Topic: Are You A Fraudster? [Monday 25, September 2017]

Memorise: “Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.” – Proverbs 12:22

Read: Revelation 21:8

8. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Bible In One Year: Nahum 1-3. Hymn: Sing Hymn 4 – Take My Life And Let It Be

MESSAGE:

A fraudster is a dishonest person. Someone with a habit to tell lies, cheat or steal. Dishonesty is contrary to the will and nature of God, and so should not be found among children of God. The Bible teaches that any prosperity obtained from deceit, fraud and lies will be short lived. Proverbs 23:5 describes this as an exercise in futility. Initially, it will appear as an increase, but later it will leave you miserable. Some believers exploit fellow believers. This is a great evil because any wrong you do to your brother or sister in Christ is done to the Lord.

Some people deliberately sell inferior goods like phones, tablets, laptops e.t.c. Some borrow money or items without the intention of returning them. This is fraud! Remember Ananias and Sapphira lied about the offering they gave and never survived it! Neither will anyone who follows their evil path. Are you fraudulent, dishonest, or crafty? Be warned, the end result could be highly disappointing.

Prayer Point: Father, please destroy every seed of dishonesty and fraud in my life in Jesus’ Name.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional for Teen’s 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.

Topic: Apart but Not Abandoned — Monday September 25, 2017.

Read: Acts 20:17–20, 35–38, Bible in a Year: Song of Solomon 6–8; Galatians 4

Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up. Acts 20:32

I had a lump in my throat as I said good-bye to my niece on the eve of her move to Massachusetts to attend graduate school at Boston University. Though she had been away four years as an undergraduate, she hadn’t left our state. A two and a one-half-hour drive easily reunited us. Now she would be more than 800 miles away. No longer would we meet regularly to talk. I had to trust that God would take care of her.

Paul likely felt the same way as he said good-bye to the elders of the church in Ephesus. Having established the church and taught them for three years, Paul concluded these elders to be as close as family to him. Now that Paul was headed to Jerusalem, he would not see them again.

But Paul had parting advice for the Ephesians. Though they would no longer have Paul as their teacher, the Ephesians did not have to feel abandoned. God would continue to train them through “the word of his grace” (Acts 20:32) to lead the church. Unlike Paul, God would always be with them.

Whether it’s children we launch from the nest or other family and friends who move away—saying good-bye can be very difficult. They move beyond our influence and into their new lives. When we let go of their hands, we can trust that God has them in His. He can continue to shape their lives and meet their real needs—more than we ever could.

Prayer: Lord, help us to trust that Your watchful care extends over those we hold dear who are far away from us.

Though we’re far away from those we love, they are never far from God.

Insight:

In today’s reading we see Paul’s painful good-bye to the church at Ephesus. It was Paul’s deep conviction that his departure would eventually lead to his martyrdom, not his return (v. 25).  But other Bible texts add the encouragement that even death cannot cut the spiritual tie that binds us to other believers (John 14:1–5; Rom. 8:31–39). In this life on Earth, saying good-bye to those we love is difficult. But for followers of Christ, we can trust that God has us in His care and even death will not keep us apart.

How does knowing God cares for your loved ones comfort you?

This message was written By Linda Washington [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: Remember That God Has Been Good To You — Monday September 25, 2017.

“Remember his marvelous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;” (Psalms105:5 KJV)

It is God that satisfies your mouth with good things so that your youth is renewed like an eagle. Go and look for people who are of the same age grade with you, those who are not serving God, and compare yourself to them. Now, this is a practical thing; go and look at closely and then you look at yourself, you will be amazed at the goodness of God in your life. It is very important, therefore, that we constantly remember his kindness towards us. Consider this scripture:

“But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.” (Deuteronomy 8:18 KJV) Remember the Lord thy God! He is the one that gives you the ability. It is not your expertise. He kept you alive to make it. Remember it because it will cause you to have a lifestyle of praise and thanksgiving. This is vitally important, more especially as we approach this fast; remember all that He has done for you, all the victories He gave to you, all the battles He fought on your behalf, this will help in building up your faith so that you can believe Him for the impossible. It will also help you pray from a point of thanksgiving, knowing that the God who did it in the past, will do it again, even much more.

