Topic: Give Generously — Saturday January 6, 2018.

“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6 (KJV)

One of the lies the devil is sowing in the hearts of believers today is the mentality that we live in the time of economic recession and so there is no need to stretch yourself when it comes to giving. The last time I checked the scripture, it says that in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth and there was nothing lacking. After the fall, man lost access to the resources and had to labour before he could eat. God said to him, from the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat. (Genesis 3:19) This mentality of lack and shortage came because of the fall; before the fall man had access to the vast resources of the earth. The sweet Psalmist puts it this way in Psalms 24:1, “the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.” He continues in Psalm 50:10-11 by saying “for every beast of the forest is mine and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the fields are mine.” The God we serve owns it all and lacks nothing.

Beloved, the good news is that what we lost in Adam, we have gained back in Christ. The irony, however, is that in spite of our inheritance in Christ Jesus, a lot of us still operate with a shortage mentality and the result is that we are still penny-pinching. We refuse to give and as such we cannot receive all that God has ordained for us. The result is that the man who thinks lack and shortage will naturally withhold.

You must understand that giving is the way of God. God is the biggest giver. He gave His only begotten Son to die for the whole world. The wisdom of the world emphasizes receiving while the wisdom of God emphasizes giving. I come to challenge you to give Him your best anytime you have the opportunity. As you give cheerfully every time, expect Him to fill your barn and storehouses to overflow.

Further Reading: Proverbs 11:24-25, Luke 6:38

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Gen. 16,17/ Evening- Matt. 5:27-48

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: The Gift of the Magi — Saturday January 6, 2018.

Read: Matthew 2:1–12, Bible in a Year: Genesis 16–17; Matthew 5:27–48

We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him. Matthew 2:2

A young married couple had more love than money. As Christmas neared, both struggled to find a gift that would show how much they cared for the other. Finally, on Christmas Eve, Della sold her long, knee-length hair to buy Jim a platinum chain for the watch he’d inherited from his father and grandfather. Jim, however, had just sold the watch to buy a set of expensive combs for Della’s hair.

Author O. Henry called the couple’s story The Gift of the Magi. His creation suggests that even though their gifts became useless and may have caused them to look foolish on Christmas morning, their love made them among the wisest of those who give gifts.

The wise men of the first Christmas story also could have looked foolish to some as they arrived in Bethlehem with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11). They weren’t Jewish. They were outsiders, Gentiles, who didn’t realize how much they would disturb the peace of Jerusalem by asking about a newly born king of the Jews (v. 2).

As with Jim and Della’s experience, the magi’s plans didn’t turn out the way they expected. But they gave what money cannot buy. They came with gifts, but then bowed to worship One who would ultimately make the greatest of all loving sacrifices for them—and for us.

Prayer: Father in heaven, please help us to learn what it means to give what money cannot buy.

God’s gift of grace is priceless.

Insight:

The gifts the magi brought were precious. But the worship they offered the King of Kings from bended knee and bowed head was of greater value than the material gifts.

How can you worship God today? J.R. Hudberg

This message was written By Mart DeHaan [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: Created to Praise [Saturday January 6, 2018]

Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. – Psalm 150:6

We’re created to praise God. Some people don’t know that. When the praise service starts, they sit back and say, “I’m not comfortable with all that singing and shouting. I guess praise is just not my thing.”

Yes, it is! According to the Bible, if you breathe, you were meant to praise.

And don’t try to slip by with saying, “Well, I have praise in my heart.” That’s not enough. The Word says you need to have it in your mouth as well (Psalms 34:1)! Psalm 132:9 says, “Let thy saints shout for joy.” You can’t shout and be quiet at the same time.

When you first begin to truly praise, it may seem awkward to you, but if you’ll keep it up, it will become a way of life. Why? Because praise causes the glory of God to manifest in your life. It causes you to walk in the light of His countenance (Psalms 89:15). It will start a revival inside of you!

“But, Gloria, if I start to praise like that, people will think I’m some kind of fanatic.”

Well, good! Did you know that every revival in history has been started by people the world considered absolute fanatics? God does things differently than the world. So when you set aside your inhibitions and start letting His Spirit operate through you, you’re going to look strange to those who are strangers to His ways…but you’re going to look glorious to the Lord!

And, by the way, don’t just think of praising Him in the congregation. Praise Him in your own private prayer time and throughout your day. Learn to maintain an attitude of praise and thanksgiving. When praise becomes natural to you in your own private life, it won’t be difficult to praise Him in the midst of the congregation.

