Topic: Bodily Exercise [Tuesday, 9th May 2017]

For bodily exercise profiteth little…1 Timothy 4:8

How trivial most Christians treat bodily exercise. They feel it is not necessary for them to exercise their bodies. So, most of them never deliberately include exercising as part of their daily routine. This is a wrong thing to do. Apart from what scriptures say about it, through the wisdom of God, health practitioners always advocate that we exercise regularly. And this is something we must not trivialize in any way. It is very important.

Some folks might say bodily exercise only profits little. But they have not come to the understanding of the whole of 1 Timothy 4:8. Apostle Paul was not trying to trivialize exercising, or was he trying to discard its importance. But he was comparing bodily exercise with godliness, and yes, bodily exercise pales in comparison with godliness because godliness affects the spirit, mind and also the body and its organs, while exercising affects only the body and its organs. This is what Apostle Paul was trying to make us understand.

We need sound health and a well exercised body to have the physical energy to do the good works which the Lord has ordained that we walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). This is why we must factor in exercise into our daily routine. There are different kinds of exercise you can do. Do a research on them and find the one suitable for you and that can fit into your schedule. God wish that we be in health always (3 John 2), and exercising is one of the ways to ensure that.

Keep winning daily.

Wise Action:

Make exercising part of your daily “must dos”, preferably early in the morning. It helps your blood circulation and if your blood is circulating well to all parts of your body, you won’t lack energy in any part of your body.

Topic: Life Is Marathon [Tuesday May 9, 2017]

…In due season we shall reap, if we faint not. – Galatians 6:9

Winning is not for sprint but for marathon runners.

Every man’s blessing comes in the end.  Only those that stay to the end, wins. Habakkuk.2.3; Matthew 24:13

Therefore, endure, Stay on, tarry on, hold on and follow on.

Reward is in the end.

Promotion and lifting is in the end.

Don’t give up, don’t look around and don’t be weary. Gal.6:9

Never mind the circumstances around you now. 2 Corinthians.4:18

Keep your eyes on the end. Hebrews.12:1-2.

Get excited about where you are now.  Where you are going to is of a higher value than what you are going through.

You may faint or fall in the process but fix your eyes on the end.  Never cease to pursue even when you faint. Judges.8:4.

Topic: God Wants to Bless You [Monday May 9, 2017]

The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack. — Psalm 23:1

Being able to maintain a good attitude during times of suffering is a virtue, and it is very important, but continual suffering is not God’s will for anybody. The apostle Paul said he had times of being abased and times of abounding (see Philippians 4:12). We will go through difficulties in this life, but we can, and should, expect God’s deliverance along with a return to the abundant life.

We must never see God as a stingy god who would withhold something we need. Certainly, there are times when we don’t get what we want when we want it, but if that happens, God has a good reason. Perhaps the timing isn’t right, or we are not mature enough to handle it yet, or He has something better in mind, but it is never because He doesn’t want us to be blessed. That thought simply isn’t consistent with who He is.

Power Thought: The Lord is my Shepherd; I have all I need.

Topic: Upgrade Your Tithe [Tuesday 9, May 2017]

Memorise: And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly. – 2 Chronicles 31:5

Read: Malachi 3:8-12 (KJV)

8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.

12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.

Bible in One Year: Deuteronomy 9-10, Jeremiah 28:5-17, Hymn: Sing hymn 10

MESSAGE:

If you want to experience the blessings that God promised His children, you must be prepared to fellow divine financial principles. Do you know that your seed will determine your harvest? 2 Corinthians 9:6 says,

“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”

From the above scripture, we learn that if you spare or hold back a good part of your seed, God will also hold back a good part of the harvest He wanted to give to you. On the other hand, if you go beyond the norm in your giving, God will also do the extraordinary regarding your harvest. This is why I encourage you to grow in all forms of giving. It is wrong for you to remain on the same spot in your offerings when God keeps increasing you. Do you know that you can provoke a change in your financial situation by increasing your offerings even when your income has not changed?