In 2 Samuel 6:14-22, David was bringing back the ark of the Lord and he danced and rejoiced. And to the mockery of Michal, David had this to say: “And David said unto Michal, It was before the Lord, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel: therefore will I play before the Lord” (2 Samuel 6:21 KJV) David was saying in effect, there is nothing too outrageous to do for my God. Make a quality decision to approach the month of October with thanksgiving, God is good.

Further reading: 2 Samuel 6:12-22

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Song of Solomon 6-8; Evening- Galatians 4

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: Leave Vengeance To God — Monday September 25, 2017.

Text: Jeremiah 18:18-23

Key Verse: “Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me” (Jeremiah 18:19).

From the text, Jeremiah pleaded his cause before God. The people who hated him had formed an alliance and vowed to publicly discredit him. When Jeremiah heard of it, he prayed to God for justice. He asked God to judge his enemies since his ministry was for their good and profit but they repaid him with evil. He asked God to destroy them in His wrath. Some so-called Pentecostals shout ‘die! die!’ in prayers in our neighborhoods today.

Some take references like our text from the Old Testament to justify their requests for their enemies to die. Others insist the death they meant in their prayers was intended for the spirits behind the problems – but spirits don’t die because they are not mortal. Under the New Testament economy, the believer is commanded to love all and hate none, including those who despitefully use and persecute us (Matthew 5:44). When we consider God’s vengeance, it’s also important for us to remember Romans 12:19; “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord”.

There will be times in our lives when people mistreat us and we’re tempted to seek revenge. Or, as we see the gross injustice done to millions throughout the world today, we may want to treat the perpetrators with the same measure of evil they have doled out to their victims. The desire for revenge is natural, but it is something we must offer to God, Vengeance is His job, not ours. Yes, we are to “act justly,” and “love mercy”.

When we consider people who are being abused throughout the world today, and the victims of violence and injustice, with those trapped in human trafficking and slavery, we should ask God to bring to justice those who are hurting others for their own advantage and set free those who are oppressed.

Thought for the day: Vengeance is God’s.

Bible Reading in one Year: Hebrews 10-13

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: The Deficiency of Title without Mantle [Monday September 25, 2017]

Thought For The Day: When men struggle for titles, it is to cover up a deficiency; title without mantle leads to battles.

Yesterday, we identified the craving for recognition one of the major causes of the decay in our generation. We live in a world where many people want to be accorded recognition above what they really are. This is not the will of God.

Today, it is important to know that one of the manifestations of the craving for recognition is eagerness to accumulate titles.

Even in the house of God, there are a lot of titles or designations being added to the names of ministers of God; titles like Dr, Rev. Dr, Bishop Dr, Prophet Dr, Apostle Professor, etc. some of the men who add these titles to their names have never seen the four walls of the university or any institution of higher learning.

Some of them even claim to have a doctorate degree without a first degree. The question is, is it possible to have a doctorate degree without a first degree? No!

You know when men struggle for titles; it is to cover up a deficiency. There is an emptiness or a vacuum somewhere in their lives that they want to cover up with these titles. They forget to realise that title without mantle leads to battle.

Beloved, let God take you up. Do not struggle for recognition or for titles but for the mantle that will handle the battle; do not struggle to be known by men.

Remember this: When men struggle for titles, it is to cover up a deficiency; title without mantle leads to battle.

Assignment(s):

1. Don’t live for titles; instead, desire the mantle.

2. Be humble

Prayer: O LORD, I ask for the impartation of a great mantle on my life, in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: MAXIMIZING YOUR LIFE.

