Topic: Celebrate Freedom [Tuesday July 4, 2017]

Read: Romans 6:15–23, Bible in a Year: Job 28–29; Acts 13:1–25

The law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2

After being kidnapped, held hostage for thirteen days, and released, New Zealand news cameraman Olaf Wiig, with a broad smile on his face, announced, “I feel more alive now than I have in my entire life.”

For reasons difficult to understand, being freed is more exhilarating than being free.

The law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2

For those who enjoy freedom every day, Olaf’s joy was a good reminder of how easily we forget how blessed we are. This is also true spiritually. Those of us who have been Christians for a long time often forget what it’s like to be held hostage by sin. We can become complacent and even ungrateful. But then God sends a reminder in the form of a new believer who gives an exuberant testimony of what God has done in his or her life, and once again we see the joy that is ours when we are “free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2).

If freedom has become boring to you, or if you tend to focus on what you can’t do, consider this: Not only are you no longer a slave to sin, but you are freed to be holy and to enjoy eternal life with Christ Jesus! (6:22).

Celebrate your freedom in Christ by taking the time to thank God for the things you are able and free to do as His servant.

Living for Christ brings true freedom.

Insight:

Some of the spiritual giants of the church were profoundly changed by Paul’s Spirit-inspired words in Romans. One of those was Martin Luther (1483–1546), a German theologian, writer, and reformer of the church. As a monk, Luther struggled with the impossible task of trying to be righteous on his own merits or works. The words of Romans 1:17, “The righteous will live by faith,” led Luther to realize that justification (being made holy) is through faith by God’s grace alone. God through His Word lifts the burden of sin and sets us free.

This message was written By Julie Ackerman [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: Having a Servant Spirit [Tuesday 4, July 2017]

Memorise: For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. – Luke 22:27

Read: Luke 22:24-27 (KJV)

24 And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 14, Lamentation 4:19-5:22, Hymn: Sing hymn 14

MESSAGE:
[July 4 2017, Tuesday]
Signs and wonders easily flow in an atmosphere where authority is respected. The moment a person becomes rebellious or refuses to submit to the authority of leaders, God withdraws and so do His signs and wonders. If you want God to use you in the miraculous, learn to remain submissive to the authority of those set over you by God. Moreover, another attribute of the fellow God will use to perform signs and wonders is the possession of a servant spirit. If you take a critical look at the person of Philip as recorded in the book of Acts, chapters 6 and 8, you will see a man who happily obeyed when he was sent to serve food as an usher, even though he was full of faith, power and the Holy Spirit. If some people had such credentials as these, they would suddenly become very choosy in the nature of assignments they are willing to carry out. If a pastor asks some workers to clean the toilet today, they may give the pastor a look that says, “Don’t you know who I am? Is it because I am a worker in your church? In my place of work, I am a Managing director” Nobody is contesting with you. The truth remains that in God’s kingdom, a worker is a servant. When you get to your office, you can be the boss there, but when you are in God’s house, you must be prepared to serve. Do you know that anyone who is unwilling to serve can never reach the top in God’s house? Open Heavens 4 July 2017: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Having a Servant Spirit

“But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.”

Not only did He instruct us to serve, He himself did exactly that. He came as one who serves (Luke 22:27). Do you remember He washed the feet of his disciples (John 13:5)? This is why I teach my students at the School of disciples that the hands that cannot do manual labour cannot heal the sick. Some people have abandoned house chores to their domestic workers and other helpers. If you really want God to use your hands to perform signs and wonders, then you must engage them in manual labour. By virtue of my position as the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, people try to keep me from doing chores. However, do you know that even with all the help and assistants at my disposal, when I realized they are not around, I quickly iron some of my wife’s clothes or go to the kitchen sink to wash some plates? I know what I am doing. Are you a servant or a lord that everyone must obey?

Prayer Point: Father, give me the servant spirit of Jesus Christ, so that I may serve others just as He did.

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: The 90/10 Principle: Practical Application

(James 1:12-20; Ephesians 4:26-27).

