Topic: Tradition Neutralizes [Andrew Wommack Sunday May 20, 2018]

Mark 7:13, “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.”

Text: Mark 7:1-13

Deuteronomy 4:2 clearly states “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it . . . .” This same thought is repeated in the New Testament in Revelation 22:18-19 with very stiff penalties. Religious man is very swift to observe the part about not diminishing any of God’s commandments, but there seems to be an unwritten law that adding to them is okay. Every denomination has its own set of “do’s and don’ts” which aren’t found in scripture, and like those of the hypocritical Pharisees, their unwritten laws usually have to do with outward appearance.

We need to remember that adding to God’s commandments is just as bad as taking away from them. We need to speak when the Bible speaks, and be silent when the Bible is silent.

The commandments of God and the traditions of men are not the same thing and must always be clearly distinguished. Any attempt to place them on the same level will always result in making the Word of God of none effect. You have to either “lay aside” the commandment of God to keep the traditions of men or you have to “lay aside” the traditions of men to keep the commandments of God (Ex. 20:3). Church liturgy is tradition, as well as many of the “do’s and don’ts” taught by churches today. We can neutralize the positive power of God’s Word toward us, and nothing will do that quicker than elevating man’s traditions above God’s Word. God’s Word is still true (Rom. 3:3-4) and will not return to Him void (Isa. 55:11).

The Word will not profit anyone who doesn’t believe it, but God’s Word itself doesn’t lose any power. If some do not believe God’s Word, does that make God’s Word of no effect? The answer to this question is a resounding “no!” God’s Word still has its power to save, and it will profit you when you mix it with faith.

“If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read Andrew Wommack’s Daily Devotional HERE

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).

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Topic: A New Community [Our Daily Bread 20 Sunday May, 2018]

Read: Acts 2:1–12, 42–47, Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 10–12; John 6:45–71

All the believers were together and had everything in common. Acts 2:44

My friend Carrie’s five-year-old daughter, Maija, has an interesting approach to playtime. She loves mixing together dolls from different playsets to come up with a new community. In the world of her imagination, everything belongs together. These are her people. She believes they are happiest when they’re together, despite being different sizes and shapes.

Her creativity reminds me of God’s purpose for the church. On the day of Pentecost, Luke tells us, “Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5). Though these people were from different cultures and spoke different languages, the Holy Spirit’s arrival made them a new community: the church. From then on, they would be considered one body, unified by the death and resurrection of Jesus.

The leaders of this new body were a group of men Jesus brought together during His time on earth—His disciples. If Jesus hadn’t united them, more than likely they would never have come together. And now more people—“about three thousand” (2:41)—had become Christ-followers. Thanks to the Holy Spirit, this once divided group “had everything in common” (v. 44). They were willing to share what they had with each other.

Prayer: The Holy Spirit continues to bridge the gaps between people groups. We might not always get along, nor readily understand one another. But as believers in Christ, we belong together.

Jesus, thank You for dying for us and uniting us as one people in the church.

The Holy Spirit turns “us” and “them” into “we.”

Insight:

The brand-new church God established in Acts 2 demonstrated a sense of unprecedented community across ethnic and national lines (vv. 5–11). This life included teaching by the apostles, fellowship with each other, sharing meals, and praying together (v. 42).

How do we live out the community life God calls us to? Tim Gustafson

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

This message was written By Linda Washington [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

The post Our Daily Bread Devotional 20 May 2018 – A New Community appeared first on Flatimes.

Topic: Complete Victory [Billy Graham’s Devotional Sunday May 20, 2018]

. . . greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. — 1 John 4:4

Paul once wrote, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would” (Galatians 5:17). This is the battle or the tension that is present in us to a greater or lesser degree. So, you see, the spiritual lag that you feel is explained in the Bible. That does not mean that you accept it as the way it should be. You should make all necessary preparations for this battle which the Bible says “is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces.”

In Ephesians 6 we read that the Bible tells what preparation you should make. In the meantime, always remember that “where sin abounds, grace did much more abound.” You can have complete victory! We are told to submit ourselves unto God, and the devil will flee from us. We are also promised that “sin shall not reign over us.”

Prayer for the day: Lord, like Paul I battle daily with Satan. I submit everything in my life to You, knowing that already the fight has been won.

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.

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Topic: Free From the Curse [Kenneth & Gloria Copeland, Sunday May 20, 2018]

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. – Galatians 3:13

You know the story. Satan came to Adam’s wife in the form of a serpent and deceived her into disobeying God. Adam, although he was not deceived, followed suit.

When Satan came into the Garden that day, he didn’t have any power at all. He had to come in like a sneak, not even talking to Adam directly but talking to his wife.

