Topic: What We Want to Hear [Our Daily Bread 5 Thursday April, 2018]

Read: 2 Chronicles 18:5–27, Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 1–3; Luke 8:26–56

I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. 2 Chronicles 18:7

As human beings, we are prone to seek out information that supports the opinions we hold. Research shows that we’re actually twice as likely to look for information that supports our position. When we’re deeply committed to our own way of thinking, we avoid having that thinking challenged by opposing positions.

Such was the case in King Ahab’s rule over Israel. When he and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, discussed whether to go to war against Ramoth Gilead, Ahab gathered 400 prophets—men he’d appointed to that role himself and would therefore tell him what he wanted to hear—to help them decide. Each replied he should go, saying “God will give it into the king’s hand” (2 Chronicles 18:5). Jehoshaphat asked whether there was a prophet who had been chosen by God through whom they could inquire of the Lord. Ahab responded reluctantly because God’s prophet, Micaiah, “never prophesies anything good about [him], but always bad” (v. 7). Indeed, Micaiah indicated they wouldn’t be victorious, and the people would be “scattered on the hills” (v. 16).

In reading their story, I see how I too tend to avoid wise advice if it isn’t what I want to hear. In Ahab’s case, the result of listening to his “yes men”—400 prophets—was disastrous (v. 34). May we be willing to seek and listen to the voice of truth, God’s words in the Bible, even when it contradicts our personal preferences.

Prayer: Lord, help me to seek and heed Your counsel even when it’s against my desires or popular thought.

God’s counsel is trustworthy and wise.

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

This message was written By Kirsten Holmberg [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

The post Our Daily Bread (ODB) Devotional 5 April 2018 – What We Want to Hear appeared first on Flatimes.

Topic: We Need Each Other [Kenneth & Gloria Copeland, Thursday April 5, 2018]

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. – John 17:21

It’s time we, as believers, began to enter into the oneness Jesus prayed for in John 17:21. It’s time we held on to one another in good times as well as bad. It’s time we realized that we need one another.

We do, you know. I need your faith as much as you need mine. Together, we can face anything and win in Jesus.

Let me show you why. In John 3:34, God says Jesus was given the Holy Spirit without measure. He was more powerful than all the demons of hell and all wicked spirits of all classes, including Satan himself. He was able to defeat their power combined.

Now consider this. We are His Body. Each of us has been given the measure of faith according to Romans 12:1-3. That measure is enough to take care of our own personal needs. However, there is more involved here than just our own personal lives.

We have a world to win! We are the end-time generation. We need all the help we can get. But, thank God, we can get all the help we need!

How? By joining together. Ephesians 4:13 says that when we all come together in the unity of the faith, we’ll have “the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”

In other words, when the Body of Christ comes together and begins to function as one, we’ll have the Holy Spirit without measure—just like Jesus did! We’ll begin to see ministries functioning in the fullness of their callings. We’ll begin to see manifestations of the Holy Spirit in full measure. We’ll see Jesus in fullness as we’ve never seen Him before.

Then the world will know the Father sent Him.

Step into that oneness today. Start today making a daily effort to make yourself available to God to pray for others. Start your day by saying, “Holy Spirit, use me to pray for someone today. I offer You my measure of faith.”

Once we truly join together in faith, all the demons of hell won’t be able to overcome us. We’ll march right over them in the fullness of the power of Jesus and bring the age to a glorious close!

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4:1-16

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.

The post Kenneth & Gloria Copeland’s Devotional 5 April 2018 – We Need Each Other appeared first on Flatimes.

Topic: Don’t Play With Your Opportunities [TREM’s Devotional Thursday April 5, 2018]

“And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will”. Acts 13:22 KJV

David was raised as an alternative to Saul. You see, God always has an alternative that is why when He gives you an opportunity, don’t play with it. Don’t be prideful and arrogant. When God gives you an opportunity, grab it with both hands, because He has alternatives.

In my few years of working with God for close to 46 years now, I have observed something. God knows how to raise a nobody and lift him up beyond the expectations of men. Whilst many might be thinking that that person is not qualified, as far as God is concerned, He has made His choice, and no one can question Him. Before you know it, this person is excelling in what he is doing, and others will be wondering how and why. The simple reason is that He is God and He cannot be dictated to or questioned. He raises someone from the back seat to the front line and endows that person with such an excellence that you have never seen before. Our God specialises in justifying the ungodly and qualifying the unqualified. That is why you cannot write off any person. Don’t you dare! Always know that the person you are despising today can become your answer tomorrow. Never look down on people. Today they can be down, and tomorrow God can lift them up.

David was totally forgotten and disregarded. No one even counted or regarded him among his brothers. He never smelt like a king nor spoke like a king, but Samuel got to the house of Jesse and did not find anyone that qualified. When he went through all of Jesse’s children, and God’s choice was not amongst them, he had to ask, after which they had to look for David. From that day forward, the Spirit of God came upon him. He became a captain over God’s people. I declare that you will be sought after. Where they relegated you, where they said your voice is not important, they will seek for you. They will ask for your own opinion.

