Topic: Mystery of the Trinity [Thursday June 15, 2017]

John 8:19 “Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.”

John 8:12-27

The scriptures teach Jesus’ oneness with the Father. This oneness is more than singleness of purpose and actually denotes “a single one to the exclusion of others” as in the statement, “There is one God” (1 Tim. 2:5).

This truth is so well established in scripture that some people make no distinction between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit but believe they are simply one God expressing Himself in three different ways. However, Jesus makes a distinction between Himself and His Father here and uses Himself and His Father as two different witnesses to fulfill the requirement of Deuteronomy 17:6. Jesus would have been deceiving these Jews if there was no distinction between His Father and Himself; and yet, they are one (Jn. 10:30; 1 Jn. 5:7). This is a great mystery and yet a very well established fact in scripture.

One of the great statements of the Old Testament from Deuteronomy 6:4 says, “The Lord our God is one Lord.” We do not have three Gods, but one God, clearly identifiable as three persons. This is a great mystery, which has not been adequately explained. Scriptures reveal the truth of the Trinity, but make no attempt to explain it. We simply accept this revelation as it is, until we know all things, even as we are known (1 Cor. 13:12).

Jesus said that the witness of His Father was the greatest testimony of who He was. Everyone can hear His testimony of Jesus through the scriptures.

Moses and all the Old Testament prophets spoke of the coming of Jesus, and Peter said the written word of God was a more sure word of prophecy than the audible voice of God. Read the Word today.

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: Practice Good Stewardship [Thursday June 15, 2017]

Redeeming the time . . .  — Ephesians 5:16

We are stewards of our time. God has given each one of us a little “chunk of eternity” called time. These golden moments of opportunity are doled out to us for our benefit and for God’s glory. If we use them wisely, they are woven by God’s omnipotent hand into the fabric of eternity. Henry Thoreau cautioned, “You cannot kill time without injuring eternity.” “He who has no vision of eternity,” said Carlyle, “has no hold on time.” “Only one life, ’twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last” is the sentiment of every man who desires to be a good steward of his time. We are entrusted with a small portion of the capital of time. If we invest it wisely, it will pay dividends throughout eternity.

Prayer for the day: Take away my procrastinating nature—how easy it is for me to waste time. I want to be able to leave a legacy of time spent for You, Lord, because that is eternal.

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.

A Promise For You From Bible Promises:

Topic: Sin Breaks Your Bond With God. Pt Two [14/06/2017]

He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them. Numbers 23:21. Read: Isa 59:1-4

Sin makes God to remove His eyes from the sinner. When Jesus (the only begotten Son of God) took the sin of the whole world upon Himself, God forsook (temporary separation) Him. When the king of Moab Balak heard that the children of Israel pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho, they were sore afraid of them. He summoned prophet Balaam to come and curse them, instead of cursing them, Balaam began to blessed them. God told Balaam, thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed. Num 22:12. Balaam said to Balak, How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied? Num 23:8.

From Numbers 22, 23 and 24, God Himself defended the children of Israelite. By the time you get to Numbers 25, it was God Himself that turned against them because they reached out their hand to committing sin with the daughters of Moabite. God sent plaque into their midst which destroyed twenty four thousand until Phinehas stopped the anger of God by killing Zimri and Cozbi. Num 25:14,15. Sin turns God your protector to an avowed enemy if not repented of. Sin stop your prosperity (Pro 28:13) and keep Him far from your camp. Deut 23:14.

#BiblePromisesPrayer

* Father, help me to love what You love (righteousness) and hate what You hate (sin) in Jesus Mighty Name

Topic: Follow Peace [Wednesday June 14, 2017]

Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever]. — Romans 8:6 AMPC

People hesitate to follow their desires, because they don’t know how to divide their soul from their spirit. If they can’t discern the difference between the desires of their flesh and Spirit-led desires, then they don’t know when God is truly leading them to do something.

But you can learn to know if God is leading you or not. When God gives you a desire for something, He will give you peace along with it. You may not be excited, but you will have peace, if the thing you desire is from God. Wait for peace today.

Topic: Entering His Rest [Wednesday 14, June 2017]

Memorise: Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. – Hebrew 4:11

Read: Hebrews 4:7-11 (KJV)

7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.