Please refer to yesterday’s devotional encounter. Heaven will drop a few practical hints to turn you from pressure to pleasure! If someone says something negative about you, do not be a sponge. Let the attack roll off like water on glass. You do not have to let the negative comment affect you. React properly and it will not ruin your day. A wrong action could result in losing a friend, being fired, getting stressed up, etc. Proverbs 15:1a says: “a soft answer turns away wrath.”

How do you react if someone annoys you in a traffic jam or stress crops up in a bus? Lose your temper? Pound the steering wheel? Curse? Shout up? Reply to every statement? Does your blood pressure shoot up? Have you forgotten that you have just one life and that it’s better you are late to work or home than become the Late? Do you know that just one driver in a traffic jam sent by satan can destroy your joy?Do you know that satn can use one of your colleagues in your office to steal your joy? Please always remember the 90/10 principle! If you have no job or you just lost a relative or you lost a relationship (courtship or even marriage), what do you do?

Lose your sleep! Go on drugs? Go on alcohol? Pity yourself? Get irritated or shout at everyone around? Get depressed? No! No! No! Use the time spent on worrying to look for another job. Get a prayer partner in crisis! Call us –ODM lines! If one relationship breaks, God can raise a million others. Spend time staying around positive people! You can decie to serve God the more by it. Whatever happens, avoid worrying and stress! Laugh often and be positive! Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% of your reaction.

You will not fail God or your generation! I see you ending this year with a great testimony as an EVIDENCE that your God is not a liar even as you prepare for the 14-day fasting program starting from July 9th-22nd, 2017. Peace!

Give out this 3rd qurater ODM copy to souls! Remember EVANGELISM is God’s hearbeat! I SEE NEW GRACE on you for every copy given out! Start today!

Prayer Points: Take any song of worship as led.

1. Thank God for the Word. Pray about it as led now.
2. Release forgiveness to anyone now.
3. I refuse to be chained by this individual (mention names). I release forgiveness to him/her now. Lord, help me indeed!
4. Father, forgive me and bestow Your mercy upon me in Jesus Christ name. Pray for Israel today!
5. Pray in Tongues now and pray any other prayers as led.
FOR ODM VIEWING CENTERS FOR JULY ANOINTING SERVICE, SEE PAGE 52 NOW!

By Bishop (Dr) Chris E. Kwakpovwe (Cek)
Publisher/Writer of ODM and
Rev (Mrs) Flora E. Kwakpovwe (Fek)
Co-Publisher/Writer of ODM.

Topic: Remain Committed [Monday July 3, 2017]

Whatsoever your hand find to do, do it with all your might.

Only those who are truly committed to doing small things will be elevated to do great things. Those who seek to do big things never get anything done.

You will never miss your place at the top if you get busy serving below where nobody could see you.

Topic: His Peace, My Responsibility [Monday July 3, 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. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.] — John 14:27

Perhaps you have never thought about how important it is to manage your emotions. I imagine we all think, I can’t help how I act when I am having a hard time. That is a normal human reaction, but with God on your side helping you, you don’t have to behave the way a “normal” person would.

It is obvious from Jesus’ words in John 14:27 that He desires for you to have wonderful peace, but please notice He is also giving you a responsibility. He wants you to choose to control the negative emotions that can steal your peace. You cannot always control your circumstances, but you can control yourself with God’s help.

Power Thought: God has given me His peace, and I will walk in it.

The Bible, both Old and New Testaments, contains various passages regarding the importance of honesty. One of the most simple passages is contained in Ephesians 4:25, which states, “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.” The passage is powerful because it reveals that it is important to be honest, not only because it frees our soul of the burden of deceit, but also because lies drive wedges between people. They enslave the person who utters them but also the one who is deceived, and the pain caused by the discovery of a lie can be so deep that a relationship is severed forever. As noted in Luke 16:10-12, “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?”