In addition to growing in your offering, you can also grow in your tithe. You can go beyond the basic level of tithing which is 10%. The Lord once told me to exceed my tithe and watch what He would do; He said I could call the difference a seed. Sometimes in 1979, I attended a Kenneth Hagin conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which had about 17,000 people in attendance. During the meeting, there was a fund-raising event. The brother who took the offering challenged everyone to give their very best, and surprisingly, he added that he and his wife would match the total sum we all gave. Astonished by his challenge, we were certain he would be in the red by the time our offering was counted. When we had all given our offering, a total sum of $13.5 million was raised; surely, we thought, we would be unable to match this! However, to our great surprise, when the total was announced, he said, “Is this the best you all can do?” He and his wife then wrote a cheque for that exact sum. When I saw this, I said to myself, “This man must know something I don’t know, and I am going to find out what it is.” Wise people always gather knowledge; they seek to know what made a great person great, so as to apply the same principles. By the time I discussed with this brother, I learnt that five years before, he started a business with $500 and struck a deal with God that God would receive 90% of his profit while he would keep just 10%. As at the time he was telling me his story, his business had grown into a $50 million company. I took up this challenge and increased the percentage of my tithe. What can you do that you have not done before, to change what you normally receive from God? Rise up and do it now.

Prayer Point: Father, grant me the grace to upgrade all areas of my life.

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: Wonder of God’s Creation [Tuesday May 9, 2017]

Text: Psalm 104:24-35

Key Verse: “O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches” (Psalm 104:24).

One of the greatest prophets in the history of mankind found it difficult to control his utter amazement until he avowedly exclaimed: “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee”. This prophet tried to measure the enormity of God’s power by virtue of what He had done and concluded that there was no problem or challenge that God could not solve.

Obviously, God’s creations are the greatest inventions ever. They are so unique that they are far higher than the sharpest of imaginations. He strategically and methodically planned them and they form the basis of any human invention. They are awesome and in God’s own words, “very good”. The suspension of the heavens, the stars, the moon, the planets, the galaxies, the milky ways and colourful constellations on invisible columns of air calls for deep meditation.

The separation of the land from the sea, the innumerable creatures and beasts on land and in water, sustenance of lives and provision for all creatures are thought-provoking and cogitation-arousing. The creation of the mammalian heart that works like an electrically-powered pumping machine and yet whose batteries do not run down, condemns the folly of atheists. As powerful as God is in creation, so is He in consumption.

As wonderful as His creation is, He is also ready to consume the world of sinners by the word of His mouth. “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). Why not take heed therefore and avoid God’s indignation?

Thought for the day: A mind made great through salvation submits reactly to the greatness of the Almighty.

Bible Reading in one Year: 2 Chronicles 5-8

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: Consequences of Defiling the Marriage Bed

Dear Reader,

I welcome you to the maiden edition of this month’s teachings. This month, I shall be sharing on one of the loopholes found in marriages today. This is why many homes are under the heavy load of self-inflicted burdens and the reason for the lack of peace and love in many marriages. Marital infidelity has been the major problem in most marriages in this present dispensation.

This week, I shall be teaching on the topic: Understanding the Marriage Bed. This foundation will help you to understand better the importance of the marriage bed. When a man and a woman are joined together in marriage, they enter into a formal agreement which is legally binding. In the presence of their friends and relatives, they pronounced their vows and commitment to stay together for life (Matthew 19:5-6). This can be accomplished by a feast in the family of the bride. Jesus was a part of such a feast as recorded in John 2:1-2: And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.

Marital relationship is a covenant. Marriage is the only covenant in the Bible that allows two people to be perfectly joined in all areas of life, from the physical to the spiritual. This legal contract has a seal. The seal lies in the consummation of the marriage – sexual intercourse. The ‘altar’ upon which this covenant is cut is termed ‘marriage bed’. It is not just the physical bed on which you slept on your wedding night or a piece of furniture in your bedroom that is important to God, but the sacredness of the union that exists between you and your spouse.

Sex is sacred because God is a God of covenants. For every covenant God makes, He gives a sign. The rainbow is the seal of the covenant that God will not destroy the earth with water again (Genesis 9:12-13). For marriage, there is a blood covenant between the two individuals that are involved.