Quote: To be a servant makes the blessing compulsory. Culled from SERVICE: YOUR UTMOST FOR THE HIGHEST by Dr Becky Enenche.

Daily Reading: Isaiah 45:11 to 48:11, Ephesians 4:1 to 16, Psalm 68:19 to 35, Proverbs 24:3 to 4.

Amazing Fact: The human brain can read up to 1,000 words per minute.

Today In History: 25/09/2012 – China launched its first aircraft carrier into service.

Don’t Forget To Attend: The Healing and Deliverance Service by 9:30am tomorrow. Invite someone. God bless you as you do so.

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: Move Closer Every Day [Monday September 25, 2017]

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. – John 15:5

Abiding in Jesus isn’t something that comes automatically to any believer. It’s a lifestyle that involves discipline and effort.

We have to choose to give ourselves to our union with Him, to give Him first place where our attention is concerned. If we want to grow spiritually, if we want to walk in power and in fellowship with the Lord, we’ll have to spend the time it takes to know Him.

That’s not something we can do for a while and then forget about either. We must continue in it every day. For the moment we stop moving closer to Jesus, we always start drifting away.

You see, here in this natural world you’re surrounded by ungodliness. You live in a body that is totally natural. Unless you purposely counter that with daily prayer and time in the Word, your body and your mind will simply give in to the pressures around you and go the way of the world.

Right now, make a decision to give yourself to the things of God. Focus your attention on the Lord. Surround yourself with His Word. Listen to preaching and teaching tapes while you’re getting dressed, driving to work, preparing dinner, working on your car, exercising, cleaning house and when you go to bed. Listen to the Word of God anytime, anywhere!

Abide in Him today.

Scripture Reading: John 15:1-11

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: Symptoms of Guilt [Monday September 25, 2017]

Cleanse me from this guilt. Let me be pure again. — Psalm 51:2 (TLB)

Guilt is a prominent word among psychoanalysts, psychiatrists, and ministers too. The dictionary calls guilt “the act or state of having done a wrong or committed an offense.” The symptoms of guilt are many, but the root cause is one.

We have broken the moral law of the universe as expressed in the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount. So we have a sense of guilt.

This guilt causes a variety of psychological problems such as insecurity, tension, hunger for approval, struggles for recognition. A sense of guilt, some psychiatrists point out, is as necessary as a sense of pain. We need both in order to keep us from getting hurt.

Prayer for the day: Your Holy Spirit touches my heart and makes me conscious of my guilt. Forgive me, Lord.

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: Seek God’s Wisdom – Monday September 25, 2017.

Matthew 23:1 “Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,”

Text: Matthew 23:1-9

This rebuke by Jesus to the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy was the harshest treatment that He ever gave to any group. He did this publicly before the multitude, the people the hypocrites most wanted to impress.

Jesus had faced many prior battles with the scribes and Pharisees. On this particular day, the encounter started with the chief priests and elders challenging Jesus’ authority. Jesus stunned them by replying with a question that challenged their authority. He then used three parables to illustrate that the leaders of the Jews had rejected the rule of God in their lives, despite their pious religious acts. They “perceived that he spake of them.”

The Pharisees countered by tempting Jesus with a question about paying taxes to the Roman government. Then the Sadducees tried to stop Jesus with a question about the resurrection, and finally, a lawyer tried to snare Him with a question about the greatest commandment. Jesus did so well in each test that “no man after that durst ask him any question.” Jesus then asked the leaders who were supposed to know it all, a question that none of them could answer. These Jews, who prided themselves on having superior knowledge, were totally humiliated by a man who had never been through their religious “seminary.” This resulted in them being afraid to ever try to trap Jesus again, by questioning Him.