There are many reasons why people lie, but what all these reasons have in common, is fear. Some lies are small and told with the intent sparing someone hurt – for instance, we may not feel in the mood to attend a social occasion so we may say we have another event on at the same time, even if this is not true. These ‘white lies’ are often not too damaging, yet in good relationships, why make room for them? Being honest is sometimes hard, and takes courage, yet the sensation of telling our friends and family how we truly feel, is greatly rewarding, for ourselves, as well as for them.

White lies can be harmless, but if they become a habit, they can end up creating distance between ourselves and others. This is the case with habitual liars, who tell untruths about a variety of issues – some small, others deeply meaningful. To combat habitual lying, the first step is to accept God’s grace and mercy. Our faith can give us the strength we need to face the consequences of being honest. Lying can seem easier, but we achieve little when we are not fully honest. When we admit that we have a problem, we can then rely on God and prayer at the times when anxiety hits hardest and we are tempted to lie.

We should also learn to depend on others – our best friend, therapist or a family member we trust. We should start off by committing to complete honesty with one person. Slowly but surely, we can grow our circle of trust until we feel more comfortable really revealing who we are to a larger group.

Sometimes, making headway in a relationship involves admitting lies and committing to newfound openness in the future. Be prepared for those you have hurt to take their time to believe in you once again. Don’t let the fear of their rejection drive you back into the cycle of lies. Think of the hardest times as a necessary basis to rebuild important relationships.

Keeping a journal can also help. The journal should not merely list down your day’s activities; use it to also write down the reasons why you lied and to consider another way of dealing with a difficult situation – one which does not involve lying.

It is also vital to create meaning in your life by setting small, achievable goals every day. As you achieve these goals, your self-confidence grows and you feel less tempted to give your ego a boost with lies. If ever you do relapse into lying, remember that your worst actions do not define the person that you are. You can always start with a clean slate. Use your setbacks to enlighten you on how you can do things differently next time. An honest life involves hard work and small setbacks will not stop you from being the sincere person you have always wanted to be. Finally, when you feel most tempted to indulge in self-destructive behaviour, open the Bible, find inspiration in verses on honesty, and pray. Your faith will enable you to move mountains and knock down fear and other barriers to a beautiful and honest life.

This is an article sent in by Sally Painthorpe

Topic: The Highest Law [Monday July 3, 2017]

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable . . . — 2 Timothy 3:16

The men who framed our Constitution knew they were writing the basic document for a government of free men; they recognized that men could live as free and independent beings only if each one knew and understood the law.

They were to know their rights, their privileges, and their limitations. They were to stand as equals before the court of law, and few judges could be unfair; for the judge, too, was bound by the same law and required to try each case accordingly. . . . As the Constitution is the highest law of the land, so the Bible is the highest law of God. For it is in the Bible that God sets forth His spiritual laws. It is in the Bible that God makes His enduring promises. It is in the Bible that God reveals the plan of redemption for the human race.

Do you have questions about the Bible? Find answers.

Prayer for the day: Almighty God, each day our nation and we, the people, face so many crises. May each one of us seek wisdom through Your Word, the Bible.

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: Power In The Name Of Jesus [Monday July 3, 2017]

Luke 10:17 – “And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.”

LUKE 10:17

It was the power in the name of Jesus plus the disciples’ faith in that power that made the demons subject unto them. This can clearly be seen in Acts 19:13-17 where certain Jews called on the name of Jesus in an effort to cast demons out of a man. They used the name of Jesus, but it didn’t work because they had not put faith in that name.

These Jews were itinerants who used incantations to effect deliverance for people who were demon possessed. The first-century historian, Josephus, wrote of an exorcism that he witnessed in the presence of Vespasian and many of his soldiers. The exorcist supposedly followed a ritual passed down from King Solomon to effect the deliverance. There is no doubt that men throughout all history have tried to resist demonic spirits, but as this example proves, only Jesus and those who have received His life are successful.

Those who relegate demonic spirits to the realm of superstition do not believe in the entire Word of God. The Gospels alone contain over 90 references to the devil or devils (demons). The Apostle Paul said when writing to these people in Ephesus, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12). The devil and demons do exist, but all believers in Jesus share in His total victory over them.

