Topic: Only God Can Change You [Tuesday May 23, 2017]

The Lord will sustain, refresh, and strengthen him on his bed of languishing; all his bed You [O Lord] will turn, change, and transform in his illness. I said, Lord, be merciful and gracious to me; heal my inner self, for I have sinned against You. — Psalm 41:3-4

Don’t obsess over your faults, or you will never enjoy the life that Jesus died to give you. Only God can change you, so talk to Him about your desires. The Word says that those who wait on the Lord will change (see Isaiah 40:31).

Meanwhile, quit taking your flaws so seriously. Don’t let discouragement or depression rob you of your energy and make you angry. If you do, you may take that anger out on other people and miss the blessings God has in store for you today. Enjoy yourself, and lighten up! Take the right steps today toward the change you want to make by asking God to help you all day long.

Topic: Be Full of Faith [Tuesday 23, May 2017]

Memorise: But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, – Jude 1:20

Read: Acts 6:3-10 (KJV)

3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:

6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.

10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.

Bible in One Year: Acts 5:6, Jeremiah 34:1-16, Hymn: Sing hymn 1

MESSAGE:

According to Mark 16:17-18, the ability to demonstrate faith in God is very necessary in the ministry of signs and wonders. Hebrews 11:6 also says that without faith you cannot please God. So how do we recognise someone with faith? A look at the life of someone the Bible declared was full of faith should be able to provide us some answers. Acts 6:8 says,

“And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.”

Stephen was only a deacon in the early Church. He was chosen as an usher to join others in serving food, and yet because he was full of faith, he performed great signs and wonders, even more than some apostles. From the example of Stephen, it therefore means that you can be a worker in the Church and God could still use you to perform mighty signs and miracles even more than a pastor. This simply tells us that walking in the miraculous is not about titles but about faith. You can be full of position or titles but empty of faith and therefore of little or no use to God in the ministry of signs and wonders. Some senior pastors cannot mention just one miracle the Lord has performed through them in the last two or more years, and yet God is doing wonders through their subordinates. It is doubtful that such pastors are full of faith. Are you full of faith or doubt?  There is no way God will be at work among His people and His supernatural touch will not be visible for all to see.

Instead of building up their faith until it is full, some people choose to use everything at their disposal to secure a position or an ordination in the Body of Christ. Believing that the higher their position, the greater the anointing at their disposal. Unfortunately, they fail to realise that those who pursue position or ordination may get the title but not the power that backs it up.  What is important is to build up your faith. After you are saved, do not keep your faith stagnant; grow it. Feed your faith by meditating regularly on God’s word, praying in the Holy Spirit, reading sound Christian literature and texts, and by listening to good Christian music and testimonies. You also need to fellowship regularly in a Bible-believing Church, so that you are constantly exposed to the truth. When you are full of faith, fear will have no place to hibernate inside you.  This makes you a sure candidate for God to work with. May God work with you! Do all you can to build up you faith.

Key Point: Your spiritual growth is your personal responsibility, and not that of your pastor.

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: The Family Altar (3)

What a great privilege you have again to read the column for this month! I began this teaching, by examining the foundation of the family; and last week, I taught on family structure.

However this week, we shall consider the topic Love. As the world is changing, parenting is becoming more complicated. There is always something new about how to help our children to be successful and happy adults.

Every day, we have to take difficult decisions and tackle many responsibilities. How do you accomplish all these without getting overwhelmed?

To get these done, some people turn to drugs and alcohol. Sometimes, you unleash your anxieties on your partner or kids. Many times, a family falls apart, not because they don’t love each other, but because they don’t know the best way to deal with problems.

