by acknowledging the good things in you in Christ Jesus. Don’t bother about the bad, look for the good. Fear not! Fear is what the devil uses as a weapon. He throws it forward before he attacks you. When you feel afraid, start to pray and to speak in tongues.

God has said He will give you rest, so fear not! He redeemed you while you were a mess and paid for you. His steadfast love for you never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning. Receive your benefit! You may see yourself as not good enough but He paid for and bought you. God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith he loved us, when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. He redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us for it is written cursed is any man that hangeth on a tree: that the blessing of Abraham might come upon us, that we may receive the promise of the spirit by faith. You are a blessed man. Begin to thank God for your life.

Further Reading: Isaiah 43:1-13, 1 John 4:16-20

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Psalms 113-115; Evening- 1 Corinthians 6

“If you missed yesterday devotional click HERE to read TREM Daily Devotional by Dr. Mike Okonkwo’’ 

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.

Topic: An Enduring Happiness [Our Daily Bread 23 August 2018 Devotional]

Read: Psalm 34:1–14, Bible in a Year: Psalms 113–115; 1 Corinthians 6

Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days . . . . Turn from evil and do good. Psalm 34:12,14

Often we hear that happiness comes from doing things our own way. That, however, is not true. That philosophy leads only to emptiness, anxiety, and heartache.

Poet W. H. Auden observed people as they attempted to find an escape in pleasures. He wrote of such people: “Lost in a haunted wood, / Children afraid of the night / Who have never been happy or good.”

The psalmist David sings of the remedy for our fears and unhappiness. “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4). Happiness is doing things God’s way, a fact that can be verified every day. “Those who look to him are radiant,” writes David (v. 5). Just try it and you’ll see. That’s what he means when he says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (v. 8).

We say, “Seeing is believing.” That’s how we know things in this world. Show me proof and I’ll believe it. God puts it the other way around. Believing is seeing. “Taste and then you will see.”

Take the Lord at His word. Do the very next thing He is asking you to do and you will see. He will give you grace to do the right thing and more: He will give you Himself—the only source of goodness—and with it, enduring happiness.

Prayer: Lord, sometimes we must simply pray: “I believe. Help my unbelief.” Help us trust You by doing what You have given us to do today.

Happiness is doing the right thing.

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

This message was written By David H. Roper [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: Leaving the Low Life Behind [Kenneth & Gloria Copeland 23 August 2018 Daily Devotional]

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. – Matthew 16:25

The high life…or the low life? God’s kind of life…or the world’s kind of life? You can’t have them both. It’s one or the other. You have to choose.

You may try to put off that choice. You may try to hang on to the low life while reaching out for the high life at the same time, so you can see if it’s something you really want before you give up everything the world has to offer. But, believe me, you’re not that tall!

You’ll never be able to sample the high life for yourself until you’re willing to let go, until you’re willing to take God at His Word and trust Him to take care of you.

What will happen to you when you do that? You’ll start living the kind of life God describes in Psalm 1. You’ll be like “a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; [your] leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever [you] doeth shall prosper” (verse 3).

In West Texas talk that means your roots will go down so deep that no drought can dry you up and no storm can blow you down. No matter what happens in the world around you, you’ll prosper.

The stronger the wind blows, the more you’ll bend in the breeze. Depression and inflation won’t be able to break you. When the rains stop coming and everyone else is withering away, you’ll just keep on thriving and bearing the fruit of the spirit because you’re drawing up nourishment from the riverbed!

That’s what the high life is like and there’s nothing that the world has to offer that can even compare. I know that from experience. Once you dare to let go and trust God…so will you.

Scripture Reading: Matthew 16:13-26

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Kenneth and Gloria Copeland’s Daily Devotional Here’’

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: Leaving the Low Life Behind [Kenneth & Gloria Copeland 23 August 2018 Daily Devotional]

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. – Matthew 16:25

The high life…or the low life? God’s kind of life…or the world’s kind of life? You can’t have them both. It’s one or the other. You have to choose.

You may try to put off that choice. You may try to hang on to the low life while reaching out for the high life at the same time, so you can see if it’s something you really want before you give up everything the world has to offer. But, believe me, you’re not that tall!

You’ll never be able to sample the high life for yourself until you’re willing to let go, until you’re willing to take God at His Word and trust Him to take care of you.

What will happen to you when you do that? You’ll start living the kind of life God describes in Psalm 1. You’ll be like “a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; [your] leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever [you] doeth shall prosper” (verse 3).

In West Texas talk that means your roots will go down so deep that no drought can dry you up and no storm can blow you down. No matter what happens in the world around you, you’ll prosper.

