Topic: Offer a Sacrifice of Praise [Monday July 10, 2017]

Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name. — Hebrews 13:15

The Bible teaches that you must acknowledge and glorify God and offer up a sacrifice of praise regardless of what you may be going through. Perhaps you have been experiencing a time of trouble in your life, and you have been praying and trusting God to meet the need…but nothing has changed. While you are waiting for the answer is a perfect time to offer a sacrifice of praise.

It is easy to praise God when everything is going well, but when you acknowledge and glorify Him in the midst of a troubling situation, that is a sacrifice—and it does not go unnoticed. So offer a sacrifice of praise as you spend time with God at the end of your day.

Your SEED connects you to the BLOOD which connects you to MERCY, which in turn provokes the DISGRACE OF ACHAN.

Topic: He Killed His First Son! The Power Of Your Sacrifice!

(2 Kings 3:19-27).

Welcome to today’s devotional! Vs. 27 of today’s scripture says, “Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.” Wow! You mean God turned against His own people because of the sacrifice of a Moabite King? O yes! That’s the power of sacrifice and the mystery of sacrifice. What 700 men with swords could not do, a single sacrifice did (Vs. 26). Note: “And there was great indignation against Israel.” The calamity of Moab was exchanged by a sacrifice and by it, God “turned His back” on Israel.

Your sacrifice can terminate DELAY, end a life of struggle, scatter barriers, destroy strongholds and break the cycle of poverty. The difference today is that Jesus Christ has been offered as the greatest and final sacrifice! So you are not meant to offer human or animal sacrifice. One major source of sacrifice available to us today is SEED SOWING ( Gen. 8:22). Your SEED connects you to the BLOOD which connects you to MERCY, which in turn provokes the DIGRACE OF ACHAN.

Your SEED carries a voice that speaks day and night on your behalf! What you cannot do in 20 years, your seed can do in one day! I thank God that in this vision, testimonies of seeds sown are spreading like wildfire worldwide. What you sowed for may not have happened exactly but He makes all things beautiful in His own time! If you have sown before and have not seen results, don’t quit! See Eccl 11:6 now! You can sow again! I challenge you to still sow a special ANTI-DELAY/ACHAN –MUST –DIE SEED in this fasting program and see God turn that battle againt the enemy.

I shall send you one ANTI-DELAY PSALM which you will pray for 3 weeks when you sow and send a text/E-mail/Whatsapp to the numbers on page 96 of “War Against Haman -12” booklet. Refuse to give up now! I prophesy: The voice of your seed shall be louder and stronger than your accusers! By the power of your sacrifice/seed, that sturbborn battle shall bow. That marital or financial or indeed testimony embargo (DELAY) shall be lifted in Jesus Christ name! Sow again! Pray again!

Prayer Points: Take your best worship song now.

1. My Father! My Father!! As I Pray and sow my SEED in this fasting programme, ACHAN must die in Jesus Christ name. See above for today’s prayers!

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

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

Topic: Turn Up Your Hope [Monday July 10, 2017]

May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope. – Romans 15:13, The Amplified Bible

You know, that’s what I want to be…running over with hope! I want to dare to throw my whole life and everything I have into building a dream that comes from the heart of God. I want to get out there so far that without God’s help, I can’t get back.

Many people don’t think that way though because they’re afraid to fail. Fear of failure is dangerous. If you let it dominate you, it will cause you to do the one thing that inevitably guarantees failure and that’s not attempting at all.

How do you counteract the fear of failure?

You turn up your hope. You get alone with God and listen to Him. You meditate on His promises until the picture is so clear on the inside of you that nothing can jar it out of you.

If you’re lying on a sickbed and the doctor has told you you’ll never walk again, instead of wallowing around in that bad report, you start dreaming. You start building a dream of climbing mountains and witnessing to people in the backwoods. Go to the Word that promises that those who wait upon the Lord shall run and walk and not faint or be weary. Look at it until you see nothing else. Picture yourself walking for miles and running from one place to the next, telling everyone that Jesus has raised you up and made you whole.

That’s what hope is all about. It’s a divine dream. It’s an inner image that’s bigger than you are because it’s built on the promises of God.

If you’re a Christian, you ought to be a dreamer. Take the Word of God and build some dreams today.

