Topic: The Single Life

Dear Reader,

Welcome to another exciting moment in God’s presence in Jesus’ Mighty Name! In this glorious month, I will be sharing with you an important subject titled “The Single Life.”

No matter the weather condition – rainy, cloudy, snowy or sunny, the sun is never static. It keeps moving, whether we can see it or not, until it arrives at its pre-determined course in the West. In the same vein, everyone born of a woman is designed to also live according to the seasons of life. Everything on earth is designed to function according to times and seasons, according to the Word of God. To everything there is a season… (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

Remember, life is in phases and as long as the earth remains, the different seasons of life shall continually be in force. Therefore, for you to fulfill destiny, you must have a good understanding of the season that you are in per time and possess a working knowledge of the demands, benefits and privileges of same.

The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines singles as “people who are not married and do not have a romantic relationship with somebody else.” The state of singleness has also been described as a state of someone being unmarried, divorced, separated from spouse, or widowed.

To be single means to be a whole, distinct and successful individual, capable of initiative and having the capacity to contribute to and enrich another person’s life. Adam and Eve were created as singles before marriage was ever instituted (Genesis 2:7, 20-21). What a beautiful scenario it would have been for them! Imagine it for a moment! Adam was created, given an assignment to keep, dress the garden and name all the creatures on earth. He was alone but not lonely and life was beautiful as far as he was concerned. God only decided to create Eve as a help-meet and not because Adam’s life lacked meaning. Also, Eve was first created as a single individual before she was brought to Adam.

Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus was single, successful and uniquely different from others in his days. He was so peculiar and positively different that God found him worthy that Jesus should come to the world through his lineage (Matthew 1:18-25). May God find you worthy as well!

Remember the four Hebrew boys: Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (Daniel 1:7) were singles who demonstrated the beauty of singleness in a grand style. They were so much outstanding that they were ten times better than all the others. Daniel, in particular, was said to be preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him (Daniel 6: 3).

Timothy was Apostle Paul’s son in the faith (1Timothy 1:1-2; 2 Timothy 1:1-2). As a man in his single years, he had an ‘unfeigned faith.’ He was one of Paul’s missionary co-workers. He grew to become one of the greatest church leaders. History has it that he was the first Bishop in the New Testament. What an accomplishment!

Think of the four daughters of Phillip, the evangelist, who was one of the first seven Deacons of the early church (Acts 21:8-9). These four ladies were in their single years. Interestingly, the Bible specifically recorded that they were virgins and did prophesy. What a gift they were and still are to the body of Christ!

Titus, Lydia, Phoebe, Mary, Martha, Lazarus, among many others demonstrated the beauty of singleness by their outstanding accomplishments while single. You are the next on the line!

Then, consider Jesus our perfect example. Even though He was on a special divine assignment, He fulfilled His mission as a single person.

Come to think of it, everyone that is married was once single. Every career fellow, businessman or woman, parent, etc was once or is still single. Little wonder then, that the single years are the foundation for a glorious and secure future.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of this stage of life in your quest for an eventual successful future as well as married life. The more auspicious you are as a single person, the better your chances of thriving in your future life and marriage subsequently.

Look at this testimony:

“I was living a sinful life, chasing after girls and indulging in fornication before I gave my life to Christ in this church. I came to Lagos to visit my sister from Igarra in Edo State. The first time I came here, I came with my sister who incidentally is a member of the Winners Chapel. That was the day I gave my life to Christ.

When I was in the Orthodox Church, I was really a problem to my family. I used to go out in the evenings and late at night to visit my friends. However, now that I am born again, the time that I used in visiting people, I use it to study the Bible. The stories I’ve read and learnt from the Bible, I use to preach the Word of God to my friends who were still in the world, and today many of them have given their lives to Christ.” – Akerele, K.

The power to live a holy life can only be given to you by God when you are born again. You become born again by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour. If you are ready for this new birth experience, please say this simple prayer of faith with me: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the living God. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

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 to 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).

Topic: Religious Freedom [Tuesday July 4, 2017]

Fear God and honor the government. — 1 Peter 2:17 (TLB)

On this Independence Day we should be on our knees thanking God for all He has given us. The United States is a country in which everyone has an equal opportunity. Thank God for a country where there is no caste or class to keep a man from going to the top. If a man has a will to work and study, he can go ahead regardless of his background. In addition, thank God, He has given us freedom of religion. Whatever you may believe, no one can close your church because your religion does not coincide with his. A few people meeting in a small, out-of-the-way shack, worshiping God as they believe in Him, have the same right to religious freedom as the people who worship God in the great cathedrals on the avenues of our greatest cities.