These were the events of the day that led up to Jesus’ stinging public rebuke of these hypocrites. Jesus gave this rebuke knowing full well that they were planning to kill Him. Jesus was totally fearless in the face of their threats. All of these questions were intended to snare Jesus, but in His infinite superior wisdom, He evaded their traps. Ask God for His wisdom, He will also help you evade traps.

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).

A Promise For You From Bible Promises:

Topic: Herein Lies The Victory [25/09/2017]

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. John 19:30. Read: 28:18-20

In the garden of Eden, God Almighty made everything available to us His children in abundance. He gave us unlimited access to these heavenly resources on earth to live a life of fruitfulness. There was no cause for sickness, diseases, poverty and need for alleviation programs or security agencies. Life in Eden was a complete life of insurance and assurance of provisions and protection of God Almighty Himself. Everything was under the control of man until he lost this liberty to the devil through disobedience. Almost immediately, God promised and launched the rescue mission of the Son because of His great love for humanity. Gen 3:15.

Now, all the unlimited provisions made available to humanity in the garden of Eden has now been restored in one man – the man Jesus which is the last Adam. Are you sick? Your healing is in Christ Jesus. Are you in debt? Your freedom is located in Jesus Christ. Are you swimming in poverty? Jesus became poor that we through his poverty will be rich. Are you restless? Your everlasting peace is in Jesus. Just before He gave up the ghost on the cross, He said, “It’s finished” which means all your burdens and yokes are taken away by His vicarious death. He shall restore all your losses to you in His victorious Name.

#BiblePromisesThought

Your desired victory over that challenge is traceable to Jesus. Know Him and have your victory.

Topic: No Skipping Details — Monday 25, September 2017.

Memorise: For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: – Isaiah 28:10

Read: 2 Kings 4:1-7 (KJV)

1 Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.

2 And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.

3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.

4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.

5 So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.

6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.

7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.

Bible in One Year: Nehemiah 10-11, Ezekiel 46:13-24, Hymn: Sing hymn 14 – Take My Life

MESSAGE:

To avoid financial storms, you need to carefully note all the elements of a divine instruction. God is a God of details. When He gives you a recipe to solve a particular problem, He expects you to leave no detail out. In today’s Bible reading, to solve the serious debt problem of the widow of a late prophet, Elisha asked her to borrow vessels from all her neighbours, shut the door behind her and pour out her remaining pot of oil into all available vessels. If she had altered any element of this instruction, it would definitely have affected the result she got. Some people receive certain divine instructions and thereafter determine which to obey and which to discard. No! All the details must be observed! Do you know that if the widow had borrowed the vessels but refused to shut her door, the oil would not have flowed?

Coming up next: Open Heavens 26 September 2017: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Because He Is Big

Beloved, always pay close attention to whatever instructions you receive from God. When it comes to sowing for instance, 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 says,

“6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

From the details of this scripture, it is not just sowing that will get you your expected returns, but rather, sowing bountifully and cheerfully. Today, many people have chosen to forget these details on sowing, and this accounts for the financial storms in their lives. On tithing, it is not enough to tithe, but to bring in all the tithes. After completing my PhD research, I recalled l still had part of my research grant with the university. So I went to my Head of Department (HoD) asking to draw out of it to bind my thesis. He refused to release it to me, and when I insisted, he sent me out of his office. With no other funds available, I wondered how to get the money l needed. A little past midnight, someone came knocking on my door. He said he could not sleep, and so he came to return the money l had loaned him five years earlier. Although l had forgotten this money, God had not. He paid me the exact amount l needed. After binding the thesis, I was scared, wondering if my HoD would accept it and give me a good score. So on the following Sunday, I paid my tithe, and on Monday, when I submitted my thesis to him, he was impressed and offered to personally take it to the external examiner. He also waited on the examiner until he finished his job in three days instead of six months. After this, my PhD grant was paid, and it became useful pocket money for me. You cannot tell the extent God will go to satisfy those who are totally obedient.

Prayer Point: Ask God to lead our youths aright in the choice of life partners.

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.