Topic: The Light, The Director; light or No light [Friday, 10th November, 2017.]

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1:5.

You are at table, eating dinner. Suddenly, there is a power cut. You rise from your seat, trace your way to the place you’ve probably kept a torchlight and then lit the house with it. That’s probably an experience most of us, especially in this part of the world have had. But how did you find your way in the darkness? The first answer that comes to mind is; it’s your house! You know the direction to every single room from any point in the house. However, there is a more prominent reason: You had light, although not around you but inside you. It is the light that your brain and mind had registered while there was power and/or daylight was available. So, outer light off; inner light on.

We have the same situation in spiritual affairs. In this time of unprecedented darkness in the world, with unimaginable forms of immorality, wickedness and idolatry, as scripture says: “for, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people…” (Isaiah 60:2a), there is need for God’s children to arise from their tables, and “shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee” (Isaiah 60:1), and let the The Light (The Word of God, Christ) in them come into action, directing them. As scripture says: “moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go” (Nehemiah 9:12).

According to the opening text, the interesting thing is, while we, as children of God, are able to find direction and guidance to live life fully in our God-chosen path, the world and its darkness can neither understand nor put out our light. Now, is that not awesome?!

Keep winning daily.

Wise Action:

Devote more time to God’s Word, reading the scriptures and/or listening to ministers of the Word. That’s how you get the Light into your spirit.

By Samuel Amen Abidoye

Topic: Behold, The Risen Christ — Friday November 10, 2017.

Text: Mark 16:1-18

Key Verse: “And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him” (Mark 16:6).

Paul the apostle declared his preference to refer to Jesus as the One who is risen from the dead (Romans 8:34). The resurrection of our Lord from the grave is the foundation and cornerstone of the Christian faith. A structure cannot stand without its firm foundation and the correct alignment of a cornerstone.

The account of the resurrection of our Lord is crucial to the life of the believer here and hereafter as well as to the sinner and backslider. By faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the sinner can be saved. Similarly, anyone who has deserted the fold of the redeemed can find his way back the moment he returns to the Man of Calvary. Jesus’ resurrection teaches us that if He kept His promise to rise again after His crucifixion, we can trust Him to keep all His other promises, such as His assurance to protect us against Satan and his evil designs as well as return to take us out of this world to live with Him eternally in heaven.

The resurrection also teaches us that we too will overcome mortality to attain immortality in a changed body “that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body” (Philippians 3:21). The empty tomb of Jesus Christ completes the uniqueness of the life and times of our Lord. He was born and lived supernaturally. He departed the world supernaturally, after conquering death and showing Himself in His risen form to many people in Jerusalem. It is proof that our Master is not one of those teachers and prophets. He is Supreme. Apostle Peter puts it more succinctly in Acts 10:36 that, “…He is Lord of all.”

Thought for the day: The resurrection story is the regeneration story.

Bible Reading in one Year: Isaiah 38-41

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.

Topic: Live Under Grace — Friday November 10, 2017.

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain;…” (1 Corinthians 15:10 KJV)

When the message of grace is preached, religious spirits would say you are now saying people should go crazy and begin to live anyhow. No! People are already living anyhow without a license. But the truth is that when you believe right, you will do right. When you believe the wrong things, you will do wrong and your life will become a struggle. They asked Paul, “…Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” (Romans 6:1 KJV) Paul said “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Romans 6:2 KJV) Then he goes on to say in verse 14 (KJV) “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law but under grace.” In other words, if you live under the law, sin will have dominion over you. But if you live under grace, it will not.

In Romans 8:1, Apostle Paul goes on to say, “There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” The phrase “who walk not after the flesh” was not in the original manuscript. Is it wrong to do good works? No! Is it wrong to fast? No! Is it wrong to give tithes? No! Is it wrong to be involved in church activities? No! But when you think you need to do those things to be right, then you are getting it backward. When you accept your right standing with God, you will naturally do those things. Just like the fish does not struggle to swim, you will not struggle to do right when you accept your righteousness.

So if you do not understand grace, anytime you come to God, you may not say it like the Pharisee in Luke 18:11-12 but deep in the inner most recesses of your being, you are not different from him. Rather than come to God with the attitude of the Pharisees, thank Him for having moved on your behalf. Thank Him because He has already taken care of that thing. It is already done. Thank Him for it. Thank Him for His mercy. The devil is a liar. You will testify.

