Topic: Put Your Imagination to Work — Monday August 7, 2017.

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work. – 2 Corinthians 9:8

If you have a desire to give, yet financial failures keep holding you back, you may be surprised to learn that what you need is not more money. What you need is a spiritual breakthrough. You need to take the Word of God and shatter the images of poverty and lack within you. You need to replace them with a vision of the sufficiency of God. Then more things, including money, will come.

How? By spending time thinking on the prosperity promises He’s provided for you in His Word. By meditating on them. By believing you receive those promises actually being fulfilled in your life.

Begin to see yourself, for example, being a generous giver to people in need. In your mind, see yourself as a giver instead of the one who is always in need. Each time you do, the promise of God will become more real to you and your faith will grow.

“Oh my, Brother Copeland, surely you’re not saying I should use my imagination!”

Yes, that’s precisely what I’m saying. What do you think God gave it to you for? Coupled with the Word of God, your imagination is a tremendous thing. However, never forget without the Word, your imagination will become worldly and bind you instead of feeding your faith.

Let me warn you though, sometimes creating such new images of hope is tough—especially when there are old images of doubt blocking the way. If you’ve been broke, for instance, all or most all of your life, it may take awhile for you to see yourself prospering in God. But you can do it if you stay in the Word.

Just keep meditating the Word of God. Eventually you’ll be transformed by the renewing of your mind. When that happens, financial failures will never be able to stop you again.

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 8:1-14

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: The Benefits of Being Righteous — Monday August 7, 2017.

“Blessings are upon the head of the just…” – Proverbs 10:6

It is important you understand once again that your righteousness is unearned and undeserved. You did not labour for it. God gave it to you. Romans 5:17 says‘…by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign…” It is crystal clear that righteousness is a gift. You did not work for it or earn it. 1 Corinthians 1:30 says that Christ has been made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. It is, therefore, an insult to the finished work of Christ to reject what He suffered to give you for free. If you can do it for yourself why then did He come?

There are benefits you get as a righteous person which you never get or experience until you know who you are in Christ. For instance, the steps of the good man are ordered of the Lord. In other words, when you step out every morning God will order your steps. You won’t be wondering if it will be good or not. You know it will be good.

Another benefit is seen in Psalm 37:23 and it says though he (the righteous) falls, he will not totally be cast down. In other words, there is nothing like total failure for a child of God. The righteous can’t fall and not be able to rise up because the Lord is going to uphold him. Proverbs 24:16 says that the just falleth seven times and riseth up again. Seven times means perfect number. It means as the righteous there is no failure in you. There is nothing the devil can do that has the capacity to destroy it. Another benefit is that you become bold. (Proverbs 28:1) If you are not established in righteousness you cannot be bold. Another benefit is that God delivers you from all your affliction.(Psalm 34:19) And finally the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and His ears open wide to their cry.(Psalm 34:15)

Further Reading: Job 36:7, Psalm 34:15, 64:10

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Psalms 72-73; Evening- Romans 9:1-15

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 Right Knowledge versus the Wrong Knowledge [Monday August 7, 2017]

Scripture: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. Daniel 11:32

Thought For The Day: The right knowledge imparts inner strength for exploits in life.

There was a man by the name Charles Darwin. He was a seminary student who studied to become a priest. He was very dedicated and passionate to know God. Unfortunately, he stumbled on a piece of information in a library that denied the existence of God. Darwin assimilated this information until he came to a point where he formulated the Theory of Evolution and thus became the father of every godless person and God hater that ever lived. Why? He stumbled on the wrong knowledge.

There is a multiplication of wrong knowledge in our world today. Many have been destroyed by dangerous and corrupt sites on the internet. Damnable heresies that can take many to hell abound everywhere.

Now, it is important to note that it takes the right knowledge like the knowledge of God’s Word, to counter the wrong knowledge. The right knowledge imparts inner strength for exploits in life (Daniel 11:32). Your spiritual experience is strengthened by the things you know. While the wrong knowledge destroys, the right knowledge has the capacity to establish a person in exploits; it also guarantees safety in time and in eternity.

Beloved, determine to seek the right knowledge, the knowledge of God, the knowledge of His Word, the knowledge of your purpose on earth and your profession; you will exist in the realm of exploits.

Remember this: The right knowledge imparts inner strength for exploits in life.

Assignment (s):

1. Crave for the right knowledge.

2. Endeavour to learn something new in the Word of God, your career, etc. every day.

3. Avoid the wrong knowledge; any knowledge that defiles the conscience is destructive.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: THE POWER OF KNOWLEDGE

Prayer: O LORD, give me the grace to shield my mind from the wrong knowledge. Give me the passion to know You more, LORD, in Jesus’ Name.

Quote: Every time there is an improvement inside, there will certainly be an improvement outside. Culled from 21 FOOLISH THINGS PEOPLE DO by Dr Paul Enenche.

