Topic: Listening to His Voice [Our Daily Bread 5 Monday February, 2018]

Read: John 10:25–30, Bible in a Year: Exodus 36–38; Matthew 23:1–22

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. John 10:27 nkjv

I’m hard of hearing—“deaf in one ear and can’t hear out of the other,” as my father used to say. So I wear a set of hearing aids.

Most of the time the devices work well, except in environments where there’s a lot of surrounding noise. In those settings, my hearing aids pick up every voice in the room and I cannot hear the person in front of me.

So it is with our culture: a cacophony of sounds can drown out God’s quiet voice. “Where shall the Word be found, where will the Word resound?” poet T.S. Eliot asks. “Not here, there is not enough silence.”

Fortunately, my hearing aids have a setting that cuts out the surrounding sounds and enables me to hear only the voices I want to hear. In the same way, despite the voices around us, if we quiet our souls and listen, we will hear God’s “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:11–12 nkjv).

He speaks to us every day, summoning us in our restlessness and our longing. He calls to us in our deepest sorrow and in the incompleteness and dissatisfaction of our greatest joys.

But primarily God speaks to us in His Word (1 Thessalonians 2:13). As you pick up His book and read it, you too will hear His voice. He loves you more than you can ever know, and He wants you to hear what He has to say.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for giving us Your Word. Help me to listen to Your voice as I spend time alone with You.

God speaks through His Word when we take time to listen.

Insight:

Throughout the Scriptures, God used a variety of ways to speak to people. Sometimes, God spoke audibly (Abraham, Moses). Sometimes, He communicated by way of dreams (Joseph, Nebuchadnezzar). At other times, God gave His message through prophets (Samuel, Ezekiel). Occasionally, God even sent His message by way of angels, which means “messengers,” as He did with Mary and Joseph.

No wonder the writer of the letter to the Hebrews said, “God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways” (1:1). However, God’s greatest means of expressing His heart to people was His Son, as verse 2 states: “In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.” That explains why John opened his gospel by describing Jesus as the Word (the Logos) who “became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14). Jesus—the living Word—is God’s ultimate message of love to us! And He is revealed to us in the Scriptures—the written Word.

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

Topic: Uncommon Protection [Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Monday January 5, 2018]

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. – John 10:10

Considering how much the devil hates people and how dead set he is on destroying them, it’s no wonder we see so much tragedy and disaster in the world. In fact, it’s amazing that we don’t see more!

I asked the Lord about that one time and He told me it takes the realm of darkness a long time to set up major disasters. Take the aviation industry, for example. It’s highly regulated and works hard at policing itself because safety is its product. You take a highly regulated system like that and the devil has to work terribly hard to cause disasters.

He can’t just come roaring in and rip things up any time he wants to. If he could, he’d knock every plane out of the sky tonight. But he can’t do it.

Why? Because he’s bound. The Bible says he’s bound to things that are common to man. He has to line up certain things in this natural, human realm before he can lay a finger on you. He has to use people to get his work done.

But, bless God, we’re not bound to what’s common to man. We’re free to use what’s common to God! We fight our warfare with uncommon weapons. What does that mean? It means you ought to have the devil wrapped up and sewed up. You ought to put him in a sack with a ribbon on top.

The devil can’t cause disaster in your life unless he has been given place. He can’t come in and start destroying and stealing from you unless he can get you into a place of sin, doubt, ignorance or disobedience. So if he’s been giving you trouble, ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you’ve let those things in. Then repent and get rid of them.

Once you’ve done that, pull out the weapons God has given you and fire away with both barrels. Pull out the Word. Pull out prayer. Pull out faith and use it to tie the devil in knots. Use the uncommon power of God to keep him bound and he won’t be able to put anything over on you.

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 6:10-18

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: Eternal Life-A Quality Of Life [Andrew Wommack’s Daily Monday February 5, 2018]

John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Text: John 3:1-21

Most people focus on the part of this verse that promises us we won’t perish. Although it’s certainly a wonderful promise, it is not the focus of this verse. The primary purpose of Jesus’ coming to this earth was not forgiveness of sins, but to give us eternal life.

