Topic: Don’t Forget the Joy [Monday May 15, 2017]

Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. – Philippians 4:4

Years ago, I decided I was going to walk by the Word of God. I told God that, as far as I was concerned, His Word was final and I’d confess it the rest of my life no matter what. That was the most important decision I’ve ever made.

Not too long after that, I decided that no matter what happened, whether I felt like it or not, I’d walk in love. Because the Bible clearly says “faith worketh by love.” It won’t work any other way.

Those two decisions—to operate by faith in the Word of God and to walk in love—are the two most important decisions I’ve ever made in my life.

Recently, though, God pointed out to me that there was something I’d been leaving out. The force of joy. He told me I have no right to walk by faith and love and just leave joy dormant in my spirit. It’s too important. As He taught me about it, I soon came to realize that joy is an essential part of a life of victory. Without it, I might have an occasional triumph now and then, but I wouldn’t be able to sustain them. They’d quickly slip away.

You see, joy is what gives you the strength (Nehemiah 8:10) to hold steady when the circumstances get rough. Joy gives you the ability to laugh in the devil’s face when he starts trying to knock you off your faith. It gives you a kind of staying power that will make you a winner again and again.

So make a commitment to God that you’re going to walk, not only in faith and in love but in joy as well. Make it a point to rejoice in the Lord always…and there won’t be anything the devil can do or say to steal your victory from you!

Scripture Reading: Psalm 84:1-7

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 — Praying in the Spirit: A Key to Dissolving Mysteries [Monday May 15, 2017]

Scripture: “For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.” 1 Corinthians 14:2

Thought For The Day: When you are faced with a situation you cannot understand, pray in the language that you do not understand.
Our anchor Scripture reveals that he that speaks in an unknown tongue speaks mysteries. Therefore, one way to dissolve the mysteries of life is praying in the Spirit.

When you pray in the Spirit by speaking in tongue, you are declaring hidden secrets that are unknown to people. As you continue to pray, you will become saturated with the understanding of what you are saying. This is called the gift of interpretation of tongues.

A couple of times when I am faced with an issue that I do not know what to do about, I would shift to the frequency of praying in tongues. When I pray in tongues for a while, I would pick a pen and notepad; when my mind is overwhelmed with understanding and revelations, I would begin to write them down and by this means, several mysteries have been dissolved.

I came across a story of a man some time ago who had a swollen tissue on a part of his body. He laid his hands on the tumour and began to release the mysteries of God in tongues against the mysteries under that tumour. As he continued to speak in tongues, the tumour dissolved and dematerialized. It was mystery versus mystery!

Beloved, when you are faced with a situation you cannot understand, pray in the language that you do not understand.

Remember this: When you are faced with a situation you cannot understand, pray in the language that you do not understand.

Assignment(s):

1. Make praying in the Holy Ghost a daily practice in your life.

2. Be sensitive in the spirit to know what God is revealing, especially in times of challenge.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: UNVEILING MYSTERIES.

Prayer: O LORD, I ask for the grace to pray in the spirit consistently. Saturate my mind with understanding and revelations, LORD, in Jesus’ Name.

Daily Reading: 1 Samuel 10:1 to 11:15, John 6:43 to 71, Psalm 107:1 to 43, Proverbs 15:1 to 3.

Quote: The devil has no power to keep any mystery permanently secret. Culled from UNVEILING AND DISSOLVING MYSTERIES by Dr Paul Enenche.

Amazing Fact: The coconut is the largest seed in the world.

Today In History: 15/5/2010 – Jessica Watson became the youngest person to sail, non-stop and unassisted around the world solo.

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: Forever Flowers [Monday May 15, 2017]

Read: Isaiah 40:1–8, Bible in a Year: 2 Kings 22–23; John 4:31–54

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever. Isaiah 40:8

As a toddler, my son Xavier enjoyed giving me flowers. I appreciated every freshly picked weed or store-bought blossom he purchased with his dad. I treasured each gift until it wilted and had to be thrown away.

One day, Xavier gave me a beautiful bouquet of artificial flowers. He grinned as he arranged the silk white calla lily, yellow sunflower, and purple hydrangea in a glass vase. “Look, Mommy,” he said. “They’ll last forever. That’s how much I love you.”

