Topic: That Smiling Man [Our Daily Bread 11th Saturday August, 2018]

Read: Colossians 3:18–23, Bible in a Year: Psalms 81–83; Romans 11:19–36

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. Colossians 3:23

Going to the grocery store isn’t something I particularly enjoy. It’s just a mundane part of life—something that has to be done.

But there is one part of this task I’ve unexpectedly come to look forward to: checking out in Fred’s lane. Fred, you see, turns checkout into show time. He’s amazingly fast, always has a big smile, and even dances (and sometimes sings!) as he acrobatically flips (unbreakable) purchases into a plastic bag. Fred clearly enjoys a job that could be seen as one of the most tedious around. And for just a moment, his cheerful spirit brightens the lives of people in his checkout lane.

The way Fred does his job has won my respect and admiration. His cheerful attitude, desire to serve, and attention to detail all line up well with the apostle Paul’s description of how we are to work in Colossians 3:23: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.”

When we’re in relationship with Jesus, any job we have to do gives us an opportunity to reflect His presence in our lives. No task is too small . . . or too big! Tackling our responsibilities—whatever they may be—with joy, creativity, and excellence gives us an opportunity to influence those around us, no matter our job.

Lord, help me to tackle everything on my plate today with grace, enthusiasm, and joy, knowing that my attitude may affect others in ways I’m not even aware of.

The best way to do satisfying work is to do it for the Lord.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Our Daily Bread Devotionals HERE”

This message was written By Adam Holz [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: Meditate on the Word [Kenneth & Gloria Copeland 11th August 2018 Daily Devotional]

And [God] brought [Abram] forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness. – Genesis 15:5-6

Do you ever have trouble believing the Word of God? Not just agreeing with it mentally, but really believing that what it says will work for you?

I do. There are times when the promises in the Word stagger my mind. There have been times when I’ve felt so defeated and the circumstances around me looked so bad that it was tough for me to believe I was “more than a conqueror” even though I knew God said I was.

What do you do when your mind staggers like that at the promise of God? You meditate on that promise.

Scriptural meditation simply means thinking about and reflecting on the Word of God. It means pondering a particular scripture and mentally applying it to your own circumstances again and again until that scripture permanently marks your consciousness.

That kind of meditation can affect your life in a way that almost nothing else can. It can, quite literally, alter your mind. That’s what happened to Abram.

When God first told him that he was going to father a nation, he was an old man. His wife, Sarai, was also old. What’s more, she had been barren all her life. How could an aging, childless couple have even one child—much less a nation full of them? Abram couldn’t even imagine such a thing. It contradicted his entire mindset.

But God knew the mental struggle Abram would have, so He didn’t just make him a verbal promise and leave it at that. He gave Abram a picture of that promise to meditate on. He took him out into the starry night, turned his eyes to the sky and said, “So shall thy seed be.”

Can’t you just see Abram staring out at the stars, trying to count them? Filling the eyes of his heart with the promise of God?

That’s what meditation is all about. Taking time to envision the promise of God until it becomes a reality inside you. It’s tremendously powerful, and by focusing on the scriptural promises God has given you, you can put it to work in your life just as Abram put it to work in his.

Don’t just read the Word. Meditate on it today.

Scripture Reading: Romans 4:13-25

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Kenneth and Gloria Copeland’s Daily Devotional Here’’

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: Speaking Right [Teens Open Heaven 11, August 2018]

Memorise: There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health. Proverbs 12:18

Read: Matthew 12:33-37 (KJV)

Bible In One Year: Psalm 90-92, Romans 11:1-21

MESSAGE:

According to our memory verse today in Proverbs 12:18, we can tell who a wise person is by the kind of words that come out of his/her mouth. When some people use certain words on people that offend them, these people who the word were aimed at may be so hurt that they may contemplate suicide.