As a father, you and your wife are responsible for the training of the children. However, many men push these responsibilities to their wives. It is a joint assignment. The man should train his children to grow in the fear of the Lord, like Jonadab did in Jeremiah 35:14, 18-19. Whatever your child becomes in the future will definitely affect you; whether good or bad. Therefore, your office as the head of the family government, is not that of a ‘dictator’ or ‘oppressor’, but that of loving and providing for the welfare of your family, as commanded by God. 1 Timothy 5:8 says: But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

You are the driver of the vehicle of your family, and you occupy a strategic position that can influence what the lives of members of your family will be like. You must live up to this expectation, so that God will not regret making you the head of your home!

We need to know more about the best ways to show love, respect and appreciation to our spouses and children.

Closeness and love to your family will show later in your child’s life. We also need to understand ourselves better and learn to take care of our own needs. The truth is that families need to be worked on. Recognize that every ounce of effort you invest in your family, will deliver amazing results.

It is practically impossible to love your family according to the will of God, without a relationship with God, the embodiment of love.  Are you born again? Are you a child of God? Are you ready to welcome Jesus into your life? If you are ready, please say this prayer 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 have prayed this simple prayer, congratulations, you are born again and 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]; OR 07026385437 and 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: Sacred Word [Tuesday May 23, 2017]

Text: Isaiah 28:9-17

Key Verse: “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts” (Isaiah 28:9).

That you do not value what you have until you lose it is an axiom that has continued to play out in everyday life. Cousin to this truth is the fact that familiarity breeds contempt. It is just human nature. Down through the ages, so many people have lost great opportunities and privileges as a result of this attitude. Israel presents a pathetic case study in this matter.

They got so used to divine counsel to the point of contempt. Prophet Isaiah, in today’s text, outlines the extent the Lord went to teach them “precept upon precept” and “line upon line” (as infants are taught). But they remained unteachable and made light of God’s word. They heard the Word, but made sure it had no effect on them. They were unwilling to amend. Instead, they mocked and made jest of God’s word.

Even their rulers became scornful of their ministers’ teachings. God was not happy with their attitude. They incurred divine reproof and judgment. As they were unwilling to learn the plain teaching of His word, the Lord declared that they would be forced to learn in a foreign language (an allusion to their prospect of going into exile). Like the Israelites, most of us have the privilege of hearing God’s word and having grace in abundance, including sound and faithful ministers, rich Christian materials and edifying Christian fellowship.

We also stand the chance of getting too familiar with sacred things as to making light of God’s word. Such tendency must be resisted vehemently. It is a sure way to misery and damnation. Therefore, it should be your resolve to always apply your mind to learning and carrying out God’s word.

Thought for the day: God’s Grace comes to us on “use or lose” term.

Bible Reading in one Year: Ezra 4-6

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.

If you’re having trouble getting to bed or staying asleep, Jumia Travel helps you out by sharing 5 surprising foods that can help you sleep better.

Cereal

When this is eaten before bed, it can help you get better sleep. This is mainly because this food contains two main components for falling asleep: carbohydrates (from the cereal) and calcium (from the milk).

Rice

White rice especially, has a high glycemic index that makes eating it significantly slash the time it takes for you to fall asleep, which helps you fall asleep faster. This is why some people complain that after eating rice, they can’t help feeling sleepy or immediately falling asleep.

Honey

The natural sugar in honey slightly raises the insulin and allows tryptophan (an amino acid that helps induce a natural calming and sleep inducing effect) to enter the brain more easily. A spoonful of honey before bed can help to give you a more restful sleep.

Walnuts

Walnuts are another good source of tryptophan, the sleep-enhancing amino- acid that helps to make serotonin and melatonin, the ‘body clock’ hormone that sets up your sleep-wake cycles. In addition, walnut also contains its own source of melatonin, which in conjunction with the function of tryptophan can help you fall asleep faster.

Warm Milk

This tried and true sleep aid also contains tryptophan and is high in calcium; this contributes to its relaxing effect and ability to help you fall asleep faster. Combining milk with carbohydrate rich foods like oatmeal, granola etc. makes its much more effective as a sleeping aid.

