Daily Devotional for Thursday 2nd May

[Edoman]

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

THURSDAY, 2ND MAY.


OUR PERFECTION IS OF HIM.

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:48).

You might have heard some people say, “No one is perfect; so don’t say you’re perfect.” Ask them why they say that, and you’d discover it’s the result of their own experiences or other people’s experiences. What does the Bible say? It says, “Be ye perfect even as your heavenly Father is perfect.” God will never ask us to do something He knows we couldn’t do. If He demands perfection of us in the earth, it means it’s possible.

When you study the Word, there’s no place that suggests to us the impossibility of perfection. Everything about God calls for perfection—exce
llence. The reason most people don’t think perfection is possible is that they don’t know what perfection is. Perfection is like success, which can be measured at different stages of your life, according to the set objectives, purpose, and goal. Perfection is measured according to the light, instruction or information that you have with respect to the underlying objectives.

In our opening verse, the word “perfect” derives from the Greek word “teleios” which is full-grown in maturity, blameless, unspotted; wanting nothing; a completeness. It refers to measuring your heart with the heart of God; and the way to do this is through the Word. This means that you do things as God would have you do them; you let your heart be like God’s. You think, love, and forgive as God does, because you have His heart.

Furthermore, another reason many believe perfection is unachievable is that they use their religious minds to judge or measure what it is. Think about it: if in Christ Jesus, we’ve been qualified to become sharers and partakers of His life, His grace, and His righteousness, it means our perfection is also of Him. Jesus was the perfect One; the Bible says He obeyed God even unto death. He qualified before God and gave us His qualification.
So, our qualification for righteousness and perfection is of Him. All you have to do to be perfect in His sight is to accept and affirm His qualification. His vicarious death was to make you perfect: present you holy, unblameable and unreproveable in His sight (Colossians 1:22). Now, live accordingly.

PRAYER

Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for qualifying me to be perfect, righteous, holy, unblameable and unreproveable in your sight. I’m yielded to the Spirit of perfection and excellence that’s at work in me. Therefore, my words, thoughts, and actions are detailed and flawless. I think, talk, and exude excellence, to the glory and praise of your matchless Name. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY:

1 John 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

1-Year Bible Reading Plan
Luke 24:36-53 & 2 Samuel 12-14

2-Year Bible Reading Plan
Mark 7:1-13 & Numbers 5




#TALKINGSESSION

2ND MAY.

KINDLY SAY THESE WORDS OUT LOUD

Dear Heavenly Father, I am so thankful for the love and grace You’ve lavished upon me. Thank You for expressing Yourself to the world through me. Christ continually lives through me. I am the effulgence of His glory, the express image of His person and my life is a manifestation of the praise

and glory of God. I am not ordinary; I am a vital member of the family of God—a member of Christ’s body, of His flesh, and of His bones. Therefore, I am invigorated with divine might and ability in my spirit for the supernatural. I am empowered to do the impossible, for greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world. Glory to God. Hallelujah!


God bless you

[Edoman]

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY 2ND MAY 2019

THEME: PROSPERITY BY WHAT MEANS?

MEMORISE:

He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live. Proverbs 15:27

READ: Proverbs 1:17-19

17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.

18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.

19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

MESSAGE

Psalm 35:27

“Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.”

While it is an incontrovertible truth that God wants the righteous to prosper, He does not want them to prosper by unrighteous means. Unfortunately, in the world today, many people want to get rich quick with minimal effort, and more often than not, they resort to stealing in one form or the other to achieve this. Being a thief himself, the devil aids such people in their enterprise, and some of them become very “prosperous”. When some children of God see this “prosperity”, they are tempted to apply the devil’s methods. This is a slippery slope every child of God must avoid because it leads to destruction (Psalm 73:1-3, Psalm 73:17-18).

Exodus 22:2-3 reveals what God thinks about the thieves and one of His cardinal commandment says, Thou shalt not steal” (Exodus 20:15). God is not only against stealing, He is also against those who support and encourage stealing, Proverbs 29:24 says that whosoever is a partner of thieves hates his own soul. In other words, if you want to prosper in the real sense of the word, don’t be a friend to thieves. There are many thieves in the world today, stealing from their place of work and even from God. I urge you to not align with such people. Jeremiah 17:11 reveals what happens to the prosperity gotten through fraudulent means, saying:

“As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.”

Prosperity is not meant for liars; nor is it for those who use fake measures or doctored invoices (Proverbs11:1). Some contractors would be asked to buy 20 bags of cement for a project, and thy would either buy 10 or use 10 out of the 20 purchased for their personal project. In the same vein, prosperity is not for the greedy. According to today’s Bible reading, the greedy can even kill for money, but they do not know that they are troubling their own lives by their greed. Just as declared in today’s memory verse, we see several families in the world today devastated by greed. Furthermore, prosperity is not for the lazy (Proverbs 6:6-11). Laziness is an act of unrighteousness, and it makes a person susceptible to sins like stealing (Romans 12:11, Ephesians 4:28). Lastly, prosperity is not for drunkards and gluttons neither is it for those who are given to a life of seeking pleasure (Proverbs 23:21, Proverbs 21:17). Beloved, although God wants you to prosper, He wants you to go about it in the right way so that your prosperity does not become a curse to you and your household. Are you seeking prosperity through just means?

