Daily Devotional for Sunday 12th May

[Edoman]

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

SUNDAY, 12TH MAY.


KEEP YOUR MIND ON HIM

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those [who live] according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded [is] death, but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace (Romans 8:5-6 NKJV).


To be carnally minded means to set your mind on fleshly, worldly things. The Christian who is carnally minded is governed or ruled by his senses, emotions and the circumstances of life. The Bible warns that this produces death, a separation from the God-life.
On the other hand, the Christian who is spiritually minded has his attention on the unseen realities of the Kingdom through the Word of God. He lives by the Word, and responds to issues and situations on the basis of God’s Word.

Let me give you a simple example: when the man who is carnally minded feels a headache, coupled with fever, his senses tell him, “Now you’re sick; you may have just caught the flu.” And because his focus is on how he feels, he agrees and says, “I think I better see a doctor.”

On the contrary, when the man who is spiritually minded feels the same symptoms, he’s unperturbed, because he knows he’s uninfectable. His attention is on the Word, and according to the Word, divine health is his nature in Christ. Therefore, he says, “I refuse to be sick, because I have the life of God in me.”

The Bible lets us know that those who live by the senses cannot please God (Romans 8:8); that’s because they aren’t walking by faith, for without faith, it’s impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Christianity is a walk in faith. Faith is the lifestyle of the just, and the basis for faith is the Word of God. Therefore, let the Word of God dominate your thinking and control your life.

Stay your mind on the Word and the Word alone, and have a life of absolute peace with prosperity. Isaiah 26:3 says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” The Hebrew word for “Peace” here is “Shalom”—the rest of God, wherein is prosperity, health, strength, etc. Hallelujah!

PRAYER

I refuse to be governed, controlled or ruled by the physical senses; rather, I see, think, talk and live by faith, and respond to issues and situations through the Word. I live in the Word and walk in the full consciousness of the spiritual Kingdom to which I belong, enjoying the full provisions of the Gospel, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY

Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 12:1-2 AMPC Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, 2 Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.


1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
John 6:1-24 & 1 Kings 9

2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
Mark 9:38-50 & Numbers 15



#TALKINGSESSION

12TH MAY.

KINDLY SAY THIS WORDS OUT LOUD

Dear Father, how happy I am to know that You not only love me with an everlasting love, but also put it in my heart to love You, my Lord and maker. My heart is bowed in worship, for Your greatness, and for the honour and privilege to know, love, and serve you.


I’ll celebrate and sing of Your greatness and love all of my days. I thank you Father for making my life a bundle of joy and happiness. Your joy in my heart is my strength, and with joy, I draw out prosperity,
peace, success, health and other blessings from deep within me today, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.


God bless you

[Edoman]

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SUNDAY 12TH MAY 2019

THEME: HEAVEN’S NEXT BIG AGENDA.

MEMORISE:

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 1 Thessalonians 4:16

READ: 1 Corinthians 15:51-58

51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

MESSAGE

Going by the Lord’s revelations to His church and comparing these to the events happening around the world today, many Christians believe as I do, that the rapture is heaven’s next big agenda (Matthews 24, Luke 21:5-36). The rapture is an event that forms part of the Lord’s Second Coming, in which the bride of Christ which is the Church, will be caught up to meet Him in the air, and they will be transported from earth to heaven. Only those who are saved and ready for the Lord’s coming will partake of this event, which will happen shortly before the beginning of the great tribulation. The great tribulation is a time of great distress on earth which will be supervised by the antichrist himself. Although no man knows the exact time that the rapture will occur, the Bible gives us signs through which we will know that the time is near (Matthew 24:36, Mark 13:28-29). These signs include suffering, war and destruction on an unprecedented scale (Matthew 24:6-8), as well as moral decadence and high-level of corruption (Matthew 24:12, 2 Timothy 3:1-6).

Why is the rapture important? It is because this event will reveal those who really belong to Christ. It is an event in which the wheat in God’s kingdom will be separated from the tares (Matthew 13:36-43). Those who will be raptured are blessed because they will not partake of the events which the Lord describes in Matthew 24:21 as “great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be”. (1 Thessalonians 5:9). At that time, they will be in heaven celebrating the marriage supper of the lamb (Revelation 19:5-9). Who are those qualified to partake in the rapture? The Holy Spirit answer this question in Ephesians 5:27, which says:

