Topic: Respect for Authority [Wednesday October 4, 2017]

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All [authority] is given unto me in heaven and in earth. — Matthew 28:18

Have respect for authority. Jesus Christ was under the authority of His Father in heaven . . . He lived for one thing: to fulfill the will of the Father. Everyone is subject to some kind of authority. There is one chain of command and the ultimate authority at the top is God.

What is the authority in your life? Is it your selfishness? Your lust? Your greed? Or have you turned it all over to God and said, “Lord, You are going to be my authority?” When you are under authority, you are then able to assume authority.

Prayer for the day: There are still areas in my life that need to come under Your authority, Lord Jesus. Give me Your grace and strength to yield everything to You.

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: Our Hope Is In Eternity – Wednesday October 4, 2017.

Luke 21:18-19 “But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls.”

Text: Luke 21:15-22

Jesus says the disciples were betrayed by parents, brothers, relatives, friends, and some disciples were even put to death. Yet, the amazing statement of Christ is that not a hair of their head will perish. The context of this statement speaks of some of the disciples dying, so this is not a promise that no physical harm will ever come. This could only refer to the resurrection.

The Greek word for “resurrection” means “a standing or rising up.” The resurrection is a major theme of New Testament teaching. Out of the 13 sermons in the book of Acts, 11 stress or imply the resurrection.

The hope of the believer is the resurrection. The natural, earthly, terrestrial, corrupt, weak, mortal, vile body is said to be raised, changed and fashioned into a spiritual, heavenly, celestial, incorrupt, glorious, powerful, and immortal body. This is the completeness that has been purchased for all of us in Christ.

The Lord views everything in the light of eternity. Man tends to view things in the context of his brief life on earth. From man’s perspective, a person who dies for his faith in Jesus has lost a great deal. From Jesus’ viewpoint, a martyr hasn’t lost a thing. Even the very hairs on our head are numbered.

The patience that Jesus is speaking of here is the calm assurance that God knows every hurt that we feel and He will abundantly recompense us in the resurrection. This knowledge enables us to control our emotions in the face of persecution (i.e. possess our souls) instead of letting our emotions of fear dominate 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: In Christ You Are Connected To Divinity — Wednesday October 4, 2017.

And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.” (Luke 5:5 KJV)

In Luke 5:1-11, you will find the account of a man called Simon. He was a fisherman and he was an expert. He had skills in fishing. The scripture tells us that he went to fish at night. He knew the right time to fish. He went with his net. He knew the right tools to use. He went with his partners. He had the right partners. Everything was perfect. Yet he toiled all night and caught nothing.

All he depended on failed, until he connected to Jesus, the rock of ages, the ancient of days, our rest in our weary land, the way maker. The God that shuts and no one opens. He opens and no one shuts. When you connect to divinity, you won’t be ordinary. As believers, we are not ordinary because in Christ we are connected to divinity. We are connected to Grace. That is our right. That is our heritage. You are connected. Christ is our head, we are his body. The head and body cannot be separated. The benefits he has we have. The victory he has, we have too.

When Peter connected to divinity, he caught the type of fish he has never caught in his life. Then it dawned on him that he had connected to a superior platform, the grace platform. When he laboured and toiled there was no fish but as soon as  he connected to grace, fish came. From this moment forward, you will no more struggle because you are connected to divinity. You have been anointed to succeed. You will never fail. Every utterance that is affecting your manifestation is nullified. Your season has come. The rain is on in your desert because in Christ you are connected to grace. This month, the outstretched hand of the Mighty God shall manifest in your life.

Further reading: Luke 5:1-11, 2 Corinthians 5:17

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Isaiah 20-22; Evening- Ephesians 6

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: Divine Interruptions — Wednesday October 4, 2017.

Read: Luke 18:35–43, Bible in a Year: Isaiah 20–22; Ephesians 6

Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied.  Luke 18:40–41

Experts agree that a staggering amount of time is consumed each day by interruptions. Whether at work or at home, a phone call or an unexpected visit can easily deflect us from what we feel is our main purpose.

Not many of us like disruptions in our daily lives, especially when they cause inconvenience or a change of plans. But Jesus treated what appeared to be interruptions in a far different way. Time after time in the Gospels, we see the Lord stop what He is doing to help a person in need.

While Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem where He would be crucified, a blind man begging by the side of the road called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Luke 18:35–38). Some in the crowd told him to be quiet, but he kept calling out to Jesus. Jesus stopped and asked the man, “‘What do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Lord, I want to see,’ he replied. Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight; your faith has healed you’ ” (vv. 41–42).

When our plans are interrupted by someone who genuinely needs help, we can ask the Lord for wisdom in how to respond with compassion. What we call an interruption may be a divine appointment the Lord has scheduled for that day.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, fill us with Your wisdom and compassion that we may respond as You did to people in need.