Daily Reading: Ezra 4:24: to 6:22, 1 Corinthians 3:5 to 23, Psalm 29:1 to 11, Proverbs 20:26 to 27

Amazing Fact: There is an exoplanet called HD189733b where it rains glass sideways.

Today In History: 7/8/1960 – Ivory Coast became independent from France.

Dunamis International Gospel Centre (DIGC), is a powerfully anointed church, headquartered at Abuja, Nigeria, with Dr Paul and Dr 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: Search For Yourself — Monday, 7th July 2017

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.  Acts 17:11

The things we discover for ourselves have a way of sticking to us for a very long, and it is very hard, if not impossible, for someone else to tell us that such thing is wrong. This is because when we come to a personal understanding of somethings, such understanding becomes ours, and no one can just come and take what is ours. This truth is not less for Biblical truths and principles. When the Holy Spirit teaches you something personally, it is almost impossible for you to be turned from that lesson.

But the truth is that most of us don’t go back to search what we are taught in church or fellowship. We just take it verbatim. This is why most of our beliefs can be easily shaken, because we didn’t take out time to study and learn truths and concepts for ourselves. 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us “study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” If we don’t study, we can’t rightly divide the word of truth. You can’t effectively explain to someone the rhema your Pastor gave you on Sunday except you experience that truth on a personal level. And such would not come except by going back to study the Word for yourself.

Acts 17:11 told us of noble men in Berea, more noble than the men in Thessalonica. Why were they more noble? After receiving the word with all readiness of mind, they went back to search the scriptures, and by that many of them believed. This throws up some interesting truth, for you to actually believe the Word of God, you will need to study it indepthly. Remember, “faith come by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17).

Colossians 2:7-8 admonishes us to be “rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Being rooted comes from searching and learning truths for ourselves, then no one can come and spoil our philosophy. I’m not saying you shouldn’t believe what you’re taught in church or fellowship, I’m saying that for you to be well rooted, you must study and learn such truths yourself. God help us in abundance as we search constantly to be established in His truth.

Keep winning daily.

Prayer:

Dear Father, thank You so much for the desire to know You and grow in You. Help me always to search your Word to know the truths hidden within by the Holy Spirit, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

By Esun Tekeme

Topic: Authority Comes From Above [Monday August 7, 2017]

Text: Numbers 17:1-13

Key Verse: “And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not” (Number 17:10).

Politicians try to occupy positions and public offices with various motives. Many want to use the platforms for serving the public and bringing their good ideas to bear on the people. Others seek office as a means of self-glorification, access to public wealth and influence or just to be mentioned in history as having been once there. For this reason, they make so much effort to out-do one another during campaigns.

God cannot be associated with confusion. He sets clear leaders over groups of people. It was therefore surprising that the Israelites disputed the leadership of Aaron until God had to settle it once and for all. The method He chose had the desired effect, such that the Aaronic priesthood was never disputed afterward. This, no doubt, must have been fixed in the minds of the people about the divine appointment of Aaron. To see a piece of wood long cut off from the parent stock, without bark or moisture remaining, laid up in a dry place and such a piece of wood, budding, blossoming and bringing forth ripe fruit at the same time, must be a demonstration of God’s power.

God can do all things! It is therefore puzzling that many people sometimes, blatantly claim qualification for tasks they are neither suited nor equipped to perform. There are those who believe, even in their sins, that they are sufficiently holy and in every way fit to minister in holy things. How wrong they are! God’s immutable dictates must be single-mindedly adhered to if we are to receive His blessings. The leaders He sets over His people must be obeyed and honoured.

Submission to the leadership ordained by God is what we need today. God is ready to forgive the errant follower as well as the inordinately ambitious who repents. Let us be obedient to divine leadership, for there is blessing in obedience.

Thought for the day: God chooses those He wills.

Bible Reading in one Year: Jeremiah 7-9

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: Turn from Sin – Monday August 7, 2017

John 11:5 “Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.”

JOHN 11:5

It is interesting to note that special mention is made of Jesus loving Martha. This is after the incident recorded in Luke 10:38-42 where Martha is caught up with serving instead of worshipping Jesus and her priorities are still not in order. Jesus was not rebuking Martha but rather exhorting her for her own profit. When the Lord deals with problem areas in our lives, it is always for our profit – not punishment and we should not take it as rejection. This is one way to discern God’s correction from the devil’s condemnation.

God convicts us of sin but He doesn’t condemn us. Conviction is solely for our profit with no malice while condemnation includes punishment. Satan is the one who condemns the Christian, but the Holy Spirit has given us the power to escape that condemnation. The way the Lord convicts a believer is through the inner ministry of the Holy Spirit. This is always done in a positive manner that encourages us to turn from sin rather than the negative way of condemning us for having committed the sin.

