Topic: Table Rock [Friday June 2, 2017]

Read: Luke 6:46–49, Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 17–18; John 13:1–20

 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” Luke 6:46

A large, illuminated cross stands erect on Table Rock, a rocky plateau overlooking my hometown. Several homes were built on neighboring land, but recently the owners have been forced to move out due to safety concerns. Despite their close proximity to the firm bedrock of Table Rock, these homes aren’t secure. They have been shifting atop their foundations—nearly three inches every day—causing risk of major water pipes breaking, which would accelerate the sliding.

Jesus compares those who hear and obey His words to those who build their homes on rock (Luke 6:47–48). These homes survive the storms. By contrast, He says homes built without a firm foundation—like people who don’t heed His instruction—cannot weather the torrents.

Lord, thank you for being my firm foundation.

On many occasions, I’ve been tempted to ignore my conscience when I knew God asked more of me than I had given, thinking my response had been “close enough.” Yet the homes in the shifting foothills nearby have depicted for me that being “close” is nowhere near enough when it comes to obeying Him. To be like those who built their homes on a firm foundation and withstand the storms of life that so often assail us, we must heed the words of our Lord completely.

Prayer: Help me, Lord, to obey You fully and with my whole heart. Thank You for being my firm foundation.

God’s Word is the only sure foundation for life.

Insight:

To fully appreciate Jesus’s comments in Luke 6:46–49, it’s helpful to keep in mind the fuller content of His teachings in this chapter (see vv. 20–49). Luke 6 captures many of the same teachings found in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7)—teachings that are revolutionary in cultures dominated by the powerful and where weakness is looked down on. Jesus invited His followers into God’s reality—where it is those who know their brokenness, the poor and persecuted, who God is especially near to (vv. 20–25), and where strength is demonstrated in forgiving even our enemies (vv. 27–36).

 A temptation when hearing Jesus’s words is to be moved and inspired without wrestling with the ways His words demand change in our lives. Jesus knew that would be our tendency, and so He emphasizes that an emotional confession (“Lord, Lord,” v. 46) is of no value if we do not obey, if we do not let His words challenge the way we live and what we believe. Building our lives on Him means a life of daily transformation, of daily following Him.

 What “norms” in your life do you think Jesus’s words might challenge?

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

Topic: Begin to Praise [Friday June 2, 2017]

Rejoice in the Lord, O you [uncompromisingly] righteous [you upright, in right standing with God]; for praise is becoming and appropriate for those who are upright [in heart]. – Psalm 33:1, The Amplified Bible

Praise. According to the Word of God, that’s the most appropriate, becoming thing that you as a believer can do.

Let me warn you though, God’s idea of “appropriate” praise and your idea of appropriate praise may well be two very different things. The praise He calls for is joyous and uninhibited. And, at times, it’s just plain loud!

If you don’t believe it, look in the Bible and see the kind of praise that goes on in heaven. Read Isaiah 6 and find out how they act in the throne room. The seraphim shout in there until the doorposts shake! And when they do, the glory of the Lord fills the house.

When you get to heaven, you’re going to be praising like that too. You’re going to be leaping and praising God with every part of your being. But don’t wait until then to start. Begin now.

Decide today that instead of praising God the way you like, you are going to start doing it the way He likes. Begin to release those praises joyously, uninhibitedly. Don’t wait until you get to heaven to praise God with all your being. Do it now. He deserves it!

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 6:1-8

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: Understanding The Mountains Of Life [Friday June 2, 2017]

Scripture: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. Hosea 4:6

Thought For The Day: Anything that prevents you from moving as fast as you should and prolongs your life’s journey is a mountain.

Our anchor Scripture clearly shows that many people are destroyed for lack of understanding. Ignorance fuels bondage while knowledge is key to liberty (John 8:32). Therefore, understanding the mountains or obstacles of life is key to handling them.

Yesterday, we saw mountains as age-long strongholds.

Today, we shall be looking at some definitions of mountains:

1. Mountains are progress-frustrating obstacles

Anything that prevents you from moving as fast as you should and prolongs your life’s journey is a mountain.

2. Mountains are life-threatening situations

Mountains are dangerous situations that could threaten life. For instance, in the physical, both the ascending and the descending of a mountain are dangerous adventures.

3.Mountains are difficult, impossible or impassable situations.

Mountains are difficulties and impossibilities that frustrate or resist human efforts at success.

4. Mountains are chronic satanic afflictions

The word ‘chronic’ is the same as long-standing. Therefore, mountains are long-standing satanic afflictions.

There was a case of a lady in our church who had not slept for twenty-seven years. She started coming to our church in 2014, and one day, her story changed.

