Topic: Speak The Word [Tuesday August 1, 2017]

“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Mathew 4:4 (KJV)

The strength that comes from being equipped with the Word of God cannot be overemphasised. Jesus in the face of strong temptation, even after he had fasted for forty days and nights, won the battle by His knowledge of the word of God. Everything he said to the devil started with it is written. What is written concerning that situation you are struggling against? Would you rather continue to struggle or would you go to the scriptures and find out what was written concerning your victory?

Search the scriptures, arm yourself with the word and begin to declare it into that situation. It will turn around. When the earth was without form and void and everything around was unpleasant, God spoke his word. Everything He spoke came to pass and God saw that it was good. None of his words will go back to Him void but it will accomplish that for which He has sent it. That is why I know that one of the best weapons God has armed us with as believers is His word. Make use of the Word today and your life shall be transformed for good. In the work of creation, God spoke what He desired and He saw what He spoke turn out the way He intended it to be. For six days, God was busy speaking and what he spoke happened.

That is why I know today that everything the Lord has spoken concerning your life will come to pass in the name of Jesus. The Spirit of God is still moving and He is waiting for you to speak. Don’t keep quiet. Speak the word and keep speaking until you see the salvation of the Lord. There is nowhere the Word of God cannot reach. It will reach into every corner of your life and sort out the thorny issue for you. Learn to speak the word of God always and create your world just like God did during creation.

Further Reading: Matthew 4:1-10, Genesis 1:1-3

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Psalms 57-59; Evening- Romans 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: Nozomi Hope [Tuesday August 1, 2017]

Read: 2 Corinthians 4:7–18, Bible in a Year: Psalms 57–59; Romans 4

We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7

In 2011, a magnitude 9 earthquake and a resulting tsunami took nearly 19,000 lives and destroyed 230,000 homes in the region northeast of Tokyo. In its aftermath, The Nozomi Project, named for the Japanese word for “hope,” was born to provide sustainable income, community, dignity, and hope in a God who provides.

Nozomi women sift through the rubble of homes and furnishings to discover broken china shards that they sand and insert into fittings to form jewelry. The jewelry is sold around the world, providing a livelihood for the women while sharing symbols of their faith in Christ.

In New Testament times, it was customary to hide valuables in the unlikely vessels of simple clay pots. Paul describes how the treasure of the gospel is contained in the human frailty of followers of Christ: jars of clay (2 Cor. 4:7). He suggests that the meager—and even at times broken—vessels of our lives actually can reveal God’s power in contrast to our imperfections.

When God inhabits the imperfect and broken pieces in our lives, the healing hope of His power is often more visible to others. Yes, His repair work in our hearts often leaves the scars of cracks. But perhaps those lines from our learning are the etchings in our beings that make His character more visible to others.

Prayer: Dear God, please show others Your power as I share the treasure of Your gospel in my broken, but beautiful life.

Brokenness can lead to wholeness.

Insight:

Paul declared, “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness” (2 Cor. 11:30) because he had found strength through reliance upon God. While lamenting his “thorn in [the] flesh” (12:6–9), Paul affirmed, “I delight in weaknesses . . . . For when I am weak, then I am strong” (v. 10).

What areas of brokenness in your life can become pathways for Christ’s strength? Bill Crowder

This message was written By Elisa Morgan [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: Call to Acceptable Service [Tuesday August 1, 2017]

Text: Ezekiel 20:39-49

Key Verse: “For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things.”(EZEKIEL 20:40).

In his book, The Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan tells us about a character named Christianah and her four sons who were near their goal when they met a wounded man on the street. The name of the man was Mr. Valiant-for-truth. They washed his wounds, gave him food and drink; also learned his story as they travelled onward together. Mr. Valiant-for-truth related his experiences of obstacles, yet remained resolute that he would make it all the way to the celestial city.

