Topic: Eliminate Stress and Fill Your Life with God’s Best [Thursday March 16, 2017]

Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.… — John 14:27

Nothing harms us emotionally the way stress does. We might say that anxiety is emotions out of control. When someone experiences anxiety, most of the time it’s because their emotions have been stressed to the point that they are no longer functioning healthily. There are many situations that cause anxiety. The death of a spouse or child, divorce, and job loss are major events; however, not all the reasons are that serious. A lot of anxiety is caused simply by taking on more than we can handle.

I used to feel constantly overwhelmed due to stress, but it was because my schedule was unreasonable. And—even worse—I thought I was doing it for God. It is amazing to me now when I look back at how deceived I was. Always remember that if Satan cannot get you to not work for God, then he will try to get you to overwork for God. He really doesn’t care which end of being out of balance we are on, because either one causes trouble.

The simple answer to living a life you can enjoy is to learn God’s ways and follow them. Jesus said, “I am the Way” (see John 14:6), and that means He will show us how to live properly. The answers we need are in God’s Word, and we should make a decision that we will not only read the Bible, but we will obey it. If we refuse to make that decision and follow through, we will keep feeling stressed until we break.

Start asking God what you can eliminate from your life that is not producing good fruit. It may even be some good things that are just not the best things for you. Something can be right for us in one season of our lives and not right at all in another season. Follow your heart, and you will accomplish a lot of fruitful things and still have energy left over to enjoy the fruit of your labor.

Trust in Him: What seemingly good things are crowding your life and keeping you from God’s best? Decide that you will simplify your life and live with peace, not stress. Trust that God wants you to have the time to enjoy your life.

Topic: Obedience and Miracles [Thursday 16, March 2017]

Memorise: His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. – John 2:5

Read: John 2:1-12 (KJV)

1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:

2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.

3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.

4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.

7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.

9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.

11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

12 After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.

Bible in One Year: Exodus 9-10, Isaiah 61

MESSAGE:

Besides sowing seeds, obedience is another key factor that can trigger a miraculous harvest in your life. May the Lord grant you grace to obey Him completely in Jesus’ Name. To enter into this realm of the miraculous, all you need to receive is the divine directive, and immediately you comply with it, you will have your miracle. In our Bible reading, Jesus and His mother were invited to a wedding in Cana of Galilee. At some point, they ran out of wine. His mother came to tell Him of their need, but He simply said it was not yet time for a miracle. Pre-empting Jesus, maybe based on experience, Mary told the servants present to wait on Him, receive any instruction from Him and carry it out to the letter. Later, the Lord instructed them to fill up some water pots with water. The servants thought of arguing with Him that what was needed at the party was wine and not water, but remembering Mary’s strict instructions to do whatever He asked them to do, they complied. Therefore, Jesus asked them to fetch some of the water and serve the chairman of the wedding feast. Again, they wanted to argue, but recalling what Mary said, they obeyed. They took it to the chairman but prepared a ready-made answer should he taste it and ask why they served him water. However, on their way, the water became wine.

One lesson from this story is that God searches for certain attributes in people before giving them their desired miracles. If you want a miracle, you must approach God in faith (Hebrews 11:6). Also, if there is no divine instruction or word from God backed up by total obedience from man, that miracle may never see the light of day. Before performing a miracle, God searches to see whether there is any word of His to honour by this miracle. In other words, if no prophetic word, word of revelation or promise of the Scripture is available concerning the situation, seeking for a miracle in such a case could lead to disappointment. No wonder the Psalmist in Psalm 138:2 said

“I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”

In addition, if you truly desire a miracle, you must first crave to be acquainted with the God of miracles. Our God is a God of relationship. He is a Friend that sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24, John 15:15). He can sustain His relationship with you even to generations after you depart from the earth. Lastly, after God has given an instruction, nothing short of total compliance is required to trigger your miracle. To get a miracle, God has His part to play, and so do you. How well are you playing your part?

Prayer Point: Father, send me a word that will usher me into a miraculous harvest.

