Daily Devotional for Wednesday 4th March

[Edoman]

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES 

WEDNESDAY 4TH MARCH.


A SACRED TRUST


According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust (1 Timothy 1:11).

The Apostle Paul took personal responsibility for the Gospel. His words in our theme verse show, that to him, the Gospel was a sacred trust. In 1 Corinthians 9:16, he said, “…necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” Again, in 1 Timothy 1:12, he declared, “…I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.”

Your conviction about the Gospel must be absolute. Think about it: the salvation of lost souls is God’s number one passion; it’s all that heaven stands for. Yet, God committed such a great commission and responsibility to you and me. This is something to be hallowed; too sacrosanct to take likely.

In Mark 16:15, Jesus said, “…Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature”; this is the Great Commission. The question is, “Can God trust you to fulfil it?” Are you about His business, or you’re still busy pursuing your own dreams? Let the Gospel, and its spread around the world, mean more to you than anything else in this world. Be committed to it, irrespective of the oppositions you might face.

Take a cue from Paul; even when the Holy Spirit expressly testified that he’d suffer severe afflictions and be imprisoned if he went to preach in Jerusalem (Acts 20:22-23), he was undaunted. His response was: “… none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God” ( Acts 20:24). 

.Talk about burning your bridges? That’s it!
Be an activist for the Gospel. None of the adversities you face can defeat you if you stand your ground and refuse to quit. Remember that God counted you faithful and committed the Gospel to your trust; He believes in you. So, be an effective witness of the Lord Jesus Christ, and do it passionately with joy. Hallelujah!

PRAYER

Dear Father, your Word and the Holy Spirit infuse me with boldness and courage to preach the Gospel, and I do it joyfully as an effective witness of Jesus Christ. Thank you for the unparalleled fulfilment that I experience as I win souls and lead many to righteousness, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.


FURTHER STUDY

Mark 16:15; Act 20:20-27

1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Mark 10:32-52; Numbers 14-15

2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Acts 24:1-9 ; Psalm 56

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#TALKINGSESSION 

4TH MARCH.


KINDLY DAY THESE WORDS OUT LOUD.

Dear Heavenly Father, how I love Your Word; it’s life to my spirit and light to my path. The entrance of Your Word has illuminated my path to know and walk in Your perfect will. 

As I fellowship with You today through prayer and study of Your Word, I receive divine insight and guidance for my progress and prosperity. Thank You for the investments You’ve made in my life. 

I am conscious of Your abilities in me and the changes that can be accomplished in society through me, as I blaze new trails for the purpose of fulfilling Your good pleasure. 

My faith in You is the power to change my world, and frame the circumstances of life to conform to Your destiny for my life! I am not a victim in this world, for I possess the power to determine the course of my life according to Your Word. 

Thank You for giving me a purpose and a destiny in You, which I live to fulfil today, and every day. I am a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, holy and a peculiar treasure unto You. 

I was born to reign and rule in life with the dominion of the Spirit. Through my words, I effect changes in the realm of the spirit and cause circumstances and situations to align with Your plan and purpose today, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.


God bless you

[Edoman]

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL


DATE: WEDNESDAY 4TH MARCH 2020.

THEME: INDULGING THE FLESH?

MEMORISE:

But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. 1 Timothy 5:6

READ: 2 Timothy 2:3-4

3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

1 Corinthians 9:25-27

25 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.

26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

27 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.

MESSAGE 

Food and relaxation are good, but if excessive, can be dangerous. If fasting for even one day has become difficult for you, then your flesh is exerting too much control over you. Even in marriage, if you cannot go one week without being intimate with your spouse, then you really need to get yourself under control.

Humans are actually spirit beings; the flesh is just a container that helps us operate in the physical world. Many however have given the container priority over its content- the spirit. The spirit is supposed to be in control of the flesh and not the other way round. What happens mostly however is that, a fellow will look fresh and healthy in the physical, but spiritually, he is weak and dying. The purpose of your flesh is to keep you alive, not to kill you. If you let it dictate to you, it will end up killing you. In 1 Corinthians 9:27, Apostle Paul urges us to subdue our flesh.

When I first became born-again and was introduced to fasting, I thought “These people want to kill me!” But I eventually tried it and found it most rewarding. When you decide to start putting your body under control through fasting, it will be difficult at first, in fact, it may feel like you are trying to kill yourself. that is just the flesh battling for the position of authority that it has always enjoy. At that time when it seems really difficult, energize your spirit in prayers. You will discover that during the prayers, your flesh will be suppressed and its voice will be silenced.

I leave you with the words of Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:12-13:

“All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.”

ACTION POINT:

Stop indulging your flesh; rather subdue it with prayer and fasting.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 23-25

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 12:  I AM THINE O LORD.

I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.

Refrain:
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.

2. Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the pow’r of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.

3. Oh, the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend!

4. There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.

[Edoman]

RESTORATION TODAY


WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2020.

TOPIC: *AVOIDING NEGATIVE ATTITUDES [1]*

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5.

