Topic: Our Best Help [Friday April 14, 2017]

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. — Psalm 121:1-2 NKJV

We should be maturing in our faith to the point that we don’t run to someone else every time we need to know what to do. I am not implying that asking for a word of counsel from people we feel are wiser than we are is wrong, but I do believe asking for people’s opinions excessively and relying on them too heavily is wrong and insulting to God.

As you can tell from today’s verse, David sought God first and knew God was his only help. The same is true for us, so we must be like David and always look to God first. We need to develop a habit of seeing God as our “first choice” for advice, not as our last resort.

God may use a person of His choice to clarify things, offer additional insight, or confirm what He has already told us, so seek Him first and if He leads you to a person, follow His leading.

In Numbers 22:20-28, God even used a donkey to speak to someone. He wants to speak to us so much that He will use whatever means is necessary. You can be assured that if you are trusting God to speak that He will find a way to get His message through to you.

Topic: Change Your Ways [Friday 14, April 2017]

Memorise: Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: – Matthew 3:8

Read: Acts 3:13-19 (KJV)

13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.

14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;

15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.

16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

17 And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.

18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.

19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Bible in One Year: Leviticus 26-27, Jeremiah 13:15-27

MESSAGE:

Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, hypocrisy has been a character trait of mankind. For this reason, God has continuously reached out to man with message of living a changed life. The Mosaic Law was all about making the Israelites live a life that was different from that of all the other nations around them, a life of change which confronts to God’s expectations. At different points in time, when they erred from the Mosaic Law, God still sent prophets to them with the message of change. One of such prophets was Ezekiel. Speaking through him, the Lord demanded that His people repent and change from their hypocritical ways (Ezekiel 14:6). The Lord also spoke through Prophet Ezekiel about the change of life He would bring about by the regeneration of the human spirit through Christ (Ezekiel 36:25-27). When this prophecy was to be fulfilled, the Lord sent John the Baptist to preach the baptism of repentance. However, John discovered that some people were just coming religiously for baptism without any intention of changing their ways, and he had this to say to them:

“8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.” – Matthew 3:8-9

The apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ also had the message of change forming the central theme of the gospel they preached. In spite of the demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit with signs and wonders, the apostles did not mince words in declaring heaven’s demand for a change of life to the people of their day. Peter in Acts 3:19 boldly declared thus:

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;”

It is sad, however, that many modern-day preachers have deleted the message of change from their sermons because they would not want to be “offensive” to modern minds. What such preachers fail to realise is that the message of change is the only hope for the world. The message of change brings repentance, and repentance brings times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. I therefore beseech you to effect the necessary changes befitting of a Christian pilgrim in your life today. Remember, tomorrow may be too late!

Prayer Point: Father, grant me the grace to change my crooked ways, and give me the strength of character to walk with You on the straight and narrow path all the days 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.

A Promise For You From Bible Promises:

Topic: The Saviour On The Cross [14/04/17]

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Matthew 27:46. Read: Mk 15:33-41

A Preacher was preaching to a pagan, telling him how much things Jesus Christ suffered in the hands  of sinners whom He came to die for. How He was humiliated, denied justice, how the people preferred a notorious arm robber to Him and how He was scourged for no crime. And finally, how He was nailed to the cross among armed robbers. Even on the cross, He was nailed on and mocked by men. The pagan began to sub uncontrollably. Why are you crying the Preacher man asked? This is not true the pagan replied. It’s true the Preacher responded. Then why do you tell a story so real of the agony of Jesus with a dry eyes? The pagan replied. Where is your tears?

He took  upon himself the pains no human being could bear – not even angel could. He was the best man for the job. He went to the cross to purchase salvation through His pure blood. His last word “It’s finished” was the seal of human freedom from satanic oppression and bondage. He also returned the fivefold authority Adam gave to the devil back to us. He put an end to every curse upon the earth and man. Oh, what a man of sorrow! Rejected and disdained by men.

#BiblePromisesThought

* His sufferings, our life. His Death on the cross, our Salvation.

Topic: How To See The Future [Thursday April 13, 2017]

…Those who plan good shall be granted mercy and quietness. – Proverbs 14:22

Keep planning if you want to see the future.

There is usually a motivation to see the materialization of every plan.

Planning is keeping in touch with the future.

Planning is painting a picture of the future.

Planning is envisioning the future.

Planning is networking the future.

Planning will certainly contract you to your future.

With planning, you don’t think of death.

