Topic: Leave the Past Behind [Monday July 24, 2017]

But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 3:13-14

Spiritual bumps and bruises. Inner aches and pains that just don’t seem to go away. Most all of us know what it’s like to suffer from them but too few of us know just what to do about them.

We limp along, hoping somehow those hidden wounds will magically stop hurting, thinking that maybe (with a little extra sleep or an extra helping of dessert) that nagging sense of depression will finally disappear.

But does it ever happen that way? No!

I know. I’ve been there.

But thank God, I’m not there anymore. You see, over the past few years, I’ve faced some fierce spiritual battles. And I’ve found out those battles can leave you bruised and beat up on the inside just as surely as a fistfight can leave you bruised and beat up on the outside.

Before I was born again, I learned just how physically devastating a real slug-it-out kind of brawl could be. Yet as bad as I felt, a few days rest would take care of me.

The healing of a bruised and beaten spirit, however, doesn’t come that easily. In fact, the passing of time often worsens this condition. The reason is this: Instead of putting painful failures behind us, we often dwell on them until those failures become more real to us than the promises of God. We focus on them until we become bogged down in depression, frozen in our tracks by the fear that if we go on, we’ll only fail again.

But there is a way out. If depression has put you into a spiritual nose dive, all you have to do to break out of it is to get your eyes off the past and onto your future—a future that’s been guaranteed by Christ Jesus through the exceeding great and precious promises in His Word.

Chances are, that won’t come easily to you at first. Your mind has probably had years of practice in focusing on the past. Like an old horse that habitually heads for the barn, your thoughts will probably start galloping in that direction every time you give them any slack.

So, don’t give them that slack. Keep the reins tight. Purposely meditate on the Word of God. Replace thoughts of the past with scriptural promises about your future and be diligent about it. Then, instead of being a wounded soldier, you’ll become the conquering warrior God made you to be.

Scripture Reading: Philippians 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: Stay Connected to God [Monday July 24, 2017]

“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5 (KJV)

For you to remain relevant and fruitful in these days and times we live in, you must stay connected to God and His word. God never starts anything without His word. Whenever God wants to do anything on the Earth, He sends His word ahead of time and that settles it. The Psalmist says in Psalm 119:89: ‘’Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.’’ Beloved, fix your mind at all times on the word He has given you regarding your life. Bury your head in it and expect the best.

Another important decision you must take is to sit always at the feet of the Master. As we climax the age, evil will increase and so you cannot afford to forsake His presence. The devil, like a roaring lion is still in the business of looking for those whom he may devour. So don’t toy with your Christian experience. You need to know the well you are drinking from. Joseph was a fruitful bough because he stayed by the well. He always had advance information and was able to withstand all the arrows shot at him. They shot arrows of jealousy, blackmail and injustice against him yet he was unstoppable. The man was remembered at a critical time and season because he was connected to God and to His word.

Stay connected! Stay on fire! Take advantage of your position in Christ. When next the enemy comes around, remind him that you are a joint heir with Christ. Let him know that the Greater One lives in you and he will flee from you. God will spring surprises in your life. You will eat the good of the land. Your barns shall burst forth with plenty. You will break loose from everything that had hitherto hindered you. Your rising begins now. You will win in the competitions of life. Head or tail you cannot lose.

Further Reading: John 15:1-8, Genesis 49: 22-26

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Psalms 35-36; Evening- Acts 25

Written by Dr. Mike Okonkwo; Is the Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM); a versatile man of God with over 30 years of dedicated service unto the Lord.

Topic: Building Community [Monday July 24, 2017]

Read: Ephesians 2:19–3:11, Bible in a Year: Psalms 35–36; Acts 25

This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 3:6

“Community” is the place where the person you least want to live with always lives, says Henri Nouwen. Often we surround ourselves with the people we most want to live with, which forms a club or a clique, not a community. Anyone can form a club; it takes grace, shared vision, and hard work to form a community.

The Christian church was the first institution in history to bring together on equal footing Jews and Gentiles, men and women, slaves and free. The apostle Paul waxed eloquent on this “mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God.” By forming a community out of diverse members, Paul said, we have the opportunity to capture the attention of the world and even the supernatural world beyond (Eph. 3:9–10).

“‘Community’ is the place where the person you least want to live with always lives.” —Henri Nouwen

In some ways the church has sadly failed in this assignment. Still, church is the one place I visit that brings together generations: infants still held in their mothers’ arms, children who squirm and giggle at all the wrong times, responsible adults who know how to act appropriately at all times, and those who may drift asleep if the preacher drones on too long.

If we want the community experience God is offering to us, we have reason to seek a congregation of people “not like us.”

Prayer: Lord, remind us that the church is Your work, and You have brought us together for Your good purposes. Help us extend grace to others.

The man who lives in a small community lives in a much larger world.  G. K. Chesterton

This message was written By Philip Yancey [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: God’s Word, The Ultimate [Monday July 24, 2017]

Text: Psalm 119:149-160

Key Verse: “Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever” (Psalm 119:152).

