Topic: Why God Sometimes Delays [Thursday 8, June 2017]

Memorise: And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; – Genesis 2:21

Read: Genesis 2:21-22 (KJV)

21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

Bible in One Year: Joshua 10-11, Jeremiah 44:20-30, Hymn: Sing hymn 1

MESSAGE:

From experience, we know of a truth that God answers prayers. It is also common knowledge among those who walk with God that on several occasions, despite consistent prayers, God may take His time before intervening in a given situation. In fact, in some cases, He may allow the situation to deteriorate to its extreme limits before He steps in.  This was the experience of Mary and Martha, sisters to Lazarus (John 11:1-6). Why would God wait until you are completely helpless before He turns things around? It could be because He does not want you to tamper with what He is about to do. When a doctor wants to perform an operation, he puts his patient to sleep. When God was about to form Eve out of Adam, He put him into a deep sleep. Genesis 2:21 says,

“And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;”

Do you know that God still likes to do some great things without any contribution or interference from us? Sometimes, He may allow us to get to a point of helplessness before He moves in to begin His work. He wants you to be absolutely surrendered to Him so that when He begins to do what He wants to do, you will not consider your own ideas. If you are ever so self-willed, you may need to visit the bus stop of helplessness repeatedly, but if you are completely yielded to Him, this may not occur too often in your life. How submissive are you to God?

Similarly, God may take His time before coming to your aid because it is in those extreme moments that prayers are said from the depth of the soul (1 Samuel 1:15). When you are totally helpless, you will pray from your heart and not from your head. In Matthew 15:21-28, when the woman whose daughter was grievously tormented of the devil came to Jesus asking for help, the Lord ignored her, and the disciples asked that she be sent away because she was too noisy. The woman simply said, “You haven’t heard any noise yet. Whether you like it or not, I am not leaving here without my miracle.” Then the Lord said to her, “I cannot give the children’s bread to dogs.” She said, “Fine, I agree I am a dog, but this dog is going to get her miracle today.” Since she had no alternative, she knew she had reached her last bus stop, and she refused to give up. People who are totally helpless pray a different kind of prayer compared to those who have alternatives. Whatever you needs maybe today, as you ask God, He will answer you in Jesus’ Name. Have you reached your final bus stop? Is Jesus Christ your last hope, or do you have other alternatives?

Action Point: Some delays are in your best interest. Ask God to make every delay to work in your favour.

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.

Building relationships in the workplace can sometimes be tricky; however there are some mistakes you might be making in the process that you should try to avoid. Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares 5 biggest mistakes you’re making with work relationships.

Seeing Relationship Building as Unnecessary and as Playing Office Politics

Some people have a negative perception of the art of building work relationships. They believe that they’re above it all and that their knowledge and skills are all they need to excel in the workplace. However, what they fail to understand is that collaboration and large-scale group projects contributes significantly to an organization’s success. That’s why most organizations are largely ‘team-centric’.

Limiting Your Work Circle

Try not to build work relationships with only people in your peer group or people you are similar to. This can be very limiting to you on your career path. Try to develop relationships with people who are not like you – like those in another department, those in different peer groups or those with a skill set different from yours. It doesn’t have to be such a deep relationship, but just something cordial and light-hearted enough to secure yourself a place in their conscious mind.

Forgetting the Place of Performance

Avoid using the relationship card to justify laziness and low performance at work. The point of cultivating good relationships is to better accomplish your goals, not to abandon them all together. A good work relationship can’t make up for a lack of knowledge or skills, and can hardly protect you from being let go if your work performance is disappointingly low. Good work relationships shouldn’t undermine performance.

Making Your Self-Interest Obvious

If in a work relationship, the other person senses you keep doing things because you want something in return, that can end the relationship. Though, self-interest might ultimately be the goal of most work relationships, the point is not to be so blatant with it that it becomes offensive. Keep the needs of the other person in mind and try to give as much as you can with no immediate expectation of return in mind. Make deposits in the person’s emotional bank account so you can draw from it during the inevitable rough times.

Being Opportunistic in Your Relationships

Avoid being too status conscious when building work relationships. Try to build good relationships with your subordinates and people you consider to be ‘low on the food chain’, avoid doing so with only your peers and superiors. Consider the example of a head of department in a business organization, who only got along with his peers and superiors. All his direct reports either feared or genuinely disliked him. The management noticed this and this limited his effectiveness and growth in the organization, because a leader is only as good as the people he’s leading.