Prayer for the day: Thank You, God, for allowing me to live in the greatest, grandest, and most free land the world has ever known.

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: Freedom from Temptation [Tuesday July 4, 2017]

Luke 10:19 – “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

LUKE 10:19

Although these are examples of God’s protection from harm caused by the physical creation, this scripture is also speaking of mastery over the spiritual realm of the enemy (i.e., Satan). This Scripture does not say that Satan cannot inflict any harm. The scriptures abound with examples, and warnings of the enemy’s damage on the godly and the ungodly alike (2 Cor. 2:11, 2 Tim. 2:26, 1 Pet. 5:8-9). However, he cannot harm us when we are walking in faith in Christ’s redemptive work.

There are no unique temptations. The devil likes to make us think there are. If he can convince us that no one understands, no one has ever had this problem before, then he can isolate us and take away our hope. But any temptation we face is just some variation of the same old thing. It may come in a different sized box, be wrapped in a different paper, and have a different bow, but the contents are the same. Understanding this diffuses much of the power of temptation.

Even though temptation is universal to mankind, we are not left on our own. God is faithful. Jesus was tempted in all points like as we are, and yet He overcame every time (Heb. 4:15). Part of His ministry is to specifically aid us in overcoming temptation (Heb. 2:17-18). Most of us have experienced times when we thought we couldn’t resist another minute. Either we were wrong, or we were on the verge of a breakthrough. The Lord promised that He would not allow us to be tempted above what we are able to bear. So, at those times when you can’t stand another minute, stand two and this promise will pull you through.

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)

A Promise For You From Bible Promises:

Topic: Entering Into Your Rest. Pt Three [04/07/17]

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. Read: Matt 11:28-30

In Hebrews 4:8, the Bible says, For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. The writer of Hebrew was actually saying that, if God had given rest to our fathers in time past, there wouldn’t have been rest for us. Jesus is the author of eternal rest for the soul of man. Rest also signifies peace of mind which is the third in the fruits of the Spirit. Gal 5:22. According to Jesus Christ, we’re living in a troubled world. A world devoid of peace. A world full of violence, wickedness and evil. Only in Jesus can you find lasting peace and rest because He has overcome this world full of troubles. Many today try to avoid the reality and in search of peace, protection and rest take to alcohol, drug, smoking, illicit sexual activities and all kinds of inhuman practices that separate a man from his Maker. All of the above would only multiply your sorrows because seeking after them is seeking after other gods. They can’t give you satisfaction, they would rather separate you from the Satisfier – Jesus Christ.

Hence, in our Bible reading, Jesus gave a free offer of everlasting rest to all that want to be free from the endless labour in this world and the everlasting damnation in hell. Like He asked the man at the pool, “Do you want to be healed”?, He is asking you now,” Do you want to enter into your rest”? Peace and rest in this world belong to those who will go to Jesus and surrender their lives. The choice is yours.

#BiblePromisesThought

* Only in Christ alone, your hope of peace and all-round rest is found.

Topic: Stop Celebrating Disobedience [Tuesday July 4, 2017]

“But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.” 1 Samuel 15:21

Samuel was grieved about Saul and he cried to the Lord all night. That is the sign of a good shepherd. It grieves his heart when he sees disobedience being celebrated in the midst of his flock.

When Saul finally saw Samuel after the war against the Amalekites, he said to him I have done all that God said I should do. Samuel replied and said if you have done all that God said, who is the owner of this slippers? You claim to have done all God said but your tithe record is betraying you. You claim to have done all God said but I can see you and your husband are not on talking terms.  Saul said to Samuel we have brought these ones to make sacrifice to God. These ones are too good to be destroyed. They are good to be used for the service of the Lord. That wasn’t the instruction. But the instruction is to wipe out everything.

Saul’s excuse sounds spiritual but it is really not spiritual. It sounds like it, shouts like it, dances like it but there is no atom of obedience. The Lord is not interested in what you are saying. The question is, are you obedient? Anyone can profess to be a Christian but how obedient are we? Your secular job is not your vocation. Your real vocation here on earth is to serve the Lord. God spoke to Moses concerning the children of Israel while they were still in slavery and said to bring them out of the land of Egypt that they may serve me. The reason God saved you is to serve him. That is your full time job on earth. Therefore, in your work place you are an apostle for God.

Beloved, there are things that we do not need to pray about. All we need to do is just to obey and key into it.

Further Reading: Isaiah 1:19 John 2:1-10

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Job 28-29; Evening- Acts 13:1-25

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: A Clear Conscience – Your Ticket to Eternity with God [Tuesday July 4, 2017]

Scripture: And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men. Acts 24:16

Thought For The Day: A clear conscience is crucial for readiness for eternity.

