Topic: I Understand [Tuesday March 28, 2017]

For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning. — Hebrews 4:15

As human beings, we have a deep need to be understood. When we don’t receive it, we feel lonely. In listening to people share their hurt and pain, I find that the words “I understand” have a very soothing effect. I have told my husband, “Even if you don’t have a clue about what I am talking about, just tell me you understand, and it will make me feel a lot better.”

A man could not possibly understand PMS, but it is better for him if he appears to have understanding of his wife’s plight. She needs to be understood. She does not want to feel alone in her pain and struggle. One day my husband came in from trying to play golf. He had not had a good experience because his leg was hurting and swollen. He was not too happy about it. His golf game is really important to him, so I said, “I understand how you feel.” I offered him whatever help I could give physically, but my understanding seemed to help more than anything.

There have been times in the past when my attitude has been, “What’s the big deal? It’s only one round of golf. After all, you play all the time.” That attitude has started arguments and driven a wedge between us. He wants me to understand his needs, and I want him to understand mine.

One of my favorite scriptures in the Bible is Hebrews 4:15, which teaches that Jesus is a High Priest who understands our weaknesses and infirmities because He has been tempted in every respect just as we have, yet He never sinned. Just knowing that Jesus understands makes me feel closer to Him. It helps me be vulnerable and trust Him. It helps me feel connected rather than lonely.

Topic: Influencing Cities [Tuesday 28, March 2017]

Memorise: Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. – Acts 8:5

Read: John 4:5-39 (KJV)

5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.

7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)

9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:

18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?

28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,

29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.

31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.

32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?

34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.

38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.

Bible in One Year: Exodus 33-34, Jeremiah 3:11-4:2

MESSAGE:

Jesus is the greatest change agent that ever lived. A genuine encounter with Him always brings about positive change in the life of a person. Not only does this encounter bring about change, it also transforms the changed individual into a change agent. In other words, after changing you, the Lord Jesus Christ can use you to change your city. In our Bible reading, we see a woman who had been married and divorced five times, who was then living with a sixth man. At that point, she did not even bother with marriage. After she encountered Jesus, He changed the course of her life, and He used her to change her city. This is quite remarkable! How can you claim to have been born again 10 years or more, and you have not introduced any level of change into your town or village? No matter how tiny the light may be, it will shine in the midst of darkness and overcome it. What impact have you made on your village, community, town or city? How many of your folks know you to be a Christian? A pastor died some time ago, and when his extended family members gathered to plan his burial, some of them thought of burying him the traditional way. His close relatives protested this and had to inform the other family members that he was a pastor. In your village, do people know you to be a born-again Christian? How many of them can say their lives have changed for the better since they encountered Jesus through you?

Moreover, if your encounter with Jesus is taken seriously, He can even use you to change your nation. Never underestimate the power of transformation that starts from just one fellow. Most of us are not pulling our weight spiritually in our nations. If you look at the Acts of the Apostles, you will find some change agents that God used to win whole cities and to turn around nations for Christ. Acts 13:43-44 says,

“43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. 44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.”

However, the extent to which God can use you will be determined by the degree of change you have allowed Him to perform in you. It will also depend on your mindset, love for God, level of alignment of God’s desire with yours, and the level of sacrifice you are ready to make. While some people are only leading a few souls to Christ, some others are leading whole cities or nations to Him. How impactful do you want to be?

Key Point: Your heavenly rewards will be determined by you here on earth.

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: Loving Your Wife The Bible Way! (4)

Dear Reader,

Welcome once again to this column. We have been exploring the biblical ways through which you, as a husband, can love your wife perfectly. Thus far, we have discovered that God’s Word is the only sure route to perfection in every sphere of life.

The Bible says: Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path (Psalms 119:105). That means, when you walk by the light of God’s Word, you have no occasion to stumble or fall in the journey of life, especially in your marital life.

This week, we shall continue by looking at another practical way you can effectively express love to your wife: Loving with Actions!

“Action speaks louder than words”, they say. There’s a place for words, but there is also a place for action. Lending a helping hand and being available, makes a lot of difference in relationships. This is because both are ways of saying, “I care.”

While your wife does the housework, don’t just sit in front of the television enjoying a game of football. Then from time to time, you turn around and say to the tired, and worn-out woman, “Get me this, get me that.” Instead, take a step to help her by doing your fair share of household chores; it adds credence to your words!

Here is the testimony of a brother who put this wisdom to use: “When the Bishop’s wife taught us the course, Family Life, at the Bible school, one would have thought she had secretly conducted a research on me, because every aspect of the lecture was directed at me, positively or negatively!