Interruptions can be opportunities to serve.

Insight:

In Acts 8 we read of another divine interruption. Philip had a fruitful ministry in Samaria (Acts 8:4–25), so he may have wondered why God would tell him to leave and take “the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza” (v. 26). In obedience, Philip took the road few used. But God had sovereignly arranged for Philip to meet with an Ethiopian—a Gentile who himself had embarked on a long journey as he earnestly sought after God (v. 27). Philip made contact with the Ethiopian just as he was reading a prophecy about Jesus (vv. 28–34). The man believed in Christ, and Philip baptized him on the spot (vv. 36–38). Imagine how Philip must have felt when he realized he had been sent out on a divine assignment of leading a person to faith in Christ! Philip being on the road less traveled was no accident; he was there by divine leading.

What might the Lord be prompting you to do today? Sim Kay Tee

This message was written By David C. McCasland [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: The Blessing Of The Word [Wednesday October 4, 2017]

Scripture: And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Genesis 1:26-28.

Thought For The Day: Every time the Word comes in contact with you, it empowers you unto fulfillment.

It is clear from Scriptures that the Word of God is a custodian of the blessing of God. The blessing of God is packaged in His Word.

In Genesis 1:28, when God released His Word at creation, it impacted the earth with the blessing of God. God cannot bless a person outside His Word.

Now, what does it mean to be blessed by the Word of God?

1. The Word of God empowers people unto progress, prosperity and success. It is the Power in the Word that makes the blessing happen (Ecclesiastes 8:4). Every time the Word comes in contact with you, it empowers you unto fulfillment.

2. The Word of God connects man to his inheritance in God. The Word of God connects you to your Bill of Rights in God. To be disconnected from the Word, therefore, is to be disconnected from your rights or what is yours in God.

Now, how do we receive blessings from the Word of God?

Through the reading of the Word of God

There is blessing in reading of the Word of God. (Revelation 1:1-3). When you read God’s Word, you irrigate your mentality, both spiritually and physically. Reading the Word gives you something to meditate on, and meditation leads to faith and faith fuels relevant positive actions.

Remember This: Every time the Word comes in contact with you, it empowers you unto fulfillment.

Assignments:

1. Develop a habit of reading and studying your Bible every day

2. Use the scriptures in the Seeds of Destiny as a daily reading guide.

Prayer: O LORD, I ask for the grace to read and study Your Word daily. Open my eyes LORD, to understand mysteries out of Your Word in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: THE BLESSING OF THE WORD.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 2:31 to 4:18, Colossians 1: 1 to 17, Psalm 76: 1 to 12, Proverbs 24: 21 to 22.

Quote: To be in touch with the Word is to be in touch with the life of God. Culled from MAKING FULL PROOF OF MINISTRY by Dr Paul Enenche

Today In History: 04/10/1824 – Mexico became a republic.

Amazing Fact: There are at least 6 people in the world who look exactly like you. There’s a 9% chance that you’ll meet one of them in your lifetime.

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: Our Inheritance — Wednesday October 4, 2017.

Text: Joshua 15:48-63

Key Verse: “As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day” (Joshua 15:63).

Inheritance means something important or valuable that passes to another person to own and enjoy after the original owner dies. It can be an item of property or title. It should be noted that taking full possession of our inheritance is crucial. From the text, the boundaries and division of the Promised Land were very specific for each of the tribes of Israel.

The tribe of Judah was able to take possession of the cities that were in the mountains and those in the wilderness. But Jerusalem was said to have continued in the hands of the Jebusites; the children of Judah could not drive them out because of their sluggishness and unbelief. Had they attempted it with vigour and resolution, God would surely have given them success. The Lord expected the children of Israel to have confronted their challenges in full obedience to His command.

He expected them to appropriate His blessings for them by absolute trust. In like manner, believers are not to be satisfied with anything less than the perfect will and portion of God for their lives. In the battles of life, victory and solution to challenges often lie in acting prayerfully with faith in God and not in beating a hasty retreat in the face of challenges. Believers in the New Testament have been admonished not to spare their old fallen nature after they are saved, but to mortify them, that is, put to death all the habits of the old life.

We must understand that there are forces to contend with if we desire a higher spiritual life. If our desire is to live the deeper and richer life of righteousness and holiness, we have to fight the good fight of faith and continually put our flesh under subjection so we can obtain “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for [us]” (1 Peter 1:4).

Thought for the day: The truly redeemed is a partaker of God’s inheritance.

Bible Reading in one Year: 1 Kings 8

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.

A Promise For You From Bible Promises:

Topic: The Best Decision I Have Ever Made [04/10/2017]

And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. Luke 19:8. Read: Lk 19:8-10

When you take statistics of the best decision many people have ever taken, you might probably hear many responses like; the best decision they’ve ever made was the day they decided to get married, took that financial decision which led to their breakthrough, the day they relocated or the day they secured a better job. Some will tell you the day they gained admission into the university etc.These are great responses.