Scripture Reading: Psalm 33:18-22

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: Dealing with the Reproaches of Life [Monday July 10, 2017]

Scripture: Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper. 2 Kings 5:1

Thought For The Day: Your impact will handle your insult.

A reproach is a situation which causes shame, mockery, disfavour, rejection and sorrow. A reproach is an attack on someone’s identity. Its prime objective is to swallow up the name or identity of the affected person.

The case of a certain crippled man who sat at the gate called “beautiful” (Acts 3:2) was a good example. The gate had a name, “beautiful” but the man had no name; he was simply referred to as “a certain man.”

Now, let us look at the keys to dealing with the reproaches of life.

1. Maintaining a life of Impact
Naaman was a leper but he was also an expert warrior (2 Kings 5:1). People who had no leprosy were also in the army of Syria but Naaman was appointed Chief of Army Staff because he was far better than the normal people without leprosy; he outperformed others by his impact, ability and war strategies. Naaman decided to make impact despite his setback.

In one of his assignments as an Army General, he led the Syrian Army to raid Israel and they brought a little girl back home as prisoner of war. Then, he imparted, impacted and influenced the life of the girl so positively that the girl desired that he, her master, be healed. She then directed him to Prophet Elisha in Israel where he got his healing.

By virtue of impact, Naaman could not remain a leper. Your impact will handle your insult.

2. Submit yourself to prophetic instruction.
Naaman was not cleansed of his leprosy until he completely obeyed the instruction of Prophet Elisha (2 kings 5:14).

3. Immerse yourself in the Word.
Naaman dipped himself in the water seven times and he was cleansed. The Word of God is the water that washes away our reproach (Ephesians 5:26).

Beloved, immerse your life in the Word and let it wash off every reproach on your life.

Remember this: Your impact will handle your insult.

Assignment(s):

1. Ignore your setbacks and focus on your purpose of existence.

2. Value your prophetic covering and heed prophetic instructions.

3. Consistently look up to God and dwell in His Presence.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: DEALING WITH REPROACH

Prayer: O LORD, I look up to You. Let Your glory radiate around me and displace every reproach around my life, LORD in Jesus’ Name.

Daily Reading: 1 Chronicles 9:1 to 10:14, Acts 27:21 to 44, Psalm 8:1 to 9, Proverbs 18:23 to 24

Quote: Who (God) is behind you is stronger than what is in front of you. Culled from RIDING THE STORMS OF LIFE by Dr Paul Enenche.

Amazing Facts: Human thigh bones are stronger than concrete.

Today in History: 10/07/1913 – The temperature in Greenland ranch, Death Valley, California, hit 134 °F (57 °C), the highest temperature ever to be recorded on Earth.

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: Time for Us [Monday July 10, 2017]

Do not worry about your life . . .  — Matthew 6:25 (NIV)

Some people ask, “Do you think God has time for me? You don’t know how mixed up my life is, how confused it is; the pressures, the tension at home, the business problems, so many things I couldn’t possibly tell you about, including the sins in my life that I somehow cannot seem to give up.” Yes, God has time for you. When Jesus was dying on the cross, He had time for a thief who turned to Him and said, “Lord, remember me.” That’s all the record tells us that the thief said, “Lord, remember me.” But what he was really saying was, “I’m unworthy. I’ve broken all the laws. I deserve hell. Just remember me.” And Jesus turned to him in that moment and said, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Prayer for the day: Even in Your greatest suffering, Lord Jesus, You had time to assure another of Your love. My heart is comforted to know this caring for my soul is infinite.

Written by Billy Graham, Founder of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association(BGEA). BGEA exists to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ by every effective means and to equip the church and others to do the same.

Topic: Our Loving Father [Monday July 10, 2017]

Luke 11:11 – “If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?”

Luke 11:11

The most loving Father in the world cannot compare to our heavenly Father and the love He has for us. And yet, many times, we find it easier to believe in the willingness of a father or mother or mate to help us than in the willingness of God to use His power on our behalf. Relatively few people really doubt God’s ability, but rather, it is our doubt of His willingness to use His ability on our behalf that causes most people to do without. Jesus is assuring us that God’s love, and His willingness to demonstrate that love, is far greater than we can ever experience in any human relationship.

