Topic: Train Your Spirit [Tuesday May 2, 2017]

It [grace] has trained us to reject and renounce all ungodliness (irreligion) and worldly (passionate) desires, to live discreet (temperate, self-controlled), upright, devout (spiritually whole) lives in this present world. – Titus 2:12, The Amplified Bible

When an athlete goes into training, he practices to improve his skills. He works hard, repeating the same motions over and over until they become what we’d call “second nature” to him.

Most of us understand how crucial that kind of training is in the physical realm. We know that you simply can’t be a winner without it. But did you know we can train ourselves that same way where spiritual things are concerned?

That’s right! Hebrews 5:14 says we can train our senses to discern between good and evil. When you train, or practice, for something, you expose yourself daily to whatever it is you want to become. You practice it over and over until it becomes second nature to you. People who are lazy have practiced being lazy. People who are disciplined have practiced being disciplined.

Spending time with God is “spirit” practice. As you do it diligently, your spirit will grow stronger and will start to overcome the habits of the flesh.

If, for example, you have trouble getting up in the morning to spend time with God before the busyness of the day begins, if you’ve been giving in to your flesh and staying in bed, then you’ll have to start practicing getting up. The more you practice it, the easier it will be.

Don’t expect yourself to do it perfectly right from the beginning. Don’t get discouraged when you stumble and fail. You’re just out of practice. Get back on your feet and go at it again!

Become a spiritual athlete. Put yourself in training by practicing the things of God. Build your spirit muscles through fellowship with Him. You will be surprised to find just how much of a winner you can be.

Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 1:2-11

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.

Topic: God Is in Nature [Tuesday May 2, 2017]

When I consider thy heavens . . . — Psalm 8:3

To look into a microscope is to see another universe so small that only the electronic microscope can even find it. For instance, it is revealed that one single snowflake in a snowstorm with millions of other snowflakes is the equivalent of twenty billion electrons. Scientists are learning that the miniature world of a single living cell is as astonishing as man himself. God says that we can learn a great deal about Him just by observing nature. Because He has spoken through His universe, all men are without excuse for not believing in Him. This is why the Psalmist said, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God” (Psalm 14:1).

Prayer for the day: The infinitesimal beauty of Your creation speaks to my heart of the certainty of Your presence, almighty and everlasting God.

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: The Secret of Honour in Marriage! (5)

Dear Reader,

It has been a wonderful time with the Holy Spirit, since we started this teaching on the secret of honour in marriage.  In the past weeks, we’ve been exploring some factors that make for honour in marriage, which is keeping the marriage bed undefiled.

This week, as we round off this teaching, I’ll like to quickly unlock a particular key that makes for an honourable marriage.

Though keeping the marriage bed undefiled is the secret to honour in marriage, yet some homes, even after doing that still experience dishonour in marriage.  So, in this edition, to enjoy all-round honourable marriage, however, husband and wife must always be in agreement, as it is the key that unlocks the door to honourable marriage.

Disagreement between husband and wife shuts the door to honour in marriage.  That’s why God’s Word says: 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 (Matthew 18:19).

The struggles and ultimate failure experienced in many marriages, today, are traceable to lack of agreement in the home.  The devil takes special delight in breaking down agreement in the home, because he knows that once disagreement has crept in between a couple, their marriage is at stake.

My husband and I are always in agreement, so there is no way the devil can come between us or into our home.  Since we are in agreement, we enjoy honourable marriage.  I remember my husband showing me what the Bible says in Genesis 2:18: And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.  I am, in essence, a help meet for him.  I agreed with him, and we have not had the first argument to date!

Until husband and wife are in agreement, honour in marriage is impossible.  Working in agreement with your spouse is triggered by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour.  This is what new birth is all about.  If you are ready to do that, say this prayer of faith: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of 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, 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).

Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, 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).

A Promise For You From Bible Promises:

Topic:  A Brand New Eyes [01/05/2017]

And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. Genesis 21:19. Read: Jn 9:1-9

The vision is located in our sight. When man is blind physically, he is Limited in so many things of life. In the Bible, you find out that many that were blind turned out to be a beggar. Blind Bartimeuas was a beggar, but when his sight were restored by Jesus Christ, he stopped begging. Mk 10:46-52. The man born blind in our Bible reading was also a beggar, when he also received his sight, he stopped begging too. This means that physical blindness turns one into what he don’t actually want.

But there is blindness that is more worse than physical blindness, it’s spiritual blindness. It’s better to be physically blind than to be spiritually blind. Spiritual blindness is a chronic disease that requires immediate and urgent attention, else, it turns to frustration. When you are spiritually blind, you miss opportunities at random, even when they are around you, you won’t see them. Hegar (Abraham mistress) couldn’t see a well of water beside her when her son was dying of thirst because she was spiritually blind until God opened her eyes to see. In this New Month, you need the Lord to open your spiritual eyes to see new opportunities round you. You’ve got to plead with God to give you brand new eyes to Possess your Possessions.

#BiblePromisesPrayer

* In this New Month, God Almighty will give you brand new eyes to regain all your lost opportunities and secure new ones

* You shall be divinely made this New Month of May in Jesus name. Happy New Month

Topic: The Ultimate Satisfaction [Monday May 1, 2017]

As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied when I awake with the likeness. – Psalm.17.15

Many people think that what they need is money.