By Damilola Ojo
PR Associate Jumia Travel
+2348101556883

Topic: Is Your Back Turned To God? [Thursday June 8, 2017]

Text: Jeremiah 32:26-35

Key Verse: “And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction” (Jeremiah 32:33).

There is nothing that best demonstrates and indicates defiance, impudence, irreverence and rebellion as when a child turns his back to the parents while he is being corrected. The act indicates but one thing: that the child does not appreciate the correction of the parents and so is not willing and ready to change.

When this becomes the case, such child is usually left to himself to suffer and bear the consequences of his stubborn and impudent action. Prophet Jeremiah in our text talks about the certainty of the judgment of God upon Judah because of their repeated rebellions and sins against Him. This was in spite of His repeated warnings and pleadings with them. God here assures them of His omnipotence and power to bring His predicted judgment upon them to pass.

The fact that they turned their back and not their face to God shows their unwillingness to accept the rebuke of God and amend their ways. It is sad that there are many people today who still behave like the people in Jeremiah’s days. In spite of all the warnings of God and His teachings through His servants and ministers, they still choose to go their own way.

The very things that God warns them against are the things they take delight in. Instead of repenting, they remain adamant in their sins and rebellion. Such people will certainly be visited with severe punishment and judgment. Where is your face turned? Do you accept the rebuke of God and go ahead to make your ways right or do you stubbornly turn your back to God in defiance and rebellion? Remember, it is futile to fight against God. Nobody does that and wins. Submit to Him this moment and let Him cuddle you in His love.

Thought for the day: Nobody resists God and wins.

Bible Reading in one Year: Job 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.

Topic: Courage to Stand [Thursday June 8, 2017]

It is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being in Christ’s family and being called by his wonderful name! — 1 Peter 4:16 (TLB)

A great problem in America is that we have an anemic and watered-down Christianity that has produced an anemic, watered-down, and spineless Christian who is not willing to stand up and be counted on every issue. We must have a virile, dynamic, aggressive Christian who lives Christ seven days a week, who is ready to die, if necessary, for his faith. We need Christians who are ethical, honest, gracious, bold, strong, and devoted followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Prayer for the day: I realize how spineless and pampered my Christian walk is. Give me Your courage, Lord Jesus, to follow You more devotedly.

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: Dogged and Rugged Faith in Action [Thursday June 8, 2017]

Scripture: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Hebrews 11:1-2

Thought For The Day: The dogged and rugged faith is the faith that does not shift its grounds.

Yesterday, we saw another identifiable feature of the mustard-seed faith, as doggedness and ruggedness. That is faith that does not shift its grounds.

Today, we want to look at a practical example of the dogged and rugged faith. That is, an example of the practical demonstration of dogged and rugged faith.

Lester Sumrall was a man who operated the dogged and rugged faith. He once went to a village in a southern American country which was dominated by terrible idols to preach. Upon his arrival, he met a voodoo priest who was performing a demonic sacrifice. Without wasting time, he went straight and laid hands on the priest and cast the demon out of him. Consequently, the priest lost his demonic power.

When Lester Sumrall got home that night, his room began to vibrate. He got up and said ‘devil, I cast you out of the priest in the day time, I have not changed my mind.’ Suddenly, the vibrations stopped and the devil disappeared.

Thereafter, he realised that his bed was shifted as a result of the vibration. So, he said ‘devil, come back and put the bed in order’. The vibrations started again and the bed was rearranged to its original position.

Beloved, I decree the impartation of the dogged and rugged faith on you so you can bring back what the devil has stolen from your life and family in Jesus’ Name.

Remember this: The dogged and rugged faith is the faith that does not shift its grounds.

Assignment (s):

1. Ask God for the impartation of the spirit of faith.

2. Act on every revealed word of God.

Prayer: O LORD, I ask for the impartation of rugged faith in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: MOUNTAIN-MOVING FAITH.

Daily Reading: 1 Kings 3:3 to 4:34, Acts 6: 1 to 15, Psalm 126:1 to 6, Proverbs 16:26 to 27.

Quote: As long as your faith is alive, your change must come. Culled from ‘30 Secrets to the Top’ by Dr Paul Enenche.

Amazing Fact: The tongue is not the only place where taste buds are found. They can also be found on the inside of our cheeks, on lips, on the roof of our mouth and even under the tongue.

Today In History: 8/6/1783 – Laki, a volcano in Iceland, began an eight-month eruption which killed over 9,000 people and started a seven-year famine.