After the second day of the course, I got home and saw that my wife had to carry 20 crates of soft drinks down the road, while she was at the same time getting dinner ready. Unknown to her, I packed all the crates into my car and took them there for her.

When I got home, behold, my wife was at the door, and seeing that I had packed all the crates down the road, she started singing and dancing! Children of God…. That was all the service I needed to have rendered in my family. Ever since, it’s been tranquility, joy and peace galore!”– David, D.

Also, a touch sometimes speaks, just as much as words. It communicates, “I am with you.” It also keeps the fire burning all the time. Endeavour to study to be romantic. Your wife is to be “ravished” by your love (Proverbs 5:19). “Ravished” means transported by delight. It will work wonders in your marriage.

Husband, there may be times when your wife is down physically. Remember “love is medicine.”  As my husband often says, “You can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving.”  Something has to prove physically that you truly love your wife. What have you given her lately in demonstration of your love for her?

I will never forget an experience I had some years back.  I was down physically and my husband went out on one of those days and returned with a little beautifully wrapped gift, which he personally presented to me, expressing his love for me.  Could you believe that, that little act of love from him brought me health, and I never needed any medication? Many years have passed, but I still keep the gift, well preserved till today. A kiss or a little gift from you will constantly go a long way to express your love for her.

Every woman loves to be praised, either for what she has done or simply for who she is.  No one is perfect; so, you need to always compliment your wife for those good qualities in her, and that will bring out the best in her.  Make room for praise in your home, and your relationship will be a heaven on earth!

A great burden is placed on you as the man to love your wife as Christ loves the Church. You are not exempted from this responsibility, even if your wife is not submissive. This responsibility can be accomplished only by sacrifices, being a godly example and through an unconditional devotion, commitment and dedication to your family (Ephesians 5:25,28-29).

Above all, you need God to make your home what He designed it to be. Therefore, it is time for you to surrender to God, the Builder of all things, to help you build and practise the love of Christ in your home. Remember, the Bible says that by strength shall no man prevail. Say this prayer with me if you are ready to give God charge over that home: “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).

Topic: His Kingdom [Tuesday March 28, 2017]

Text: Luke 17:20-37

Key Verse:  “And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20)

Children of God begin to experience the kingdom of God within, when they surrender to Jesus. When we become genuinely born again, we start to enjoy untold spiritual blessings made available to us through the Spirit of God. The Jews expected the kingdom of God to supersede the Roman kingdom of their own time.

God’s kingdom is universal and greater than the myopic concept of the Jews. Jesus was on a journey to Jerusalem passing through Samaria and Galilee and in one of their villages, there met Him ten Lepers whom He cured. Only one of them returned to show his gratitude. It was in this process that the Pharisees asked Him matters concerning the kingdom of God. This led our Lord to unfold the nature of the Kingdom’s advent. His Kingdom is not of this world but in men’s hearts. The Pharisees were looking forward to a time when Israel would get their own self-government. He answered them to the contrary, that the Kingdom would not come by observation. The working of God’s plan is different from the egocentric view of men. We must first know the nature and components of God’s kingdom before we begin to look forward to its coming.

God must need wipe away all corruption and evils from both hearts of men and the world before His Kingdom will come. Our Lord Jesus Christ is certainly coming back again to this earth to reign gloriously. His coming will be sudden and will take the world by surprise. The world will be moving on in its trade and worldly amusements when the Son of man will come. This was why He cautioned us to remember Lot’s wife. We are not to look for blessings in things that are fading away but to the kingdom of God that brings peace and blessings and which abideth forever.

Thought for the day: He who is ruled by Kingdom values, will reign with Christ eternally.

Bible Reading in one Year: Amos 1-5

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: Bearing Good Fruit [Tuesday March 28, 2017]

Read: Psalm 1:1–3, Bible in a Year: Judges 4–6; Luke 4:31–44

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season. Psalm 1:3

The view from my airplane window was striking: a narrow ribbon of ripening wheat fields and orchards wending between two barren mountains. Running through the valley was a river—life-giving water, without which there would be no fruit.

Just as a bountiful harvest depends on a source of clean water, the quality of the “fruit” in my life—my words, actions, and attitude—depends on my spiritual nourishment. The psalmist describes this in Psalm 1: The person “whose delight is in the law of the Lord . . . is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season” (vv. 1–3). And Paul writes in Galatians 5 that those who walk in step with the Spirit are marked by “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (vv. 22–23).