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: Spilling Through My Fingers [Thursday March 16, 2017]

Read: Isaiah 40:9–17, Bible in a Year: Deuteronomy 28–29; Mark 14:54–72

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand . . . ? Isaiah 40:12

After I clumsily knocked over my glass on the restaurant counter, the spilled beverage began to cascade over the edge and onto the floor. Out of sheer embarrassment, I tried to catch the waterfall with cupped hands. My efforts were largely unsuccessful; most of my beverage rushed through my fingers. In the end, my upturned palms held little more than a meager tablespoon each, while my feet stood in puddles.

My life feels similar on many days. I find myself scrambling to solve problems, oversee details, and control circumstances. No matter how hard I try, my feeble hands are incapable of managing all the pieces and parts. Something invariably slips through my fingers and pools on the floor at my feet, leaving me feeling overwhelmed. No amount of contorting my hands or squeezing my fingers more tightly together makes me able to handle it all.

Yet God can. Isaiah tells us that God can measure the globe’s waters—all the oceans and rivers and rain—in the hollow of His hands (40:12). Only His hands are large enough to hold them all. We needn’t try to hold more than the tablespoon He’s designed our hands to carry. When we feel overwhelmed, we can entrust our cares and concerns into His capable hands.

Prayer: Help me, Lord, to stop trying to hold everything in my hands, but instead to trust my needs and concerns into Your perfect care.

We can trust God to handle the things that overwhelm us.

Insight:

The truth of God’s intimate care for us is grounded in God’s self-revelation, the Bible. In the Discovery Series booklet How Can I Know God through His Book? David Egner writes, “Although the Bible was written by men like Moses and Luke and Paul, it is the self-revelation of God. He is the Author behind the authors. And what He says reflects who He is. To know God we have to read His book; . . . to see Him on every page, above every event, in every place and circumstance, and overseeing the choice of every person who makes his way into the sacred pages of biblical history.”

This message was written By Kirsten Holmberg [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: Don’t Be Without Jesus [Thursday, 16th Mar. 2017]

…verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. Psalms 39:5

We all want to be the best we can be at all times. We all want to be like the grandest of all men. We hear about men like Albert Einstein, Aristotle, Thomas Edison, Galileo, Leonardo Da Vinci, and many like them, we are awed and we aspire to be like them. These men epitomize the best state of the human race. But you see, no manner how best their state was, without Jesus Christ they are nothing.

What is man without Jesus? There is no height that is worth imitating or aspiring, if Jesus is not the Signpost. Jesus should be our Focus, He should be our Goal. In Him – Jesus – is life, and His life is the light – (knowledge in its highest form) of men (John 1:4). Any life outside Jesus Christ is vain, even if it is in its best state. The truth is Jesus Christ is the giver of the best life which allows us to operate in our best state.

Don’t live your life without Jesus at your core. As a creature of Jesus, you were made by Him and for Him (Colossians 1:16). That is, you were not just created by Him, you were created to live for Him. And you can’t live for Him if you don’t have Him in your life, and at the core or center of your life. Make Jesus Christ first in your life. Accept Him as your Lord and Savior if you have not done that. You can’t afford to live without Jesus in your life. Don’t ever attempt it.

Keep winning daily.

Wise Action:

If you have not accepted Christ as Lord of your life, please do that now. If you have, keep Jesus at the centre of your life. Let all you do revolve around Him.

Emotions can be very fickle. One moment you are feeling this way and the next you aren’t. They can also be extremely powerful and forceful, to the point that you feel you have no choice but to cave in. Emotions of embarrassment, anger, anxiety and fear are some of the most difficult to control. Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares 5 ways to be strong, take the wheel and control these emotions without giving in to them.

Take Responsibility For The Emotion

One of the ways to deal with these emotions is to accept responsibility for their existence, says Joseph Grenny in his article for the Harvard Business Review. You should understand and accept that the emotions are about you, and are not the effect or cause of any external factor.

For example, if you have been scolded by your boss and are angry at his criticism you should consider that based on his personality, his scolding could either have resulted from feelings of curiosity, surprise and compassion, or they could have been from prejudice, resentment and anger. The fact that you chose to believe it was out of the later is more about you, than about your boss. This is what you have to take responsibility for, understand and deal with.

Which Story Do You Tell Yourself?

