Morning Devotional For Thursday 18th October

[Edoman]

Rhapsody Of Realities

WE MUST KEEP PRAYING

Thursday, October 18th


And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint (Luke 18:1).

There’re many things happening in our world today that call for our importunity in prayer. If we must change things in the direction of God’s purpose and plan, then we must keep interceding for our nations and the environments in which we deal. We must also pray for the leaders of nations.

In 1 Timothy 2:1-3, we’re admonished to pray for kings, and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a peaceable and quiet life in all godliness and honesty. This isn’t something we do once and go to sleep. The Bible says, “...The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]” (James 5:16 AMPC). Notice the word, “continued”; we’re to continue in intercession for the nations, leaders, and peoples of the world. If we want peace in our nations and in our environments, then we must pray in line with God’s Word.


Out of ignorance, many blame God for the things that go wrong in their lives and in our world: the troubles, the wars, earthquakes, rainstorms, mudslides, floods, wildfires, and other disasters. What such people have failed to realise or are unaware of is that the responsibility, as well as the authority to establish the will of God on the earth and keep Satan and his demons in check, rests with us—the Church.

It’s our responsibility to ensure that whatever changes we seek in our lives as individuals, in the lives of others, and in the nations of the world, are effected through intercessory prayers. Never think that your prayer isn’t making any difference; you make great impact when you pray. Therefore, continue in prayer for your country, for God’s people, and ministers of the Gospel; for the leaders and those in positions of authority; for the sick, needy, and those in pain. Even when you don’t “feel” like praying, pray!

Always stir yourself and respond to the call and urgency of prayer from your spirit. When you do this consistently, intercession will become a part of you, resulting in great changes in your life, in the lives of others, in your nation, and in your immediate environment, to the glory of Christ.

PRAYER

Dear Father, your righteousness prevails, and is established in the nations of the world, and in the hearts of men, as your children all around the world proclaim the truth of the Gospel. The hearts of the leaders of nations are mantled with wisdom to walk in your will, and fulfil your purpose, which is the spread of the Gospel to the ends of the earth, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.


FURTHER STUDY:

Ezekiel 3:17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

1 Timothy 2:1-3 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, [and] giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and [for] all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this [is] good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;


DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1-Year Bible Reading Plan
2 Thessalonians 3:1-18 & Jeremiah 3-4

2-Year Bible Reading Plan
Hebrews 9:1-10 & Ezekiel 16





#AFFIRMATIONTRAIN


18TH OCTOBER.

I affirm that the Lord is the strength of my life! There’s no room for weakness in me. The Lord has set me on high; glory and honor are in his presence; strength and gladness are in His dwelling! Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for God is my shield and eternal protection. With His Word, my future is certain. God’s Word is a light unto my path and a lamp to my feet.

My steps in life are directed and ordered by God, through the Word and the Spirit. I am positioned in the right place and at the right time for God’s purpose. Hallelujah! I am exalted by the Spirit of God! I’ve been made an eternal excellency, a joy to many generations. I am a savior from Zion; I am filled with divine energy to make a difference in my world.

God has made my life pleasant; I am a delightsome land, producing fruits of righteousness. Everywhere I go, I produce durable fruits; fruits of righteousness because I am the fruit-bearing part of God’s vine. Hallelujah! My life is an absolute manifestation of the glory of God! As Christ reigns as King over all the earth, I reign with Him, in establishing His Kingdom in the earth, and in the hearts of men. Blessed be God. Hallelujah!

SPEAK IN OTHER TONGUES NOW

• Be bold to say the same things that God has said concerning you in His Word. That is what takes you beyond salvation, to enjoy the benefits of salvation ~ Pastor Chris Oyakhilome.

God bless you.

[Edoman]

Good morning brothers and sisters......... TODAY Is THURSDAY
OCTOBER 2018 DAY 18 OF ODM devotional booklet for Champions......

TOPIC: LOOK UP AND LOOK UP!
( 1 PETER 2:1-9).

The National Day of Prayer is an annual day of observation held on the first Thursday of May, designated by the United States Congress, when people are asked “to turn to God in prayer and meditation”. Each year since its inception, the president has signed a proclamation, encouraging all Americans to pray on this day. The modern law formalizing its annual observance was enacted in 1952, although earlier days of fasting and prayer had been established by the Second Continental Congress from 1775 until 1783, and by President John Adams in 1798 and 1799.

Thomas Jefferson established a day of prayer and thanksgiving, but this occurred while he served as governor of Virginia. The constitutionally of the National day of Prayer was unsuccessfully challenged in court by the Freedom From Religion Foundation after their first attempt was unanimously dismissed by a Federal appellate court in April 2011.

Funny, but it happened and goes to show that in the affairs of men and when all efforts have been made, God is the final solution! Do you know that the Bible calls you a nation? 1 Peter 2:9 “but you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people: that ye should show forth the praises of Him who has called you…….” You are a nation!

As fas as God is concerned, you are bigger than America! You have a wonderful deposit of ‘mineral’, ‘petroleum’ and spiritual resources; you are loaded, blessed and talented; you are richer than the richest oil field of Saudi Arabia or Kuwait. So, if physical nations are beginning to declare prayers and looking up to the hills (God) to handle their problems, then you must do exactly the same!

Refuse to cry or get depressed! Refuse to pity yourself in crisis! Continue tp pray and wait upon the Lord! Your last January prayer/ fasting programme shall not be in vain! Get and continue to use the booklet, “WAR AGAINST HAMAN” to pray without ceasing! The eagle that soars in the upper air does not worry itself as to how It is to cross rivers. Seek the face of God. In your due season, you will cross mountains and mount up on high.