Sometimes my perspective on my circumstances turns sour, or my actions and words become persistently unkind. There is no good fruit, and I realize I haven’t spent time being quiet before the words of my God. But when the rhythm of my days is rooted in reliance on Him, I bear good fruit. Patience and gentleness characterize my interactions with others; it’s easier to choose gratitude over complaint.

The God who has revealed Himself to us is our source of strength, wisdom, joy, understanding, and peace (Ps. 119:28, 98, 111, 144, 165). As we steep our souls in the words that point us to Him, the work of God’s Spirit will be evident in our lives.

God’s Spirit lives in His people, in order to work through them.

Insight:

This pictorial psalm with its word imagery is a suitable introduction for the entire library of prayer, praise, and reflection we know as the book of Psalms. In contrast to “the world” is the believer’s joy and pursuit of gleaning gems of spiritual truth in the Word of God. The law of the Lord is his object of meditation. The Hebrew word for meditate means to “digest over and over again like a cow who chews its cud.” This is a spiritual preoccupation that draws the believer to the Word both day and night (v. 2). The analogy of a “tree planted by streams of water” (v. 3) pictures for us the life-giving water and nutrients of the soil that cause plant life to flourish. The result of a life so rooted in the Word is the overflow of fruitfulness.

This message was written By Peter Chin [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: Turn Your Losses Around [Tuesday March 28, 2017]

But God’s free gift is not at all to be compared to the trespass…. For if many died through one man’s falling away (his lapse, his offense), much more profusely did God’s grace and the free gift [that comes] through…Jesus Christ abound and overflow to and for [the benefit of] many. – Romans 5:15, The Amplified Bible

If you’re ever on a losing streak and need someone to tell you how to turn things around, go to God. He’s an expert on the subject. He’s suffered more losses than anyone who’s ever lived.

Just think about it. He lost Lucifer, His top-ranked, most anointed angel. And when Lucifer fell, He lost at least a third of His other angels as well. Then He lost the man and woman He had created. And because He’d given them dominion over the earth, when He lost them, He lost it too. Any way you figure it, that’s a lot of real estate down the drain!

Yet, in spite of all that, God is no loser. He’s the greatest winner of all time. Do you know why? Because He knows how to turn the losses around. He knows how to use the law of giving and receiving to transform losses into gains.

“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over…” (Luke 6:38). That’s the powerful principle that breaks losing streaks.

Isn’t that staggering? He had every option that exists to choose from to redeem the things He’d lost. He had all wisdom and all power available to Him. Out of all that, the law of giving is what He chose to use.

He gave the most irreplaceable thing He had: His only Son. Then He backed that gift with His own faith. And when the law of giving and receiving had done its work, the Almighty Father God received not only His first-begotten Son, but millions of other sons as well.

Don’t despair over your losses. Redeem them the same way God redeemed His. Give and put the most powerful principle in the universe to work for you.

Scripture Reading: John 3:12-21

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 Light of the World [Tuesday March 28, 2017]

The Lord is my light and my salvation . . . — Psalm 27:1

Under the picture of Peter Milne, hanging in the church he founded on the little New Hebrides Island of Nguna, these words are found: “When he came, there was no light. When he died, there was no darkness.” When Christ came into the world, there was no light. Matthew (quoting Isaiah) said of Him, “The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up” (Matthew 4:16). Harry Lauder once said that during his boyhood, he could tell where the lamplighter was “by the trail of light he left behind him.” Christ was the heavenly Lamplighter. Everywhere He went, the midnight gloom of sin and despair disappeared before Him.

Prayer for the day: My heart and soul praise You, my risen Redeemer, for the light that pervades the deepest gloom and transforms our lives with Your love.

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 Destiny of the Dirty [Tuesday March 28, 2017]

Scripture: And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it. Isaiah 35:8

Thought For The Day: There is no destiny for the dirty; no future for the filthy and no prospect for the polluted.

From our anchor scripture above, we see that there is a path of glory for holiness and righteousness. On that path, uncleanliness has no root; iniquity has no destiny; wickedness and corruption have no inheritance.

There is no destiny for the dirty; no future for the filthy and no prospect for the polluted.

Iniquity has no profit but adversity and calamity. The way of compromise is the highway to emptiness. There is a void in the life of every sinner that nothing can fill. It is a God-sized vacuum. Alcohol, tobacco, immorality, mammon cannot fill that vacuum; it is only Jesus Christ that can fill all vacuums.

The truth is, when church activities overshadow the core call of Christianity, which is living like Christ; disaster is inevitable.

It does not matter your church attendance or your hard labour in church, if your garment of holiness is stained with lies, deceit, immorality, forgery, gossip, theft, bitterness, etc.; your eternal destiny in heaven is not guaranteed.

