Topic: Break Through the Wall [Monday May 1, 2017]

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. – Philippians 4:13

You’re running the race set before you, moving full-speed ahead with God’s blessing overtaking you at every step. Then suddenly, wham! You hit the wall. It may be a wall of sickness or financial trouble, of spiritual failure or family problems. But, regardless of the form it takes, the effect of “the wall” is always the same. It stops you cold.

The question is, once you hit a wall like that, what will you do? You’ll be tempted to quit, to turn back in defeat. But don’t do it. Because God will enable you to break through that wall and keep right on going.

I’m not going to tell you it’s easy. The truth is, it’s tough. But you have to push on through the tough times if you’re ever going to have a breakthrough.

Ask any athlete. He’ll tell you that! Because if he’s a winner, he’s been there. He’s pushed his body to what seems to be the maximum. His side has hurt. His lungs have ached. He’s had cramps in his legs and thighs. And just when he felt like he couldn’t go on, he’s heard some coach yell, “Come on! Move it!”

Athletes call that “hitting the wall.” It’s a time when the body says, “That’s it. That’s all I can do. I can’t go any farther. I can’t go any faster. I quit.”

But the seasoned athlete knows that “the wall” isn’t the end. It’s a signal that he’s on the verge of a breakthrough. If he’ll toughen up and push himself a little more, he’ll get a second wind. Suddenly, he’ll go faster than before. He’ll reach a level of excellence he couldn’t have reached any other way.

When you feel the worst, when failure is breathing down your neck, press in to the Word as never before. You may meditate on a particular scripture for days and even weeks sometimes, trying to get a revelation of it, seemingly without success. Then suddenly, like the dawn of the morning, light will come pouring in. You’ll see the way to break through. All you have to do is punch one little hole in that wall of problems, dig one tiny hole in it with your faith and with the Word of God.

Then keep tearing away at that hole. Don’t quit! And, before long, the forces of God will come bursting through, demolishing every obstacle in their path!

Once that happens you’ll never be the same again. You’ll be hooked. It will only take one breakthrough like that to make a never-dying, never-quitting champion out of you.

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

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: The Pathway to Distinction in Life [Monday May 1, 2017]

Scripture: Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. Proverbs 22:29

Thought For The Day: Principles are behind the making of principals.

Many people want to become great in life but few know how to get there. One reason many people remain small in life despite their quest for greatness is the negligence of Divine principles. Principles are behind the making of principals.

One of the principles that make a man great in life is diligence. Diligence, the ability to keep doing it and doing it well, is the bridge between where you are now and where you should be.

I heard the story of a rich young lady who had everything she needed but was single – getting married was a challenge. One day, she travelled to London for a wedding. As part of her diligent disposition, she washed all the used plates used at the wedding and ran errands for the guests. Unknown to her, a man who also left Nigeria for the same wedding noticed her, called the host and asked, ‘Who is that lady?’ The host replied, ‘She is one of our sisters who came from Nigeria for this occasion.’ Then the man said, ‘I have found my wife.’ That was how they got married thereafter.

Beloved, diligence is the bridge between your present and your future.

Remember this: Principles are behind the making of principals.

For Further Understanding, Get This Message: Diligence.

Assignment (s)

1. Determine to be diligent.

2. Refuse to be lazy and idle.

Prayer: LORD, help me to be diligent in life. Deliver me from the lifestyle of mediocrity, LORD, in Jesus’ Name.

Amazing Fact: Elephant trunks are stunted at birth, then rapidly elongate over the course of a few days.

Today In History: 01/05/1707 – England, Wales and Scotland were united to form Great Britain

Daily Reading: Judges 13:1to14:28, John 1: 29 to 51, Psalm 102: 1 to 28, Proverbs 14: 15 to 16.

Quote: The higher you want to fly in life, the harder you will have to work. Culled from 30 SECRETS TO THE TOP 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: Questions for God [Monday May 1, 2017]

Read: Judges 6:11–16, 24, Bible in a Year: 1 Kings 10–11; Luke 21:20–38

Go with the strength you have . . . . I will be with you. NLT Judges 6:14, 16

What would you do if the Lord showed up in the middle of your workday with a message? This happened to Gideon, one of the ancient Israelites. “The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!’ ” Gideon could have responded with a wordless nod and gulp, but instead he said, “If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?” (Judg. 6:12–13 nlt). Gideon wanted to know why it seemed as if God had abandoned His people.