Beloved, your story too must change. I decree the crumbling of every mountain of disease, poverty, affliction, curse and long-standing negative situation in your life, in Jesus’ Name.

Remember this: Anything that prevents you from moving as fast as you should and prolongs your life’s journey is a mountain.

Assignment(s):

1. Identify the different forms of chronic situations in your life.

2. Engage in warfare prayers to deal with the chronic situations of your life.

Prayer: O LORD, I decree the crumbling of every mountainous situation in my life, in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: MOUNTAIN-MOVING FAITH.

Amazing Fact: There are more than 600 different types of bacteria in the mouth and a milliliter of saliva contains 1,000,000 of them.

Today In History: 2/6/1953 – Queen Elizabeth II, was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other Territories & Head of the Commonwealth.

Daily Reading: 2 Samuel 19:11 to 20:13, John 21:1 to 25, Psalm 120:1 to 7, Proverbs 16:16 to17.

Quote: Your stand with God at the place of prayer affects your stand in life. Culled from 30 SECRETS TO THE TOP by Dr. Paul Enenche.

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: No Regrets [Friday June 2, 2017]

If we are living now by the Holy Spirit’s power, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. — Galatians 5:25 (TLB)

When Bill Borden, son of the wealthy Bordens, went out to China as a missionary, many of his friends thought he was foolish to “waste his life,” as they put it, trying to convert a few heathens to Christianity. But Bill loved Christ and he loved men! He hadn’t been out there very long before he contracted an oriental disease and died. At his bedside they found a note that he had written while he was dying. It read, “No reserve, no retreat, and no regrets.” Bill had found more happiness in his few years of sacrificial service than most people find in a lifetime.

Prayer for the day: Help me not to count the cost of serving You, Lord Jesus, but let me be completely yielded to Your leading.

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: Build Faith, Destroy Doubt [Friday June 2, 2017]

Matthew 17:20 “And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”

Matthew 17:9-20; Mark 9:9-27; Luke 9:37-42

The disciples’ unbelief in this instance was not a disbelief in God’s power to produce deliverance, but rather a “natural” kind of unbelief that came from a hardened heart that was more sensitive to what it saw than to what it believed. Jesus said that a very small amount of faith (a “mustard seed”) is sufficient to remove a mountain, if no unbelief is present to hinder it.

Jesus was disappointed that His disciples had not been able to cast this devil out. Most people would have had no criticism of these disciples. After all, it wasn’t normal to have power over evil spirits. However, Jesus had already given these disciples power and authority over all devils. These disciples had also already used this power and authority successfully on previous occasions, making them more accountable than others. They weren’t just normal men any longer. They had a supernatural ability and calling.

We also receive power from on high when the Holy Ghost comes upon us, and it becomes our normal Christian service to use this power to witness to others.

We can always look around and find plenty of Christians who are not using this power, but 2 Corinthians 10:12 says that comparing ourselves among ourselves is not wise. Most Christians are living so far below what God intended for them that when someone begins to live a normal Christian life (according to God’s standard), then everyone thinks he’s abnormal. We will be successful when we not only build our faith but destroy our doubts.

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)

Today’s Scripture: “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” – (John 15:2, NIV)

Topic: The Pruning Process [Thursday June 1, 2017]

In life, we all go through a pruning process. God will prune our lives so that we can bear much fruit. To “prune” means something is cut away, something is removed. In other words, maybe a good friend that you counted on moved to another city. Maybe a business shut down that you were connected to, or a relationship went a different direction.

Friend, God knows what you need in your life in order to grow and flourish. Sometimes when things happen that we don’t understand, we have to just trust that He is working behind the scenes preparing you for increase, preparing you to go to another level. Don’t put a question mark where God has placed a period.

When you’re going through transition, don’t get bitter. Don’t get down and think it’s the end. Don’t start thinking that you’re a failure. Have the attitude, “God, I let this go knowing that it was only a temporary provision, and what You have in my future will be greater than what I’m letting go of.” If you will accept the change and stay in faith, God will open new doors. He will bring new opportunities, new friendships, and take you to another level of His glory!

A Prayer for Today: “Father, thank You for loving me enough to work in my life. Today I release the things I don’t understand into Your hands. I believe that You are working behind the scenes on my behalf. I believe that You have good things in store for my future. I choose to wait on You and trust You now and forevermore in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

A Promise For You From Bible Promises:

Topic: June To Jubilee [01/06/2017]

And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. Psalm 40:3. Read: Ps 40:1-4

Welcome to the Month of June. God took you through the month of May and  has made you enter this new month of June which shall lead you to your jubilee. It’s going to be a month to remember. In this new month of June, don’t loose focus and don’t focus on the wrong person for your help, rather, look up to God for your help. Where you look up to for help is important. If your help is on a mere man, you shall be disappointed because every man needs help too. God is set to make you jubilate this new month, but, are you ready for him.