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: Addicted to the Word [Thursday June 8, 2017]

Ye know the house of Stephanas…and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints. – 1 Corinthians 16:15

I want you to begin to develop an addiction today—an addiction to the Word of God. That may sound odd to you, especially if you don’t have much of an interest in the Word right now. But, believe me, it’s possible. I’ve done it myself and I’ve seen others do it, time and again.

All you have to do is make a decision to give yourself to it. To focus your time and attention on it. The more you give yourself to it, the more your desire for it will grow. Eventually, it will consume your thinking.

Surprised? You shouldn’t be. That happens with anything you totally give yourself to. It happens, for example, with people who give themselves to pornography. As they focus their attention on it, the spirit behind it moves in on their consciousness and eventually draws them from mental activity into physical activity. Finally, they come to a place where they can’t be satisfied. They can’t get enough.

That same principle works on the positive side when you begin to give yourself to God’s Word. You can give yourself to it to the point where it totally consumes your mental and physical life. The more of it you get, the more you want. The Spirit behind the Word, the Holy Spirit, will draw you and lead you closer to Jesus than you ever imagined possible.

I’ve never yet met anyone walking in faith and power who at some time hadn’t developed that kind of addiction by giving themselves totally to the Word for an extended time. I don’t mean just a few minutes here and there either. I’m talking about some serious time.

So determine to do that. Determine to become a “Word addict.” Once you do, you’ll never be willing to live without it again.

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 4:1-12

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: Rings and Grace [Thursday June 8, 2017]

Read: Hebrews 8:6–13, Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 30–31; John 18:1–18

[I] will remember their sins no more. Hebrews 8:12

When I look at my hands, I am reminded that I lost my wedding and engagement rings. I was multitasking as I packed for a trip, and I still have no idea where they ended up.

I dreaded telling my husband about my careless mistake—worried how the news would affect him. But he responded with more compassion and care for me than concern over the rings. However, there are times when I still want to do something to earn his grace! He, on the contrary, doesn’t hold this episode against me.

Grace and forgiveness are unearned gifts.
So many times we remember our sins and feel we must do something to earn God’s forgiveness. But God has said it is by grace, not by works, that we are saved (Eph. 2:8–9). Speaking of a new covenant, God promised Israel, “I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Jer. 31:34). We have a God who forgives and no longer calls to mind the wrongs we have done.

We may still feel sad about our past, but we need to trust His promise and believe His grace and forgiveness is real through faith in Jesus Christ. This news should lead us to thankfulness and the assurance faith brings. When God forgives, He forgets.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for Your grace and Your offer of salvation and forgiveness through Christ. Thank You for this free gift that is not based on anything I can do.

Grace and forgiveness are unearned gifts.

This message was written By Keila Ochoa [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Insight:

The book of Hebrews was written to a Jewish audience who had trusted Jesus as Messiah. Because of their Old Testament background, they were tempted to regress into trusting the Mosaic law instead of Christ’s sufficiency. So the author speaks of Jesus as providing a superior ministry, a superior covenant, and better promises (8:6).

Consider God’s promise of forgiveness in Hebrews 8:12—“I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more”—and see how you have every reason to rejoice.

Topic: Discipline Brings Life [Thursday June 8, 2017]

Matthew 18:18-19 “Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.”

Verses 18 and 19 have many applications, but taken in context, they are specifically referring to church discipline. Some might think that church discipline is only symbolic and carries no real weight; however, Jesus is making it clear that in the spiritual realm, discipline that is directed by the Holy Spirit has much power.

The scriptural commands concerning church discipline are designed to help restore the brother or sister who is in sin just as much as they are designed to protect other members of the body from that sin. If the person being disciplined repents, the objective has been achieved and no further action should be taken. Church discipline is two-fold. It consists of withdrawing both our fellowship and our intercession.

Proper intercession can actually keep Satan “at bay” though an individual is living in great sin. This is good if the person uses this freedom to repent and come back to God. But, if the person takes this freedom from the wages of sin to commit more sin, there comes a time when this form of intercession ceases to be beneficial. In that case, intercession against Satan’s attacks should be withdrawn, and we should actually retain that person’s sins unto him so that he can no longer get by without experiencing the death that sin brings (Rom. 6:23). As he starts reaping what he has sown, it, hopefully, will cause him to turn back to the goodness of God that he once enjoyed. This is the binding and loosing being referred to in this verse. Heaven and earth are affected by our binding and loosing.

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)