Some others think that what they need is job, fame or position.

But the ultimate satisfaction is to be in the likeness of God.

He put His image and likeness in us; so we are compelled to keep longing for Him. Genesis 1.26,27

The face of God is the cure to the shame of man.

No shame remains with a man who continually beholds the face of God.  Psalm.34.5

The face of God brings change to man. 2 Corinthians 3.18

The face of God is the favour of God-Psalm.30.7, Numbers.6.23-27.

The face of God is our ultimate satisfaction.

Keep looking at Him to ultimately look like Him.

Topic: Use the Keys [Monday May 1, 2017]

…They who seek (inquire of and require) the Lord [by right of their need and on the authority of His Word], none of them shall lack any beneficial thing. — Psalm 34:10

Jesus said, I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind (declare to be improper and unlawful) on earth must be what is already bound in heaven; and whatever you loose (declare lawful) on earth must be what is already loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:19).

As a believer, you have authority to live a life of victory and to forbid the devil to torment you. It is not lawful for him to destroy you in heaven, so it is not lawful for him to destroy you during your days on earth. Use the keys of the kingdom of heaven that Jesus has passed to you. Loose God’s blessings upon your efforts and bind the evil works that come against the fruit of your labors today.

Topic: Overriding Doubts [Monday 1, May 2017]

Memorise: Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it? – Isaiah 43:13

Read: James 1:5-8 (KJV)

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Bible in One Year: Number 30-31, Jeremiah 23:23-40

MESSAGE:

God can make you laugh when He decides to overrule your doubts. Going by the standard set in today’s Bible reading, if you are double minded over an issue you brought before God, you should not expect anything from Him. However, if you doubted God in a given situation and He overlooks your doubt and grants your petition, know for sure He is doing it solely because of His grace. In Genesis 18:9-15, when God visited Abraham and said his wife Sarah was going to have a baby in nine months’ time, she laughed. She could not believe that she could ever be pregnant at age 90. She laughed because she had never seen such a thing happen before. Are you laughing over God’s promises and declarations over your life? Are you laughing because you have never seen anyone who experienced that kind of miracle? Stop your laugh of doubt and believe God today! Why? If there is no precedent to follow, God can make yours the precedence that others would refer to.

A life of faith is so important to God that four different times in the Bible, He repeatedly said “The just shall live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38). However, as a manifestation of His sovereignty, He also says that whenever He makes up His mind to do something, nobody and nothing can hinder Him – not even your doubts (Isaiah 43:13). I pray that every good plan and purpose of God for your life shall be established in spite of your doubts in Jesus’ Name! We see this truth demonstrated in 2 Kings 4:8-17. When Elisha declared to the Shunammite woman that she would have a son after nine months, she replied, “Man of God, please don’t deceive me.” This meant that she did not believe him. Although Elisha did not say anything after that, God had already spoken, and so the matter was settled. She thereafter had her baby in accordance to Elisha’s declaration. This season, God will overrule your doubts and give you that expected miracle! There are some people who believe God’s promise for a little while and then fall into doubt again. Over the years, they have continuously swung back and forth between faith and doubt and so have not been able to receive God’s promise. This season, by the mercy of the Most High God, the Lord will override your doubts and make the impossible possible in your life in Jesus’ Name. God’s mercy will show up for you today! Your laughing season starts now.

Prayer Point: Father, in Your mercy, override my doubts and every stumbling block on my way, and cause my laughter to begin today.

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: Claim God’s Word [Monday May 1, 2017]

Text: Psalm 119:81-88

Key Verse: “My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word” (Psalm 119:81).

One of the mightiest men of prayer of last generation was George Muller of Bristol, England. When it was laid upon Muller’s heart to pray for anything, he would search the Scriptures to find if there were some promises that captured the case. And when he found a promise, with his Bible opened before him and his finger upon that promise, he would claim God’s word. He thus received whatever he asked for. It is amazing how believers sometimes imagine God to be a forgetful Being.

Using our human limitations as a yardstick, we reason that if God’s promises seem to linger from being fulfilled in our lives, He, probably, must have forgotten, got too busy or altogether become unconcerned about our state. This is the situation with the Psalmist in our text as he was being persecuted wrongly by his enemies, who dug pits for him. He was so discouraged and almost at the point of death that his soul fainted while waiting for God’s salvation and deliverance. Fortunately, he was able to still put his hope in God’s words.

Unknown to many, God’s word, His instructions, revelations, prophecies and promises are a reflection of His nature. He is immortal. He is unchanging. He is undying. Likewise His words. Once uttered, they hover around like living forces, until their missions are accomplished. God is not a man that He should lie or say anything He cannot or will not do. Man often proves his natural limitation, when he breaks an agreement. It is a reflection of his innate changeability. But God is ever faithful.

His faithfulness provides a sure anchor of hope and comfort for the true believer – an anchor that remains steadfast amidst the uncertainties and vicissitudes of life. So, child of God, look away from your natural limitations, the instability of your environment and the inconsistency of your fellow humans and abandon all your worries and cares in the mighty hands of the One so dependable. In His immutability lies your security. Trust Him absolutely and claim His unfailing words.

Thought for the day: Faint not, claim God’s Words.

Bible Reading in one Year: 1 Chronicles 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.