Now Adam was standing there, and he should have kicked him out right then. But he didn’t. He set aside the command God had given him and did what Satan told him to do instead. And when he did that, he made Satan his lord.

In bowing his knee to Satan, Adam gave Satan the authority that God had given him. He made Satan the illegitimate ruler of the earth. Immediately things changed. Through one man’s trespass, death passed to all men (Romans 5:12).

The earth and everything in it was suddenly cursed.

“OK,” you say, “are we to live under this curse for the rest of our lives? Wasn’t there anything God could do?”

He could and He did! He sent Jesus. Through Jesus, He set us free from the curse (Galatians 3:13).

The moment you made Jesus Christ Lord of your life, you were delivered from the lordship of Satan. You were redeemed from the curse. I didn’t say the curse wasn’t out there anymore. It is! You can see it all around you. But now you have a choice. You have authority over it in the Name of Jesus, so you can stand against it.

God’s done everything that love can do. He sent Jesus to redeem you from the curse. The rest is up to you. Now you must appropriate what has already been done for you.

Scripture Reading: Romans 5:12-21

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.

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Topic: It Is Not Hopeless [TREM Devotional Sunday May 20, 2018]

“So, I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied there was a noise and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.” Ezekiel 37:7

No situation is hopeless if God is involved. No matter how bad the situation is, it can still turn around. In our text, the prophet Ezekiel was in the valley of dry bones. I mean the Bible describes the bones as being ‘very dry’. This shows that based on natural assessment, this was a dead issue, forgotten issue; there was no hope at all. There was absolutely no sign of life; it was a hopeless situation, but God. With God, there is nothing like hopelessness, no matter how impossible a situation is, our God is able to turn it around. Ezekiel was in the midst of these bones, and the Lord asked him a question saying, “…Son of man, can these bones live?” To the average person, it’s like what type of question is this? Live how? It’s not even remotely possible, but I like Ezekiel’s response, he said to God “O Lord God You know.”

Ezekiel by his response gave room to God for divine intervention. He could have said absolutely not, and he would have been right from a human standpoint, but he recognized the place of divinity in giving his response. “Again, he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.” (Ezekiel 37:4 KJV) At the mention of His name, every knee bows, including death. And we see from our text above, that life came into the dead bones.

I prophesy to you that life is coming to you, that situation is not hopeless. Whatever represents a dry bone in your life, life will come into it in Jesus name. Yes, the doctor may have told you there’s no way things will turn around, but I declare a turnaround is coming to you. Child of God, it is high time that there’s a distinction between the believers and the unbelievers. Your challenges will bow at your feet in Jesus’ name.

Further Reading: Ezekiel 37:1-14, Job 14:8-9

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- 1 Chronicles 10-12; Evening- John 6:45-71

“If you missed yesterday devotional click HERE to read “TREM’s 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.

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Topic: Consistency Of Progress – A Necessity For Destiny Fulfilment [Seeds of Destiny Sunday May 20, 2018]

Scripture: But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. Proverbs 4:18

Thought For The Day: Until progress is consistent, destiny is not guaranteed.

Consistency is key to maximum impact in every endeavour in life. The fulfilment of destiny is not an exception. Destiny is only fulfilled when progress is made in the right direction consistently. Consistent, progress is, therefore, key to destiny fulfilment.

If God, for instance, wants one to reach a point, say point B, but one decides to stand at a particular point, say point A, consistently, there is no amount of fasting and prayer that would take one to point B if one refuses to take physical steps to move from point A. Even if the most anointed preacher on earth lays hands on one, prophesies and commands one to move, and one refuses to move, one cannot reach point B.

This is how life is; until progress is consistent, destiny is not guaranteed.

Beloved, if you want to reach where God wants you to reach, you must keep making moves, taking steps, changing positions; you must keep on keeping on, making sure that at least every single day of your life, you move forward in the right direction. Every single day, you must learn something you never knew before and take an action you have never taken before.

My counsel is, always know that there is one more thing God wants you to do; show love to someone, buy gift for someone, do something you have never done before, and you will see progress in life.

Remember this: Until progress is consistent, destiny is not guaranteed

Assignments:
1. Time is not standing still; decide never to stay at one point for two days.
2. Always take steps daily to do something new or what you have not done before.
3. Make progress in the right direction consistently.

Prayer: O Lord, I rebuke every spirit of stagnation in my life. I ask for the grace to keep on moving forward to my destiny, Lord, in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: DESTINY CAPSULE (PART 3).

Daily Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 26:1 to 28:25, John 11:1 to 54, Psalm 117:1 to 2, Proverbs 15:22-23

Amazing Fact: A full day on the moon, from one sunrise to the next, lasts about 29 Earth days on average.

