Topic: R.S.V.P. [Monday July 24, 2017]

Luke 14:16, 23 “Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: …And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.”

LUKE 14:16-24

The man who made the supper symbolizes God who has invited “whosoever will” to come to Him. The parable teaches that it is not God who fails to offer salvation to everyone, but rather it is the invited guests who reject God’s offer.

These people had feeble excuses just like the excuses of those today who don’t accept God’s offer of salvation. Therefore, the Lord’s Marriage Supper of the Lamb will be furnished with “undesirables” from the world’s point of view, not because God rejects the upper class, but because they reject Him.

Those who have an abundance of this world’s possessions don’t tend to recognize their need for God as much as those who are without.

Jesus’ parable could also be applied to the Jewish nation. God offered salvation to the Jews but they, as a whole, refused Him. Therefore, the Lord sent His servants to the Gentiles to fill His kingdom.

This very parable proves that the Lord is not advocating us using force to convert people to Christianity, because this man accepted the decision of those who rejected his invitation. Therefore, it must be understood that the Lord is admonishing us to compel them to come in by our persuasion or entreaty. The word “compel” denotes aggressiveness, even in persuading of people. The Church, as a whole, and all of us as individuals are not supposed to simply hang out our “shingle” and wait for the world to come to us. We are supposed to be aggressively going into all the world with the Good News. We have an urgent command to be a witness because the time before our Lord’s return is short.

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: Living in Fear? [Monday 24, July 2017]

Memorise: There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. – 1 John 4:18

Read: 1 John 4:17-18 (KJV)

17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Bible in One Year: 2 Samuel 23-24; Ezekiel 14:12-23, Hymn: Sing hymn 9 – On A Hill Far Away

MESSAGE:

If you have God as your Refuge, you have a priceless treasure because this gives you access to help in times of trouble. With God as your Refuge, irrespective of what is happening around you, you have no cause to panic. As unlikely as this may sound, it is possible to be under God’s cover and be unaffected by every satanic missile flying around both day and night (Psalm 91:5-6). Due to negative influences from their environment, some people have grown up with a particular phobia for the last quarter of the year. Between January and August, they go about their normal business activities with boldness, but as the month of September approaches, fear envelopes their hearts. As they read or hear of various accidents happening here and there, their fear is heightened. Some people allow this condition to degenerate to the extent that fear redefines all their remaining activities for the year. They may have to cancel all their air travel for fear of air crash. Even their road trips would be seriously reduced for fear of road accidents. They try as much as possible to confine themselves to their houses and will therefore give all kinds of excuses for not accepting any assignment or invitation during that period. Such people are just being manipulated by fear!

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” – 1 John 4:18

If you live in fear, you are in Satan’s bondage (Hebrews 2:15). Your love for God and fellow brethren cannot be perfect if you still create room for fear. When you live in fear, you give the devil so much attention, thereby empowering him over your life and destiny. Whatever or whoever you fear controls you. Luke 1:74 says we were saved to serve God without fear. So if you say you are born again but you still live in fear, you need to know who you are serving, because you should not live in fear of anything while serving God. You cannot have the fear of God in your heart and the fear of the devil at the same time. The moment you begin to fear the devil or his agents, you drift into bondage. If you are sure of your salvation but still live in fear, check yourself; it is likely you are ignorant of who you are in Christ. Also, as a child of God, when you engage in disobedience or harbour a secret sin in your heart, you lose your confidence and fear sets in. if this is your case, repent of your sin and fully turn to God!

Action Point: If your heart is always filled with fear, invest time to study who you are in Christ from the book of Ephesians.

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.

Topic: Power of Attitude [Sunday July 23, 2017]

Man’s attitude defines His ratings.

It determines His placement, your attitude attracts or repels people from you, your attitude is your real representation.

You cannot subdue it, it will naturally reveal who you are.

Change your attitude to change your altitude.

In the second half of the year, initiate a new thing every day! You either change things for the better or they change you for the worse.

Topic: Press On! Press On! Press On! [Sunday 23 July, 2017]

(Philippians 3:1-10)

Welcome to today’s devotional hour! You can start small and end big, but you can never remain static(sitting down or giving up) and end big. Keep desiring to press on, despite the difficulties or obstacles. You cannot get better things until you do bigger things. So press on from where you are and from what you have achieved to your next level. To be humble over a little is no virtue! True humility in spite of greatness! Press on to greater heights.

In the second half of the year, initiate a new thing every day! You either change things for the better or they change you for the worse. Refuse to be stagnant! Doing the same thing over and over again does not keep you on the same level. It relegates (demotes) you to a lower level. What a man needs to do is to put in continuous effort to achieve more, or else he will achieve less. Put in more effor to to pray or else, you will get drier. Put in more effort to read the Word or else, you will drop lower. Apply the principle of “No Bible no Food” to your life daily.

