Topic: The Ultimate Good [Friday July 7, 2017]

Read: Philippians 3:1–11, Bible in a Year: Job 34–35; Acts 15:1–21

I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Philippians 3:8

As I was growing up in Jamaica, my parents raised my sister and me to be “good people.” In our home, good meant obeying our parents, telling the truth, being successful in school and work, and going to church . . .  at least Easter and Christmas. I imagine this definition of being a good person is familiar to many people, regardless of culture. In fact, the apostle Paul, in Philippians 3, used his culture’s definition of being good to make a greater point.

Paul, being a devout first-century Jew, followed the letter of the moral law in his culture. He was born into the “right” family, had the “right” education, and practiced the “right” religion. He was the real deal in terms of being a good person according to Jewish custom. In verse 4, Paul writes that he could boast in all of his goodness if he wanted to. But, as good as he was, Paul told his readers (and us) that there is something more than being good. He knew that being good, while good, was not the same as pleasing God.

God, help me remember that knowing Jesus is the way to ultimate goodness.

Pleasing God, Paul writes in verses 7–8, involves knowing Jesus. Paul considered his own goodness as “garbage” when compared to “the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus.” We are good—and we please God—when our hope and faith are in Christ alone, not in our goodness.

Prayer: Dear God, as I seek to live a good life, help me remember that knowing Jesus is the way to ultimate goodness.

We are good—and we please God—when our hope and faith are in Christ alone, not in our goodness.

Insight:

It can be easy to miss the phenomenal change of perspective Paul states in today’s passage. His claims of righteousness were not empty boasts; he had followed God-given laws meticulously—literally to the letter. For Paul to say that all of that was worthless signifies change at a fundamental level. He changed from outward performance—doing (vv. 4–7)—to knowing Christ and what He had done (v. 8).

This message was written By Karen Wolfe [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: What’s Your Response? [Friday 7, July 2017]

Memorise: And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt. – 1 Samuel 24:5

Read: 2 Samuel 12:7-13 (KJV)

7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

8 And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.

9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.

12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.

13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 18-19, Ezekiel 2:8-3:15, Hymn: Sing hymn 6

Today’s Scripture: “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” – (Matthew 7:7, NLT)

Topic: Keep Seeking [Thursday July 6, 2017]

Is there something you are believing God for today? Does it seem like it’s taking a long time to come to pass? Be encouraged because the Bible says that through faith and patience, you will inherit His promises! If you’ll stay in faith, if you’ll keep on seeking Him, it won’t be long until you see that breakthrough!

The problem is that most people give up just before they get their miracle. They stop when things get hard or when they don’t get the answer they want the first time. But today’s verse encourages us to continually ask and continually seek. That doesn’t mean that we seek Him one time and then stop. No, we seek Him until we have the promise!

Today, submit your prayers to the Lord and keep an attitude of faith and expectancy. Keep asking. Keep seeking. Keep knocking on the door, and it will be opened to you. Know that God is working behind the scenes. He is perfecting whatever concerns you. Don’t give up! Instead, start thanking Him for His faithfulness in your life. Thank Him for His promise that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek after Him!

A Prayer for Today: “Father in heaven, thank You for giving me a diligent spirit. Thank You for Your faithfulness. Give me strength to stand and seek You until I see Your promises fulfilled in every area of my life in Jesus’ name! Amen.”

Topic: How To Boost Your Courage (part 1) [Thursday July 6, 2017]

Courage is the inner strength that enables you to stand against the odds of life with a determination to reach your goal. Satan brings negative circumstances your way so as to discourage you, his aim is to reduce your courage in order to stop you from taking steps towards your goal in life. Most people that are stagnated today are simply victims of discouragement. This is why you must know how to keep boosting your courage or to keep encouraging yourself in the Lord. A time came in the life of David when he would have been overtaken by discouragement but he encouraged himself in the Lord; he boosted his courage. As a result, he was strengthened to pursue the enemy and recover all that he and his men had lost (1 Samuel 30:1-18).