Words are not to be used as weapons but as medicines to soothe and edify the person who hears them. If your words cannot bind up the broken hearted or give hope to the hopeless, you lack wisdom. It is important to know how to speak right. While speaking, deliberately choose words that are mild, soothing, encouraging and edifying. One reason why the wise carefully chooses his words is because he knows that he shall account for every idle word he speaks. He also knows that all the words men have spoken will be evaluated before being justified to go to Heaven or hell. Watch your words!

Prayer Point: Lord Jesus, help me to be swift to hear but slow to speak and slow to wrath.

Also Read: Teen Open Heaven Daily Devotional by Pastor Adeboye

Hymn 13

1. Is your life a channel of blessing?
Is the love of God flowing through you?
Are you telling the lost of the Savior?
Are you ready His service to do?

Chorus:
Make me a channel of blessing today,
Make me a channel of blessing, I pray;
My life possessing, my service blessing,
Make me a channel of blessing today.

2. Is your life a channel of blessing?
Are you burdened for those that are lost?
Have you urged upon those who are straying
The Savior who does on the cross

3. Is your life a channel of blessing?
Is it a daily telling for Him?
Have you spoken the word of salvation
To those who are dying in sin?

4. We cannot be channels of blessing
If our lives are not free from sin;
We will barriers be and a hindrance
To those we are trying to win.

Daily Devotional for Teen’s 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.

Topic: God Dwells With His People [DCLM Daily Manna 11th August 2018 Daily Devotional]

Text: Exodus 25:1-22 (KJV)

Key Verse: “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8).

MESSAGE:

From creation, God had desired to dwell and have fellowship with man. In the Garden of Eden, He would come down to commune with Adam. It was such a wonderful, blissful relationship until Satan struck and brought it to an abrupt end.

In our text, God commanded Moses to take offerings from the children of Israel to build Him a sanctuary so that He could dwell among them. All the instruments to be made were given in specific details “according to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle…” (verse 9). The offerings included gold, silver, brass, blue, purple and so on. Items to be made were an ark, a mercy seat, two cherubims with hands outstretched over the mercy seat, a table for showbread and candle holders among others. This commandment was obeyed and the sanctuary built. Hundreds of years later, Solomon built a great temple for God’s habitation in Jerusalem.

Today, under the New Covenant, God no longer dwells in temples made by men. He dwells in His people (2 Corinthians 6:16). With the Bible in a believer’s hand and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, great responsibilities have been placed on him to serve God in truth and spirit. Unfortunately, many believers are oblivious of the great priviledges they have. The presence of God means power, peace, joy and victory. This makes us “more than conquerors”.

Thought For The Day: Every redeemed Christian must operate in the invincible power of his Redeemer.

Bible Reading In One Year: Jeremiah 14-17

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read Deeper Christian Life Ministry, DCLM Daily Manna HERE

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.

Flatimes’ Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:

Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.

If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online please send your testimonies and prayer request to [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

Topic: The Dangers of Strife and Bitterness [Seeds of Destiny 11 August 2018 Daily Devotional]

Scripture: Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:31-32

Thought For The Day: Progress is arrested when strife is in place

One of the deadly enemies of destiny is the lifestyle of strife and bitterness. This also refers to competitive jealousy and comparison. Lot entered into strife with his uncle, Abraham who brought him out of obscurity. Absalom also strove with his father, David. Both Lot and Absalom ended in disaster.

Now, I will like you to take note of the following:
i) Progress is arrested when strife is in place
You stop moving forward in life when you agree to strive with your neighbour.

ii) Focus is distracted where strife is established
Whenever you agree to strive with someone, your focus is distracted; another person’s success becomes your focus when strife is in place and where there is no focus, disaster is inevitable.

iii) Competition equals limitation
You cannot become who you are meant to be if your focus is to undo, overdo or outdo someone else.

iv) The Presence of strife is the absence of God
The presence of strife equals the presence of hate because you do not strive with someone you love; and the presence of hate is the absence of God. So, anyone that strives with his neighbour and hates him has eliminated God from his life because God is love (1 John 4:8).