Further Reading: Romans 5:12-21, 6:1-15

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Jeremiah 48-49; Evening- Hebrews 7

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 ‘Difficulties’ Of God – The Unreadiness Of Man [Friday November 10, 2017]

Scripture: Go, I pray you, prepare… 1 Samuel 23:22

Thought For The Day: To embrace the past is to be detained in the past; to embrace the future is to be retained in the future

Difficulty is the state of inability to effectively act or do something.

Yesterday, we saw that difficulty is a task that is too hard to accomplish. We also saw that even though nothing is difficult for God to do, there are times when it appears difficult to access His manifestation, especially when it is not yet the appointed time or season.

In today’s study, we shall look at another reason it is difficult for God to manifest in the lives of His children – that is the un-readiness of man. God’s manifestation is difficult when man is not yet ready to receive.

The readiness of man provokes the manifestations of God. It could be character, emotional or mental readiness, etc.

For instance, as long as Egypt could not leave the minds of the Israelites, they could not enter the Land of Canaan. The Promised Land was ready for them but they were not ready for the Promised Land.

The tragedy today is, God is ready to deliver to His children their inheritances but His children are not ready to take possession of their destined inheritances. This was why the Israelites came out of Egypt but Egypt did not come out of them. As a result, they wandered through the wilderness for forty (40) solid years before reaching the Promised Land.

Beloved, you cannot be longing for your past and attain your future. To embrace the past is to be detained in the past; to embrace the future is to be retained in the future.

Thus, the grip of your past on you makes it difficult for God to manifest new things in your life.

Remember This: To embrace the past is to be detained in the past; to embrace the future is to be retained in the future.

Assignments:

1. Endeavour to prepare yourself for the future that God is taking you to

2. Do away with every character or lifestyle that poses a threat to your God-given destiny.

Prayer: LORD, I connect with Your power of possibility. Rid me of every character or habit that is detrimental to the manifestation of your possibilities in my life, LORD in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: THE MATTER OF TIME WITH GOD

Quote: The future you are not prepared for will never profit you. Culled from 365 WISDOM CAPSULES by Dr Paul Enenche

Daily Reading: Ezekiel 21:1 to 22:31, Hebrews 10:1 to 17, Psalm 108:1 to 13, Proverbs 27:12

Amazing Fact: Chewing gum burns 11 calories per hour

Today In History: 10/11/1983, US Federal government was shut down

Dunamis International Gospel Centre (DIGC), is a powerfully anointed church, headquartered at Abuja, Nigeria, with Dr 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.

Topic: The Hand of Comfort— Friday November 10, 2017.

Read: 2 Corinthians 1:3–7, Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 48–49; Hebrews 7

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, . . . who comforts us in all our troubles. 2 Corinthians 1:3–4

“Patient is combative,” the nurse’s notes read.

What she didn’t realize until later was that I was having an allergic reaction as I awakened after a complicated open-heart surgery. I was a mess, with a tube down my throat. My body began shaking violently, straining against the straps on my arms, which were there to keep me from suddenly pulling out my breathing tube. It was a frightening and painful episode. At one point, a nurse’s assistant to the right side of my bed reached down and simply held my hand. It was an unexpected move, and it struck me as especially gentle. I began to relax, which caused my body to stop shaking so badly.

Having experienced this with other patients, the nurse’s assistant knew that a hand of comfort could minister to me as well. It was a vivid example of how God uses comfort when His children suffer.

Comfort is a powerful and memorable tool for any caregiver, and Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 1:3–4 it’s an important part of God’s toolbox. Not only that, but God also multiplies the impact of His comfort by calling us to use the memory of the comfort He gives us to comfort others in similar situations (vv. 4–7). It is but another sign of His great love; and one we can share with others—sometimes in the simplest of gestures.

Prayer: Thank You, Father, for the comfort You provide to us, either directly or through the acts of Your children. Help us to see where we can apply that same comfort to others in and for Your name.

Simple gestures can bring powerful comfort.

Insight:

This passage demonstrates how our personal pain can help others who suffer. Paul uses the word comfort both vertically and horizontally. God extends comfort to us, then we can offer comfort to others. In this way, our pain can become a conduit of care for those in distress and lead to gratitude in the midst of pain. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3).