The name of Jesus is not magic. It does not work like a charm. As Peter said, “His name, through faith in his name” (Acts 3:16) is what brings results.

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: Don’t Take Divine Instructions for Granted [Monday July 3, 2017]

“…Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” 1 Samuel 15:22

The scripture tells us that the just shall live by faith. The live by faith is to live by the word of God. No matter the discomfort you may suffer or how many challenges you face, as a believer you must live by the word of God, not by what you think. Jesus lamented and said that the children of this generation are wiser than the children of light. My heart bleeds when I see the enemy battering your life when you should be triumphant and victorious over what the enemy brings against you.

In 1 Samuel 13 Saul disobeyed Prophet Samuel’s instruction to wait and he told Saul that he had done foolishly. In 1 Samuel 15, God gave Saul another chance to prove himself. Samuel said to him to go and wipe out the Amalekites. They were to be completely destroyed because of what they did to Israel when they were coming from the land of Egypt. But Saul went and destroyed everything that were vile and weak but spared King Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lamb and all that were good. He used his number six. In other words, he was saying God you are stupid. How can you see all these beautiful things, as wonderful as they are and you say destroy them? God I think something is wrong with your mind. I will help you.

This may sound funny but many believers are doing exactly the same thing today. Most of us know how to spiritualize our disobedience and think we are dealing with man. God is not a man, he is God. He knows your thoughts and motives afar off. That is why the bible says he searches your heart from afar off. Human beings may see action but God sees beyond action. He knows your thought from afar. The statement you make and the service you are rendering, what is your motive for doing them?

Further Reading: 1 Samuel 15:1 – 35, Hebrews 11:6

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Job 25-27; Evening- Acts 12

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: Power in Righteousness [Monday July 3, 2017]

Scripture: The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion. Proverbs 28:1

Thought For The Day: Whatever weakens your conscience weakens your authority.

Our anchor scripture clearly shows that the upright are as bold as a lion. This establishes the fact that there is power in purity. That is to say, if you have purity, you will have power; and where there is no purity, there will be no power. This also implies that unrighteousness on the other hand is the doorway to weakness in life.

We are looking at the scriptural example of the connection between power and purity using the life of Prophet Samuel.

In 1 Samuel 12:3-5, Samuel asked the Israelites, “… whose ox have I taken? …whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith?….” And they replied, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man’s hand…

Samuel was a man of such unquestionable integrity. No wonder he manifested unusual dimension of supernatural power. In 1 Samuel 12:16-19, Samuel called on the Lord and God sent thunder and rain during dry season.

First of all, Prophet Samuel said, “What is my fault?” (Paraphrased) and they could not find his fault. He was faultless. So, on the foundation of that faultlessness, he manifested powerfulness.

Beloved, whatever weakens your conscience weakens your authority. The strength of the conscience determines the strength of the authority. Whatever makes you feel guilty renders you powerless. So, avoid anything that makes you feel guilty.

Remember this: Whatever weakens your conscience weakens your authority.

Assignment(s):

1. Guard your heart from anything that defiles; never play around sin.

2. Study the Bible daily and fellowship with God in prayer and worship in order to assimilate His Nature.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: EMPOWERMENT BY RIGHTEOUSNESS (PART 1)

Prayer: Father, draw me closer to You. Let the flame of Your Word shield my heart from sin and cause me to think, talk, and act like You always, LORD, in Jesus’ Name.

Daily Reading: 2 Kings 22:3 to 23:30, Acts 21:37 to 22:16, Psalm 1:1 to 6, Proverbs 18:11 to 12

Quote: Nothing invites fear like sin. And nothing invites disaster like fear (Job 3:25). Culled from 22 LAWS OF LIFE VOL. 2 by Dr Paul Enenche.

Amazing Fact: Negative emotions such as anxiety and depression can weaken your immune system.

Today In History: 03/07/1886 – Karl Benz officially unveiled the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, the first purpose-built automobile.

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.