By Damilola Ojo
PR Associate Jumia Travel
+2348101556883

Topic: Defending God [Tuesday May 23, 2017]

Read: Luke 9:51–56, Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 19–21; John 8:1–27

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1

The anti-God bumper stickers covering the car seized the attention of a university professor. As a former atheist himself, the professor thought perhaps the owner wanted to make believers angry. “The anger helps the atheist to justify his atheism,” he explained. Then he warned, “All too often, the atheist gets exactly what he is looking for.”

In recalling his own journey to faith, this professor noted the concern of a Christian friend who invited him to consider the truth of Christ. His friend’s “sense of urgency was conveyed without a trace of anger.” He never forgot the genuine respect and grace he received that day.

 Believers in Jesus often take offense when others reject Him. But how does He feel about that rejection? Jesus constantly faced threats and hatred, yet He never took doubt about His deity personally. Once, when a village refused Him hospitality, James and John wanted instant retaliation. “Lord,” they asked, “do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” (Luke 9:54). Jesus didn’t want that, and He “turned and rebuked them” (v. 55). After all, “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:17).

It may surprise us to consider that God doesn’t need us to defend Him. He wants us to represent Him! That takes time, work, restraint, and love.

Prayer: Lord, when we are confronted with hate, help us not to be haters but to respond as Your Son did: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)

The best way to defend Jesus is to live like Him.

Insight:

Luke 9:51 says, “Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.” Christ was deliberately going to Jerusalem to face even more opposition because of His commitment to die on the cross for our redemption. When James and John rightly perceived opposition to their Master, they wrongly responded with an attitude of vindictive punishment. Most likely they were thinking of Elijah calling down fire from heaven (2 Kings 1:10–12) and the fire that fell in judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19). Yet they missed the point that Jesus’s truth claims are submitted for human consideration without coercion or duress.

As one theologian wisely said: “God is a Gentleman and will not violate our own free will.” The time of judgment that is most certainly coming has its own set time in God’s calendar. Before it arrives, each human being who hears the gospel has the freedom to believe it or reject it. God is “patient with [us],” the apostle Peter wrote, “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

How might you show grace and faithfulness in letting your gospel light shine today regardless of the response?

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

Topic: What the Devil Resists in a Man [Tuesday May 23, 2017]

Scripture: And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. Zechariah 3:1.

Thought For The Day: You cannot fulfil destiny when you are clothed with filthy garment.

From our anchor scripture, we understand that satan resisted Joshua the high priest when he stood in God’s Presence because he was clothed with a filthy garment. satan always looks for opportunities to resist God’s children and their prayers before God.

Using the case of Joshua as an example, I want to highlight the forms of satanic resistance you must watch out for.

1. Access to God’s Presence

satan resisted Joshua’s access to God’s Presence. In other words, the devil was making Joshua to understand that it was not possible to access God’s Presence with a filthy garment. That is how satan will resist your access to God’s Presence anytime you are clothed with a filthy garment.

Sin deprives a man of access to God’s Presence.

2. Destiny and Ministry

Another thing the devil resisted in the life of Joshua was his destiny and Ministry. Your life’s assignment is at the mercy of the spiritual garment you are wearing. You cannot fulfil destiny when you are clothed with a filthy garment.

Beloved, do not give room to the enemy to resist you. Ensure your conscience is free of guilt.

Remember this: You cannot fulfil destiny when you are clothed with a filthy garment.

Assignment(s):

1. Maintain a constant atmosphere of God’s presence by living a guilt-free life.

2. Always maintain a garment of purity in order to fulfil destiny.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: WHAT GARMENT ARE YOU WEARING?

Prayer: O LORD, help me to maintain a life that is free of sin and compromise. I ask for the baptism of Your Presence in Jesus’ Name.

Daily Reading: 2 Samuel 4:1 to 6:23, John 3:31 to 14:14, Psalm 119:17 to 32, Proverbs15:31 to 32.

Quote: Nothing frustrates your stand with God like the guilt of sin. Culled from WHO ARE YOU? by Dr Paul Enenche.