Can you think of a time when God used others to encourage and comfort you? Dennis Fisher

This message was written By Randy Kilgore [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: The Inner Witness [Friday November 10, 2017]

The Spirit itself [Himself] beareth witness with our spirit. – Romans 8:16

Do you ever have trouble hearing from God? Do you find yourself caught in confusing circumstances needing guidance, and yet even after praying and reading the Word—you’re still not sure what God wants you to do?

I’ve had that experience. I knew His written Word and acting on it changed my life. But I was uncertain when I had to make decisions about things the Word didn’t specifically address. Things like whether to move to one city or another, for example.

What held me back was my ability to know that I was doing the right thing. You see, God’s written Word and the inward witness are two different things. They never contradict each other, but they’re both a vital part of our walk with God.

God expected Israel, for example, to obey His written Word. But He also said to them, “Obey my voice” (Jeremiah 7:23) because He wanted them to know His will in specific situations. That’s what happened when Israel invaded Jericho. They heard God’s voice. Where else do you think they would have gotten that strange battle plan? It wasn’t written in the law of Moses. And certainly, no human being would suggest a seven-day march around a city as the most effective form of invasion!

But exactly how, you may wonder, does God speak to us? Does He just shout down at us from heaven?

Not usually! Romans 8 says the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit. That means that God’s directions come from inside, not outside, of you.

At times when you hear His guidance, you may even wonder, Was that me, Lord, or was that You? That’s because God doesn’t normally inject thoughts directly into your mind from the outside. Instead, He speaks to your spirit, and your spirit translates it into a thought.

Tune in today to that inward witness, to that quiet knowing, that urging, prompting and leading arising within you.

If when you hear it, it sounds like you, don’t be surprised. It is you! It is your spirit being influenced by the Spirit of God! After you’re born again, your spirit is a safe guide because you are born of God’s Spirit. You have His nature. And the Holy Spirit lives in your spirit to teach you and to give you direction.

Scripture Reading: Joshua 6:1-20

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: You Have It All–In The Spirit [Friday November 10, 2017]

Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Text: Matthew 26:41

The Bible presents salvation as a life transforming experience. Change is one of the distinguishing characteristics of a true believer. Yet, failure to understand that this change takes place in the spirit first, and then is reflected in our outward appearance through our thoughts and actions in direct proportion to the way we renew our minds, causes much confusion.

This change has to take place in our born-again spirit first. Why is that? If you were fat before you got saved, you will be fat after you get saved, unless you go on a weight loss program. Your body doesn’t instantly change and neither does your soul or mind.

It is your spirit that is instantly changed at salvation. It is perfect (Heb. 12:23). It cannot sin (1 Jn. 3:9). Everything that is true of Jesus is true of our born-again spirit. Your spiritual salvation is complete. At salvation, you receive the same spirit that you will have throughout all eternity. It will not have to be changed or cleansed again. It is sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13) and therefore, is sanctified and perfected forever (Heb. 10:10, 14; 12:23).

For the remainder of our Christian life, we must not try to obtain faith, joy or love from God, but rather release what we already have in our spirits (Gal. 5:22-23) into our soul and body. Failure to understand this has caused some people to despair when they don’t see sufficient change in their life after coming to the Lord for salvation. It must be understood that the change is internal in our spirit and the outward change will take place as we renew our minds through God’s Word.

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 Mysteries of God [Friday November 10, 2017]

Your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. — 1 Corinthians 2:5

The word “mystery” is used many times in Scripture. Some of the mysteries of the past have been fathomed by science. Others still bewilder mankind. This fact remains: All of the garnered wisdom of the ages is only a scratch on the surface of man’s search for the knowledge of the universe. For the most part, God retains His secrets, and man standing on his intellectual tiptoes can comprehend only a small fraction of the Lord’s doings.

This inability to comprehend fully the mysteries of God does not in any way curtail the Christian faith. On the contrary, it enhances our belief. We do not understand the intricate pattern of the stars in their courses, but we know that He who created them does, and that just as surely as He guides them, He is charting a safe course for us. A “mystery” in Scripture is a previously hidden truth now divinely revealed, but in which a supernatural element remains unknown despite the revelation.

Prayer for the day: Just as You have guided all who love You in the past, I know my life is being lovingly directed. My faith is small but, God, You are my strength.

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.