Further Reading: 1 Samuel. 1Samuel 13:13-14, 15:10-11, 16:1

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- 1 Samuel 1-3; Evening- Luke 8:26-56

“If you missed yesterday devotional click 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.

The post TREM’s Devotional 5 April 2018 by Dr. Mike Okonkwo – Don’t Play With Your Opportunities appeared first on Flatimes.

Topic: God Has A Replacement I [Teens’ Open Heavens 5, April 2018]

Memorise: And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou. – 1 Samuel 15:28

Read: 1 Samuel 15:1-28 (KJV)

1 Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD.

2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.

3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

4 And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.

5 And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.

6 And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

7 And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt.

8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

10 Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying,

11 It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.

12 And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal.

13 And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD.

14 And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?

15 And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.

16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.

17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?

18 And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.

19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?

20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.

22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

25 Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD.

26 And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.

27 And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.

28 And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.

Bible In One Year: Joshua 15-17, Luke 10:1-24

MESSAGE:

God has a replacement for every person who He gives a task or an assignment to. In His infinite wisdom, God has lots of alternatives in the event that the person who He gives a task refuses to carry out that task. Using King Saul as a case study, God instructed him to completely destroy the Amalekites, but in his foolishness, he decided to selectively obey God’s instructions which ultimately led to his being replaced by David. Whenever God gives you an instruction, you should listen carefully to what He says and do your best to obey that instruction to the letter so that God does not replace you.

The danger of being replaced by God is that the presence of God leaves the life of the person who has been replaced. When the presence of God is no more with a person, demons will come and torment that person as was the case of Saul as seen in 1 Samuel 16:14. May God never replace you, and may His presence never depart from you!

Action Point: As a child of God, do everything within your power to always please God and obey Him.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Teen Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor Adeboye’’ 

Hymn 2

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.

Refrain:
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.

Daily Devotional for Teen’s 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 post Teens’ Open Heavens 5 April 2018 – God Has A Replacement I appeared first on Flatimes.

Topic: Stop Complaining [DCLM Daily Manna Thursday April 5, 2018]

Text: Numbers 11:31-35 (KJV)

Key Verse: “And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague” (Numbers 11:33).

MESSAGE:

The “gift” of grumbling is largely dispensed among those who have no other talents, or who keep what they have wrapped up in a napkin.

Ever since Israel left Egypt, God had been supplying them with all the food they needed. It was now about two years that they had had manna. Perhaps they were getting tired of having the same food, yet they ought to have trusted God to supply their needs through prayers with thanksgiving. Instead, they chose to complain and make a noise about it. God gave them the quails but sent a plague among them to destroy them for their sins.

God filled Israelites’ camp, which would be a fair-sized city all by itself with quail to a depth of three feet! Not trusting that the birds would remain, even though God said it would be there for a month, the people stayed up for two days straight, gathering quail. The pickings were so easy that the smallest amount gathered was ten homers. One homer was a typical load for a donkey, or about 6.25 bushels or 50 gallons. A large trash bag would hold 40 gallons, so they gathered a minimum of 12.5 forty-gallon trash bags full of quail. They spread out to eat the meat right then, but before they could even swallow it, God struck them down with a plague.

Their lust caused them to put God on trial. The result was their death. Unbelief can be very dangerous. Murmuring against God can be deadly. Taking God for granted can be disastrous. Learn today to be content with what God provides and never murmur against Him or His appointed servant.

Thought For The Day: Better to be quiet and reflective than murmur and complain.

Bible Reading in one Year: Judges 16-18

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: Please do not prolong your salvation if you have not repented. Many are going home daily and tomorrow maybe too late…There is still hope, JESUS LOVES YOU!

The post DCLM Daily Manna 5 April, 2018 by Pastor Kumuyi – Stop Complaining appeared first on Flatimes.

Topic: Key Facts About Your Creation [Seeds of Destiny Thursday April 5, 2018]

Scripture: Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Jeremiah 1:5

Thought For The Day: To be independent of God is to be inefficient and incompetent in life.

It has been confirmed that mentality determines reality. One reason people live without a sense of purpose and destiny is the ignorance of some basic facts about their creation. Not knowing where one is heading to in life is the reason for aimless existence. This is why Myles Munroe said that when Purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable.

Now, we shall look at three Key facts about your creation:

i) Man is a Product of God’s Deliberate Intention
Being a product of God’s deliberate intention implies that God sat down and calculated your existence. Therefore, your existence is not a result of God’s absentmindedness. He knows the details of your life even to the point of numbering the hairs on your head (Matthew 10:30).

ii) You were created because you were needed
Necessity is the mother of invention. If you were not needed, you would not have been created. It does not matter whether people think you are insignificant in life because God who made you created you because you are needed. You are not on earth to be managed by the world. So, you must not let life manage you and you must not manage life; give life all it takes for maximum impact.

iii) The key to fulfilment of destiny is alignment with the Almighty
To be independent of God is to be inefficient and incompetent in life. The buoyancy of your relationship with God determines the vibrancy of your destiny on earth. Spending time with God is key to fulfilment of destiny.