In the sight of God the greatest decision a man can ever make in life is the decision to make the Lord Jesus his or her Saviour and Lord. This decision makes heaven to rejoice. When Zacchaeus made this pivotal decision of his eternal destination (which everyone of us must make either it’s positive or negative), Jesus rejoiced. The greatest decision I have ever made is giving my life to Jesus which brought me out of darkness into His marvelous light. Like Jonathan Butler wrote in His song that, “Falling in love with Jesus was the best thing he ever did”. What would you say was your best decision ever in life?

#BiblePromisesPrayer

* Father, guide me daily and always to make the right decision most especially that of my eternal destination. Amen

Topic: You Need Not be Perfect [Wednesday, 4th October, 2017]

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. – 1 Peter 5:7

We’ve all been in situations where we’ve been really hurt, or felt betrayed. Or times where we feel like God left us, or we just can’t feel Him. It’s in times like this that we must remember the promises of God that He’ll never leave us or forsake us, and of how He’s orchestrating all things to work for our good. But sometimes this can get really hard, as we have mixed thoughts and feelings. Some of us even feel stuck as we think we have to say only the things we think God wants to hear.

Truth is, God doesn’t expect us to be perfect. This is because He knows the state of our hearts, and very well understands what we are going through everytime. So He expects us to be honest with Him through hard times, honestly telling Him how we feel. We however should not dwell on how we feel, but move on to the peace that God offers in Christ. That’s where lies our change and victory.

Meanwhile, trying to always be perfect before God is a form of pride. Which tells God we do not need His strength since we’re satisfied in ourselves. But, as John Piper says “God is most glorified in us when are most satisfied in Him.”

We’ll take the practical example of Job, who through his trials bore out his heart to God. And at the end, he was the one God instructed to pray for his friends. Also, Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. He expressed His true feelings, and cried/prayed His heart out to God, and it was recorded that His sweat was as thick as blood. And because of this, He was strengthened for the journey He was about embarking on.

God already knows what is wrong with you, there’s is no use hiding it from Him. So express your feelings to God, and open yourself up to His peace today.

Keep winning daily.

Wise Action:

Whenever you’re going through a tough time, and you feel like acting perfect before God, remember that He already knows what’s up with you, so you need not hide. For perfect love casts out fear.

By Esun Tekeme

Topic: In Need Of Tender Loving Care — Wednesday 4, October 2017.

Memorise: Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend. – 1 Corinthians 8:13

Read: 1 Corinthians 8:8-13 (KJV)

8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.

9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.

10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;

11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?

12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

Bible in One Year: Romans 11-13, Daniel 2:46-3:7, Hymn: Sing Hymn 1 – My Faith Looks Up To Thee

MESSAGE:

God redeems us from the unfruitful works of darkness through His mercy and grace. When people become newly saved, though they have genuinely surrendered their lives to God and are committed to going all the way in pleasing Him, they are often not immediately well grounded in the things of God. These young converts need special care and attention from mature believers. It is the responsibility of those who have grown deeper in Christ to encourage those who are making efforts to have their faith established in Him. As their predecessor in the faith, young converts are watching and following you as an example. They must be followed up with love and shown good examples of how to live out their faith in Christ. As an older believer, you must show them compassion and understanding, remembering that Christ came to save us all because of His compassion for us. Mature believers have certain roles to play by deliberately denying themselves of certain things that are lawful but not helpful to the growth of these young converts. Like Paul who became all things to all people so that he might win many to Christ, mature believers must also be willing to become all things for the sake of those they want to establish in the knowledge of the truth. 1 Corinthians 9:22 says,

“To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”

Coming up next: Open Heavens 5 October 2017: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Occupy Till He Comes

If you are grounded in Christ, you are not to use your liberty to harm those who are growing in the faith. Some of these people have already experienced a lot of disappointments outside the Church of God. Some of them have been defrauded, while some others have been unduly taken advantage of because of their vulnerability. Some lost precious things before coming to the knowledge of Christ. The moment they give their lives to Christ, they are full of great expectations because they’ve heard that the Name of the Lord is a strong tower. They believe the brethren will care for them, unlike what they experienced in the hands of unbelievers. We must therefore do all that is within our power not to make them regret their decision to come to Christ, which will be the case if we don’t extend hands of love to them. We must not give them occasion to stumble; neither should we allow them to stray away by our actions. We must avoid all circumstances that will grieve our fellow brethren and ensure that the word of God remains our standard in our dealings with them. Let us be careful not to offend the weak ones or lay a stumbling block on their way, because we are going to be accountable to God for all those He brings across our path.

Prayer Point: Father, deliver me from errors that will cause others to stumble.

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.

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.