Beloved, if you must have a destiny in time and eternity, dirt and corruption must be far from you.

Remember this: There is no destiny for the dirty; no future for the filthy and no prospect for the polluted.

Assignment(S):

1. Meditate on the teaching of today again.

2. Genuinely repent and turn away from any dirty and sinful habit or lifestyle that is destructive to your destiny.

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

Prayer: O LORD, I ask for cleansing from the lifestyle of compromise and sinful habits by the blood of Jesus. I receive the grace, LORD, to fulfil my destiny in Jesus’ Name.

Daily Reading: Deuteronomy 9:1 to 10:22, Luke 8:4 to 21, Psalm 69:19 to 36, Proverbs 12:2 to 3

Quote: When a person’s future is not far, he becomes a backbiter. Culled from WHO ARE YOU? by Dr Paul Enenche.

Today In History: 28/03/2002 – The exhibit “The Italians: Three Centuries of Italian Art” opened at the National Gallery of Australia.

Amazing Fact: Goat kids learn to stand within minutes of being born.

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.

Mangoes generally offer a myriad of skin benefits for the skin, hair, body etc. Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares 6 amazing benefits mangoes, the king of fruits.

Enhances Skin Health

Mangoes are rich in beta-carotene and Vitamin A. Beta-carotene is a photo-protective agent that helps quench photochemical reactions in the epidermis, which protects the skin from ultraviolet rays. The Vitamin A in mangoes has also been found to reduce oil production in the skin which helps to combat acne and dark spots. Both the beta-carotene and vitamin A help to resurrect dead skin and make radiant and luminous. Eating mangoes as well as smearing some mango pulp on your face and leaving on for about 30 minutes will do wonders for your skin.

Gives a Fairer Skin Tone

A mixture of mango pulp and milk cream, when applied on the face for about 30 minutes, can make the skin fairer and spotless. Mango peels can also be dried in the sun and ground to powder, before being mixed with milk powder and a little water to form a sort of home-made fairness mask to give a fairer skin tone and spotless complexion.

Helps with Diabetes

The fruit is known to control blood sugar levels and normalize insulin levels in the blood. For this reason, diabetics can gain benefits from eating this fruit.

Improves Digestion

Mangoes are rich in fiber which help to prevent constipation and keeps one full for long. These fibers also helps to keep the colon clean and allows it work optimally thereby aiding digestion. Mangoes also contain certain digestive enzymes that breakdown proteins and aid digestions.

Great for the Hair

Mangoes are rich in vitamin C and help promote collagen production for healthy hair. Also due to the presence of vitamin A (which has scalp conditioning properties) and beta-carotene in mangoes, the fruits help to nourish the hair and treat dandruff. You can mix mango with yoghurt and egg yolk or banana and coconut oil to make a kind of mango conditioner for your hair.

Great for Pregnancy

Mangoes are extremely useful for women during pregnancy because they are loaded with plenty iron and folic acid which help to prevent anemia and keep the unborn baby healthy and happy. The fruit is mainly helpful for pregnant women suffering from iron deficiency.

By Damilola Ojo
08101556883

Topic: Be Contented [Tuesday, 28th March 2017]

I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. – Philippians 4:12

One of the keys to unending joy is contentment. When you see a man that is contented, you will notice the joy in him. He is not downcast by the lack of the riches of life. And even when he has much, he is also at peace and full of joy. Contentment is a mindset. It has nothing to do with poverty and wealth. A wealthy man who is not contented with the much he has will go after more wealth, even if it means defrauding people and denying others of their entitlements. That is one of the reasons our politician and public servants and people generally are corruption and embezzled money  meant for the public good.

Apostle Paul said he had learnt how to live in every situation. Whether he had plenty, or he has little, he was contented. Even in our godliness and our drive to live a comfortable life, when we add contentment to it, it is great gain. Godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6). We gain a lot, more than wealth and that is peace of mind. And when your mind is at peace, you will definitely be healthy. That’s the ripple effect of contentment. And just like Apostle Paul, we must train ourselves to be contented.

Apostle Paul showed us how he was able to learn contentment in Philippians 4:13 which says “for I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Christ in us teaches us to be contented. He energizes us and gives us the will-power to subdue the tendency to always want more than we have, as we allow the Holy Spirit replace our appetite with His own, learn from Him how be contented, and enjoy the great gains of contentment.

Keep winning daily.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank You for Your Spirit that teaches me how to be contented, whether in plenty or in few. I imbibe the teachings of Your Spirit and enjoy the great gain of contentment, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.