The stronger the wind blows, the more you’ll bend in the breeze. Depression and inflation won’t be able to break you. When the rains stop coming and everyone else is withering away, you’ll just keep on thriving and bearing the fruit of the spirit because you’re drawing up nourishment from the riverbed!

That’s what the high life is like and there’s nothing that the world has to offer that can even compare. I know that from experience. Once you dare to let go and trust God…so will you.

Scripture Reading: Matthew 16:13-26

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Kenneth and Gloria Copeland’s Daily Devotional Here’’

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: Failure of Trust in Man [DCLM Daily Manna 23 August 2018 Daily Devotional]

Text: Isaiah 31:1-9 (KJV)

Key Verse: “Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!” (Isaiah 31:1).

MESSAGE:

There is no king saved by the multitude of an host; a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear Him …to deliver their soul from death …Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield” (Psalm 33:16-20).

In the passage of study today, the Jews trusted in numbers, looking up to the horses and chariots of Egypt because they were many. Alas, this is neither peculiar to the Jews nor limited to any age or dispensation. It is a continual spiritual peril. Many think there is safety or salvation in numbers. Trust in apparent human strength has always proved disastrous. Egyptians were men and not God. Men have been known to break their promises and withdraw their support in the last minute. God is angry and offended when His Word is disobeyed and He Himself is distrusted and deserted for carnal help. Trusting in man ignores the huge resources available from God.

Today, men still look for relief from wrong sources in the day of trouble, forgetting that the Lord is our Refuge and Helper. Men still seek for happiness in wrong paths, forgetting that the source of true happiness is to align our will with His will. Men still seek for salvation in other ways outside of Christ, the only Way, Truth and Life. Repent quickly if you are amongst those who lean on men’s shoulders during perilous times. God remains our present help in times of trouble. Take full advantage of your covenant blessings in Christ.

Thought For The Day: Our soul waits for the Lord: He is our Help and Shield.

Bible Reading In One Year: Jeremiah 49-50

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 Lifestyle of Insincerity and Falsehood [Seeds of Destiny 23 August 2018 Daily Devotional]

Scripture: A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies. Proverbs 14:5

Thought For The Day: Anyone who avoids the way of truth has embraced the way of bondage.

It has been established that the lifestyle of insincerity or falsehood is a deadly enemy of destiny. In 2 Samuel 1:6 – 16, there was a man who killed himself by telling lies. He ran to King David and told him that he was passing by and saw King Saul trying to kill himself, so, he helped to kill him and brought the crown for David. He brought this message to David because he thought that David would reward him because he killed David’s enemy. David, however, commanded that the man should be killed and he was killed instantly. Factually, the man did not kill Saul; Saul killed himself. You see, the man brought untimely death upon himself by lying. Lies can lead to untimely death.

I would like you to take note of the following concerning falsehood:
i) The absence of truth is the absence of the Spirit of God
Anywhere the truth is absent, the Spirit of God is absent because the Bible said that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth (John 16:13).

ii) Existing in falsehood is attracting the activity of the enemy
Anybody who exists in falsehood exists in the company of the devil, the father of lies (John 8:44).

iii) There can be no triumph in life without truth
Freedom or triumph is tied to truth (John 8:32). Anyone who avoids the way of truth has embraced the way of bondage; a liar is a natural candidate for captivity.

iv) Truth guarantees longevity and lasting result
Truth guarantees longevity and lasting results but lies cut lives and destinies short (Proverbs 12:19). It does not matter how successful a fake man is, that success would not last. It does not matter how prosperous a deceitful person is, that prosperity has no future in this world and in the world to come.

Beloved, make up your mind to speak the truth always; avoid the way of falsehood.

Remember this: Anyone who avoids the way of truth has embraced the way of bondage.

Assignments:
1. Avoid the lifestyle of falsehood and insincerity.
2. Speak the truth always.

Prayer: O Lord, I reject every spirit of lies and falsehood. I receive Your grace to be truthful always, Lord, in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: DEADLY ENEMIES OF DESTINY (PART 5)

Daily Bible Reading: Job 8:1 to 11:20, 1 Corinthians 15:1 to 28, Psalm 38:1 to 22, Proverbs 21:28 to 29

Amazing Fact: An ostrich has two toes on each feet which give it greater speed.

Today In History: 23/08/1962 – The first live TV program was relayed between the U.S. and Europe through the U.S. Telstar satellite.

Quote: A lying tongue portrays a certain wrong realm of life – the realm of insincerity, falsehood, and hypocrisy. Culled from WHO ARE YOU? by Dr Paul Enenche.

Also Read: Seeds of Destiny by Pastor Paul Enenche “https://flatimes.com/category/seeds-of-destiny/

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.