My counsel is, study God’s manual for your life which is the Bible. Depend on God totally for the fulfilment of His Purpose for creating you.

Remember this: To be independent of God is to be inefficient and incompetent in life.

Assignments:
1. Discover God’s Purpose for your life from the Manufacturer’s Manual (the Bible).
2. Align yourself with God in order to fulfil His Purpose for your life.

Prayer: O Lord, I ask for the grace to study Your Word diligently so I can understand Your plan for my life. Help me to align myself with You, Lord, in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: UNVEILING DESTINY (PART 1).

Daily Reading: Deuteronomy 28:1 to 68, Luke 11:14 to 36, Psalm 77:1 to 20, Proverbs 12:18

Amazing Fact: The acid in your stomach is strong enough to dissolve zinc. It doesn’t destroy the stomach because the stomach wall constantly renews itself.

Today In History: 05/06/1933 – The first operation to remove a lung was performed at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, MO

Quote: When a man has vision for tomorrow, it gives him strength and wisdom for today. Culled from 21 FOOLISH THINGS PEOPLE DO by 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: Please do not prolong your salvation if you have not repented. Many are going home daily and tomorrow maybe too late…There is still hope, JESUS LOVES YOU!

The post Seeds of Destiny 5 April 2018 by Pastor Paul Enenche – Key Facts About Your Creation appeared first on Flatimes.

Topic: The Healing Word [Open Heavens 5 April 2018, Thursday]

Memorise: “He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” – Psalm 107:20 (Scroll down for Open Heavens Hymn)

Read: 2 Kings 5:8-12 (KJV)

8 And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.

9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.

10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.

11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.

12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.

Bible in One Year: Joshua 3-5, Colossians 2:16-3:17.

MESSAGE:

I have a challenge with some of my spiritual children, and it has to do with their lack of faith in the infallible word of God. Although they profess to believe in the word of God, their actions and responses to God’s word plainly shows unbelief. After standing on the altar of God to minister powerful words from God for their deliverance, some of them show their doubt and unbelief by insisting on meeting with me face to face in my office to lay my hands on them before they would be delivered. This is disheartening, and I pray that God will make such people understand the power in His word from today onwards. Every word from God is full of power, and even the written word in this devotional is power-packed. Blessed are those who believe this. Many of these children of mine are like Naaman who expected Prophet Elisha to perform spiritual acrobatics on him, just like many “deliverance ministers” are doing today. Beloved, I am telling you this emphatically today: there is healing in the word of God! The Holy Spirit says this so clearly in Psalm 107:20:

“He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”

Note the words that He used: “He sent his word”. He Himself did not leave His throne, He only sent His word and the word did the healing. Praise the Lord! I am sending the word of God to a person in need of it today, saying “Be healed in Jesus’ Name.”

In line with the pattern of the Spirit’s operation in today’s Bible reading, there is something you must do for the healing word to do the Lord’s bidding in your life: you must wash! You must wash, not in River Jordan seven times, but in the Blood of Jesus Christ. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death. Sickness as you well know is an agent of death, and so your sins need to be washed away for you to obtain healing through the word. 1 John 1:8-9 says:

“8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Beloved, the above scripture is the healing word that the Lord is sending to you today, irrespective of the number of years you have spent in your walk with Him. Do you believe it? The healing we are talking of today is not only physical; it is also spiritual, material, financial, marital, intellectual, and all-encompassing. In whatever area you need healing today, by the word of the Lord I say to you, be healed in Jesus’ mighty Name.

Prayer Point: Father, I believe Your word; please heal me totally today in Jesus’ Name.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Open Heavens Devotional 4th April 2018 Wednesday — Time To Show Your Face’’

Hymn 8: The Great Physician

1. The Great Physician now is near,
The sympathizing Jesus;
He speaks the drooping heart to cheer,
Oh, hear the voice of Jesus!

Chorus:
Sweetest note in seraph song,
Sweetest Name on mortal tongue;
Sweetest carol ever sung,
Jesus, blessed Jesus.

2. Your many sins are all forgiv’n,
Oh, hear the voice of Jesus;
Go on your way in peace to heav’n,
And wear a crown with Jesus.

3. All glory to the dying Lamb!
I now believe in Jesus;
I love the blessed Saviour’s Name,
I love the Name of Jesus.

4. His Name dispels my guilt and fear,
No other name but Jesus;
Oh, how my soul delights to hear
The precious Name of Jesus!

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: Please do not prolong your salvation if you have not repented. Many are going home daily and tomorrow maybe too late…There is still hope, JESUS LOVES YOU!

The post Open Heavens Devotional 5th April 2018 Thursday — The Healing Word appeared first on Flatimes.