Sin separated us from God so Jesus dealt with sin. However, His payment for sin was just a step toward His ultiimate purpose of reconciling man to God. If someone believes that Jesus died for their sins but doesn’t go on to enter into the close fellowship with God that Jesus made available, then they are missing eternal life.

Eternal life is not a length of life, but rather a quality of life. Eternal life is intimacy with the Father and Jesus (Jn. 17:3). Many people have been done a disservice in being told that Jesus came to forgive us of our sins “period’. If it had been all that He did, it would have been wonderful–and much more than we deserved–but much less than what He actually accomplished.

Today, take full advantage of your salvation and go beyond the basic forgiveness of your sins into intimacy with Almighty God.

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: The Importance of Corporate Worship [Billy Graham’s Daily Monday February 5th, 2018]

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together . . . — Hebrews 10:25

I will not argue with you about nature inspiring thoughts of God. David said, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork.” But at the same time, I would give you no comfort about absenting yourself from the house of God. The Bible says, “Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it.” If our Lord loved it enough to die for it, then we should respect it enough to support and attend it. I like what Theodore Roosevelt once said, “You may worship God anywhere, at any time, but the chances are that you will not do so unless you have first learned to worship Him somewhere in some particular place, at some particular time.”

Prayer for the day: Down through the years, beloved Lord, Christians have met to worship You. Thank You that I am a part of this blessed family.

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: The Great Day Of Deliverance [Open Heavens 5 Monday February 2018]

Memorise: “And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.” – Psalm 50:15

Read: Luke 8:26-39 (KJV)

26 And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.

27 And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.

28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.

29 (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)

30 And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.

31 And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.

32 And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.

33 Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.

34 When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country.

35 Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.

36 They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed.

37 Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.

38 Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying,

39 Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.

Bible in One Year: Exodus 28, Romans 9:19-10:4

MESSAGE

In our Bible text, we read about the great deliverance the Lord Jesus Christ wrought in the life of the madman of Gadara. For this, mad man, although that day started like any other day of his affliction, his story changed before he went to bed that night. He went to bed in his house and not in the tombs where he used to be. I prophesy to a user of this devotional: your story will change for the better before you go to bed tonight in the Mighty name of Jesus Christ. What is that challenge confronting you or even driving you crazy? I have good news for you today: the Great Deliverer, Jesus Christ, will deliver you today. If you ask me what makes me so sure he will do it, I will tell you what he said in his word, which I know is forever settled in heaven. In Jeremiah 32:27 He said,

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?”

Since He did it for the madman of Gadara, and your own case is not as serious as his, be of good cheer because today you shall see the glory of the Lord. However, you need to give your life to Christ, and if you have done so, only believe His word.

Also in John 9:1, the Bible talks about a man who was born blind. Even though this man had been blind for more than 40 years, when his day of great deliverance came, Jesus saw him. This was not just an ordinary glance from some nobody; it was God directing his attention to the Maker of the whole universe to him. Jesus thereafter created two brand new eyeballs in his empty eye sockets. Have you been groping in the dark for a long time, and it seems you have no sense of direction? Are you being led by people to wherever they want you to go, regardless of your own will? Today is your day of great deliverance. The Lord will touch you before you finish reading this devotional. Peter, who witnessed the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, testified to his great power of deliverance. Here is his testimony in Acts 10:38:

“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.”

I can also testify to his great power of deliverance. There was a man who I think had two PhDs and for one more than 6 years could not get a job. When he was brought to the church for prayers, he looked like a madman, and you could not even believe he ever went to school. He had suffered a lot! We introduced him to Jesus and he gave his life to Christ. Before he got home, people were looking for him to offer him a job. This is the power of our Great Deliverer. Praise the Lord!

Prayer Point: Father, deliver me today from every affliction of the devil in Jesus Name.

Hymn 10: My Faith Looks Up To Thee

1. My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!

2. May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!

3. While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside.

4. When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold, sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll;
Blest Savior, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!

Flatimes’ Notice Board: Please do not prolong your salvation if you have not repented. Many are going home daily and tomorrow maybe too late.

Open Heavens 5 February 2018, 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. If you missed yesterday’s devotional click to read Open heavens 4 February 2018.

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