Sometime ago, a young man testified in our church of a night vision he had about rapture. He said that he saw how rapture took place and people were being lifted off the ground but he was not. Then he began to cry, ‘Jesus would you leave me after all these years of going to church? Will I miss the rapture?’

As if God wanted to show him why he was not raptured, God allowed him to be taken up but while he was in the air, he said a negative thought that was on his mind before he slept surfaced in his heart and he became too heavy to fly. Immediately, he fell to the ground. He said he fell with so much force that the ground got cracked by the impact of his weight. He also saw people running in different directions.

The young man said he realised from the vision that sin weighs heavier than any weight imaginable.

Beloved, a clear conscience is crucial for readiness for eternity.

A young woman who is still a virgin but has a heart infested with grief and bitterness is playing with hellfire. What would be the gain of a man who abandons night club, tobacco smoking and other sinful acts in order to be dedicated in church if he still nurses bitterness? He will end in the same hellfire with killers and other terrible sinners.
Whatever makes you have a heart filled with offence towards man and God is jeopardising your destiny on earth and eternity in heaven.

Remember this: A clear conscience is crucial for readiness for eternity.

Assignment (s)

1. Forgive everyone who hurt you in time past, those who hurt you now, and in advance (by God’s help), even those who will hurt you tomorrow.

2. Ask God for the grace to maintain a clear conscience.

3. Live a life that is void of sin.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: THE POWER OF A CLEAR CONSCIENCE.

Prayer: O LORD, I ask for the grace to always have a conscience that is void of offence towards You and towards men, LORD, in Jesus’ Name.

Quote: When a person carries the nature or image of the devil in the likeness of bitterness, satan can lay claim on the life of such an individual. Culled from AM I BITTER? by Dr Becky Enenche.

Daily Reading: 2 Kings 23:31 to 25:30, Acts 22:17 to 23:10, Psalm 2:1 to 12, Proverbs 18:13

Amazing Fact: Chocolate can kill dogs; it directly affects their heart and nervous system.

Today In History: 04/07/1827 – Slavery was abolished in New York State.

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: God Is Healing Our Land [Tuesday July 4, 2017]

Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid. – Romans 3:3-4

Faith-filled words. That’s what changes things. They’ll move mountains into the sea. They’ll turn sickness into health. They’ll turn a sinner into a saint.

They’ll also take a sin-ridden nation and turn it into God’s own country. That’s right. Then, if we believers would back up the prayers we’ve been praying for this nation with words of faith instead of doubt and discouragement, we’d soon begin to see spiritual resurrection in the United States.

God promised us that if we, His people, would humble ourselves and pray and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways, He would heal our land. And let me tell you, there are prayer warriors all over this country (I hope you’re one of them) who are doing what that promise requires.

But, even so, you don’t hear many people saying, “This is great! God is healing the land.” You don’t hear people speaking out by faith the promise of God. Instead, you hear them saying, “Oh my, oh my, did you hear what those terrorists are doing?” or some other destructive thing they’ve seen on television.

Listen, we need to stop preaching what the terrorists are doing and start telling what God is doing! God said He is healing this land.

We must start speaking about this country by faith instead of going around spouting bad news all the time. Of course, that will sound odd to most people. Some of them may even think we’ve slipped a few cogs. But that’s nothing new.

Let me tell you something: One handful of believers who are listening to, trusting in, and speaking out the good news of God are more powerful than all the devils on earth. One handful of believers is more powerful than a whole army of unbelieving doomsayers. The unbelief of the doomsayers will not make the faith of God of no effect!

That’s why over the last 25 years, Gloria and I have learned to turn a deaf ear to the bad news and just start praising and thanking God for His deliverance. Every word of praise we speak releases faith in our heart.

Get determined with Gloria and me right now. Take a firm stand with us that things are changing in this country. Settle it in your heart as you pray. Speak it out. Call it forth. God is healing the land!

Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 6:1-16

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: Requirements for Holiness [Tuesday July 4, 2017]

Text: Leviticus 19:33-37

Key Verse: “Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:37).

In all ages and dispensations, God expects total obedience from His people. In today’s text, the Lord itemised a list of dos and don’ts which ranged from spiritual concerns to social and moral matters. The children of Israel were to recognise the benevolence of the Lord in making their land fruitful. They were to acknowledge and worship Him with the fruit of the land so they could both praise the Lord as their provider and understand that their prosperity was not the product of their power and might (Leviticus 19:23-26).