On the wedding night, as the marriage is consummated, God expects to see the hymen break and blood flow, thus sealing the covenant of marriage between husband and wife. Virginity, therefore, must be taken seriously. No human custom or modern day ideology can change that. Here is one of the Old Testament commandments as it concerns virginity: But if…the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel: then they shall bring out the damsel… stone her with stones that she die… (Deuteronomy 22:20-21). This implies that you must keep yourself pure as a young man or woman that desires to have a fulfilled marriage.

Why did God create sexual union? God chose this unique method to replenish the earth. It is for Procreation. The sexual act is meant for the reproduction of mankind on earth. The Bible says: And Adam KNEW Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bore Cain… (Genesis 4:1) which could mean: And Adam had marital sex with his wife and she conceived and gave birth to Cain.

Apart from the purpose of procreation, marital sex gives pleasure. God said in His Word: Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love (Proverbs 5:18-19). Sex in marriage was designed to give one of the highest forms of sensual pleasure ever created. Paul described it as a benevolence, which means a gift that blesses (I Corinthians 7:3)

Several times, the Bible uses the word ‘know’ to describe the intimate, physical relationship between a man and a woman. It is exclusively for husband and wife. One of God’s intentions for designing marriage was for the couple to become one flesh – to be intimate. Isaac and his wife Rebecca were so intimate that a stranger could easily recognise the fact that they were husband and wife (Genesis 26:8).

Another major reason why you are permitted to marry is to avoid sexual sins. This is what the Bible says: …It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband… (1 Corinthians 7:1-5 NKJV)

Therefore, any sexual relationship engaged in, outside the covenant of marriage, defiles and is called sin. It must be repented of and forsaken.

Perhaps you have defiled your bed at a point in time; there is a place of mercy that allows for repentance. First, you need to acknowledge your sins and be ready to forsake them, the One who is knowledgeable about everything. Give your life to Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. Do you want to be born again? Why not say this prayer in faith and you shall be born again! “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, 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: The Father’s Heart [Tuesday May 9, 2017]

But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. – Luke 15:20

How much love do you have for sinners?

That may sound like a strange question, but it’s one I want you to think about today. All too often, once we get saved and get our lives cleaned up a little bit, we lose our compassion for those who are still lost. We look at the drunk stumbling down the street or the guy at the office who lies to the boss and tells dirty jokes and turn up our spiritual noses.

But if we ever truly understood the heart of our heavenly Father, we’d never do that again. Jesus told a story that can give us a glimpse of that heart. It’s the story we call the prodigal son.

You’ve probably heard it many times, how the son rebelled and dishonored his father, and how the father, in spite of it all, received him home with joy when he repented. But there’s one phrase in it I want to draw your attention to today. It’s this one: “But when [the prodigal son] was yet a great way off, his father saw him.”

That phrase gives such a moving glimpse of the heart of that loving father. It tells us that even before his boy had repented, even during those long days when he was up to his eyebrows in sin, that father was watching for him, longing for him to come home.

Every morning he scanned the horizon, hoping to see the silhouette of his returning son. And the last thing every night, he’d look again…straining his eyes in hope. His son was constantly on his mind, and his heart was always full of love for him. The kind of gut-wrenching love that, on the day his son came home, drove that father to run to him and kiss him.

That’s the kind of heart our heavenly Father has for those who are lost. It’s the kind of heart He had for you while you were still wandering in the world. It’s the kind of heart that embraced you with open arms even when you were still covered with the grime of sin.

There’s a whole world full of weary people out there who haven’t yet found that embrace. They’re more than just “sinners,” they’re our potential brothers…lost ones in desperate need of a loving heavenly Father. God forbid we should ever turn up our noses at them. May He help us instead to start bringing them home.

Scripture Reading: John 8:1-11

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.

A Promise For You From Bible Promises:

Topic: Bearing The Mark Of Salvation [09/05/2017]

From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. Galatians 6:17. Read: Eze 9:1-11

Every unrepentant sinner is marked for destruction no matter how highly placed they are on earth. The soul that sins shall surely die. But the very moment a man makes that important step of surrendering to the lordship of Jesus Christ, that evil mark of destruction is immediately erased by the blood of Jesus Christ which was shed for the remission of all sins. Heb 9:22. The mark of salvation upon a man delivers him from destruction. Genuine salvation is the key to freedom from the destruction that await all sinners.