Beloved, my counsel is: deliver yourself from the lifestyle of strife because strife is a killer of joy, and your joy is necessary for your destiny fulfilment.
You cannot be joyful when you are in bitterness and jealousy.

Remember this: Progress is arrested when strife is in place.

Assignments:
1. Avoid the lifestyle of strife, envy, competition and hatred.
2. Be contented with what you have while working and trusting God for more, and live in love with everyone.

Prayer: O LORD, deliver me from the lifestyle of competition, comparison, strife and hatred. Help me to live in contentment and love, Lord, in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: DEADLY ENEMIES OF DESTINY (PART 3).

Daily Bible Reading: Nehemiah 1:1 to 3: 14, 1 Corinthians 7:1 to 24, Psalms 31:19 to 24, Proverbs 21:5 to 7

Amazing Fact: Bumblebee birds don’t fall off a branch while sleeping because their toes automatically clench around the twig they are perched on.

Today In History: 11/08/1860 – The first successful silver mill in America began operations. The mill was in Virginia City, NV.

Quote: One of the worst things that can happen to a person is to be gripped by bitterness. Bitterness is the source of countless spiritual and physical problems in millions of lives today. Culled from AM I BITTER? by Dr (Mrs) Becky Paul-Enenche.

Don’t Forget To Attend: The six over flooded Destiny Recovery Services tomorrow by 6 am, 7:20 am, 8:40 am, 10 am 11:20 am & 12:40 pm. Invite someone to church.

Also Read: Seeds of Destiny by Pastor Paul Enenche

Today’s devotional was written by Pastor Paul Enenche of the Dunamis International Gospel Centre (DIGC), headquartered at Abuja, Nigeria, with Pastor Paul and 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

Flatimes Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:

Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.

If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online please send your testimonies and prayer request to [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

Topic: Your Help Comes from the Lord [Open Heavens 11 August 2018 Saturday Daily Devotional]

Memorise: “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.”- Psalm 121:1

Read: 2 Kings 6:25-27 (KJV)

25 And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass’s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.

26 And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.

27 And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?

Bible in One Year: Job 33-35, Matthew 18:1-20

Open Heavens 11 August 2018 MESSAGE:

An African adage says that it is not wise to weep in the presence of a person who has no capacity to console you. It is a waste of time and energy to shed your tears at a place where they will not give any help in your favor. The Holy Spirit provides direction to genuine seekers of true help on where to get help. In Psalm 121:2, He says:

“My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.”

Those who have been seeking help where there is none will be wise to heed these words. Concerning such people, Isaiah 31:1 says:

“Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!”

There was once a serious famine in Samaria, such that women started killing their own children for food. As the king of Israel walked by on the wall of the city on a certain day, a woman saw him and cried out to him for help. The king’s response to her is a great lesson you must take to heart today. In 2 Kings 6:27b, he said:

“…If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee?”

What an eternal truth this is! Beloved, in your Christian walk, you must develop to a point where you can say, “My God is more than able to help me; if He will not help me, nobody else can.” This was the stand taken by the three Hebrew boys in Babylon. In Daniel 3:16b-18, they said to King Nebuchadnezzar:

“…O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

You need to come to terms with two truths today. First and foremost, the almighty God is the Help that is very much present in the time of need (Psalm 46:1). Secondly, if the Almighty God cannot help you in your adversity, no “mighty man” or devil can help you. When the Lord sees that you consider Him to be your only source of help, He will arise for you speedily. I pray for you that the Almighty God will help you in the day of adversity, and you shall not be ashamed in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point: Father, please send your help to me today in Jesus’ Name.

Also Read: Open Heavens 10 August 2018 – Suffering as a Criminal?

Open Heavens 11 August 2018 Hymn 11: O God Our Help In Ages Past

1. O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.

2. Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.

3. Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.

4. A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

5. Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly, forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the op’ning day.

6. O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home.

Open Heavens 11 August 2018 Saturday 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. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC. Open Heaven 11 August 2018.

Flatimes Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:

Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.

If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online please send your testimonies and prayer request to [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.