Are you longing for a revival of God’s presence in your life? Are you tired of just hearing about the glorious manifestations of His power in the past? Then open your mouth and your heart and do what God has created you to do. Praise!

Scripture Reading: Psalm 150

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: Nothing Is Impossible [Saturday January 6, 2018]

Luke 1:37, “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”

Text: Luke 1:26-38

What a statement! If we just believed this, how different our lives would be!

From birth we are trained to know our limitations. You can’t have this. Don’t touch that. Don’t put things in your mouth. You can’t touch the fire. On and on the list goes.

As we grow up, it’s actually a sign of maturity to recognize our limitations and learn to live within them. There are limits to everything. It’s a fact of life.

But God has no limits. When we enter into the realm of the supernatural, we have to take off all the limits. We have to renew our minds with the truth that God is not like us. He can do anything.

We have an awesome God whose power is so great that we can’t even comprehend it. He created the universe and it didn’t even tax His ability. Yet many times we find ourselves wondering if our situation is too hard for the Lord. We can’t see how even God can pull us through.

The Lord said to Jeremiah, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?” (Jer. 32:27) The answer is a resounding NO! The only thing that limits God is our unbelief (Dt. 7:17). Today, let’s honor God by believing that nothing is too difficult for Him.

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: He Is Coming Back [Saturday January 6, 2018]

Keep a sharp lookout! For you do not know when I will come. . . . Watch for my return! — Mark 13:35, 36 (TLB)

The great Dwight L. Moody used to say, “I never preached a sermon without thinking that possibly the Lord may come before I preach another.” Dr. G. Campbell Morgan, the distinguished British clergy-man, said, “I never begin my work in the morning without thinking that perhaps he may interrupt my work and begin His own. I am not looking for death. I am looking for Him.” That is the way a Christian should live his life – in the constant anticipation of the return of Jesus Christ!

If we could live every day as though it may be the very last one before the final judgment, what a difference it would make here on earth! But we don’t like to think that way. We don’t like to think that our carefully made plans, our long range schemes may be interrupted by the trumpet of God. Too many people would rather say, “Oh, well, the end of the world hasn’t come yet, so why think about it – it’s probably a thousand years away.”

Prayer for the day: Today might be the last day when Jesus returns. Cleanse me, Father.

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: I Shall Not Be Ashamed — Saturday 6, January 2018

Memorise: I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O LORD, put me not to shame. – Psalms 119:31

Read: Isaiah 54:4-5 (KJV)

4 Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.

5 For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.

Bible in One Year: Genesis 14-16, Revelation 5:1-6:2, Hymn: Sing Hymn 3: What Can Wash Away My Sins

MESSAGE:

Shame is an undesirable experience of life. It is the outcome of disgrace, humiliation, reproach or degradation. It can simply be described as the loss of honour or respect as a result of wrongdoing or failure. The Bible reveals that shame has its origin in the fall of man in the Garden of Eden:

“And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.” – Genesis 3:7

When Adam and Eve engaged in gross disobedience to the commandment of God, the end result was shame. Shame is inevitable for whosoever will not give due regard to the commandments or instructions that come from the Lord. The devil delights in using the spirit of rebellion as a tool to knock people down from grace to grass. This was the case with King Saul. When he acted contrary to God’s clear instructions, the end result was the shame of rejection. God rejected him as king over His people Israel. 1 Samuel 15:26 says:

“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.”

Are you experiencing any form of shame in your life? Has the devil succeeded in dragging you from grace to grass? I have good news for you today: No matter how terrible your past life has been, the Lord will wipe away your shame today in Jesus’ Name. In today’s Bible reading, the Almighty God expressly gives you the assurance that beginning from now, your shame shall become history. To enforce the fulfilment of this prophetic message in your life, you must make a heartfelt cry for mercy through genuine repentance of those sins that have brought you shame. Proverbs 28:13

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”

Furthermore, you need to call upon the Lord like the Psalmist in today’s memory verse. What is that shame in your life right now? Is it the shame of sin, sickness, barrenness, or loneliness as a result of a broken home or ailing marriage? An end has come to it today; only believe! Be assured that the God who said you shall forget your shame is well able to do what He has said in His word. Indeed your shame shall become a thing of the past in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point: Father, remove my shame and cover my nakedness today in Jesus’ Name.

Hymn 3: What Can Wash Away My Sins

1. What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Chorus:
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

2. For my cleansing this I see
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
For my pardon this my plea
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

3. Nothing can my sin erase
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Naught of works, ’tis all of grace
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

4. This is all my hope and peace
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
This is all my righteousness
Nothing but the blood 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.

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