Morning Devotional For Thursday 31st January

[Edoman]

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

THURSDAY, 31ST JANUARY.

LOVE IS GOD’S SOLUTION.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear… (1 John 4:18).

In 1 Samuel 16, we read something really inspiring about the love of God. God had instructed Samuel to go to the house of Jesse and anoint one of his sons to be king of Israel. But Samuel was afraid. He said to the Lord, “If Saul hears it, he will kill me.”

Saul was the king of Israel at the time, and Samuel was more afraid of King Saul than of God, because he knew that God was loving, merciful and kind. So, God said, “Okay, here’s what you’ll do: organise for a sacrifice and invite Jesse for the sacrifice, and if Saul hears about it, just tell him you came to sacrifice to the Lord.”

Can you imagine that? God already had His plan, but now, Samuel was going to influence God’s plan, because of fear. But guess what? God yielded! He found a way to make what He wanted Samuel to do easier for him. One would have expected that God would say, “What? I’m God! I’m telling you what to do; go do it boy; no one can kill you!” But no; God isn’t like that.

When He gives you an instruction or a direction, He watches to see your response or reaction. He may even consider your excuses and make some adjustment for you, just as in the case of Samuel. However, He doesn’t want you holding on to your fears. Our opening verse says perfect love casts out fear.

Many have a problem doing God’s perfect will because of either selfishness or fear. However, the solution to both of them is love. Love has no selfishness, and love has no fear. Love is God’s solution to man’s real problems. You may disobey God and go after your own agenda, or because of fear you may disobey Him and go in another direction. But the truth is, when you learn to walk in love and open your heart to the reality of His personality, you’ll always be in sync with Him.

However, no man can ever walk in love until he discovers Jesus. When you get to know Jesus, things change. This is why we preach the Gospel, so that men may know Jesus, and understand the love of God and learn to walk in His love.

PRAYER

Dear Father, thank you for your love, and your Spirit who lives in me, guiding me to fulfil your will for my life. Your love is the basis for my life’s decisions, and my deepest desire is to be all you created me to be, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

Ephesians 3:17-19 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what [is] the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity.

John 15:9-11 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and [that] your joy might be full.

1-Year Bible Reading Plan
Matthew 21:33-22:1-14 & Exodus 20-21

2-Year Bible Reading Plan
Matthew 11:11-20 & Genesis 31


#TALKINGSESSION

31ST JANUARY.

KINDLY SAY THESE WORDS OUT LOUD

Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for the presence of your Spirit in my life, which has ushered me into a life of unending blessings. Today, I take advantage of the miracle-working power of your Spirit in me, to subdue the elements of this world. I walk in the greater manifestation of Your blessings, healings, prosperity,

and power. I am alive unto You; therefore, I am sound, excellent, vibrant, righteous, healthy and aglow in the spirit. The circumstances of life align with Your perfect will for me because I walk in the Word and exude wisdom and sound judgment. I walk in Your glory, dispensing the goodness and love of Christ to everyone, in Jesus’ Name. Amen!

God bless you

[Edoman]

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY 31ST JANUARY 2019

THEME: THE PRICE OF BEING A STANDARD

MEMORISE:
Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon. Daniel 3:30

READ: Daniel 3:14-18

14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

MESSAGE

The price of being a standard or trailblazer is indeed very high. Self-discipline will be required of you if you desire to be a standard among your contemporaries. Speaking on this, 1 Corinthians 9:25 & 27 says:

“And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible… But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are good examples of people who paid the price to be a standard. Although they were captives in a strange land, they stood up to be counted for their loyalty to the God of Israel, even though it came at a high price that required them to pass through King Nebuchadnezzar's fiery furnace. One point to note from this story is that the king's decree was not only directed at the Hebrew boys; it was for all officials in the realm of the king, including a number of other Jews. Only God knows how many of those other Jews allowed their faith to be compromised in order to avert the King's anger. I suppose they were many. In any case, the stand taken by the three Hebrew boys was the price they had to pay to become standards for the other Jews to follow. We must learn from Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego that to become a standard, we must first stand out.