9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Bible in One Year: Joshua 23-24, Jeremiah 48:45-49:13, Hymn: Sing hymn 2

MESSAGE:

Psalm 23:1-6 is a very powerful psalm which speaks of the relationship between the sheep and the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ. God’s sheep enjoy many benefits, one of which is the entitlement of rest. If you are a bona fide sheep of Jesus  Christ, His rest is made available to you. When the Psalmist says “He makes me to lie down”, he simply speaks about entering into God’s rest. The rest that the Good Shepherd offers His sheep can be at several levels. Some people are labouring so hard in search of the salvation of their soul. They want to be free from sin, and yet the more they labour to be free, the more entangled they find themselves. If only they can come to Jesus today, they will find the salvation they have been seeking. Jesus Christ is the final destination for everyone who genuinely desires salvation.

Another kind of rest that the Good Shepherd offers is bodily rest. Ordinarily, after a hard day’s work, by the time you hit the bed, you should fall asleep. However, do you know that there are people who find it so difficult to sleep? They stare at the ceiling all night until the following morning. This continues for days, weeks or even months. Psalms 127:2 says if you are beloved of God, you will surely have rest through sleep. Do you suffer from insomnia? Has it been so difficult for you to get a good night’s sleep? That sleeplessness is terminated today! From now on, you shall access God’s rest in Jesus’ Name!

In addition, the Good Shepherd offers rest to those who labour continuously without rest. Matthew 11:28 says,

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

One way the devil has led some people into their ultimately death is by heaping so many problems, burdens, debts and heavy responsibilities on them which they cannot carry, thereby frustrating their efforts to enter into financial freedom. The more they labour, the further they drift from success. If you are in that situation, do not give up or think of ending your life. Just come to Jesus with all your heart and He will give you rest. Finally, today’s Bible reading talks about the eternal rest that we have access to as sheep of the Great Shepherd. Nobody can enter Heaven except through Jesus Christ. If you are saved and you continue to follow Jesus Christ, obeying Him every step of the way, you will surely enter into His rest. Are you qualified to enter His rest?

Key Point: To enter into rest in any area of life, faith in Jesus Christ, the Giver of rest, is required.

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: Managing Your Home (2)

Dear Reader,

Last week, we learnt man’s placement in the home. God designed marriage and family life to be successful. Right from biblical days men and women had enjoyed it in reality. Well, you may say that every family has its own problems, but that is not necessarily the truth. It is quite possible to have a hitch-free family here on earth. It is possible! From searching the Scriptures, I have evidence to back up my claims this week. Let’s look at them briefly:

Noah

After the fall of man, Noah’s family was the first to distinguish itself in an evil generation. He was such a successful married man that God singled him and all the members of his family out, in the midst of destruction. God’s Word says:  And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation (Genesis 7:1).

It is amazing that a man can succeed in family life, even before the dispensation of grace. That is to say that even before the coming of Jesus and the era of grace, a man had won God’s favour by his commitment to his family. God’s Word says: But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8).

If Noah could make it, then you and I have no excuse to fail in our families. There is no reason for pressure, tension, or frustration because Jesus has already paid the price for them. He was our perfect substitute. He has been wounded, bruised, beaten, humiliated, spat on etc, so that we may enjoy glory and honour in our homes. That is why no man has any excuse for beating his wife. None whatsoever!

Abraham

Abraham the father of Nations was a very successful married man. In those days when the law had not been delivered, Abraham was still faithful to his barren wife. Even before he became the friend of God, he had a successful marriage. His contact with God did not reduce his commitment to his family, rather it enhanced it.

He was a man God could count on to command his family to follow after Him.  God’s Words says: For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgement; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him (Genesis 18:19).

If truly we are children of Abraham, it should be for us ‘like father, like son’. That’s why Isaiah 51:2 says: Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.

It is time to resemble our father Abraham, not only is a life of faith but faithfulness to build our families following God’s blueprint. If Abraham did not have problems in his family, you should not import problems to your family. It is about time you walk in the footsteps of your father. If he made it, so will you!

Peter

Simon Peter, one of the foremost apostles and right-hand man to Jesus, during his earthly walk, was a successful married man.  God’s Word says: Have not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? (1 Corinthians 9:5).