Today In History: 20/05/1930 – The first airplane was catapulted from a dirigible.

Quote: Extra height is a product of extra mile; ordinary things produce ordinary results and extra things produce extra ordinary results. Culled from 30 SECRETS TO THE TOP by Dr Paul Enenche.

Prophetic Parental Blessing: I prophesy that you are preserved; there shall be no loss in your life; both you and your loved ones are preserved, in Jesus’ Name – Dr Paul Enenche

“If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read Seeds of Destiny by Pastor Paul Enenche”

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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Topic: Common But Not Cheap [DCLM Daily Manna Sunday May 20, 2018]

Text: Jude 1-6 (KJV)

Key Verse: “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3).

MESSAGE:

There is always the tendency to want to look down on common things and consider them as cheap and unimportant. But not all common things are cheap. In fact, there are so many common things around us that we cannot really do without. Air, for instance, is one of the most common things we have around us. Yet, we cannot do without it. Those whose lives have to be sustained by oxygen in the intensive care units of hospitals know how much they have to pay for that supposed common thing.

In this epistle, the writer wants believers to understand and fully appreciate the free gift of salvation they have received through Christ. Though it is common like air, yet it is not cheap. It must not be taken or handled carelessly. This free salvation cost God the life of His only begotten Son, Jesus. Therefore, it must not be considered cheap. Believers must beware of those who make light of and are careless with their salvation. They take God’s grace for granted and see it as a license for careless and ungodly living. Once saved is not forever saved. Examples abound of those who were once redeemed but perished because of disobedience.

This common salvation should be appreciated and guarded by all who have come into it. Many failed to acknowledge it is not cheap and thus, fail to place the right value on their faith. They handle the Christian faith loosely and it slips from them.

If it cost God so much to purchase this salvation for us and it is still costing Him so much to get the gospel around the world through the ministers, then we must not toy with it. We must do everything possible to defend and keep it. It is our sacred call to earnestly contend for the faith.

Thought For The Day: This great salvation must be guarded by all who have come into it.

Bible Reading in one Year: Psalms 5; 38; 41-42

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.

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Topic: From Jacob To Israel [Open Heavens 20th May 2018, Sunday]

Memorise: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. – 2 Corinthians 5:17

Read: Genesis 35:9-15 (KJV)

9 And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him.

10 And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.

11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;

12 And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.

13 And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him.

14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon.

15 And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel.

Bible in One Year: 2 Samuel 15-16, 2 Peter 3

MESSAGE:

Jacob was the second son of Isaac. His early life projected a lifestyle and a behavioural pattern that closely matched his name, which can be interpreted as supplanter, impersonator, deceiver or usurper. However, he received mercy from the Lord and had a divine encounter where God decided to change his name. In Genesis 32:28, God said to him:

“…Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel…”

The renaming of Jacob as Israel (which means “triumphant with God”) was a spiritual event that had far reaching effects on his physical life and his personality. Immediately after his identity was changed, Jacob stopped exhibiting the characteristics of his old name and began to behave in line with the meaning of his new name. The old things about Jacob passed away and all things became new for him as Israel. I pray for someone reading this devotional that every old symptom of sin, sickness, poverty, bondage and oppression shall pass away from your life today in Jesus’ Name.

It is important to note that what happened to Jacob in the Old Testament is closely related to the regeneration experience seen in the New Testament. Regeneration is a change brought about by the Spirit of God, which makes a person a new creature in Christ Jesus. The salvation that Jesus brought to us is not simply to energise the old creation with new ability and power; rather, it brings about a new creature that has divine nature of God (2 Peter 1:4). It also ignites a spiritual process wherein everything working against the regenerated person is thoroughly dealt with (Colossians 2:14). The practical result of this is spiritual regeneration evidenced by radical change in the nature, character, desires and motives of the transformed person. This new creature is so new and different from the old that it even requires a new diet to survive, which is the word of God. That is why Matthew 4:4b says:

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

Concerning regeneration, the key element is change. God is calling all of mankind to change through the power of His word. However, there is a strong resistance to this change in every human being (Romans 8:7). This resistance comes from the mind and the body, and must be overcome before any real change can manifest. The transformation experience requires serious effort to overcome this resistance (Romans 12:2). Whenever anyone surrenders his or her life to Jesus, God takes hold of the old lifeless creature and fashions it into a new creature that is heaven-bound, full of life and suitable for His use. Have you experienced this transformation indeed?

Key Point: The inner transformation that Jesus gives must manifest as outward change for all to see.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click HERE to read Open Heavens 19 May 2018 Saturday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – A Child Of Abraham?

Hymn 12: Take My Life, And Let It Be

1.Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise,
Let them flow in endless praise.

2.Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3.Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose,
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Open Heavens 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.

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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