The Lord was careful to give them the details of the proper way to eat things that had blood (Leviticus 19:26). Socio-cultural matters, including physical appearance, relationships, decency, respect for the elderly and cordial treatment of strangers are included without underestimating the sins of idolatry, familiar-spirit and ritual cuttings or marking of the flesh (evident today in tattooing) (Leviticus 19:27-34). Unrighteousness in legal and economic matters are also intolerable in His presence. The Lord wanted Israel to know that they were a peculiar people overseen and cared for by the God of heaven and they were to be different from their idolatrous neighbours.

The dealing of the LORD with Israel is a shadow of a more excellent relationship with the Christian in the New Testament. Washed, bought and saved by the precious blood of Jesus, the Christian has been “quickened” from the nature of trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). The Lord pleads with you “by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). The Bible also counsels: “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23).

Thought for the day: Holy living is the key into the heart of God.

Bible Reading in one Year: Genesis 11-13

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: Celebrate Freedom [Tuesday July 4, 2017]

Read: Romans 6:15–23, Bible in a Year: Job 28–29; Acts 13:1–25

The law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2

After being kidnapped, held hostage for thirteen days, and released, New Zealand news cameraman Olaf Wiig, with a broad smile on his face, announced, “I feel more alive now than I have in my entire life.”

For reasons difficult to understand, being freed is more exhilarating than being free.

The law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2

For those who enjoy freedom every day, Olaf’s joy was a good reminder of how easily we forget how blessed we are. This is also true spiritually. Those of us who have been Christians for a long time often forget what it’s like to be held hostage by sin. We can become complacent and even ungrateful. But then God sends a reminder in the form of a new believer who gives an exuberant testimony of what God has done in his or her life, and once again we see the joy that is ours when we are “free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2).

If freedom has become boring to you, or if you tend to focus on what you can’t do, consider this: Not only are you no longer a slave to sin, but you are freed to be holy and to enjoy eternal life with Christ Jesus! (6:22).

Celebrate your freedom in Christ by taking the time to thank God for the things you are able and free to do as His servant.

Living for Christ brings true freedom.

Insight:

Some of the spiritual giants of the church were profoundly changed by Paul’s Spirit-inspired words in Romans. One of those was Martin Luther (1483–1546), a German theologian, writer, and reformer of the church. As a monk, Luther struggled with the impossible task of trying to be righteous on his own merits or works. The words of Romans 1:17, “The righteous will live by faith,” led Luther to realize that justification (being made holy) is through faith by God’s grace alone. God through His Word lifts the burden of sin and sets us free.

This message was written By Julie Ackerman [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: Having a Servant Spirit [Tuesday 4, July 2017]

Memorise: For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. – Luke 22:27

Read: Luke 22:24-27 (KJV)

24 And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 14, Lamentation 4:19-5:22, Hymn: Sing hymn 14

MESSAGE:
[July 4 2017, Tuesday]
Signs and wonders easily flow in an atmosphere where authority is respected. The moment a person becomes rebellious or refuses to submit to the authority of leaders, God withdraws and so do His signs and wonders. If you want God to use you in the miraculous, learn to remain submissive to the authority of those set over you by God. Moreover, another attribute of the fellow God will use to perform signs and wonders is the possession of a servant spirit. If you take a critical look at the person of Philip as recorded in the book of Acts, chapters 6 and 8, you will see a man who happily obeyed when he was sent to serve food as an usher, even though he was full of faith, power and the Holy Spirit. If some people had such credentials as these, they would suddenly become very choosy in the nature of assignments they are willing to carry out. If a pastor asks some workers to clean the toilet today, they may give the pastor a look that says, “Don’t you know who I am? Is it because I am a worker in your church? In my place of work, I am a Managing director” Nobody is contesting with you. The truth remains that in God’s kingdom, a worker is a servant. When you get to your office, you can be the boss there, but when you are in God’s house, you must be prepared to serve. Do you know that anyone who is unwilling to serve can never reach the top in God’s house? Open Heavens 4 July 2017: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Having a Servant Spirit

“But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.”

Not only did He instruct us to serve, He himself did exactly that. He came as one who serves (Luke 22:27). Do you remember He washed the feet of his disciples (John 13:5)? This is why I teach my students at the School of disciples that the hands that cannot do manual labour cannot heal the sick. Some people have abandoned house chores to their domestic workers and other helpers. If you really want God to use your hands to perform signs and wonders, then you must engage them in manual labour. By virtue of my position as the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, people try to keep me from doing chores. However, do you know that even with all the help and assistants at my disposal, when I realized they are not around, I quickly iron some of my wife’s clothes or go to the kitchen sink to wash some plates? I know what I am doing. Are you a servant or a lord that everyone must obey?

Prayer Point: Father, give me the servant spirit of Jesus Christ, so that I may serve others just as He did.

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.