The Lord didn’t just save us out of pity or a sense of obligation as our Creator. He saved us because He loved us (John 3:16). It was the “good pleasure of his will” for us to become adopted sons (Eph.1:5). We are wanted and accepted by our Father! What a wonderful thing this is! It would have been more than any of us deserve to be forgiven by God. Then to be given certain rights and privileges would have been more than we could have expected. But the Lord went further than that. He has actually accepted us.

The dictionary defines “accept” as “1. to receive gladly; 2. to receive into a place or a group” (New American Heritage Dictionary). The Lord does not just tolerate us; He actually loves us. He even likes us. He rejoices over us with joy (Zeph. 3:17).

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: Marriage Is Good [Monday July 10, 2017]

And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” Genesis 2:18.

Marriage is a relationship where each party is expected to give joy to their spouses.  God said let us make a help, meet for him. In other words, my wife is a help to me and if I must enjoy her as my help, I must recognize her as a help to me. If I don’t recognize that fact, I cannot benefit from her because God has already said it is not good for me to function alone. There is a level of blessing I cannot attain alone. So, he gave me a wife.

Let me ask you a question. If you find yourself drowning and somebody throws you a life line and you fail to take hold of the life line, what will happen to you? You will drown. In other words, you must take advantage of the life line if you want to live. You must grab it with both hands in order to survive. That is how God wants us to grab our own wives. Your wife is like a life line which God has thrown to you.

Now the women may rejoice and say now my husband knows that I am a lifeline to him. But let me tell the women that a life line that is not in use is useless. If you don’t understand your role as a lifeline to your husband and become useful, you become useless. This relationship is like hands in glove where no one is cheated. God covered all the bases and said husband love your wife as Christ loves the church. To love your wife means you are ready to pay every price. And of course, no woman will be unwilling to submit to someone that is willing to die for her.

One of the things that cause friction in marriage relationships is that each individual thinks they can handle it alone.  No, you can’t!  God has said it is not good for you to be alone. And when he said it is not good it is on behalf of the two parties.

Further Reading: Ecclesiastes 9:9, Proverbs 18:22, 5:15-20

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Job 41-42; Evening- Acts 16:22-40

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: Cause and Effect [Monday July 10, 2017]

Text: Ephesians 5:21-33

Key Verse: “Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband” (Ephesians 5:33).

A story is told of a very poor man who lived with his wife whose hair was so long that it touched her waist. One day, she asked her husband to buy her a comb for her long hair so it could be well groomed. The man felt sorry and said he did not have money even to fix the strap of his wrist watch which had just broken. The wife did not insist.

On his way to work, he sold his watch at a low price and bought the comb. When he came back that evening, he was surprised to see her with very short hair. She had cut and sold her hair and bought a new watch for her husband. Tears flowed simultaneously from their eyes, not because of the futility of their actions but for the reciprocity of their love. Our text likens the relationship between the husband and his wife to the relationship between Christ and the Church.

The husband is also commanded to love his wife as Christ loves the Church. These divine prescriptions are necessary frameworks for a successful marriage, not a mere checklist to use in evaluating one another’s performance. It gives couples a clear directive as to the roles to perform in order to achieve the desired objective of marriage. A nagging wife would only make a ‘naughty’ husband. Hence, the woman is called upon to submit to and respect her husband even as Sarah who called Abraham Lord (1 Pet 3:1-6). Likewise, while the husband is expected to respond practically as a servant-leader just like Christ, ready to make sacrifices for the benefit of his wife. This will be possible when there is mutual respect for one another between the couples.

Under the influence of a positive spirit, the wife easily takes deep pleasure in joyful submission to her “own husband in everything”. The ‘charming’ influence of such heart-warming attitude naturally provokes the husband to a life of sacrificial willingness to go the extra mile, in ensuring that she is well fulfilled in the relationship. Both parties should, however, be careful to get rid of caterpillars of true love – selfishness, pretence, deception, competitive spirit, lack of openness, taking advantage of the other and infidelity. These will only destroy mutual love.

Thought for the day: Success in marriage is more than finding the right person; it is being the right person.

Bible Reading in one Year: Genesis 29-31

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: Getting Away with It [Monday July 10, 2017]

Read: Genesis 4:1–12, Bible in a Year: Job 41–42; Acts 16:22–40

By faith Abel still speaks. Hebrews 11:4

In June 2004, at a Vancouver art gallery, Canadian cross-country skier Beckie Scott received an Olympic gold medal. That’s interesting, because the Winter Olympics had been held in 2002—in Utah. Scott had won bronze behind two athletes who were disqualified months later when it was learned they had used banned substances.