 Since then, my boy has grown into a young man. Those silk petals have frayed. The colors have faded. Still, the Forever Flowers remind me of his adoration. And there is something else it brings to mind—one thing that truly stands forever—the limitless and lasting love of God, as revealed in His infallible and enduring Word (Isa. 40:8).

As the Israelites faced continual trials, Isaiah comforted them with confidence in God’s enduring words (40:1). He proclaimed that God paid the debt caused by the Israelites’ sin (v. 2), securing their hope in the coming Messiah (vv. 3–5). They trusted the prophet because his focus remained on God rather than their circumstances.

In a world filled with uncertainties and affliction, the opinions of man and even our own feelings are ever-shifting and as limited as our mortality (vv. 6–7). Still, we can trust God’s unchanging love and character as revealed through His constant and eternally true Word.

God affirms His love through His dependable and unchanging Word, which endures now and forevermore.

Insight:

The Bible has changed lives in each generation that has read it. The apostle Paul told us, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). This means that the inspired words did not come merely from human authors but from the Holy Spirit of God who guided what they wrote. As Peter told us, “Prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). The word that translates as our English phrase “carried along” actually refers to the wind blowing along a sailing ship. Scripture could not have been written without the gracious guidance of a Divine Author, the Holy Spirit.

How does knowing that all Scripture is inspired by God—who does not change—comfort you?

This message was written By Xochitl Dixon [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: Receiving Christ [Monday May 15, 2017]

John 6:56, “He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.”

Many thought that Jesus was speaking of cannibalism, but He was speaking of the spiritual man. Just as the physical man receives life from the food he eats, so the spiritual man receives life as he partakes of Jesus, the life of men (Jn. 1:4; 10:10; 14:6) or the “Bread of Life.” Just as the life of a root is found in the soil, or a branch in the vine, or a fish in the sea, so the believer’s true life is found to be in union with Christ.

The Bible presents salvation as a life transforming experience. Change is one of the distinguishing characteristics of a true believer. Yet, failure to understand that this change takes place in the spirit first, and is then reflected in the outward thoughts and actions, proportional to the way we renew our minds, has caused much confusion. This change has to take place in our bornagain spirit. Why is that? If you were overweight before you got saved, you will be overweight after you get saved, unless you go on a weight loss program. Your body doesn’t instantly change. Also, your soulish or mental realm doesn’t instantly change. How you thought about things before you got saved will be how you think after you get saved, until you start renewing you mind. The only part of you that is left is your spirit. It is your spirit that is instantly changed at salvation. It is perfect (Heb. 12:23). It cannot sin (1 Jn. 3:9). Everything that is true of Jesus is true of our bornagain spirit. Your spiritual salvation is complete. At salvation, you receive the same spirit that you will have throughout all eternity. It will not have to be changed again or cleansed again. It has been sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13) and is therefore sanctified and perfected forever (Heb. 10:10, 14; 12:23). Jesus lives in the spirit of believers. All that He is will be available to you if you will depend on Him instead of your own abilities.

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: Love Despite Ourselves [Monday May 15, 2017]

. . . all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags . . .  — Isaiah 64:6

The Bible teaches that all our righteousness-falling short of the divine standard as it does-is as filthy rags in the sight of God. There is absolutely no possibility of our manufacturing a righteousness, holiness, or goodness that will satisfy God. Even the best of us is impure to God. I remember one day when my wife was doing the washing. The clothes looked white and clean in the house, but when she hung them on the line they appeared soiled and dirty, in contrast to the fresh-fallen snow.

Our own lives may seem at times to be morally good and decent; but in comparison to the holiness and the purity of God, we are defiled and filthy. In spite of our sins and moral uncleanness God loves us. He decided to provide a righteousness for us. That is the reason that He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross.

Prayer for the day: My life is like a gray pall beside the whiteness of Your purity, Lord Jesus. Cleanse me this day.

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.