“That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

Christ is coming for a Church that is holy and without blemish. The reason why He washed us with His Precious Blood and cleanses us with His word is so that we can meet standard (Ephesians 5:27, John 15:3). In other words, only those who are made pure by being washed in the Blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, can be raptured. If you are not yet washed in His Blood, today is the day of your cleansing. Confess your sins to Him, accept the work of redemption He did on your behalf, and ask Him to cleanse you with His purifying blood. You will then become as white as snow, ready for the rapture (Isaiah 1:18-19). May the Lord count you worthy to partake in the rapture in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please grant me grace to continually live a life that meets the standard of the Church Your Son is coming for in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 17-19
Jeremiah 33:12-26

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 16: HOLD THE FORT
1. Ho, my comrades, see the signal, waving in the sky!
Reinforcements now appearing, victory is nigh.

o Refrain:
“Hold the fort, for I am coming,” Jesus signals still;
Wave the answer back to Heaven, “By Thy grace we will.”

2. See the mighty host advancing, Satan leading on;
Mighty ones around us falling, courage almost gone!

3. See the glorious banner waving! Hear the trumpet blow!
In our Leader’s Name we triumph over every foe.

4. Fierce and long the battle rages, but our help is near;
Onward comes our great Commander, cheer, my comrades, cheer!

[Edoman]

OUR DAILY MANNA DEVOTIONAL

A DEVOTIONAL BOOKLET FOR CHAMPIONS

DATE: SUNDAY 12TH MAY, 2019

TOPIC: PLAY NOW, PAY LATER!
BASIC SCRIPTURES: (JOHN 9:4; ECCLESIASTES 12:1-8)

A study of the sleep patterns of 56 healthy babies published in the Journal of Sleep Research reveals that babies who slept well at night, were those "THAT WERE EXPOSED TO SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LIGHT IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON!"

Exposure to light in the morning and evening however, produced little or no difference in sleep quality. The emphasis is in the lines – "light in the early afternoon."

The author of the study, Dr. Yvonne Harrison of Britain’s Liverpool John Moores University, decided to study the effect of light on babies’ sleep because of earlier research showing that more exposure to daytime light improved sleep for the elderly.
Since all truths are parallel, what the Holy Ghost is saying strongly to a user of today’s devotional is that in the spiritual realm too, early exposure to the light (The Word of God) will cause any child of God to shine in the latter season (night season) of their days on planet earth.

If you are lazy with the things of God (e.g. the Bible, Prayer, Evangelism, etc) now, you will find your NIGHT SEASON – your BATTLE/TRIAL SEASONS to be full of bitter regrets! To enjoy your night season (your season of trials and battles on planet earth), expose yourself to more light in the early afternoon now!

Afternoon is the season of activity, light, testimonies or great experiences. Know the Word in your “afternoon season” (activity and testimony season) before your night (trial) season shows up!
Use the Unfailing Promises pages of this booklet often! Always remember that every man has a night season! Night can also mean your season to EXPIRE (die) on planet earth! Why should you wait until you are near the grave to start working for God?
The simple rule is – If you play now (your afternoon season), you will pay bitterly, later (your night season). Get more light now! Get more knowledge! Read books! Read your Bible more! Pay now and play later!

The 7-Sundays programme titled: 55 SECRETS OF UNCOMMON SUCCESS – STORY BEHIND THE GLORY continues today. Venue: Manna Mountain, Ogudu Orioke Lagos. Lekki Mountain will always be connected. Time: 8am.

PRAYER POINTS: Take Song 1: There’s Not A Friend…
1. Worship the Lord for the different seasons of your life.
2. Lord, help me not to regret any evening/night season (old age). Help me not quit trusting You in any allowed trial!
3. Uproot laziness! Lord, help me to get more light now and stay with the Word. Help me to pay now and pay later!
4. Ask God to raise helpers who will translate ODM into more languages. More people must get the light now!
5. Pray seriously about the new ODM MOBILE APP! Satan is in trouble! Pray about today seriously now!
6. If the Lord can use you to distribute ODM where it is not common, send whatsapp to: +234 903 264 8292 today!
THE BIBLE-IN-ONE-YEAR: (ESTHER 4-7)
BY: BISHOP (DR) CHRIS E. KWAKPOVWE (CEK)
PUBLISHER/AUTHOR AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Song 1: There’s Not A Friend

1. There’s not a Friend like the lowly Jesus:
No, not one! No, not one!
None else could heal all our souls’ diseases:
No, not one! No, not one!

Refrain:

Jesus knows all about our struggles;
He will guide ‘til the day is done:
There’s not a Friend like the lowly Jesus:
No, not one! No, not one!

2. No friend like Him is so high and holy,
No, not one! No, not one!
And yet no friend is so meek and lowly,
No, not one! No, not one!