John the Baptist was another person who paid a high price to become a standard. Whoever wants to succeed in life and ministry like him must not be given to uncontrollable appetite for delicacies and fashion. John the Baptist ate wild honey and locusts which he found in the wilderness, and his wardrobe contains only coats of animal skins (Mark 1:6). He therefore had no dependencies on anyone. So, when the time came for him to tell the raw truth to the adulterous King Herod, he was not worried about missing out on any royal banquets or privileges (Matthew 14:1-12). Although John the Baptist paid the supreme price for speaking out against the king, our Lord Jesus Christ had this to say concerning him in Luke 7:28a:

“For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist:”

After the three Hebrew boys went through the fiery furnace unhurt, the king acknowledged the Majesty of their God and promoted them in Babylon (Daniel 3:30). Beloved, there is a price of holiness to pay if you want to stand out and become a standard.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please empower me to pay the price of greatness, and cause me to be great before I see You in glory.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Luke 10-11, Isaiah 29:1-14

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 10: I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

1. I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

2. The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.

3. Though none go with me, I still will follow;
Though none go with me, I still will follow;
Though none go with me, I still will follow
No turning back, no turning back.

4. My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

5. Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.

[Edoman]

OUR DAILY MANNA DEVOTIONAL

A DEVOTIONAL BOOKLET FOR CHAMPIONS

DATE: THURSDAY 31ST JANUARY, 2019

TOPIC: THE LAST TEMPLE! YOU ARE UNSTOPPABLE
BASIC SCRIPTURE: 1PETER 2:1-10

Heaven knew that there was coming a GREATER HOUSE to be built by A MORE BLOODY HAND Jesus Christ on that cross with those cruel nails driven into His hands! So if you are the LAST HOUSE OF JEHOVAH built by His Blood, why should you BE SCARED OF YOUR FUTURE? Will God allow His PRECIOUS CHILD to end up in failure? Listen: You are so important that YOU WERE BOUGHT BY THE BLOOD OF THE HIGHEST POWER in the universe! Fear not! His eyes are on the SPARROWS which He did not die for and His eyes will never depart from you for a second this year!

Acts 20:28 is a quiver: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own Blood.” Wow! Note: The church of God, which He hath purchased with His own Blood! That’s talking about you! YOU ARE JUST TOO EXPENSIVE; DON’T ALLOW ANYBODY, CIRCUMSTANCE or ANY POWER TO MESS YOU UP THIS YEAR! 1Peter 2:9 says further: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.”

You are a PECULIAR PERSON! The Greek word for “PECULIAR” signifies a TINY DOT at the very center of a series of ROUND CIRCLES around it! it signifies something or someone that is OVER PROTECTED and UNTOUCHABLE! Oh, I am dancing on this laptop now! Thank you Jesus! I have a PECULIAR DESTINY! I am safe I my PECULIAR ZONE, surrounded by the PECULIAR ANOINTING of the PECULIAR GOD who sits on a PECULIAR THRONE of MERCY! Yes! You are UNTOUCHABLE because you are HIS LAST TEMPLE BUILT WITH HIS BLOOD THE LAST BLOOD! Oh, LIFT UP YOU HANDS AND PRAISE Him now!

ASABA is FEBRUARY 8th and 9th! The great international Asaba special anointing service is Friday 8th to Saturday 9th February, 2019. Venue is the CENOTAPH. Theme: “SATANIC SALOONS: CATCH FIRE; MY HAIR CANNOT BE SHAVED IN 2019!” Be there with your 2019 prayers!

PRAYER POINTS: Take a song of praise to God.
1. In your own words, pray about today’s word as led now.
2. Thank you LORD, for allowing Your SON to die just for me!
3. Thank you LORD, for making me Your last TEMPLE!
4. Thank you Lord, for making me A PECULIAR PERSON! I refuse to insult myself and mope through depression, self pity, inferiority complex, sorrow, heaviness, etc. I am SPECIAL and I am a VIP to my God! This is my STORY to GLORY year and I am UNTOUCHABLE! Thank you Jesus! Thank you Lord!
5. Still pray about this year again seriously! CANCEL SHAME!
6. This is my STORY to GLORY year and I am unstoppable in Jesus name.
THE BIBLE-IN-ONE-YEAR: LEVITICUS 11 – 13
BY BISHOP (DR) CHRIS E. KWAKPOVWE (CEK)
PUBLISHER/WRITER OF ODM

[Edoman]

Seed of Destiny 

TOPIC: THE MARK OF LOVE FOR GOD

THURSDAY JANUARY 31,"2019

SCRIPTURE": He saith to him again the second time,"Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. John 21":16.


THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Affection gives you communication. To love God is to talk about Him; you cannot love God and be tongue-tied.
We live in a world where many people profess to love God but their love for God does not show in confessing Him to people. To live a life of affection for God is to love God to the extent of talking about Him frequently.

When I was a student in the university,"I had a friend who always talked about a particular sister always. One day, he said, ‘Ha! This girl is so spiritual; in fact, she prays fervently and she is on fire for God. You need to see her speaking in tongues’. So, I asked him, Brother, the way you are talking about this sister, do you want to marry her? Then, he said, ‘No. not really. It is just that I like her zeal’. Later in life however, both of them got married. That is how life is; it is not possible to love someone without talking about them. Those who love football talk about it and also the club they admire; they even know the names of the players in the club.

There are people from whose mouths you will never hear anything about God. The question is, how can you claim to love God in your heart and it does not flow out of your lips? Dedicated people cannot keep quiet about the God they love; they cannot keep quiet about what they love and who they love; affection gives you communication. To love God is to talk about Him; you cannot love God and be tongue-tied.

Therefore, make up your mind to talk about the love of God to people continually.
Remember this": affection gives you communication. To love God is to talk about Him; you cannot love God and be tongue-tied.

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. Develop a strong passion and affection for God.
2. Let your love for God make you talk about Him.
PRAYER: O Lord I ask for the grace to love You above everyone and everything in life. I receive Your grace to evangelise the world for You,"Lord, in Jesus’ Name.
FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE": UNDERSTANDING DEDICATION (PART 6).
DAILY READING: Exodus 12:14 to 13:16,"Matthew 20":29 to 21:22,"Psalm 25":16 to 22,"Proverbs 6":12 to 15.
TODAY IN HISTORY: 31/01/1983 - The wearing of seat-belts in cars became compulsory in Britain.
AMAZING FACT: Dolphin sleep with their eyes open.
QUOTE: Your spiritual health is confirmed by the buoyancy of your spiritual life. Culled from PRINCIPLES AND POWER OF PRAYER by Dr Paul Enenche.

[Edoman]

*THE LIVING WATER*

*DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE*

*Thursday, January 31, 2019*

*TOPIC: THE BLESSED OF GOD (II)*

*Read: Proverbs 10:22-25*
*MEMORISE: _The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it_ (Proverbs 10:22).*

*EXPOSITION*
God’s blessing is multifaceted. In part one of this study, we discussed God’s blessing in form of protection over His people’s lives. Here, we want to discuss His blessings in form of provision and wealth for those who carry it. Divine blessing is also something that gives you a sense of peace and freedom from anxiety or pain. It is a higher force that operates on somebody that carries it.
In *Proverbs 23:4*, we are warned: _”Labour not to be rich”._ We are not to overwork to be rich. 

The Scripture does not say we should not labour at all. But we are to labour not to be rich. In fact, we are to live to work, not to work to live. If you are only working to live, that means you are only living for survival. Our goal as Christians to labour (work) is to be blessed one can be rich without being blessed, but one cannot be blessed without being rich, it is only the blessing of God that brings wealth without painful toil. It is only divine blessing that establishes wealth, and difficult does not accompany it. Riches without God’s blessing bring only trouble with them *(Psalm 127:2).*

Whatever the Devil gives you, he adds sorrow to it. It is better not to have any desire from the Devil *(Eccl. 5:12-14; 1 Tim.6:9).* If you carry God’s blessing upon your life, little thing you have, will make you happy, and you will live your life comfortably *(Proverbs 17:1).* If you carry the blessing of God, your presence becomes blessing to the people around you. The moment Joseph entered into Potiphar’s house, things began to change for the better for the man. *_“… that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had in the house and in the field”_ (Gen.39:5).* If you carry God’s blessing it affects the attitude of people towards you *(Gen.39:6).* You are to strive everyday to be and remain a candidate of divine blessing. It pays a lot. Do away with anything that can place the curse of God upon you.

*PRAYER POINTS*

*1.* Lord, let your blessing begin to flow through me to others.
*2.* I refuse to labour in vain everyday of my life, in Jesus’ name.
*3.* Lord, open the eyes of all your children who are wallowing in abject poverty for the lack of knowledge.
*EXTRA READING FOR TODAY:* Exodus 14:31 – 16:36; Matthew 20:13 – 20:34
*Author: CAC WORLDWIDE*
*Remain Blessed!*