Planning motivates you to live. Those who truly plan don’t think of dying.

The cheapest way to stop thinking of death is to keep planning.

Topic: Sufficient Grace [Thursday April 13, 2017]

…My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness.… — 2 Corinthians 12:9

Do you ever wonder why God does not always deliver you from your bondage and problems immediately? The reason is because only the Lord knows everything that needs to be done in the lives of His children—and the perfect timing for it to be done.

You are not always delivered from your distress at the precise moment you call on the name of the Lord. Sometimes you must endure for a while, be patient and continue in faith. Thank God, during those times in which the Lord decides for whatever reason not to deliver you right away, He always gives the grace and strength you need to press on toward eventual victory. 


Topic: I Will Pay You Your Wages [Thursday 13, April 2017]

Memorise: Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. – Psalm 127:3

Read: Exodus 2:1-9 (KJV)

1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.

2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.

3 And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink.

4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.

5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.

6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children.

7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?

8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother.

9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.

Bible in One Year: Leviticus 25, Jeremiah 13:1-14

MESSAGE:

Many people who are blessed with the gift of children are not conscious of the fact that children are the heritage of the Lord, meaning that God is their rightful owner, and they are gifts from Him. This is why and adage from my village says “Rich people cannot find children to buy in the market.” What money cannot buy can only be obtained from the Almighty God. What then should be the attitude of parents to these priceless gifts? The answer can be seen in the story of the birth, adoption and upbringing of Moses, the child who later become the mouthpiece of the Almighty God. Moses was born at a time when Pharaoh had commanded that every newborn male child should be immediately killed. His mother tried to hide him for three months, but when he could no longer be hidden, she decided to drop him off by the bank of River Nile. Pharaoh’s daughter picked him up from there and adopted him as her own. By God’s providence, the princess gave Moses to a nurse who happened to be his mother. Hear what the princess said to her:

“Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.” – Exodus 2:9b

There are many lessons we can learn from this story. By adoption, Moses was the child of Pharaoh’s daughter, but she gave him over to a nurse to nurture him for her. This mirrors God’s divine arrangement, whereby He, being the owner of children, hands them over to parents to nurture them for Him. In other words, just as the princess told Moses’ mother, “nurse this child for me”, God is also saying to parents, “nurse this child for Me.” The princess also told Moses’ mother that she would pay her wages for a job well done. God is equally telling parents that if they properly nurture children for Him and not for themselves, He will reward them well. It is unfortunate that many parents are nursing God’s heritage for themselves or the devil; hence, they are getting their wages from the flesh or from the devil. This is the reason why many children have turned out to be a curse to their parents breaking their hearts because the parents nursed the children for themselves and not for the Lord. On the other hand, godly parents who train their children to fear the Lord are paid the wages of peace of mind from God at old age. The children of such parents prosper under the grace of Jesus, which they have been exposed to from infancy, and they are battles axes in the hands of their original Owner, the Almighty God.

Prayer Point: Father, give me wisdom to nurse the children You have divinely placed in my care, and may I not miss my reward for nursing them according to Your counsel.

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: Rebellion Does Not Pay [Thursday April 13, 2017]

Text: Ezekiel 17:11-24

Key Verse: “But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?” (Ezekiel 17:15).

Change has taken a central place in global lexicon. This age is especially notorious or renown for change, whether for good or for evil. Man is wont to rebel against the order of the day and break the covenant of the Creator by the damning quest for change.

Zedekiah’s rebellious action of sending ambassadors into Egypt to form an alliance with its king with the aim of obtaining help from him to break the Babylonian yoke spelt doom for him. How can one, guilty of a breach of covenant, and of perjury, escape the vengeance of God and man? Some children of God are impatient whenever they are in trouble. They are eager for immediate rescue. They cannot wait for God’s time nor exercise submission to His will. He will surely deliver them in due season; but they cannot tarry till the hour comes.

Like children, they snatch at unripe fruit. They must have their desire instantaneously fulfilled or else, they take wrong means of attaining it. If in poverty, they are in haste to be rich. If under reproach, their hearts ferment towards revenge. They would sooner rush under the guidance of Satan into some questionable policy than trust in the Lord. It is better to trust in the Lord than rely on Egypt for help. Trusting in the arm of flesh will lead only to sin and all of its awful consequences. Having begun in the Spirit, will you be perfected by the deeds of the flesh? ‘No’ must be the resounding response of every heaven-bound citizen.