God didn’t answer that question. After Gideon had endured seven years of enemy attacks, starvation, and hiding in caves, God didn’t explain why He never intervened. God could have revealed Israel’s past sin as the reason, but instead He gave Gideon hope for the future. God said, “Go with the strength you have . . . . I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites” (vv.14, 16 nlt).

Do you ever wonder why God has allowed suffering in your life? Instead of answering that specific question, God may satisfy you with His nearness today and remind you that you can rely on His strength when you feel weak. When Gideon finally believed that God was with him and would help him, he built an altar and called it “The Lord Is Peace” (v. 24).

There is peace in knowing that whatever we do and wherever we go, we go with God who promised never to leave or forsake His followers.

What could be better than getting answers to our why questions? Trusting a good and powerful God.

Insight:

Today’s text provides some insight into how we should view situations for which we feel inadequate. Gideon did not feel prepared to go into battle against the Midianites who were oppressing Israel. Responding to Gideon’s understandable concern, God sent the angel of the Lord to encourage him. He said that Gideon should “go in the strength” he had (Judg. 6:14), but he also said, “I will be with you” (v. 16). When God calls us to take on a difficult task, we can rely on His strength and power to help us accomplish it.

Are you facing a situation for which you feel inadequate? Ask God for His strength to help you.

This message was written By Jennifer Benson Schuldt [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: God, the Peacekeeper [Monday May 1, 2017]

He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord! — Isaiah 26:3 (TLB)

You have an ego-a consciousness of being an individual. Of course, you do. But that doesn’t mean that you are to worship yourself, to think constantly of yourself, and to live entirely for yourself. Common sense tells you that your life would be miserable if you followed that course. God is infinitely more concerned about your happiness than you could possibly be. He says, “Deny yourself, and follow me.” There is many a person in the insane asylum today who thought excessively about himself, to the exclusion of God and others. Hypochondriacs who have a fanciful anxiety about their health will never be well, regardless of their physical condition.

Prayer for the day: Keep my mind on You, Lord, and help me to discipline the thoughts of self which crowd out Your peace.

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: Pretentious Sympathizers [30/04/2017]

And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. Mark 5:38. Read: Mk 5:35-43

The Bible says in Jeremiah 17:9, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Only God that searches the heart knows what is in it , which is the major reason you must trust God for everything and everyone. You will make a grievous mistake to trust man direct, you only trust the grace of God upon a man’s life. There are many that pretend to be friends but are enemies in disguise, they show great concern towards you but green snake under the green grass. You must select your friends wisely and pray that God should reveal to you all your unfriendly friends.

From the above story, the ruler of the synagogue had sympathizers but pretentious ones. The Bible says, they wailed greatly. When Jesus said to them, the child is only sleeping, they shouldn’t have laughed but believe or say nothing, but they laughed Him to scorn. Many in their hearts don’t want you to leave that sick bed, some delight in you coming to beg them always, but God Almighty will disappoint them as He will deliver you in Jesus name.

#BiblePromisesPrayer

* Father, every unfriendly friends pretending to care, expose, displace and dislodge them in Jesus Mighty Name.

Topic: Your Heart, Your Destiny [Sunday April 30, 2017]

“… keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life…” – Prov.4:23

The state of your heart determines your place on the earth.

It takes an open heart to open up your earth.

If your heart is closed, your earth will be closed.

The purer the heart, the greater your possession on the earth. Matthew 5:8.

To the pure all things are pure and to the impure, all things are impure.

What the engine is in a car is what the heart is to a destiny.

Destiny will crash if the heart is broken.

The race of life will slow down and be scuttled if the engine is not sound.

Everything that is wrong in life has its root in the heart.

You cannot possess a right heart and end with a wrong destiny.