A Promise For You From Bible Promises:

Topic: Seven Abominations Unto God. Pt One [14/05/2017]

These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, Proverbs 6:16-17. Read: Mk 6:1-6

There are many things the Lord Almighty hates, but the scripture above says seven are abominations unto Him. So for this few days, we’ll be considering these seven abominations the Lord is talking about. When you’re talking about abomination, you are talking about something that causes disgust and hatred. The first abomination unto God is:

1) A PROUD LOOK. Have you ever come across people who look at you from head to toe? They use their eyes to size you up, put you in a  scale,weigh you and conclude your worth and where you belong. They condemn you outrightly. A proud person believes that he or she knows more than everyone else, when you try to correct him/her, they say who are you to correct them. Most proud people believe they’re too special to God that’s why they have everything their heart desires and believe others have sinned. No, Not at all. Proud people depend on their ability and claim God’s glory. Dan Dan 4:30-33, Acts 12:20-25. Proud people think they’re God, through their look, disdain others and write them off destiny. They place themselves in the place of God.

In our Bible reading, the people were so proud and disdained Jesus Christ, they even called Him a carpenter whom they knew everything about. One of the things pride does is that it hinders your breakthrough and limits your capability. Jesus Christ could not perform miracles because of their pride. Don’t look down on others because you are not their God.

#BiblePromisesPrayer

* Father, take away a proud look from me and help me not to disdain anyone with my look in Jesus Mighty Name

Topic: Jesus Will Return [Sunday, 14th May 2017]

The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 2 Peter 3-9

I have heard folks say Jesus will not return because they feel they’ve been hearing about His impending return for a long time, and still He has not come, even though nearly all the signs of the end time are already happening. Let me quickly reiterate the fact that Jesus is coming back and I am excited about His coming. You also should be excited. I really can’t wait to put on immortality and the glorious body I will receive. I can’t wait to live in a world of peace and tranquility, where pure joy exist, for eternity.

But you see, Jesus does not just want only those that have their names in the book of life to come with Him to this new world, He actually wants all men. He does not want anyone to suffer the ever-burning furnace of hell, but that everyone should repent (2 Peter 3:9). This is one of the  major reasons He has not come. Although, I am sure He is aware that not all men will accept His sacrifice for their sins, He wants, as a just Judge, the gospel to be preached in all nations of the earth, as a witness, then the end will come (Matthew 24:14).

It is the Lord’s intention to get, as much people as possible, saved. This is the reason why, as ministers of the word of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-19), we should put in more effort to reconcile more people unto the Lord. The goal is not to scare people with hell, but to get them to genuinely love the Lord and live for Him. The Lord is counting on us to get this job done as soon as possible. Probably you are reading this, and have not come to know the Lord Jesus, call upon His name today and be saved from sin by His blood. He loves you so much. Accept Him as your Lord and Saviour now. Remember, Jesus will return.

Keep winning daily.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, I pray for sinners all over the world, that the glorious light of the gospel shines on them. That they accept Your sacrifice for their sins, and accept the life You are offering them, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Topic: Striving For Excellence 2 [Sunday May 14, 2017]

Elements of Excellence

Your language.

Never say, “It’s impossible.”

We live in a world of unending possibilities.

Never say, “I can’t do it.”  Give it a trial.

Only those who try will triumph.  The worst failure in life is a failure to try.

Your action

Do something new or do the same thing in a different, improved and better way.

Change of approach always improves result.

Be an extremist in all your actions.

If you are not an extremist, you can’t excel and exceed others. Don’t wait for a convenient time because convenience is the destroyer of excellence.

Topic: An Act of Love Endures Forever [Sunday May 14, 2017]

If I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such as is inspired by God’s love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. — 1 Corinthians 13:1

Most of the things we devote our time and energy to are things that are currently passing away, things that will not last. We strive to make money, build businesses, achieve great accomplishments, be popular, own buildings, cars, and jewelry. We want to expand our minds and see the world, yet all of these things are temporal. They will all come to an end.

Only love never comes to an end. An act of love goes on and endures forever. Thankfully, God allows us to have a lasting impact when He asks us to love others. Henry Drummond says that “to love abundantly is to live abundantly, and to love forever is to live forever.” In order to “love abundantly” and “love forever,” I encourage you to first receive God’s love for you…then you can walk in love toward everyone else.

Prayer of Thanks: Father, I am grateful that I can live my life in such a way as to have a lasting impact. Thank You for the power of love. Help me exercise that power and make an eternal impact by showing love to those around me today. Help me to always know what is truly important.