Those are the people that the Lord desires to serve Him. In today’s text, the children of Israel were given to idol worship, yet they pretended to be serving God by bringing gifts to Him. The Lord rejected their gifts and challenged them to turn away from their idols and serve the living God so that He could re-establish them in their own land and set up His sanctuary among them once again. Otherwise, His judgment was inevitable on them.

Many acclaimed believers today think they can bribe God with their gifts of tithes and offerings, regular church attendance, being a philanthropist in the society, religious activities, among others without serving God in the beauty of holiness, are an effort in futility. “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness” (1 Chronicles 16:29).

It is this total holiness of life that makes service acceptable to God. You cannot worship God or offer Him gifts in an unclean state. You cannot give Him blemished offerings. God is holy and He demands holiness all around Him. He demands a service of holiness from all His children. Holy and acceptable service stems from genuine repentance and forgiveness through Christ’s atoning blood. Believers must demonstrate total commitment, obedience and submission to the Scriptures as they shun all forms of unholy union in worship.

Thought for the day: Unholy life desecrates God’s altar.

Bible Reading in one Year: 2 Corinthians 1-4

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.

Starting your business is stressful and quite demanding, however, there are some helpful tips to help ease the process to a reasonable extent. Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares 6 helpful tips for starting a small business.

Have Plan to Execute Your Idea

It’s not enough to just have a great idea for your business, you need to develop that idea and you need a plan to do that. You should first develop a business concept, then from there you write a solid business plan to guide your development of the business concept. The business plan is a very essential tool for bringing your business idea to life and presenting to potential investors for help in setting up your business.

Establish a Budget

A budget is essential for efficiently managing your financial resources. It is necessary to first do some research to find out about the standard cost factors within your industry, then develop a budget to run your business based on this information. Once you are able to efficiently manage your financial resources, there is a higher chance of success in your business venture.

Get The Right Investors

This is one mistake common to first-time entrepreneurs – failing to get the right investors for their business. Not just any investor is right for your business, because there are some that might take advantage of your inexperience. It is therefore extremely important to find an investor that shares your passion, understands your idea and is someone that you can work with (that last part is extremely important).

Get a Great Support System

At the initial stage of your business, you typically need to spend a lot of time and resources getting things running. As a result, you’ll need support from family and friends. You should first ensure that your family is on board with the necessary sacrifices you are going to make in terms of time and resources, and your loved ones should be prepared for how challenging financially and even emotionally things might get. It helps to assure them that it’s only for a while and that it won’t last forever; but then you also have a personal responsibility to ensure the cost of your business venture to your loved ones isn’t far more than they can bear, because in the end ‘family should always come first’.

Ensure the Legal Aspect is Well Taken Care Of

The key word here is ‘well’. You cannot afford to be nonchalant with the legal aspects of your business venture; that can prove to be a very costly mistake. Secure the necessary permits and licenses, determine your tax obligations and get a good lawyer to guide you legally every step of the way (especially when negotiating with investors).

Take Advantage of Free Resources

The sub-heading says it all; if you can get it for free, then please do. You are not going to be given a medal for paying for every single thing relating to your business, so if you are able to negotiate and get a couple of things for free, then it really can help the success of your business venture in a monumental way and take a lot of financial pressure off you.

By Damilola Ojo
PR Associate Jumia Travel
+2348101556883

A Promise For You From Bible Promises:

Topic: Don’t Let Him Go [31/07/2017]

And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. Genesis 32:26. Read: Gen 32:24-30

When Jacob was about to go meet his elder brother Esau, he was afraid because of what he did to him before he left home (he stole his birthright and blessing). Gen 25:29-34, 27:26-29. Jacob knew that there must be a change, something has to be done. He knew if he should meet his brother like that without a change, there would be problem.

The night before meeting his brother, he decided to meet with God first. You see, when you meet with God first before you take that decision, everything will work in your favor.  “And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day”. Gen 32:24. He was alone with God, he wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When He saw that Jacob was not giving up on Him, And he said, Let me go. Jacob’s reply to Him was, I WILL NOT LET THEE GO, EXCEPT THOU BLESS ME. The angel of the Lord had just one option – to bless Him. With your persevering attitude, you can get what you want from the Lord.