Arlington Nation of Cemetery boasts of stunning mementoes, one of which is the so-called eternal flame. An innovative feat of burning gas constantly aglow amidst profuse adornment, it is quite thought-provoking. Designed in memory of JFK, the 35th President of United States of America (USA), slain in Dallas Texas in 1963.

It was a fallout of the national angst and anguish that trailed his senseless assassination. Still, any mischief maker or a natural disaster can wreck it, putting out the fire. It is really not eternal. David recognised a flame that is genuinely eternal: the flame that the word of God lights up in our hearts. Wrestling in prayer day and night, he averred that prayers are answered, if he trusted in the word. For him, the hope of victory over moral weaknesses and the mischief of his adversaries remains a forlorn one but for his dependence on the word.

The word for him was an elixir for all of life’s challenges. The Bible is the word of God. It does not change. It reveals God: His character, works and eternal essence to any sincere seeker. The call has gone out to fallen man to rise in salvation and righteousness, ready for fellowship with him in time and eternity. The end-time battle rages on and the devil is digging deep, fighting fast, furious and dirty.

Faith and obedience to his unchanging word are veritable panaceas for all of life’s challenges. Do not be a scoffer. Doubt not its veracity. Repent and receive forgiveness. God is mighty to save.

Thought for the day: God’s word is the road map for all pilgrims.

Bible Reading in one Year: Exodus 26-29

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: Unending Life [Monday, 24th July 2017]

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 1 Peter 1:23

The life that we have is everlasting and does not have an end. Nothing can end it, nothing can cause it from being in existence. Why is this so? It is because of the source of the life. The source is God’s Word. It was through the Word of God that we heard that the life of God was birthed in us. Jesus said in John 6:63 that “the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” And spirits never experience death. They keep living forever, even in the afterlife. The life of God in us will never experience an end, neither will it cease from us.

The seed that birthed life in us is incorruptible. A corruptible seed does not have the ability to produce or birth life, neither can it cease from existing. A corruptible seed has been susceptible to external corruptible influences. But it is not so with the life that we have. We are not susceptible to external corruptible influences. The Holy Spirit has sealed up the life of God in us eternally. Ephesians 1:13 says: “in whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.”

A corruptible seed is only good for destruction, because it is useless. But the incorruptible seed, the eternal Word of God cannot be destroyed. Even when we are bent over by the wind of challenges, that threatens to strangulate the life of God in us, Jesus Who is the Living Word will keep His life in us alive. Scriptures say in Jude 1:24 “now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.” This is the kind of life that you have. It’s unending. Glory to God.

Keep winning daily.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank You for the unending life that You’ve given me. Nothing can stop Your life in me from living forever. It is an incorruptible life and with it, I live in victory always, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Topic: Accessing Word Revelation through Value and Obedience [Monday July 24, 2017]

Scripture: Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee…. Deuteronomy 4:40

Thought For The Day: It is not memorizing the verses of the Scripture that changes your life but encountering the Voice behind the verse.

Our anchor Scripture has established that the Word of God is designed to enhance both the welfare and progress of man. Jeremiah 7:23 also corroborates this. The question is: why is it that many continue to come in contact with the Word without any observable progress in their lives?

Psalm 62:11 reveals the answer: God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God. That is, God spoke once (What is written or the verse), twice have I heard (What is revealed or the Voice). It is accessing both what is written and what is revealed that guarantees the welfare and progress of man.

It is not memorizing the verses of the scripture that grants access to insight and a change of life but encountering the Voice behind the verses.

We shall be looking at having access to the revelations of the Word by:

1. Obeying the Word: Obedience brings insight. God gives more light and insight to those who hearken to the ones he had already given (Mark 4:24). God will never give you a new revelation beyond your level of obedience to the last instruction.

2. Placing value on the Word: Value brings insight. God does not give precious things to people who do not value them (Matthew 7:6), and the Word of God is precious. A person who does not value insight has no future. A wise person would always be with a pen and paper to document what he or she learns from the Word in the course of study. So, write down the revelations you receive while studying the Word, generate action steps and carry them out.

Remember this: It is not memorizing the verses of the scripture that changes your life but encountering the Voice behind the verses.

Assignment(s):

1. Have a consistent schedule for the study of the Word.

2. Approach the Word of God with a sense of value and expectation.

3. Write out every received revelation, generate action steps and carry them out.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: ACCESSING AND PROFITING FROM THE WORD.

Prayer: O LORD, I receive the grace to value and obey Your Word. Open my heart to the light in the Word that will change my life, Lord, in Jesus’ Name.

Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 11:1 to 13:22, Romans 8:26 to 39, Psalm 18:37 to 50, Proverbs 19:27 to 29

Quote: The level of revelation you have in your possession determines the extent of victory you will experience in your life. Culled from, 22 LAWS OF LIFE (VOL. 2) by Dr Paul Enenche.