As a Pastor/elder, determine to be more indepth in the Word. Close with this bombshell: “There was a very cautions man, who never laughed, played, risked, sang or prayed ‘big’ prayers. And when he one day passed away, his insurance was denied. For since he never really lived, they claimed, he never really died.” Paul said: “Press on.” Do the same, for until you press, you cannot impress your generation. Press on! Press on!! Press on and hold on!!!

If you need deliverance, see your pastor or be at the Manna Mountain this week Sunday 8am (OGUDU) or 10:30am (LEKKI)!

When life goes ZIGZAG, ODM brings peace and sanity. Give out copies.

Prayer Points: Take your best worship song now.

1. Thank God for today’s word and pray as you are led!

2. Ask for the grace to desire higher than where you are, and risk much more than you can.

3. Ask for the grace to press on; grace to take bigger decisions.

4. Pray seriously about the second half of the year! Cancel every end of the year regret.

5. My life will never end up in shame and regret. I shall live in boldness and confidence in Jesus Christ name.

6. Pray as led on any other issue(s).

Get my new books: “Blasting Down Your Walls Of Jericho” and “My Womb Must Open by fire” from any bookshop nationwide.

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

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

Topic: A Magnet of Insight [Sunday July 23, 2017]

Scripture: Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. 1 Timothy 4:13,15

Thought For The Day: Where there is no interest, there can be no insight.

From our anchor scripture, we see that the Word of God is calculated for the evidential profit of God’s people. If you have been in contact with the Bible for twenty years for example, then you are twenty years in contact with Divine profit.

It is an abomination to carry the Bible without a profit to show for it. You should come to a level where what you are seeing out of scripture is reflected on you as evidential profit for your generation to see.

The question is why is it that the Word does not produce profit in the lives of many?

Psalms 119:130 gives us the answer: The entrance of thy words giveth light….

It is not the reading, the memorization, or the hearing of the Word alone that gives light; what gives light is the entrance of the Word. It is not the Word you read that changes you but the Word that enters you. The smell of food does not cure hunger; the food must enter the body system and be digested.

So, let us look at one of the things to do for the Word to enter us.

Be interested in the Word.

Hosea 6:1-3 says, Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: That is, we shall know if we are interested in knowing. So, where there is no interest, there can be no insight. Interest brings insight.

Beloved, crave to know and do God’s Word. Let your soul and spirit be involved when you study, hear or read the Word of God for the guarantee of your profit.

Remember this: Where there is no interest, there can be no insight.

Assignment(s):

1. Be passionate about knowing God’s Word.

2. Meditate on the Word of God; make demands on the Holy Spirit to reveal the hidden things in the Scripture to you.

3. Have a consistent schedule for the study of the Word.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: ACCESSING AND PROFITING FROM THE WORD.

Prayer: LORD, thank You for making Your Word available to me. Open my eyes to the life-transforming revelations from Your Word and let it profit me in time and in eternity, LORD, in Jesus’ Name.

Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 8:11 to 10:19, Romans 8:9 to 25, Psalm 18:16 to 36, Proverbs 19:26.

Quote: You cannot be knowledgeable and not be marketable. Culled from, 10 PRINCIPAL SECRETS OF PRINCIPAL PEOPLE by Dr Paul Enenche.

Amazing Fact: Dragonflies are capable of flying sixty miles per hour, making them one of the fastest insects. This is good since they are in a big hurry, as they only live about twenty-four hours.

Today In History: 23/07/1903 – The Ford Motor Company sold its first car.

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: Who Is Saved? [Sunday July 23, 2017]

Luke 13:23-24 “Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”

LUKE 13: 22-27

Jesus said that many will seek to enter salvation and will not be able to. There are many reasons for this, but it is not because God refused salvation to anyone. “The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men . . .” (Ti. 2:11) and God “is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9).

There is effort involved in obtaining salvation. The effort is not for the purpose of earning salvation. That is a free gift (Rom. 5:15); but we do have to fight the good fight of faith (1 Tim. 6:12). Faith in Jesus’ goodness is what saves us – not our own goodness – and Satan is constantly trying to destroy our faith. We have to earnestly contend for the faith. True salvation is not just mental assent, but a real heart-felt commitment.

Many people today think that going to church and associating with Christians will provide them with salvation. Some people think that they are Christians because their parents were. But salvation is having a personal relationship with the Lord. You cannot inherit salvation through the natural birth process. “You must be born again.”

We can rest assured that all those who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled (Mt. 5:6). “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

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: Sufficient to Meet Your Needs [Sunday July 23, 2017]

I am with you, that is all you need. My power shows up best in weak people. — 2 Corinthians 12:9 (TLB)

A director of a camp whose purpose is to lead young hoodlums to Christ says, “Being a Christian is the toughest thing in the world. What’s tougher than loving your enemy?” One boy, who developed into a rugged disciple of Christ at this camp, said, “In this outfit we’re all brothers and we’re all men. It was too tough for me at first, but then I heard that through Christ everything is possible.