( HEAR A BILLIONAIRE! If you are starting a business or own a business, always see page 89 for BUSINESSS SUCCESS MOTIVATION SECRETS from a BILLIONAIRE Show it to other BUSINESS people in every edition).

PRAYER POINTS: Take any song of worship.

1. Pray about today’s word generally as it has touched you.

2. As 2018 ends, ask for the grace to seek the face of God afresh.

3. Lord God, I am a holy nation. I am a great soul. Lord, like the eagle, let my life soar above rivers of obstacles, trials or enemies. O Lord, send a new prayer fire upon me. O Lord, revive me by fire. Lord, visit me and make me an envy of other nations (lives) in Jesus name (Pray it seriously).

BY BISHOP (DR) CHRIS E. KWAKPOVWE (CEK)
PUBLISHER/WRITER OF ODM AND

REV (MRS) FLORA E. KWAKPOVWE (FEK)
CO-PUBLISHER/WRITER OF ODM...

[Edoman]

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY 18TH OCTOBER 2018

THEME: A SON INDEED.

MEMORISE:

But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Hebrews 12:8

READ: Hebrews 12:4-11

4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

MESSAGE

Discipline is the act of training a person to obey rules and follow instructions, which sometimes involves corrective punishment for wrongdoing. The Bible clearly establishes that God expects parents to discipline their children (Proverbs 23:13-14, Ephesians 6:4). Parents who failed in this responsibility suffered grave consequences, as seen in the example of Eli (1 Samuel 2:27-34). Being a just Go, He cannot require discipline from earthly parents and fail in his responsibility to discipline His own children, as the Heavenly Father. All acts of disciplining God’s children ultimately come from God, and the methods used are determined by Him. However, His motive is always love, while His goal remains making us partakers of His holiness (Hebrews 12:10). God disciplines His children as part of His covenant with them. Consequently, only disciplined children of God have access to His covenant blessings. Job 36:10-11 says:

“He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity. If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.”

Interestingly, God in His infinite wisdom has set discipline as the number one criteria for ascertaining true children of God. Hebrews 12:8 says,

“But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.”

Consequently, if you notice that you are getting away with sin and immorality without any type of warning or discipline from God, then you can be sure that heaven does not recognize you as a true child of God. As soon as a person accepts the Lordship of Jesus Christ, he or she becomes a genuine member of God’s family, and the love of God will immediately kick-start the process of discipline in order to bring the new convert in perfection in due time. May you always cooperate with God for the purpose of receiving proper discipline in Jesus’ Name.

As a child of God, receiving divine discipline with humility comes with great benefits. Discipline prevents children of God from going astray and brings us to perfection. It also makes us humble, wise and successful, helping us acquire spiritual growth and maturity. Disciplined Christians easily overcome temptation. They are like smooth stones in the hands of God and are mightily used by Him against the kingdom of darkness. Open your heart to receive Godly discipline and correction today.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, as I commit myself anew to Your discipline today, help me to humbly receive Your correction in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 5-6

Luke 8:4-21

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 2: I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR

1. I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.

o Refrain:
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.

2. I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou art nigh.

3. I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide, or life is vain.

4. I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises in me fulfill.

5. I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;
Oh, make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son.

[Edoman]

SEEDS OF DESTINY

DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY DR. PASTOR PAUL ENENCHE

THURSDAY 18TH OCTOBER, 2018

TOPIC: UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT MEANS TO GIVE ONE'S LIFE TO CHRIST

SCRIPTURE: And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. Luke 9:23-24

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: A life outside Christ is a life full of crises; a Christ-less life is a crisis-full life.

In our churches today, many people give their lives to Jesus when a call is made to do so but take their lives back from God by the way they live. This is because they do not understand what it really means to give one’s life to Christ. The way they live outside the church contradicts their profession of Christianity. Hence, it is very important to know what it really means to give one’s life to Christ.

Now, what then does it mean to give your life to Christ?
1. Saying NO to Sin and All forms of Unrighteousness
To give your life to Christ is to say NO to sin and all forms of unrighteousness. It is to embrace the Godly life of holiness, righteousness and uprightness in conformity to the life of Jesus Christ.

2. Relinquishing the Control of your Life to God
This is coming to a point where you completely hand over the control of your life to God and you cannot claim to own yourself any longer.

3. Allowing God to have the Final Say
To give your life to Christ is to allow God to have the final say over your life; it is coming to a point where you can take no decision in life without God.

4. Ceasing to Live for Yourself but for God Alone
To give your life to God is to cease to live for yourself; you start living for God. It is coming to a point like Paul the Apostle who said, ‘For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.’ (Philippians 1:21).

Beloved, a life outside Christ is a life full of crises; a Christ-less life is a crisis-full life. But that shall not be your portion in Jesus’ Name.

REMEMBER THIS: A life outside of Christ is a life full of crises; a Christ-less life is a crisis-full life.

ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Handover the totality of your life to God by making up your mind to give your life to Christ today (if you have not done that).
2. Decide to develop a quality spiritual life of prayer and study of the Word of God.

PRAYER: Lord, I surrender the totality of my life to You. Give me the grace to be a Christian not by confession but by character, Lord, in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: GIVE YOUR LIFE CHRIST
QUOTE: Disconnection from God is disconnection from good. Culled from 365 WISDOM CAPSULES by Dr Paul Enenche

DAILY READING: Jeremiah 31:27 to 32:44, 1 Timothy 3:1 to 16, Psalm 88:1 to 18, Proverbs 25:20 to 22

AMAZING FACT: Chameleons change colour not to camouflage; they change colour according to their mood or health

TODAY IN HISTORY: 18/10/1922, British Broadcasting Company (BBC) founded, later called British Broadcasting Corporation