A Christian who still walks in condemnation is being condemned by the devil or is condemning himself. Only those who are living in the power of the Holy Spirit escape condemnation. Compare this to the law of gravity. Gravity is a law that never quits exerting its power, but it can be overcome. Through the laws of aerodynamics man can actually fly and send space ships beyond Earth’s gravity. But it takes power to do this. If the power is shut off, the law of gravity is still at work and will cause the vehicle to fall.

Likewise, the law of sin and death still exists. If a Christian shuts off the power of the Spirit of life and begins to walk in the power of his own flesh, Satan will use this law of sin and death to condemn him and ensure he crashes. It’s not God who condemns 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: The Mind of Christ — Monday August 7, 2017

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. — 2 Timothy 1:7

Many diseases of both body and mind are self-inflicted. For example, ulcers are often caused by worry and anxiety. Heart attacks are caused many times by overexertion. Unjustified worry, fear, prejudice, hatred, and envy can contribute to mental stress, which could lead to mental illness.

So one way to have a healthy mind is to avoid those practices. But the Bible way to a healthy mind is this, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” If you have the mind of Christ, worry will be offset by trust, enmity by love, and fear by faith.

Prayer for the day: Fears sometimes seem as if they would overwhelm me, Lord Jesus, but then I remember Your gift of power, love, and a healthy mind. Thank You for the promise of healing and love, as I keep my mind on You, my beloved 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: Life to the Full — Monday August 7, 2017

Read: Mark 10:28–31; John 10:9–10, Bible in a Year: Psalms 72–73; Romans 9:1–15

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

When I stopped by to visit my sister’s family, my nephews eagerly showed me their new chore system, a set of Choropoly boards. Each colorful electronic board keeps track of their chores. A job well done means the kids can hit a green button, which adds points to their “spending” account. A misdeed like leaving the back door open results in a fine being deducted from the total. Since a high-points total leads to exciting rewards such as computer time—and misdeeds deduct from that total—my nephews are now unusually motivated to do their work and to keep the door closed!

The ingenious system had me joking that I wished I had such an exciting motivational tool! But of course God has given us motivation. Rather than simply commanding obedience, Jesus has promised that a life of following Him, while costly, is also a life of abundance, “life . . . to the full” (John 10:10). Experiencing life in His kingdom is worth “one hundred times” the cost—now and eternally (Mark 10:29–30).

We can rejoice in the fact that we serve a generous God, One who does not reward and punish as we deserve. He generously accepts our weakest efforts—even welcoming and rewarding latecomers to His kingdom as generously as old-timers (see Matt. 20:1–16). In light of this reality, let us joyfully serve Him today.

Prayer: Lord, help us to remember there is great meaning in following You and that it is all so worth it.

Following Jesus is the way to a rich and satisfying life.

Insight:

The young man in Mark 10 believed he had earned a place in heaven by trusting in his good works and wealth (Mark 10:17–20). Jesus corrected him and told him to give up his material wealth and to follow Him in order to have “treasure in heaven” (v. 21), but this young man was not willing to do this. When Peter bellowed, “We have left everything to follow you!” (v. 28), he was considering what it had cost him and his brother Andrew to follow Jesus. Peter and Andrew were at work when Jesus called them and “at once they left their nets and followed him” (1:17–18). Likewise brothers James and John left their father and their fishing trade (vv. 19–20). Jesus said, “Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it” (Matt. 10:39). This life, abundant and eternal, is to know “the only true God, and Jesus Christ” (John 17:3).

How has making the choice to follow Jesus changed your life?

This message was written By Monica Brands [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: Meet God 4 [Sunday, 6th August 2017]

For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.  Acts 17:23

While we must take the study of God’s Word seriously for us to know the Lord, understanding the Word can’t be done with our natural mind. This is where the Holy Spirit comes in. We would well agree that trying to understand the word by our own understanding can get very frustrating and unproductive. It is because “all scripture is given by inspiration of God…” and this inspiration is the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:11 states expressly that “for what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”

Jesus Christ said of the Holy Spirit, in John 16:13, “howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

Also in John 14:26, Jesus said “but the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

But we can’t get to enjoy these amazing things that the Holy Spirit does in the life of the believer if we shun the communion of the Spirit. This is actually the whole essence of Christianity, because it is the Spirit that gives life and meaning to all our Christian experience.

Some of us may start wondering how we can access the Holy Spirit so we can experience the wonderful things He brings to us. Well, He is not far off. As long as you are a believer, He abides in you. 1 Corinthians 2:12 says: “now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” You received Him as part of your salvation experience. 1 John 2:27 says: “but the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.” The Holy Spirit abides in us, and wants to teach us all things. Yield yourself to Him so you can learn of Him, and know the Lord.

Keep winning daily.

Prayer:

Dear Father, thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit, Who teaches me all things. Help me yield to Him, so I can learn You. Thank You Father, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

By Esun Tekeme