Now, the foremost way to boost your courage is by making bold declarations. Jesus said, “…Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith” (Mark 11:23). That means, no matter the mountain you are faced with, if you will make bold declarations and refuse to be discouraged in your heart, you shall have whatsoever you say.

You have to learn how to make your boast in Lord. Every proper Christian is a boaster, not in himself but in the Lord. Rather than bemoan your situation, begin to declare what you believe your God can do for you. You may have fallen or failed many time, but you can tell yourself, “I know I can still make it, my God will make a way for me, I cannot be stranded, I am not a failure, I am destined to be above only and never beneath. My enemies that come against me in one way shall flee before me in seven ways.” As you do that, you will discover that strength is infused into your hands and feet and you will begin to achieve what the devil said you would be able to achieve.

Continue from part 2 tomorrow

Topic: Clean Up [Thursday July 6, 2017]

Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. — Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV

Have you ever gone on a cleaning rampage to straighten up your home or office? Did you enjoy pitching junk, straightening objects, and organizing materials so that you could find them when you need them?

You may need to get on a Holy Ghost rampage and do the same thing with your life. Say, “I’ve had enough bondage. I’ve had enough negative thoughts. I’ve had enough of the lies of the devil. I am not going to have any more bad days. I am not going to be discouraged, depressed, or despondent. I am going to enjoy my life!”

Jesus is ready to help you live life to the fullest!

Anthony Robins wrote: “Determination is the wake-up call to the human will.” No matter what you are going through, always remember that giving up too soon registers you in the POLYTECHNIC OF FAILURES!

Topic – The Determination University: When They Shot Him!

(Genesis 21:14-21).

A man walked nearly two kilometers with a bullet hole in his head after being shot by robbers. The man, Larry Taylor, 37, finally made to his mother’s house after being shot onl y to realize that she had moved to elderly people’s home. Taylor told the Macon Telegraph that he was walking to a friend’s house around 9pm on that faithful day when a man approached him and asked to use his cell phone. He recounted : I”I said ‘NO’ theh he pulled out the gun and shot me in the head and fled.” Can you imagine a man walking with blood ozing from his head for 2 kilometers? He said: “I determined to make it to mama’s house and die if necessary.”

DETERMINATION UNIVERSITY! What a school, help came just before he fainted! The Holy Ghost emphasis to you is that you must be a man/ woman of courage on this planet.

No wonder a wise man said: “Where there is will, there is a way.” Listen to Mike Ditka: “I don’t think anything is unrealistic if you believe you can do it. I think if you are determined enough, and willing to pay the price, you can get it done.” Anthony Robins wrote: “Determination is the wake-up call to the human will.” Jesus Christ said: “………….All things are possible to him that belieth.” –Mark 9:23. Even when Hagar thought it was over, God showed her a well of water (Vs. 19 of today’s scripture). No matter what you are going through, always remember that giving up too soon registers you in the POLYTECHNIC OF FAILURES!

Why are you depressed or comparing yourself to others? Hear Jesse Jackson: “I am fighting against odds. I was born against the odds; I was raised against the odds; I am an odd breaker and a dream maker.” Let that be your daily declaration! Look up! Press on! Hold on! You will end this year with a mighty testimony in Jesus Christ name. Pray now! LEKKI MOUNTAIN this Sunday 10:30am.

Pray for me, Dr Chris against a blackmailing syndicate that is determined to “pulll down” this vision if I don’t give them money and a house. The battle is the Lord’s! Also, some journalists send me text asking for money or they would publish “sensational stories” about me! My hands are EVER CLEAN and the LORD will CONTED with them! PRAY FOR ME DAILY! See page 53!

START CUTTING DOWN ON YOUR FOOD INTAKE! The 14-day fast begins this SUNDAY:JULY 9th-22nd. Pray the prayers on page 108 of “WAR AGAINST HAMAN-12” booklet now!