Tonight before we enter into the month of August, if those area of your life you are believing God for perfection for are still yet to be settled, if you put on the same attitude of Jacob of no retreat no surrender until you bless me, you shall have whatsoever you desire. The woman with the issue of blood pressed through the crowd to get her healing, Jairus persevered to see that Jesus finally comes to raise his dead daughter to life. Mk 5:25-34. What you desire God to do for you this month of perfection is still very much available and possible in spite of today being the last day of the month. The question is, can you hold on to God tonight until you see your desired change? Don’t let Him go until you prevail.

#BiblePromisesPrayer

*Father, today, I will never let You go unless you bless, heal, promote, save and grant my heart desires in Jesus Mighty Name*

Today’s Scripture: “Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” – (James 1:3-4, NKJV)

Topic: Lacking Nothing [Monday July 31, 2017]

God wants you to be perfect and complete, living in His abundance, and lacking nothing on this earth. That may seem like a stretch from where you are today. It may seem far off; but in an instant, things can turn around. God has set up a system of blessing for you, and it starts with His Word. The Bible says that God has given each of us a measure of faith. We all have faith, and it’s up to us to develop it. Romans 10:17 says that faith grows as we read and study His Word. Faith, in turn, produces patience, and when we allow patience to have its perfect work in us, we will lack no good thing.

Today, no matter where you are in the process, the key is to keep moving forward by reading and hearing His Word. His Word is alive. His Word will heal your heart and restore your soul. His Word will produce patience in your life so that you can move forward, being complete and lacking nothing all the days of your life!

A Prayer for Today: “Father God, thank You for Your Word which lights my path and directs my way. I choose to put You first place. I choose to meditate on Your Word, knowing that You are leading me in Your paths of life in Jesus’ name. Amen!”

Topic: Tired of Stagnancy? [Tuesday 1, August 2017]

Memorise: This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.  –  Joshua 1:8

Read: 2 Peter 1:5-10 (KJV)

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

Bible in One Year: 1 Kings 11; Ezekiel 18:19-29, Hymn: Sing hymn 11: I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

MESSAGE:

The word “stagnancy” is commonly used to describe the state of a standing body of water that is devoid of current or flow, which consequently results in an unpleasant smell. It can also be used to describe a dull and sluggish situation where there is little or no evidence of activity. Just as a body of water can become stagnant, a person’s life can also enter into a state of stagnancy. Stagnancy ultimately leads to lack of productivity, barrenness, fruitlessness, indebtedness, poverty, failure, sorrow and disappointment. Moreover, stagnancy sometimes develops into a state of confusion. Inferiority complex, faithlessness, hopelessness and a loss of ambition. If a stagnated person does not receive help on time, the situation may degenerate into feelings of regret, depression, psychological imbalance and even suicide. I hereby decree into your life: in any area you may be experiencing stagnancy receive the power to make progress now in Jesus’ Name.

Do you know that sin within a person’s life is a far more deadly destroyer of destiny than other external enemies? Out of all the numerous agents that the devil uses to cause stagnancy, the paralysing effect of sin is the most potent weapon that prevents people from making progress. Once a person steps into sin, the stagnating power of sin becomes activated in the person’s life. Consequently, guilty conscience, loss of confidence, and the law of divine retribution all combine to ensure that every effort to make real progress is rendered null and void. However, God has provided a very effective way of escape for anyone who is tired of stagnancy. According to today’s memory verse, meditating on and living in obedience to the word of God destroys the power of stagnancy and guarantees success and prosperity. Through this scripture, the Holy Spirit is saying that if the word of God abounds in you and you are completely obedient to its principles, the Lord will ensure that agents of stagnancy such as barrenness, unfruitfulness, blindness and short-sightedness are rendered impotent in your life. The question is, are you tired of stagnancy? Are you ready to do what it takes to break the stronghold of stagnancy in your life? If you are yet to give your life to Jesus, you need to first surrender your life to Him now, confessing Him your Lord and Saviour. Following this, you must develop a hunger for studying God’s principles intensively through the Bible and begin to live according to His word. As you commit yourself to these things, the power of God will descend on you to set you free from stagnancy and divinely empower you to make progress in all areas of your life. Welcome to the unstoppable generation.