Keep your heart to secure your destiny. – Proverbs.4:23

Topic: God’s Boundaries [Sunday April 30, 2017]

Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own, You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body. — 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

The word stress was originally an engineering term used to refer to the amount of force a beam or other physical support could bear without collapsing under strain.

In our time, the word has been expanded to refer not only to physical pressure but also to mental and emotional tension. As human beings, you and I are built to handle a normal amount of stress. God has created us to withstand a certain amount of pressure and tension. The problem comes when we push ourselves beyond our limitations, beyond what we were intended to bear without permanent damage. But like so many people, because I have things to do, I just keep pushing myself even though it is causing me physical damage.

Of course, when sickness tries to come on Dave or me, we immediately pray for healing. But if you become sick as a result of running your body down by pushing it beyond the limits God set for you to operate in good health, you need rest as well as prayer to restore your health. The boundaries He has set for us are for our own good.

Topic: Spiritual Blessing [Sunday 30, April 2017]

Memorise: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: – Ephesians 1:3

Read: Ephesians 1:1-14 (KJV)

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Bible in One Year: Number 28-29, Jeremiah 23:9-22

MESSAGE:

From our memory verse today, we understand that there are physical blessings and there are spiritual blessings. The best way to distinguish between these two categories of blessings is to look at their lifespan. Physical blessings are temporal, while spiritual blessings are enduring and external in nature. An example of a physical blessing is the rain that God sends on all of humanity. Another example is the air we all have access to breathe. Having a wife or a husband also falls under the category of physical blessings, and so also is having children. Both physical and spiritual blessings come from the Lord.

However, the better of these two categories of blessings is spiritual blessings. Spiritual blessings, though manifesting in the physical world, transcend the present age. This is why Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:19 thus:

“If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”

Spiritual blessings cannot be quantified in material or monetary terms. They include the Holy Spirit and His gifts, power and victory over principalities and powers, redemption through the Blood of Jesus, the forgiveness of sins, etc. The crux of all spiritual blessings can be seen in this response of our Lord Jesus Christ to the question about reward for sacrifice which Peter asked Him:

“29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, 30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.” – Mark 10:29-30

The spiritual blessing of eternal life crowns the physical blessings we have access to through our fellowship with Christ. No matter how long we live on earth, we shall depart from it one day. The question is, “Where will you spend eternity?” Would it be in Heaven or in Hell? My prayer for you is that you will not spend eternity in Hell in Jesus’ Name.  

Action Point: Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour today, and you will be blessed with spiritual blessings. If you are saved, pray that the Lord will load your life with His spiritual blessings 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: Be a Cheerful Giver [Sunday April 30, 2017]

Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (that is, He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver…. And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance. – 2 Corinthians 9:7-8, The Amplified Bible

Some people say you need to “give till it hurts.” Don’t you believe it. God doesn’t want gifts given in pain. He wants gifts given in joy! In fact, those are the only kinds of gifts that please Him.

That’s why He tacked His promise of abundance onto His command about cheerful giving. The two are connected.

Cheerful, full of faith, even hilarious giving—that is the key that unlocks the treasure house of God. Have you ever seen a group of people give that way? I have. I’ll never forget it. I was at a camp meeting years ago when offering time turned into a spontaneous, supernatural celebration. Ken was singing Bread Upon the Water, and the people were just dancing their way down the aisles to give their money. The joy in that place was glorious. Great healings and miracles were done that night.

But what stood out to me above all was how joyously and hilariously the people brought their offerings to God. The offering wasn’t extracted from them like a dentist extracts teeth. It was brought forth gladly.

The concept of “giving till it hurts” didn’t come from God. He’d rather you give 10 dollars with that kind of joy than 20 dollars grudgingly. In 2 Corinthians 8:11-12, the Apostle Paul urges the church in Corinth to give with eager willingness. Eager willingness. That’s what God looks for!

If you haven’t given that way in the past, make a firm commitment to start. Repent for the times you’ve given grudgingly. Then spend some serious time with God and His Word in your prayer closet, so when you give again, you can give from a willing heart.

Put the “pain” of giving behind. Become “a cheerful, (joyous, ‘prompt to do it’) giver,” and believe me, your blessings will abound!

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

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.