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please prosper the labor of my hands so that I can have enough to give to others.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 44-45
Jeremiah 29:10-23

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 10: I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

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

• 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.

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

• 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.

• 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]

SEEDS OF DESTINY:
BY DR. (PST.) PAUL ENENCHE
(DUNAMIS INTERNATIONAL GOSPEL CENTRE-DIGC)

THURSDAY 2ND MAY, 2019

TOPIC:
THE PRODUCTS OF DEDICATION TO PRAYER

SCRIPTURE: And as he prayed,"the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.Luke 9":29

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Transformation of destiny happens at the place of prayer.

Yesterday,"we saw that a major proof of dedication to God is a lifestyle of prayer and study of the Word. Praying and studying the Word are very critical and essential duties of a child of God. Prayer and the Word must be combined in order to for one to become an outstanding Christian and kingdom star.

It has been confirmed that there can be no products without practice; where there is no effort, there cannot be effect, and without responsibility, there can be no possibility. This means, if we embark on the practice of prayer, there are products we are expected to see in life. Now, what are the products of prayer?

Let me give you four of them":

i. The Altar of Prayer is the Altar of Transformation.

Prayer does not only change things; prayer also changes people who pray. Prayer changes or transforms our character and makes us to be Godlike (Luke 9:29). Transformation of destiny happens at the place of prayer.

ii. The Altar of Prayer is the Altar of Consecration.

Prayer separates you from bad habits,"connections and associations. Prayer purges the life of the Christian. The place of prayer is the place of consecration and sanctification (Luke 9":29,"Matthew 6":13).

iii. The Altar of Prayer is the Altar of Empowerment and Manifestation.

It is not possible to be prayerful and be powerless (James 5:17-18). People of prayer are people of power; the negligence of prayer is the acceptance of powerlessness.

iv. The Altar of Prayer is the Altar of Connection to Divine Resources

Whatever is available with God is accessible at the altar of prayer – be it supernatural supplies,"power, blessing, favour, etc. (Matthew 6":11). Prayer grants access to God and His treasures.

Beloved,"my counsel is, make up your mind to be devoted to God in prayer in order to experience life transformation, consecration, empowerment and access to divine supplies.

REMEMBER THIS": Transformation of destiny happens at the place of prayer.

ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Make up your mind to live a prayerful life.

2. Resist every temptation to live a prayerless life.

PRAYER: O LORD,"I ask that You rekindle the fire of my prayer altar. I ask for the grace to pray without ceasing, Lord, in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE": DEDICATION TO PRAYER AND THE WORD.

QUOTE: God with a person equals success. And since prayer makes one to be successful,"the prayerful are always the successful. Culled from PRINCIPLES AND POWER OF PRAYER by Dr Paul Enenche

DAILY READING": Judges 15:1 to 16:31,"John 2":1 to 25,"Psalm 103":1 to 22,"Proverbs14":17 to 19

AMAZING FACT: The sun is 109 times wider than the Earth and 330,"000 times as massive.

TODAY IN HISTORY": 02/05/1611 – The King James Version of the Bible was published for the first time in London,"England, by printer Robert Barker.

PROPHETIC DECLARATION/WORD": I prophesy upon you, drastic transformation of life and destiny beyond your wildest imagination at the altar of prayer in Jesus’ Name. Get ready for change.

[Edoman]

*OUR DAILY MANNA DEVOTIONAL*

_A DEVOTIONAL BOOKLET FOR CHAMPIONS_

*DATE: THURSDAY 2ND MAY, 2019*

*TOPIC: FAILURE IS THE WOMB THAT CARRIES SUCCESS*
*BASIC SCRIPTURE: ACTS 7:23-35*

Charles Conrad flunked out of Haverfold - a prestigious private boys school in Pennsylvania, USA where he was mocked and laughed at. He was commonly known as the guy who hid in drains, pipes and blew up Bunsen burners in the science laboratory. In 1969 however, as commander of Apollo 12, Charles Conrad became the third astronaut to walk on the moon.

God wants you to know that past failures and mistakes are the wombs that birth success! In every failure, lies the seeds of success. In every pain, lies the seed of gain.

Hear Colin Powell: *"There are no secrets to success. Don't waste your time looking for them. Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty to those for whom you work and persistence."* Orville Wright was expelled from the sixth grade for, "mischievous behaviour."