Thought for the day: “Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft.”

Bible Reading in one Year: Joshua 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.

Topic: Forsaken for Our Sake [Thursday April 13, 2017]

Read: Matthew 26:36–46, Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 22–24; Luke 12:1–31

God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5

Does having a friend nearby make pain more bearable? Researchers at the University of Virginia conducted a fascinating study to answer that question. They wanted to see how the brain reacted to the prospect of pain, and whether it behaved differently if a person faced the threat of pain alone, holding a stranger’s hand, or holding the hand of a close friend.

Researchers ran the test on dozens of pairs, and found consistent results. When a person was alone or holding a stranger’s hand while anticipating a shock, the regions of the brain that process danger lit up. But when holding the hand of a trusted person, the brain relaxed. The comfort of a friend’s presence made the pain seem more bearable.

Jesus needed comfort as He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. He knew what He was about to face: betrayal, arrest, and death. He asked His closest friends to stay and pray with Him, telling them that His soul was “overwhelmed with sorrow” (Matt. 26:38). But Peter, James, and John kept falling asleep.

Jesus faced the agony of the garden without the comfort of a hand to hold. But because He bore that pain, we can be confident that God will never leave or forsake us (Heb. 13:5). Jesus suffered so that we will never have to experience separation from the love of God (Rom. 8:39). His companionship makes anything we endure more bearable.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for bearing the pain and isolation of the Garden of Gethsemane and the cross for us. Thank You for giving us a way to live in communion with the Father.

Because of God’s love, we are never truly alone.

Insight: The circumstances that took place on the night of Jesus’s betrayal seemed to be confused, chaotic, and out of control. But our Lord’s measured words in facing His betrayer showed His understanding of the big picture of God’s sovereign plan. Without the cross we could not be redeemed.

This message was written By Amy Peterson [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: Leaving the Pain Behind [Thursday April 13, 2017]

Love…is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. – 1 Corinthians 13:5, The Amplified Bible

Have you ever tried to forgive someone…and found you simply couldn’t do it? You’ve cried about it and prayed about it and asked God to help you, but those old feelings of resentment just failed to go away.

Put an end to those kinds of failures in the future by basing your forgiveness on faith rather than feelings. True forgiveness doesn’t have anything at all to do with how you feel. It’s an act of the will. It is based on obedience to God and on faith in Him.

That means once you’ve forgiven a person, you need to consider them permanently forgiven! When old feelings rise up within you and Satan tries to convince you that you haven’t really forgiven them, resist him. Say, “No, I’ve already forgiven that person by faith. I refuse to dwell on those old feelings.”

Then, according to 1 John 1:9, believe that you receive forgiveness and cleansing from the sin of unforgiveness and from all unrighteousness associated with it—including any remembrance of having been wronged!

Have you ever heard anyone say, “I may forgive, but I’ll never forget!”? That’s a second-rate kind of forgiveness that you, as a believer, are never supposed to settle for. You’re to forgive supernaturally “even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32).

You’re to forgive as God forgives. To release that person from guilt permanently and unconditionally and to operate as if nothing bad ever happened between you. You’re to purposely forget as well as forgive.

As you do that, something supernatural will happen within you. The pain once caused by that incident will disappear. The power of God will wash away the effects of it and you’ll be able to leave it behind you once and for all.

Don’t become an emotional bookkeeper, keeping careful accounts of the wrongs you have suffered. Learn to forgive and forget. It will open a whole new world of blessing for you.

Scripture Reading: Luke 6:27-37

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: Looking for a cause? [Thursday April 13, 2017]

Brethren . . . present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. — Romans 12:1

In a book called “The Age of Longing” we read that an American girl married a radical revolutionary in Paris. She had lost her faith at an American University—lost all the religious faith she had, and all the things her parents had told her. She was asked why she married him. She said, “He’s the first person I have ever known who believes something strong enough to die for it. Although I don’t believe exactly as he does, I was attracted to this man who had found a cause.” I find that young people today are looking for a cause, and they are not looking for something easy.

Some time ago a university student in Moscow told one of my colleagues, “You Christians say that you are going to win the world, but we’ve done more in fifty years than you’ve done in two thousand years. And do you know why? It is because you are not committed. We are. We will win, you’ll see.”

Prayer for the day: I look at my dedication to You, Jesus, my Lord and Savior, and am ashamed—You gave everything for me. May I always live totally committed in love to You.

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.