Prayer Points: Take your best worship song now.

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

2. Uproot discouragement and rebuke depression now!

3. Father, I vow to look up to You alone. Make a way where there seems to be no way ( Pray it till you have peace to end).

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

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

Topic: The Peace of Jesus [Thursday July 6, 2017]

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. – John 16:33

The peace that Jesus came to bring was not the peace of appeasement, or the peace of compromise and conformity. It was a spiritual peace. The world doesn’t give peace, for it doesn’t have any peace to give. It fights for peace, it negotiates for peace, it maneuvers for peace, but there is no ultimate peace in the world. But Jesus gives peace to those who put their trust in Him. If you have received His peace, then you are in His camp. But if you have rejected it, then you are against Him. His peace is available to everyone who will receive it.

Will you receive the peace of Jesus?

Is your faith up and down—strong one day and weak the next? Read more.

Prayer for the day: Deep down I feel Your peace, Lord Jesus, and the storms of my life are abated.

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: Saved By Grace [Thursday July 6, 2017]

Luke 10:28-29 – “And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?”

Luke 10:28

Just as with this lawyer, pride causes many people to resist the truth of justification by faith in the grace of God. This lawyer loved himself and the public recognition his “holy acts” gave him. He was not willing to love God first and his fellow man ahead of himself. His was not a sincere question but rather an evasive question to shun responsibility. This man was seeking to be justified in the sight of God through his actions. He knew he had not loved everyone as he loved himself, so he is tried to interpret the scripture (Lev. 19:18) in a way that would conform to his actions. He wanted to define “neighbor” as just his close friends whom he had treated well.

Self-justification always produces excuses, while repentance and faith toward God produces obedience.

The basis of our salvation is grace – that is, God’s undeserved, unmerited favor toward us as expressed in providing redemption through Christ Jesus.

The means of God saving us is through faith. Through faith we accept God’s free gift of salvation, which was provided by grace. So we are saved “by grace … through faith. “Notice that we are not saved by grace alone. We are saved by grace through faith. Faith grants us admission to God’s grace. Without faith, God’s grace is wasted, and without grace, faith is powerless. Faith in God’s grace has to be released to receive what God has provided through Christ.

Just as sodium and chloride are poisonous by themselves, so grace or faith used independently of each other are deadly. But when you mix sodium and chloride together in the proper way, you get salt, which you must have to live. Likewise, putting faith in what God has already provided by grace is the key to victorious Christian living.

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: Up in Smoke [Thursday July 6, 2017]

The tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. – James 3:5-6

Words. Use them right and they’ll move mountains. Use them wrong and they can cause your entire life to go up in smoke.

“Now, Brother Copeland,” you may say, “I find it hard to believe that major catastrophes can be caused by a few simple words. I just can’t see the connection.”

Look again at the phrase James used. “How great a matter a little fire kindleth!” Have you ever lit a few little pieces of kindling wood and set them in the fireplace beneath a stack of logs?

What happened?

Most likely, the fire began to spread first to one log then to another until finally you had a great big blaze going. After it was over, you couldn’t go digging around in the ashes to find the kindling that started it all, could you? No! It would be burned. There would be no trace of it at all.

The tongue is like that. It first defiles the body, then sets on fire the whole course of nature with a blaze so great that it leaves no natural trace of its origin. The words that started it end up so deeply buried in the ashes that you’d never even know they were there.

So, don’t ever underestimate the power of your words. I can assure you, Satan doesn’t. He works constantly to get you to turn them in a negative direction. He’ll fire darts of pain and sickness and discouragement at you just to get you to speak faithless words—words that will eventually send your life up in smoke.

Don’t let him succeed. Instead, put out that fire by following the instructions in Ephesians 6:16. Do as the Apostle Paul says and “above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”

Speak words of faith and stop the fire before it starts today!

Scripture Reading: James 3:1-10

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.