There was a great abomination in the city of Jerusalem which caused the glory of God to depart, when the destroyers came, God ordered one man to go through the city and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sighed and cried for all the abominations that were done in the city, but he should destroy others. The mark on the door post of the Israelites saved them from the destroyer in Egypt. Today, the blood of Jesus is available to erase the mark of destruction if you surrender to Him now.

#BiblePromisesQuote

* Bearing His mark of salvation unmarks you from the destruction that await all sinners.

Topic: Living to Gain God’s Approval [Tuesday May 9, 2017]

Scripture: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

Thought For The Day: It is not how you appear before people that matters, but how you appear before God.

Joshua was a respected High priest of God. He was very instrumental to the rebuilding of the temple of Jerusalem. But one day, as he stood before the angel of God to minister, he was clothed with filthy garments and satan stood to resist him.

This story illustrates the spiritual condition of Joshua the high priest. Joshua was decently dressed in the eyes of everyone as he carried out his priestly duties but in the realm of the spirit, he was clothed with filthy garment.

Beloved, I want you to note that it is not how you appear before people that matters, but how you appear before God. It is not how you are perceived in the physical realm that matters but how you are perceived in the spiritual realm. In the eyes of the world, a person may be very spiritual and committed but in the eyes of God, he may be wearing a filthy dress of sin.

Beloved, do not struggle for human approval but for Divine approval. Invest your time and energy to find out what God thinks about you.

Remember this: It is not how you appear before people that matters, but how you appear before God

Assignment(s):

1.     Live in the consciousness of Divine approval.

2.     Ask God to remove every garment of sin from your life.

Prayer: O LORD, I ask that You remove and destroy every filthy garment from my life. Help me, LORD to live daily in Your consciousness, in Jesus’ Name.

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

Amazing Fact: Women have twice as many pain receptors on their bodies than men, but a much higher pain tolerance.

Today In History: 09/05/1994 – Nelson Mandela was elected to be South Africa’s first black president.

Daily Reading: 1 Samuel 5:1 to 7:17, John 6:1 to 21, Psalm 106:13 to 31, Proverbs 14:32 to 33.

Quote: Living right is key to living well; and living right is the secret of living long. Culled from 22 LAWS OF LIFE by Dr Paul Enenche.

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: Too Good Not to Share [Tuesday May 9, 2017]

Read: John 1:6–14, Bible in a Year: 2 Kings 7–9; John 1:1–28

[John] came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. John 1:7

During court proceedings, witnesses are more than onlookers or spectators. They are active participants who help determine the outcome of a case. The same is true of our witness for Christ. We are to be active participants in a matter of absolute importance—the truth of Jesus’s death and resurrection.

When John the Baptist came to tell people about Jesus, the light of the world, he did so by declaring his knowledge of Jesus. And John the disciple, who recorded the events, testified of his experience with Jesus: “We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). The apostle Paul would elaborate on this idea as he told young Timothy, “The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Tim. 2:2).

All Christians have been summoned before the courtroom of the world. The Bible says we are not mere spectators but active participants. We testify to the truth about Jesus’s death and resurrection. John the Baptist was the voice of one calling in the desert. Our voices can be heard in our workplace, neighborhood, church, and among our family and friends. We can be active witnesses, telling them about the reality of Jesus in our lives.

Do our actions enable us to witness for Jesus?

In what creative ways might we witness today?

The gospel is too good not to share.

Insight:

The Bible uses various metaphors to describe the believer’s role as a witness for Christ (John 15:5; 2 Cor. 3:1–3; 5:20; 1 Peter 2:5, 9). In one of His teachings, Jesus used two common household items—salt and light—to emphasize the positive influence a Christian ought to have on the community he lives in (Matt. 5:13–16). Salt is a preservative, a flavor-enhancer, and a thirst stimulant. A lamp is intended to illuminate the darkness. The light too serves as signage, giving information and direction to a destination. Therefore, the light must be placed in a conspicuous position to attract and to be effective. Bible teacher Henry Morris says we are “expected to bring the salt of preservation and joy to a bland, tasteless, and otherwise decaying world, and the light of salvation to a dark, sinful world.”

This message was written By Lawrence Darmani [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]