Topic: Jesus Prepared Himself [Andrew Wommack’s Daily Sunday January 21st, 2018]

Luke 2:46, “And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.”

Text: Luke 2:41-51

This is the only scriptural record of Jesus’ childhood. Yet there is much that we can learn from this brief account.

At twelve years of age, Jesus’ wisdom astounded the men who had spent a lifetime studying the scriptures (v. 47). Remember that Jesus did not have full time access to a copy of the scriptures like we do today. He had to depend on His visits to the synagogue and the direct revelation knowledge from His heavenly Father.

He was also asking these scholars questions (v. 46). This is amazing when you realize that in Him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge! (Col. 2:3) Although He was God, He inhabited a physical human body that needed to be educated.

He also had a clear understanding at this young age of who His real Father was and exactly why He had come to the world (v. 49). We can only speculate how this must have influenced His childhood.

So we see that Jesus knew His call and purpose even in His early childhood. However, there is no record of miracles or ministry on His part until after His baptism by John at the age of thirty. Preparing a body for God Almighty to manifest Himself through was no small task. Praise God for His great love that caused Him to sacrifice everything for us.

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: Victory Over Death [Billy Graham’s Daily Sunday January 21st, 2018]

O death, where is thy sting? . . . — 1 Corinthians 15:55

Death is the most democratic experience in life for we all participate in it. We think of its happening only to other people. We don’t like to grow old and we don’t like to die. The Bible teaches that death is an enemy of man and God. But it also teaches that this enemy, death, will ultimately be destroyed forever; that in fact it has already been defeated at the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Death, for a Christian, brings permanent freedom from evil. It also means the believer will be like Jesus. We shall be like Christ in love. So much of self is involved in what we do here; but one day, in Christ, we will have perfect love. What a glorious time it will be when we get to heaven!

Prayer for the day: Jesus, Your victory over death comforts my heart and fills me with hope.

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: Contending for the Faith [Open Heavens Sunday 21st January 2018]

Memorise: But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: – 1 Peter 3:15

Read: Jude 1:1-5 (KJV)

1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:

2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.

3 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.

4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

Bible in One Year: Genesis 44-45, Revelation 19:11-20:6

MESSAGE Open Heavens 21 January 2018

If you possess anything of great value, you must be ready to protect and defend it against the onslaught of thieves who would want to take it away from you at all cost. Our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is a precious commodity which the devil and his agents desire to steal away from us (2 Peter 1:1). In 1 Peter 1:7, the Holy Spirit describes our faith as being more precious than gold:Open Heavens 21 January 2018 Sunday
“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”

It is therefore not surprising that the kingdom of darkness will continue to attack our faith until we finish our course in this world. For this reason, you must be ready to continually fight to preserve, nurture and grow your faith. You must be ready to prevent all manner of assailants from stealing, killing and destroying it (John 10:10). This is what the good fight of faith is all about. Those who had gone ahead of us also had to contend for their faith in order to get a good report (Hebrews 11:2). You also must be ready to do all that is necessary to hold on to your faith and ensure that it is not shipwrecked (1 Timothy 1:19). Your ultimate goal should be that when it’s all been said and done, you will be able to declare like Paul in 2 Timothy 4:7 that

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:”

Contending for the faith means defending the interest of God’s kingdom when the enemies of the Cross are on the loose. It means speaking up for the Lord Jesus Christ and speaking out against those that would oppose His Person or principles. A classical example of contending for the faith is found in the encounter of Paul with Elymas the sorcerer in Acts 13:6-12. The sorcerer was trying to dissuade a potential convert from accepting the faith. Paul therefore rebuked him and placed him under God’s judgement. The result of this fight of faith is glaring in Acts 13:12:

“Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.”

Beloved, the precious faith which you have obtained is worth defending, if you are determined that the devil will not wrest it away from you. Therefore, watch and pray, and be ready always to give an answer to every man who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear (1 Peter 3:15).

Action Point: Make effort to witness Jesus to someone today. This is a profitable way of contending for the faith.

Hymn 14: Onward Christian Soldier

1. Onward Christian soldiers!
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before.
Christ, the royal Master,
Leads against the foe;
Forward into battle,
See, His banners go!

Chorus:
Onward, Christian soldiers!
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus,
Going on before.

2. At the name of Jesus
Satan’s host doth flee;
On then, Christian soldiers,
On to victory!
Hell’s foundations quiver
At the shout of praise:
Brothers, lift your voices,
Loud your anthems raise!

3. Like a mighty army
Moves the Church of God:
Brothers, we are treading
Where the saints have trod;
We are not divided,
All one Body we—
One in faith and Spirit,
One charity.

4. Onward, then, ye people!
Join our happy throng;
Blend with ours your voices
In the triumph song.
Glory, laud and honour
Unto Christ, the King;
This through countless ages
Men and angels sing.

Open Heavens 21st January 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.

iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.