It’s good that Scott eventually received her gold, but gone forever is the moment when she should have stood on the podium to hear her country’s national anthem. That injustice couldn’t be remedied.

God cares deeply about justice, about righting wrongs, and about defending the powerless.

Injustice of any kind disturbs us, and surely there are far greater wrongs than being denied a hard-won medal. The story of Cain and Abel shows an ultimate act of injustice (Gen. 4:8). And at first glance, it might look like Cain got away with murdering his brother. After all, he lived a long, full life, eventually building a city (v. 17).

But God Himself confronted Cain. “Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground,” He said (v. 10). The New Testament later recorded Cain as an example to avoid (1 John 3:12; Jude 1:11). But of Abel we read, “By faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead” (Heb. 11:4).

God cares deeply about justice, about righting wrongs, and about defending the powerless. In the end, no one gets away with any act of injustice. Nor does God leave unrewarded our work done in faith for Him.

Prayer: Father, as Your Son taught us to pray, we ask that Your kingdom will come, Your will be done to change this broken world. Thank You for redeeming us.

Sin will not ultimately be judged by the way we see it, but by the way God sees it.

This message was written By Tim Gustafson [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: The Power of Hospitality (2)

Dear Reader,

What a wonderful week and what a unique opportunity to share with you the thoughts of God for the now!

In the last edition, I began sharing on the theme, “The Power of Hospitality.” I said that hospitality is a virtue from God. God’s plan for you includes hospitality. God’s divine design is to open the hearts of people everywhere it is practised.

Hospitality connects your heart with God’s heart. It is a hidden power reserved by God, for those who dare to practise it. In this unique edition, I shall be looking at “Our Motivation to Practise Hospitality.”

What is our motivation for practising hospitality? Does it come from a memory of the past and a hope for the future? Leviticus 19:33-34 says: And if a stranger sojourns with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

The instruction that God gave them was to love strangers “for you were strangers, in the land of Egypt.” Why should a person love strangers just because he has been a stranger? Perhaps he shouldn’t, but that’s not the point. The point is that they were strangers in Egypt, but aren’t any more! Why? Because, the Lord your God has been so good to them.

Hospitality, according to Apostle James, is an act that gives substance to our faith. The Bible rightly puts it this way:  What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? (James 2:14-16). Your profession of faith will not benefit anyone you could not reach out to physically.

Looking Back

When you look back, you remember that you owe your life to God’s act of hospitality. When you remember the point you started from, you will not grumble at helping others, who might be at that your starting point. As a born again Christian now enjoying the benefits of salvation, remember that you were once an alien in the ‘Egypt’ of sin and death. But God sacrificed His Son as the Passover Lamb on the cross (1 Corinthians 5:7), to give us eternal life (Ephesians 2:5). Thus, the Lord has blessed you so that you can bless others. Open the door of your heart to welcome those that are cold out there. Let the heat of the love of God keep them warm. The Bible says: Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid… (Matthew 5:14-16). Your light will shine, if you are hospitable.

Looking Forward

Then, you can look forward to the future and see yourself in the hands of the God of love who will meet all your needs in the wilderness of life. Also, look forward to the time your children will be aliens in a strange land, will need someone to take them in and they will eat of the harvest of your sown seed of hospitality.

What Happens When You Practise Hospitality?

When you practise hospitality, you experience the joy of becoming an extension of God’s hospitality; which will be the other way round if you lack hospitality. Also, when you practise hospitality, you experience the thrill of God’s power conquering your fears, stinginess and self-centeredness. The liberating power of God’s hospitality makes us new and radically different kind of people, who love to reflect the glory of His grace in the lives of others.

Hospitality is born out of love and God is love. You need to know God to be hospitable to people around you. Are you born again? Are you ready to accept Jesus Christ into your life? If you are set to become a child of God then, pray this prayer of faith with me: “Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today acknowledging that I am a sinner who needs Your forgiveness. I believe You died for me and rose again on the third day. Forgive me my sins, wash me with Your Blood and write my name in the Lamb’s Book of life. Thank You Lord for saving me.”

If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, congratulations, you are born again! You are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).