Then the roughness went away. I say a man is not a man, not a full man, until he gets to know Jesus Christ.” Yes, the Christian life is tough and rough; but it’s challenging. It’s worth everything it costs to be a follower of Jesus Christ. You will soon find that the cross is not greater than His grace. When you pick up the cross of unpopularity, wherever you may be, you will find God’s grace is there, more than sufficient to meet your every need.

Prayer for the day: Lord Jesus, teach me the lesson that Your grace is abundantly sufficient to meet my every need.

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: Can Strangers See Jesus in You? [Sunday July 23, 2017]

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. – Acts 4:13

How would you like to be so full of the glory of God that it’s unmistakable to those around you? How would you like for people to be able to know just by looking at you that you’d been with Jesus? It’s entirely possible if you are born again and filled with the Holy Spirit. The same mighty power that changed you inwardly when you were saved can so revolutionize you outwardly that even strangers on the street will be able to see Jesus in you.

One of my favorite testimonies is the one Jerry Savelle tells of the time he was in a shopping mall with his wife, Carolyn. He was sauntering from one store to another, casually passing time until Carolyn finished her shopping.

A woman walked up to Jerry and said, “Will you pray for me?” Since he didn’t know the woman, he was puzzled. “Out of all the people in that mall, how was it that you picked me out?” he asked.

She said, “The Lord told me to come to this mall and someone would be here who could pray for me. I came here looking for that person. I noticed a beam of light. It would go into one store, wander around, then go to another store and wander around some more. I followed the light until I found where it was coming from—and it was coming from you!”

What was that light? The glory of God! It was shining from Jerry much like it shone from the face of Moses when he came down from Mount Sinai. And that radiant presence of God brought healing to that woman when Jerry prayed.

Just as the fact that Peter and John had been with Jesus was unmistakable, so was the fact that Jerry Savelle had been with Jesus when that lady walked up to him in the mall.

When you spend time with Jesus, it will be undeniable. His power and His glory will be reflected in you to the world. And His presence upon you will meet needs everywhere you go. Take time to be with Jesus today!

Scripture Reading: Acts 4:1-20

This message was written by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, the leader of the Kenneth Copeland Ministries (www.KCM.org) that specializes in teaching principles of bible faith – prayer, healing, salvation and other biblical topics.

Topic: Retribution against Sin [Sunday July 23, 2017]

Text: Ezekiel 16:44-52

Key Verse: “Thou also, which hast judged thy sisters, bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters”

With man, in various institutions or works of life as in every generation, is the tendency and possibility of partiality in judgement. With man we find favouritism, hypocrisy and miscarriage of justice in favour of the rich, wealthy and influential, as against the poor.

However, with God there is no tendency or possibility of partiality or miscarriage of justice in judgment. God is always faithful and gives the right judgement to every man according to their works. From the text, we can see that Jerusalem, God’s people at this time, had given themselves over to iniquity and evil deeds, which were more in proportion to the iniquity of Sodom and Samaria. And because God is impartial and would not overlook the sin of the unrepentant, judgment came upon them. From here, we learn that to sin with impunity is dangerous.

No child of God should take God or His word for granted. If God did not spare sin in the sinner or sinful nations who failed to repent, neither will He overlook sin in the believer or righteous nation who departs from righteousness and lives in hardness of heart. The right thing to do when sin comes in is to repent immediately and sincerely. God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance”. It is dangerous to live in sin. Repent and live, or refuse and perish. It is even more damning to think that God will wink at sin. He never does! Instead, God punishes unrepentant sinners.

Thought for the day: Whatever a man sows is what he shall reap.

Bible Reading in one Year: Exodus 23-25

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 Beginning and the End 2 [Sunday, 23rd July 2017]

Ese Ehimare Dave

“I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.” – Revelation 1:8

Scriptures say in Proverbs 23:18 that “surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.” Which means there is always an end to a beginning. No matter how long the end lingers, “surely there is an end…” It is certain and nothing can change it. Jeremiah 29:11 says: “for I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” God promises to give us the end that we are anticipating. It will definitely come.

But what end am I referring to? In Romans 8:18 scriptures say: “for I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” The end is where glory is. At the end of every race, there is a winner’s prize or medal that is given. No wonder Apostle Paul said “I press toward the mark for the PRIZE of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:18). The end of the work God has began in your life is full of glory and celebration. There is a prize waiting for you at the end. This is why you must allow the Beginning and the End finish His work. If not you will miss out on the prize.

Some folks are impatient. They want the end to come as soon as the beginning starts. While some take their eyes from the Lord when there is delay they did not anticipate. But scriptures advice us to look “unto Jesus the author (beginning) and finisher (end) of our faith…” (Hebrews 12:2). Keep your focus on Jesus, don’t take your eyes off Him, like Peter did, which made him began to sink. The Lord will complete and perfect His work in your life, and I can assure you that it’s going to be a glorious ending. You are going to celebrate the prize at the end.

Keep winning daily.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank You for I am assured of a glorious ending, as long as I keep my gaze on You. Thank You for Your good thoughts of blessings and victory at the end of Your work in my life. Be praise, oh Lord, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.