3. There’s not an hour that He is not near us,
No, not one! No, not one!
No night so dark, but His love can cheer us,
No, not one! No, not one!

4. Did ever saint find this Friend forsake him?
No, not one! No, not one!
Or sinner find that He would not take him?
No, not one! No, not one!

5. Was e’er a gift like the Saviour given?
No, not one! No, not one!
Will He refuse us the bliss of heaven?
No, not one! No, not one!

[Edoman]

Seeds of Destiny

Sunday 12th May

TOPIC: LIVING AT YOUR BEST; SEEING THE BEST OF LIFE

SCRIPTURE: But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat,"nor with the wine which he drank": therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Daniel 1:8-9

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: The best of man comes out in the Presence of God.

Daniel was a young man of the tribe of Judah who was taken to Babylon in captivity along with others (Daniel 1:1-8). It was meant to be a hopeless situation,"but Daniel’s access to the Presence of God set him on the pedestal for relevance, excellence and greatness in life. Daniel distinguished himself by purposing in his heart not to partake in or defile himself with the king’s food. Daniel became a man of excellence (Daniel 5":12). He was the first vice-president of the Babylonian Empire,"the highest Jew in that realm – he lived at his best (Daniel 6":1-4).

Now,"from the life of Daniel, what does it mean to live at your best?
1. You are at your best when you are beyond stain. The quality of a man’s life is reduced by iniquity. Whatever defiles your conscience denies your destiny.
2. You are at your best when you live beyond your past; when you do not allow your history to become your misery.
3. You are at your best when you live each day as if it is the last. Wake up with a determination not to waste any day; approach each day as if it was the last.
4. You are at your best when you live in God’s Presence. The best of man comes out in the Presence of God. You live in God’s Presence by reading, studying and meditating on the Word, worshipping God and living a life of prayer.
Beloved, I counsel you to make the choice to live at your best in everything you do so you can see the best of life.

REMEMBER THIS": The best of man comes out in the Presence of God.
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Do not let any day pass without praying,"readin
g and studying the Word.
2. Ask for the grace of God to stand upright and be free from guilt daily.
3. Deploy your best in everything you do.
PRAYER": O LORD,"I look up to You for the grace to live at my best. I refuse to be hindered by sin or iniquity, Lord in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE": LIVING AT YOUR BEST
QUOTE: Maintain integrity,"be known for uprightness and do the right thing all the time. Culled from CAREER AND WORKPLACE WISDOM by Dr Paul Enenche

DAILY READING": 1 Samuel 12:1 to 13:23,"John 7":1 to 30,"Psalm 108":1 to 13,"Proverbs 15":4
AMAZING FACT: Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system and has an average surface temperature of around 450° C.
PROPHETIC DECLARATION/WORD: Receive the grace to live at your best from today henceforth, in Jesus’ name.

[Edoman]

*THE LIVING WATER*

*DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE*

*Sunday, May 12, 2019*

*TOPIC: WHEN THE CHURCH PRAYS*
*Read: Acts 12:1-11*

*MEMORISE: _Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him_ (Acts 12:5).*

*EXPOSITION*

When the Church prays in unity of purpose and one mind, miracles happen. Prayer is enforcing and executing God’s will on earth. When we don’t pray, then God seems to keep quiet on our cases, until we realise the need for prayer.

King Herod took James and killed him without anyone questioning his actions, and the Bible did not record that the Church prayed for James, but when Herod took Peter, the Church quickly realised that, if they did not go into intense prayer for him, he too would be killed like James. Thank God for the prayer of the Church over Peter, the result of that prayer was that Peter was miraculously delivered from prison.

When we pray, we demonstrate out total dependence on Him. We declare our insufficiency and limitations and express our trust in His sufficiency and might. We also express our desire for His timely and right intervention. So, let us pray.
Many miracles pass us by because, we don’t pray at all, or we don’t pray enough. Many a times, God wants to do great and might things for us but, we don’t pray, so God keeps expecting our prayers. God has given us the power of choice and always wants us to ask *(Matt. 7:7).* He does not force anything on us but respects our choices on prayers and supplications. When we don’t pray, we cheat God, we cheat ourselves and we cheat our generations. Prayer is the key to experiencing divine intervention. So, pray always.

*PRAYER POINTS*

*1.* God, instill in us the Spirit of prayer.
*2.* God, rekindle the fire of prayer in our churches, in Jesus’ name.
*3.* Lord, help us to pray aright so we don’t pray in vain or amiss.
*EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: 2 Sam. 14:28 – 16:21; John 1:1 – 1:4*
*Author: CAC WORLDWIDE*
*Remain Blessed!*