Prayer Point: Father, please break the power of stagnancy over my life and work in Jesus’ Name.

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.

Trust this God and never forget that: “God does not pay at the end of every week or month, but He pays at last.”

Topic — More Than Your Federal Government: He Does Not Owe! [Monday 31 July, 2017]

(Hebrews 11:6-13; Psalm 37:23-26).

William Couper Brain wrote the golden lines below: “No man can be a patriot on an empty stomach.” The above statement can be confirmed by the fact that the Federal Government of Nigeria owed her pensioners billions of Naira. But good news came recently in 2017 when 41.5 billion naira was paid! “Concerned about the plight of pensioners who retired under the Contributory Pension Scheme without being paid, the Federal Government has cleared the inherited arrears of accrued pension benefits for the year 2014, 2015 and 2016 by releasing N41.5 billion to the National Pension Commission, PENCOM, for onward payment of the retires” , Minister of Finance Mrs. Kemi Adeosun disclosed. Great news but consider the three years of no food on their tables! I can imagine how many pensioners died before this payment was made!

In fact, it is predicted that the pension bill would supersede the monthly payment for active workers of the Federal Government. Oh, no wonder pensioners are dying in queues daily! How can a hungry man be patriotic on an empty stomach? Indeed, governments are trying their best but they are not your God! God’s concern in our devotional today is to rescue you that He is not a man! God wants you to know that all your labor of love for His Kingdom shall not be in vain! Heaven is sending me to let you know that He is a perfect Paymaster: The God that says, “Owe no man, but love,” will not owe you! Hold on even when it seems that God is slow or when darkness has hidden His face!

Your God pays more than the government or any company! The God that paid ( rewarded ) Abraham, Moses, Daniel, Elijah, Elisha, Peter etc, will also pay you. Hebrews 11:6 says that He is a rewarder! Hear Psalm 37:25: “……..I have not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread.” When Joseph chose holiness, did God not pay him at last? When Jesus Christ chose obedience, did God not give Him a new name? Trust this God and never forget that: “God does not pay at the end of every week or month, but He pays at last.”

See Psalm 34:10, and declare many times: My God is a rewarder. I will trust Him. Shame shall be far from my address.”

THE2017 UK ANOINTING SERVICE IS AUGUST 5TH!

Theme: THIS DELAY MUST END! Venue: City Temple Conference Center Holborn Viaduct, London ECIA 2DE. For booking details, call: +447818555808. Date: Saturday (August 5th 2017). Time: 3pm. BUSES NO: 242, 25 & 8( Buses To The Venue).

Prayer Points: Take your best worship song now.

1. Pray about your life/today’s message as led.

2. I frustrate and annul every satanic plan/ war to paralyze my source of income in Jesus Christ name (Pray it seriously).

3. I shall not labor for others to eat. Loose your reward SERIOUSLY now.

By Bishop (Dr) Chris E. Kwakpovwe (Cek)
Publisher/Writer Of ODM And

Rev (Mrs) Flora E. Kwakpovwe (Fek)
Co-Publisher/Writer Of ODM.

Topic: Kingdom Living [Monday July 31, 2017]

[After all] the kingdom of God is not a matter of [getting the] food and drink [one likes], but instead it is righteousness (that state which makes a person acceptable to God) and [heart] peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. — Romans 14:17

God’s kingdom is made up of things far greater and more beneficial than worldly possessions. God does bless us with material possessions, but the kingdom is much more than that: It is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Righteousness is not the result of what we do, but rather what Jesus has done for us (see 1 Corinthians 1:30). He takes our sin and gives us His righteousness (see 2 Corinthians 5:21). When we accept this truth by faith and receive it personally, we are free to live and enjoy the life Jesus died to give us.