When faced with emotions of embarrassment, anger, anxiety and fear, which story do you tell yourself? Is it the victim’s story – one that upholds your virtues and absolves you of responsibility? Is it the villain’s story – one that exaggerates the faults of others and attributes the situation or incident to their evil prejudicial motives? Or is it the helpless story – one that concludes that healthy courses of action like humbly listening, speaking up honestly etc., are pointless? Identifying the story you tell yourself will better help you detach enough from the situation to reflect, take control of your emotions and face the truth of the situation. Then, you can react to it better.

Ask Yourself Questions

Ask yourself questions about the event, situation or incident that made you feel the emotions of embarrassment, anger, anxiety and fear. Ask yourself difficult questions to get to the root of the matter and be brave enough to answer truthfully.

One of the best ways to do this is by asking questions like “What am I pretending not to know about my role or fault in this situation?” (This question will attack your victim story). “Would a reasonable, rational and decent person say or do this?” Why would a reasonable, rational and decent person say or do this?” (This question attacks your villain story), and “What’s the right thing to do to achieve what I really want?” (This question attacks your helpless story).

Pondering on these questions will help you better see your faults, the faults of the other person and will help you release the emotions of embarrassment, anger, anxiety and fear as you determine the right thing to do. Remember, ask questions rather than present your defense.

Understand Why You Think And React The Way You Do

As we grow, we learn to tell ourselves certain stories to protect our ‘safety’ and ‘self-worth’. For example, being bullied when you were younger or having parents that criticized more than they commended you, tends to make your brain code conditions or situations like this or related to this as threatening. You thus begin to react to these conditions or situations defensively, unable to see it objectively.

To control your reactions to these situations and conditions, you need to do some soul searching and identify these triggers. After identifying them, it is easier to be more objective and challenge the perception that your safety and self-worth are at risk in these situations and conditions.

To help with this, you can develop a mantra and recite it in times or situations that seem to threaten your safety and self-worth. Mantras like “Be logical, be objective”, “Be humble. Be calm. I won’t let this hurt me” can help. It also helps to keep in mind the personality of the person or people criticizing you. It is easier to listen to them if you know and respect them.

Forgive Your Emotional Triggers And Be Kind To Yourself

Even after understanding your emotional triggers for thinking and reacting the way you do, chances are you are occasionally going to lose control and give into them without realizing. You shouldn’t beat yourself up for this and give into self-loathing. You also shouldn’t start to wonder about the problem with yourself and personality. The fact that certain things happened to you in the past is not your fault, and they certainly don’t make you weird or abnormal. Everyone has a past and ‘things’ have happened to everybody, you’re not the only one, you should therefore be strong, forgive yourself and work on moving on from it so you are no longer controlled by it. As you forgive, you will find yourself dissociating from the harsh feelings.

By Damilola Ojo
08101556883

Topic: God’s Promise and Provision for Supernatural Supplies [Thursday March 16, 2017]

Scripture: Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Matthew 6:25

Thought For The Day: There is a realm in God where God’s people achieve without labour what others labour to achieve.

It is clear from Scriptures that there are promises of supernatural abundance from God to His children. It is the Plan of God for His children to be established spiritually, financially, materially, maritally and in every other wise. Man’s supply existed before man’s creation by God. The welfare of man is, therefore, God’s top priority. God did not create man to struggle for survival.

The realm of supplies and abundance is the destiny of God’s covenant people. There is a realm in God where God’s people achieve without labour what others labour to achieve (Deuteronomy 6:12).

What then are the secrets of supernatural supplies?

1. The God-first mentality: Make God the priority of your life. You may come to a point where people look at you like a fool because you sold yourself out to God. When you put God first, you become a wonder to your generation.

2. The consciousness of Divine provision: Awareness facilitates abundance. What you do not know, you cannot show. It is revelation that determines possession. If you are not aware that God has made provisions for you in His Word, then you become a loser.

Remember this: There is a realm in God where God’s people achieve without labour what others labour to achieve.

Assignments:

1. Ask God to give you one idea that will change your story forever.

2. Search the scriptures on supernatural supplies and meditate on them until they are fulfilled in your life.

Prayer: O LORD, I ask that You open my eyes to see the supernatural supplies that You have in store for me. I step into the realm of overflowing blessings, Lord, in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: GOD’S PROMISE AND PROVISION FOR SUPERNATURAL SUPPLIES.

Quote: It is the gold of God that provides the vehicle for the glory of God to travel. Culled from UNCOMMON KEYS TO FINANCIAL OVERFLOW by Dr Paul Enenche.