That same Orville Wright went on to invent the world's first power-driven airplane with his brother Wilbur in 1903. I was in Washington DC last year 2018 to see the LIVE images of their first airplane invention! Truly, as Anthony D' Angelo said, *"The only real failure in life is one not learned from."*
In today's scripture, did Moses not fail in his first attempt at beginning his life's mission? He faced rejection and became a fugitive, but did he not become a star 40 years later? When he broke the first 10 Commandment Tablets, he failed again!

*Never forget that there is no garden without its weeds! Cultivate your life's garden!* Don't fail God by dwelling on the past! Let this be indeed your STORY to GLORY year! Hold on to the end because harsh trials and past failures are hatching your great future! Pray seriously now!

*ATTEND the 7-SUNDAYS PROGRAMME titled: 55 Secrets of uncommon success - the Story Behind the Glory. Venue: Manna Mountain, Ogudu Orioke, Lagos. Lekki Mountain will always be connected.

ALL SUNDAYS IN APRIL AND MAY 2019. Time: 8am.*
*PRAYER POINTS:* Take Song 3: When The Morning Comes...
1. Ask for the grace to face the future and forget that past pain (mention it...). Lord, do in my life what You did for Moses! *(Pray it very well till you have peace to stop)!*
2. *Laugh at the devil again now!* Satan, you are a liar and a failure concerning my past! I reject depression or self-pity! Whether you like it or not, I am moving forward in Jesus name *(Pray it seriously again)!*
3. Let all demonic traps set against my life be shattered to pieces today in Jesus name traps set against my life be shattered to pieces today in Jesus name *(Pray it very well).*
4. I am a STORY to GLORY centre in 2019, in Jesus name.
5. Pray generally about your life as led and pray any other prayer(s).
*THE BIBLE-IN-ONE-YEAR: 2CHRONICLES 30-32*
*BY: BISHOP (DR) CHRIS E. KWAKPOVWE (CEK)*
_PUBLISHER/AUTHOR AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF_

*Song 3: When The Morning Comes*

1. Trials dark on ev’ry hand,
And we cannot understand
All the ways that God would lead us
To that blessed Promised Land;
But He’ll guide us with His eye,
And we’ll follow till we die;
We will understand it better by and by.

*Chorus*
By and By, when the morning comes,
When the saints of God
Are gathered home,
We will tell the story
How we’ve overcome;
We will understand it
Better by and by.

2. Oft our cherished plans have failed,
Disappointments have prevailed,
And we’ve wandered in the darkness,
Heavyhearted and alone;
But we’re trusting in the Lord,
And according to His Word,
We will understand it better by and by.

3. Temptations, hidden snares
Often take us unawares.
And our hearts are made to bleed
For some thoughtless word or deed.
And we wonder why the test
When we try to do our best,
We will understand it better by and by.

[Edoman]

CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH

THE LIVING WATER {Jan-June, 2019}

DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Thursday, May 2, 2019

TOPIC: APPLY YOUR MOUTH
Read Numbers 20:1-8

MEMORISE: A man's stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; from the produce of his lips he shall be filled (Proverbs 18:20)

EXPOSITION

When the children of Israel were thirsty in the wilderness of Zin, rather than calling on God, their great provider, for supply, they were contending with their leaders (Moses and Aaron). The people were actually notorious for complaining. They complained about virtually everything - the exodus, food, water, the journey, etc. Are we better today? So many prayers that people pray, are nothing but complaints against some other people, or sometimes, against God Himself! Some of us prefer complaining about the 'mountain' to commanding it to move (cf. Mk. 11:22-24).

The two leaders of Israel left the presence of their people to seek the face of God and asked for solution to the challenge. God answered them immediately and asked Moses to apply his mouth to address the situation. 'Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water' (Num. 20:8).

The mouth is one of the major powerful tools we receive from God to create what we need and recreate what we dislike. It is the mouth of God that brought the world into existence and separated darkness from the face of the deep (Gen. 1:1-4). The mouth moves mountain with the backing of faith (Mark 11:23). This is basically because the tongue is a very powerful tool, and that is housed in the mouth (Jas. 3:5ff).

When you begin to make good use of your mouth/tongue, you will release your life from the bondage of darkness and free your destiny from the hold up of Satan. You can create things you need today in your life with your mouth. Begin to address life's situations with your mouth, now, and keep enjoying the God-embedded positive power of the tongue.

PRAYER POINTS

1. Speak your need today into existence, in Jesus' name.
2. Speak the need of the Church in the land into existence, in Jesus’ name.
3. Begin to release your progress, the progress of this nation, and the progress of the church from every satanic stronghold.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: 1 Samuel 20:14 – 22:20; Luke 20:28 – 21:2
GOOD MORNING AND DO HAVE A BLESSED DAY.
JESUS CHRIST IS COMING BACK VERY SOON, BE READY