Amazing Fact: A chameleon can move its eyes in two directions at the same time.

Today In History: 23/5/1785 – Benjamin Franklin announced his invention of bifocals.

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: The Bridegroom Cometh [Tuesday May 23, 2017]

And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. – Matthew 25:6

The Spirit of God is delivering a vital message to you today: Get ready for Jesus’ return! It’s an old message. But there’s a fresh urgency to it. An urgency you can’t afford to ignore.

Some believers make the mistake of saying, “Oh well, I just don’t think we’re supposed to know about the Second Coming. It’s supposed to come upon us like a thief in the night!”

But they’re wrong. The Word of God says that as children of light we shouldn’t be taken by surprise. We should be so keen in the spirit that even though we don’t know the day or the hour, we should sense that the season of Jesus’ return has come.

First Corinthians 2:10 tells us that God reveals His plans to us through His Spirit. I suspect that those who are walking in the spirit on the day the Lord comes again will actually begin to anticipate that something is about to happen.

Be like the five wise virgins in Matthew 25 who were prepared when the bridegroom’s arrival was announced. Stay full of the oil of the Holy Spirit and with your light shining!

Don’t get caught sleeping when Jesus returns. Wake up now to the Holy Spirit. Let Him put you on the inside track and get you ready for your Lord. Because just as Jesus foretold, there is a cry going out at midnight. The Spirit of the Lord is announcing His return.

Can you hear it in your spirit? Can you sense the Lord saying, Get up and come out to meet Me. Fellowship with Me. Get in the light now, and at that crucial hour, you’ll be on the inside of My plans.

Obey Him quickly. For, “Behold, the bridegroom cometh”!

Scripture Reading: Matthew 25:1-13

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: Jesus Tried Her Faith [Tuesday May 23, 2017]

Matthew 15:27, “But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it unto the dogs.”

It is very clear in scripture that Jesus was sent to fulfill God’s covenant to the Jews. However, it was equally clear that Jesus would open up faith unto the Gentiles. Jesus certainly knew this, and had already ministered to numerous Gentiles without the apparent disdain that we see here with the Syro-Phoenician woman. Jesus could not have been forced into ministering to this woman’s daughter if it was not His will to do so. Therefore, His silence and rough answer to this woman must have been designed to accomplish a positive result.

Humility is an important ingredient of faith. This woman was a stranger to the covenants of promise and had no right to demand anything. Jesus’ silence and then comparison of her to a dog would certainly have offended an arrogant person, and it is possible that for this very reason, Jesus tried her faith. Jesus didn’t need to do this with the centurion in Luke 7:6-7 because the centurion had already humbled himself.

An integral part of faith is seeking God alone with your whole heart. If we are concerned about what people think and gaining their approval (or honor), we will never take a stand in faith for anything. After all we might be criticized for it. This one thing has probably stopped as many people from receiving from God as anything else. You cannot be a “man-pleaser” and please God at the same time. Satan uses persecutions to steal away God’s Word and, thereby, stop our faith. To see faith work, we must say with Paul, “let God be true, but every man a liar” (Rom. 3:4).

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: An Answer to Problems [Tuesday May 23, 2017]

. . . Thou shalt love the Lord thy God. . . . Thou shalt love thy neighbor . . . — Matthew 22:37–39

Here is the answer to the world’s problems today—”Thou shalt love the Lord thy God” and “Thou shalt love thy fellowman.” That teaching is not out of date; it is absolutely relevant today. It is the only way in which the problems of the world today can be solved, whether the problems are those of individuals or of nations. If we love God with all our heart, we will have capacity to love our neighbors. True love will find an outlet in service—not merely in singing hymns, attending church, or even in praying—but in trying our utmost to prove our love, by obeying the will of our heavenly Father.

Prayer for the day: True love demands everything I have. Take all the hidden things in my life that keep me from loving You and my neighbor as I should. Let me obey Your will unequivocally, dear Lord.

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.