Daily Reading: Numbers 24:1 to 25:18, Luke 2:1 to 35, Psalm 59:1 to 17, Proverbs 11:14.

Today In History: 16/03/1915 – The Federal Trade Commission began operation.

Amazing Fact: Hummingbirds are the only birds that have the ability to fly backwards and their wings can flutter as many times as 80 times.

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: Damned Through Lying [Thursday March 16, 2017]

Text: Jeremiah 20:1-6

Key Verse: “And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied lies” (Jeremiah 20:6).

Show me a man who is habitually or frequently a liar and you show me a man who will have his portion in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. I do not care to which denomination of Christians he may belong. I am sure he is none of Christ’s. And it is very sad to know that there are some in all fellowships, who have this great and grievous fault that you cannot trust them in what they say”, said Charles H. Spurgeon.

The people of Israel had forsaken God and had gone into idolatry; they had also built high places for other gods where their sons were offered in sacrifices. Jeremiah was sent by God to warn the people of the impending wrath of God. Instead of repentance, their leader, Pashur, convinced the people with lies and hardened their hearts. He got a change of name and God’s judgment to witness the fulfilment of the prophecy and to die in exile. For some people today, lying is an insignificant offence.

They lie and call it white, black, diplomatic, political and convenient lies. Spouses lie to one another, children to parents and vice-versa. Politicians lie to get cheap votes and renege on their electioneering promises. The most absurd is that the trend is now visible in the house of God. Some Christians cannot be trusted because they tell lies to increase and sustain their membership. Others tell lies for what they will gain.

As a true believer, you must seek the Spirit of Truth – the Holy Ghost – Who will guide you into all truth. Also, you need to abide in what you already know in Christ. The coming of the Lord is at hand. Therefore, do not allow the spirit of lies to deprive you of your sonship right and make you to miss heaven.

Thought for the day: A liar is not of Christ.

Bible Reading in one Year: 2 Samuel 7-8

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: Train Your Senses [Thursday March 16, 2017]

For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. – Hebrews 5:13-14

You’re spiritually “grown up” or mature when, through practice, you have trained your senses to discern between good and evil. You’ve practiced walking in the spirit and renewing your mind by the Word of God until even your flesh habitually goes God’s way instead of the world’s way.

Stop and think for a moment. Aren’t there some things your old flesh used to pressure you to do before you made Jesus Lord of your life that you don’t even want to do anymore?

There are for me. For example, I used to smoke tobacco, and I felt sorry for all those Christians who couldn’t. But you know what? Now that I’m a believer, I have no desire for tobacco anymore. It is not even part of my thoughts, much less my lifestyle.

That’s the kind of thing that happens as you feed and renew your mind on the Word of God. It doesn’t necessarily happen quickly or easily. Your flesh may fight and buck for a while because it’s been trained to go the way of the world so long. But if you stick with the Word and keep growing, your flesh can develop the habit of righteousness just like it developed the habit of unrighteousness.

Don’t starve your spirit by trying to get by on just a little spiritual milk now and then. Develop the habit of feeding on the solid food of the Word every day and find out what real maturity is all about.

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 5:11-14, 6:1-3

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 Secret of Contentment [Thursday March 16, 2017]

I pray that you will begin to understand how incredibly great his power is to help those who believe him. It is that same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead . . . — Ephesians 1:19,20 (TLB)

Jesus told His disciples that the world would hate them. They would be “as sheep in the midst of wolves.” They would be arrested, scourged, and brought before governors and kings. Even their loved ones would persecute them. As the world hated and persecuted Him, so it would treat His servants. Thousands of Christians have learned the secret of contentment and joy in trial. Some of the happiest Christians I have met have been life-long sufferers. They have had every reason to sigh and complain, being denied so many privileges and pleasures that they see others enjoy, yet they have found greater cause for gratitude and joy than many who are prosperous, vigorous, and strong.

In all ages, Christians have found it possible to maintain the spirit of joy in the hour of trial. In circumstances that would have felled most men, they have so completely risen above them that they actually have used the circumstances to serve and glorify Christ.

Prayer for the day: Lord Jesus, keep us ever mindful of the need to rejoice in You constantly; to go beyond the circumstance, no matter how desperate, and to see You as our hope and joy.

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.