This month of June, God Almighty shall give you a new song, take you from the miry clay and place you on the solid rock. He shall not leave you until all that He has said concerning you come to pass. Every day of your life, you shall have reasons to jubilate, rejoicing and sound of melody will never cease in your life and family. Welcome to the Month of your jubilee. Your set time to be favoured has come and  it’s now.

#BiblePromisesPrayer

* Father, in this Month of June, let me experience jubilation indeed in Jesus Mighty Name. #HappyNewMonth

Topic: Righteousness Pays! [Thursday June 1, 2017]

Prov 11:31

“Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth…”

Righteousness is a seed.

It can’t die. It can’t be lost

Someday it will emerge with its fruits.

Never be weary at living righteous.

Jacob’s righteousness spake for Him – Gen 30:33; 31:1-16

Joseph shows us the way to it – Gen 37:1-6; 42:18

David practiced it a great deal –  1 Sam 24:1-22; 26:1-23

Daniel maintained it as a lifestyle– Dan 6:22

It paid off for all of them. It will work for you in the same way.

Topic: You’re an Everything/Nothing…and So Am I! [Thursday June 1, 2017]

What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him? Yet You have made him but a little lower than God [or heavenly beings], and You have crowned him with glory and honor. — Psalm 8:4-5 AMPC

Pride is a terrible sin, and we are instructed in God’s Word not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to (see Romans 12:3). That doesn’t mean that we need to have a bad opinion of or look down on ourselves. It does mean that we are to remember that we are no better than anyone else and that whatever God has enabled us to do is a gift from Him. We have no more right to claim credit for a special ability we have than we do for blue eyes or brown hair. Paul wrote to the Corinthians and asked them what they had that did not come as a gift from God (see 1 Corinthians 4:7).

When we are warned not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to, it means we are to realize that we are nothing apart from Jesus and without Him we can do nothing. The value we have is found in Him, and we can celebrate who we are only because of Him. Actually, when we celebrate who we are in Jesus, it is a way of celebrating Jesus Himself.

We make this a lot more difficult than it needs to be. It is simple—we are everything in Jesus and nothing in ourselves. I like to say, “I am an everything/nothing!” We celebrate because of the amazing work God does in us, and not because of any worth we have in ourselves. As long as we continue giving God the glory for anything good that we manifest, we are on a safe and right track.

For some reason religion has taught people that to be godly they must have a low, or even bad, opinion of themselves, and I believe this kind of thinking has done incalculable damage to the plan of God. As long as we know we are lower than God and He is always our Chief and Head, then we are safe.

Trust in Him: Say out loud daily, “I am nothing without Jesus, but in and through Him I am valuable and I can do great things.”

Topic: Be Refilled [Thursday 1, June 2017]

Memorise: And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; – Ephesians 5:18

Read: Ephesians 5:17-19 (KJV)

17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

Bible in One Year: Acts 22-23, Jeremiah 39:11-40:6, Hymn: Sing hymn 15

MESSAGE:

The moment you give your life to Christ, a long drawn out battle for your souls begins. While your spirit would want to begin to exercise control over your soul as it rightfully should, your body would resist it and ask you to go in the opposite direction. To be victorious in this protracted battle, you need to understand your new nature and the life of the Spirit, so that you can easily flow in it. From time to time, people ask me how I was able to grow in the Spirit, but they are never satisfied with the answer I give them. Let me share some of what helped me with you. The moment you become born again, your spirit man is brought back to life. The fish is born in water and so cannot survive outside its natural habitat – water. John 3:6 says,

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

Therefore, now that your spirit man is born again, you are expected to gravitate towards the things of the spirit if you want to grow. Your new birth is a spirit experience, and only the things of the Spirit will help you grow.

One way to grow in the Spirit is to repeatedly experience being filled with the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost, after the Holy Spirit descended, the disciples gained their first experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:4 says,

“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Later on, when they gathered to table a pressing challenge before the Lord, they prayed earnestly, and they experienced the in-filling of the Holy Spirit again. Acts 4:31 says

“And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.”

Furthermore, to successfully live the life of the spirit, it is not enough to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. You must pursue a growing, personal relationship with Him and crave for more opportunities to be filled by Him. No wonder Ephesians 5:18 commands us to be filled with the Spirit. Like the disciples, if you want to be filled over and over again, be separate from the things of the flesh, have fellowship with God where you can worship Him in spirit and in truth, attend Church services together with like-minded believers, feast on His word and pray in tongues regularly.

Action Point: Consistently try to increase the amount of time you spend praying in tongues. Pray in tongues and sing in tongues. This will help your spirit grow.

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.