It is possible to doubt whether Peter was married or not, because there is no record of a day his wife came to the crusade ground to challenge him for not fulfilling his marital obligations! I believe that one major reason he could fulfil his course with joy was because he had peace at home. His marriage was not an obstacle to his ministry or vice versa. If Peter could make it in spite of the tight schedule Jesus ran, we have no reason to fail. God’s Word says: And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them (Matthew 8:14-15).

These are proofs that success in family life is a reality and only fools doubt proofs. So, we have a responsibility to apply ourselves to the principles of God’s Word which form the blue print for marital success. Marital success shall be your portion in Jesus’ name!

If you are not born again, you are not entitled to the peaceful married life that God has reserved for His children. You become born again by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. If you desire to be born again, say this simple prayer in faith: “Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today acknowledging that I am a sinner who needs Your forgiveness. I believe You died for me and rose again on the third day. Forgive me of my sins, wash me with Your Blood and write my name in the Lamb’s Book of life. Thank You Lord for saving me.”

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).

A Promise For You From Bible Promises:

Topic: Sin Breaks Your Bond With God. Pt One [13/06/2017]

And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? Genesis 3:11. Read: Gen 3:1-11

When you remove a fish from it source, i.e., from the water, such fish would struggle a while and at the end for lack of water, it will die. When you uproot a tree from the soil, gradually the leaf would wither and finally, the tree would die. Jesus said in John 15:5, “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”. Just as the fish and the tree cannot survive without their source, also, man cannot survive without his source – God Almighty. God is the source of life of every living soul on earth .

But the devil understands that to separate a man from his source, sin is what it takes. He knows that God cannot behold sin, so, he causes men to commit sin so that they can be separated from their Maker. This was the trick he played on Eve at the garden of Eden. When sin comes, nakedness and fear creeps in. The devil broke the bond between God and Adam through the instrumentality of sin. Sin is a dangerous poison that causes enmity between God and His creatures. Like Joseph, you must run for your life before sin separates you from your destiny. Adam and Eve were driven out by God because of their sin.

#BiblePromisesQuote

* Sin turns Your Maker God into an enemy and turns your divine helper to be a total stranger.

Topic: When You Move, Mountains Are Removed! (Prt 2) [Tuesday June 13, 2017]

All the difficulties that are hanging around you now are simply waiting to see your action. When you start moving they will move. Stop talking about your beautiful plans and the things you hope to do soon. Start doing something now! “Soon” is a language of deception. It keeps people hoping endlessly until they waste. If you introduce massive action into your life, in a short while, you will become a man of your dreams.

The Bible says concerning the disciples, “They went forth everywhere, the Lord working with them…” (Mark 16:20). God’s help is available in its fullness for those who take steps. Even in the natural, when you start taking steps, you become a rallying point, people become eager to help you.

A great door and effectual is opened before you and God will not take away the adversaries. You have to discipline yourself to keep your eye off the adversaries, focus on the open door and keep moving towards it. That is when you will begin to see possibilities in the midst of impossibilities; you will begin to see a way around the mountain that is intimidating you.

Mediate on these: Numbers 13:30, Prov. 26:14

Topic: Your Future Is in the Lord [Tuesday June 13, 2017]

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. — Luke 4:18-19 KJV

I come from a background of abuse; I was raised in a dysfunctional home. My childhood was filled with fear and torment. The experts say that a child’s personality is formed within the first five years of his life. My personality was a mess! I lived in pretense behind walls of protection that I had built to keep people from hurting me. I was locking others out, but I was also locking myself in. I was a controller, so filled with fear that the only way I could face life was to feel that I was in control, and then no one could hurt me. As a young adult trying to live for Christ and follow the Christian lifestyle, I knew where I had come from, but I did not know where I was going. I felt that my future would always be marred by my past. I thought, How could anyone who has the kind of past I do ever be really all right? It’s impossible!

However, Jesus said that He came to make well those who were sick, brokenhearted, wounded, and bruised—those broken down by calamity.

Jesus came to open the prison doors and set the captives free. I did not make any progress until I started to believe that I could be set free. I had to have a positive vision for my life. I had to believe that my future was not determined by my past or even my present.

You may have had a miserable past, you may even be in current circumstances that are very negative and depressing. You may be facing situations that are so bad it seems you have no real reason to hope. But I say to you boldly, your future is not determined by your past or your present!