Peace is so wonderful—it is definitely kingdom living. This is why we pursue peace, crave it, and go after it (see Psalm 34:14; 1 Peter 3:11). The closer we get to God, the more we understand that Jesus is our peace (see Ephesians 2:14). God’s will for you and me is to enjoy His peace that goes beyond understanding (see Philippians 4:7).

Joy can be anything from calm delight to extreme hilarity. Joy improves our countenance, our health, and the quality of our lives. It strengthens our witness to others and gives us a godly perspective on life (see Nehemiah 8:10).

It is clear in the Word of God: Seek God and His kingdom, and He will take care of everything else (see Matthew 6:33).

There is no better life than life in the kingdom of God.

God sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to earth, whose short but exemplary life was the standard by which all Christians aspire to. Christ’s death was the ultimate sacrifice our Lord could make but also one that Christ himself questioned. Matthew 27:46 reports that, exhausted and desperate while nailed to the cross he asked his Father “with a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ which means ‘My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?’” Of course, God had not abandoned Jesus. Subsequently to his death, Christ was resurrected. Luke 24 contains a long passage about finding that the stone had been rolled away from Jesus’ tomb yet Christ’s body was nowhere to be found. When He was resurrected, He visited his disciples and told them, ““How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” In his new life, Christ clearly saw that his suffering was part and parcel of the greater glory – that which saved all mankind.

When human beings are diagnosed with a chronic or terminal illness, we too can question our faith. The most common questions are– “How could God have allowed this to happen to us? Do we not pray, try to lead a Christian life, to be kind and giving to everyone?” This questioning is only human – nobody who is suddenly faced with the burden of illness, can be expected to understand why their health has mysteriously been taken away from them. In the same way that Jesus himself questioned his father, it is to be expected that our first reaction to illness, is to be stunned, angry, questioning. Coming to terms with illness involves flittering through several stages, as espoused by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross in her studies on grief. These stages are: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance.

In the denial stage we may think that what our doctors have told us is wrong – of course, obtaining a second, or even third or fourth, opinion, is always helpful when life-threatening illnesses are involved. Yet despite what we are told, we can continue to deny that something so powerful is happening to us. We can become angry about why this illness has afflicted us in particular, when we may have led a healthy lifestyle and tried to steer clear of habits that impair our health. We can try bargaining – offering our Lord something in turn for health. When we feel at our lowest, we can become depressed. After a long period of moving between these emotions and states, we can final reach the stage of acceptance – an important place to be because it is when we accept what is happening to us, when we understand that God has a plan that we are unable to comprehend, and that eternal life awaits us – that we can begin to make the most of our time on Earth.

How can we live our life to the full, bearing in mind the gravity of our health? There are many ways we can start to prepare for the time when we are no longer here – from taking care of difficult yet necessary administrative and insurance matters, to working on our relationship with God. The material side is mainly focused on those we leave behind – while the spiritual one is internal and profound and is a different journey for every person.

Some people try to squeeze in as much of the beauty of life into the days they have left. They may travel to places they had always wanted to see, take part in adventure activities, or mend important bridges with the people who have meant the most to them throughout their lifetime. For others, the process is more internal; they can find solace and strengthen their faith through The Bible.

Whatever the road you chose is, don’t forget that God is always by your side. As Richard C. Leonard, an expert in Biblical studies advises, “Follow the example of the Psalmists, who sometimes cry out to God as though taking Him to task for their problems, but who persist in their conversation with Him; eventually [they received] an answer, reinforcing His faithfulness to His servants.” We may not understand God’s will in this life, but in eternity, there will be no more suffering and pain, and we will be united in everlasting life with our Savior.

This is an article sent in by Sally Painthorpe