Amazing Fact: Your brain consumes 25 watts of power while you’re awake. This amount of energy is enough to illuminate a lightbulb.

Today In History: 24/07/1823 – Slavery was abolished in Chile.

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: What God Expects [Monday July 24, 2017]

He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much . . .  — Luke 16:10

What God expects, and all God expects, is that we dedicate completely all of our talents and gifts to Him. That is the meaning of the parable of the talents in Matthew, chapter 25. Read this parable, and you will see that we are always rewarded because of our faithfulness.

You can be just as faithful as anyone and have the commendation of the Lord. Take the one talent you have and invest it in eternal things. Some talented people lose their reward because they do things to be seen of men. Some untalented people lose their reward because they fail to dedicate what they have, because it is not noticed by men. Both have sinned equally.

Prayer for the day: Let me not be concerned with the praise of men, but may my talent be completely yielded to You, Lord Jesus.

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: R.S.V.P. [Monday July 24, 2017]

Luke 14:16, 23 “Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: …And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.”

LUKE 14:16-24

The man who made the supper symbolizes God who has invited “whosoever will” to come to Him. The parable teaches that it is not God who fails to offer salvation to everyone, but rather it is the invited guests who reject God’s offer.

These people had feeble excuses just like the excuses of those today who don’t accept God’s offer of salvation. Therefore, the Lord’s Marriage Supper of the Lamb will be furnished with “undesirables” from the world’s point of view, not because God rejects the upper class, but because they reject Him.

Those who have an abundance of this world’s possessions don’t tend to recognize their need for God as much as those who are without.

Jesus’ parable could also be applied to the Jewish nation. God offered salvation to the Jews but they, as a whole, refused Him. Therefore, the Lord sent His servants to the Gentiles to fill His kingdom.

This very parable proves that the Lord is not advocating us using force to convert people to Christianity, because this man accepted the decision of those who rejected his invitation. Therefore, it must be understood that the Lord is admonishing us to compel them to come in by our persuasion or entreaty. The word “compel” denotes aggressiveness, even in persuading of people. The Church, as a whole, and all of us as individuals are not supposed to simply hang out our “shingle” and wait for the world to come to us. We are supposed to be aggressively going into all the world with the Good News. We have an urgent command to be a witness because the time before our Lord’s return is short.

This message was written by The Association of Related Ministries International (ARMI) is an extension of Andrew Wommack Ministries (AWM). ARMI is a unique partnership committed to providing resources to help like-minded ministers succeed in a spirit of excellence and to draw from the experience and expertise of both the AWM and Charis Bible College staff. (www.awmi.net)

Topic: Living in Fear? [Monday 24, July 2017]

Memorise: There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. – 1 John 4:18

Read: 1 John 4:17-18 (KJV)

17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Bible in One Year: 2 Samuel 23-24; Ezekiel 14:12-23, Hymn: Sing hymn 9 – On A Hill Far Away

MESSAGE:

If you have God as your Refuge, you have a priceless treasure because this gives you access to help in times of trouble. With God as your Refuge, irrespective of what is happening around you, you have no cause to panic. As unlikely as this may sound, it is possible to be under God’s cover and be unaffected by every satanic missile flying around both day and night (Psalm 91:5-6). Due to negative influences from their environment, some people have grown up with a particular phobia for the last quarter of the year. Between January and August, they go about their normal business activities with boldness, but as the month of September approaches, fear envelopes their hearts. As they read or hear of various accidents happening here and there, their fear is heightened. Some people allow this condition to degenerate to the extent that fear redefines all their remaining activities for the year. They may have to cancel all their air travel for fear of air crash. Even their road trips would be seriously reduced for fear of road accidents. They try as much as possible to confine themselves to their houses and will therefore give all kinds of excuses for not accepting any assignment or invitation during that period. Such people are just being manipulated by fear!

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” – 1 John 4:18

If you live in fear, you are in Satan’s bondage (Hebrews 2:15). Your love for God and fellow brethren cannot be perfect if you still create room for fear. When you live in fear, you give the devil so much attention, thereby empowering him over your life and destiny. Whatever or whoever you fear controls you. Luke 1:74 says we were saved to serve God without fear. So if you say you are born again but you still live in fear, you need to know who you are serving, because you should not live in fear of anything while serving God. You cannot have the fear of God in your heart and the fear of the devil at the same time. The moment you begin to fear the devil or his agents, you drift into bondage. If you are sure of your salvation but still live in fear, check yourself; it is likely you are ignorant of who you are in Christ. Also, as a child of God, when you engage in disobedience or harbour a secret sin in your heart, you lose your confidence and fear sets in. if this is your case, repent of your sin and fully turn to God!

Action Point: If your heart is always filled with fear, invest time to study who you are in Christ from the book of Ephesians.

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: Power of Attitude [Sunday July 23, 2017]

Man’s attitude defines His ratings.

It determines His placement, your attitude attracts or repels people from you, your attitude is your real representation.

You cannot subdue it, it will naturally reveal who you are.

Change your attitude to change your altitude.