*MESSAGE*
Only God knows how many destinies have been short-circuited in light of people's deficient attitudes. Your disposition and attitude in life will determine how high you can rise. This is a fact of life and a reality that remains genuine. Your mentality shapes your experience and determines your reality. Today and tomorrow, let us consider two negative attitudes that is limiting many Christians from enjoying God's blessings:

*1. Displeasure At The Success Of Another Child Of God*
Genesis chapter 4 records the story of the incident between Cain and Abel regarding their offering to God (Genenis 4:3-5). You will notice that God did not just reject Cain's offering; he rejected his person first. There was something of Cain's attitude that was inconsistent with God's expectation. His anger at his brother's divine acceptance is only a symptom of something inherently wrong with his mindset.

"And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? And why is thy countenance fallen? 7. If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him." (Genesis 4:6-7).

Indeed, God's prediction came true because shortly afterwards, he murdered his brother. When you have a wrong attitude as a child of God-when you are often displeased because someone else's blessing is manifesting and yours isn't-you are giving sin the permission to control you. In the event that God has not accomplished for you what He has accomplished for another person, keep trusting Him with gratitude in your heart. His plans for you are likely greater than what you are seeing in another person. He makes all things beautiful in His time (Ecclesiastes 3:11) so there's no point in nurturing a negative attitude.
 
*ACTION POINT*
Is there someone whose blessing you are envious of at the moment? Bring your envy to God and thank God for His plans for your life.

*SCRIPTURES*
Genesis 4:3-7; Ecclesiastes 3:11.

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. Lord, thank you for Your many blessings in the lives of my friends, relatives, church members and neighbours;

2. Father, help me to stay unwavering as I trust You to perfect all that concerns me, too, in the name of Jesus;

3. I rebuke the spirit of envy and receive fresh grace to love unconditionally in the name of Jesus.

*THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR*
Exodus 23:10-33; Psalm 66-67; Acts 13:1-25

[Edoman]

#SEEDS OF #DESTINY


04-03-2020

by Pastor Paul Enenche


#TOPIC : A CHARACTER PILLAR CALLED FINANCIAL INTEGRITY.

#SCRIPTURE : For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:10

#THOUGHT FOR THE DAY : It is in money matters that a person’s true character is confirmed or revealed.

Financial integrity is a major pillar of character. It is in money matters that a person’s true character is confirmed or revealed. It is possible for someone to pray and fast and not have financial integrity. 

The truth is, until a man has conquered the love for money, God has not yet prevailed in his life.
One thing you must trust God to overcome is taking what does not belong to you. Taking what does not belong to you is a symptom of lack of financial integrity.

Now, what are the consequences of taking what does not belong to you? We shall be dealing with four of such consequences:

1 Whatever is not yours does not add to your life; it subtracts from your life: Adam took the fruit that he was not given, and it subtracted everything from his life – he lost the garden (Genesis 3:17-24).

2. Taking what is not yours will cost you both your future and your destiny: Gehazi was meant to inherit Elijah’s anointing but he got the leprosy of Naaman instead of the anointing because he took what was not his (2 Kings 5:25-27).

3. Whatever is not yours invites curses into your life: Stolen money invites curses into your life. (Zechariah 5:3-4). Stolen or fraudulent money is cursed money.

4. Taking what is not yours will cost you your placement in time and in eternity: Judas lost his place in eternity because he took what did not belong to him (Acts 1:15-20).

Beloved, may you not lose your place in eternity like Judas Iscariot. Therefore, make up your mind not to take what does not belong to you.
#REMEMBER THIS : "It is in money matters that a person’s true character is confirmed or revealed".
#ASSIGNMENTS :

1. Look away from what does not belong to you.
2. Be contented with what you have no matter how little it is.

#PRAYER : Lord, I ask for the grace to be contented with what I have. Help me not to take what does not belong to me, Lord in Jesus’ Name.
#FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE : "PILLARS OF CHARACTER (10)"
#QUOTE : "Beloved, the fact that everyone is doing a wrong thing does not make it right. Despite what people do, the standard of God remains sure". Culled from "THE ESSENCE OF CHRISTIANITY" by Dr Paul Enenche

#DAILY READING : 2 Samuel 13-16
#AMAZING FACT : Sir Isaac Newton was a devoted Christian to the amazement of many. He was a mathematician, astronomer, craftsman, theologian and physicist. He is best known for his work on gravity. He was a Christian since his youth and wrote passionately in defence of the Christian faith.

#PROPHETIC DECLARATION/WORD : I decree upon your life the grace for contentment in Jesus’ Name.

[Edoman]

OUR DAILY MANNA DEVOTIONAL BOOKLET FOR CHAMPIONS


DATE: WEDNESDAY 4TH MARCH, 2020

TOPIC: WHY STORMS ARE NAMED AFTER PEOPLE
BASIC SCRIPTURE: (DANIEL 6:3-17)

I have wondered why terrible storms are named after men and women! The National Weather Service was mimicking the habit of naval meteorologists, who named the storms after women, much as ships at sea were traditionally named for women.

In 1978–1979, the system was revised again to include both female and male hurricane names. THAT MEANS STORMS ARE NAMED AFTER PEOPLE! Wow! We have past, terrible storms named KATRINA, BARRY, GAJA, FANI, DENNIS, ODISHA, IRMA, etc.

The International National Hurricane Center has released names of 2020 stormsas Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna, Isaias, Josephine, Kyle, Laura, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paulette, Rene, Sally, Teddy, Vicky and Wilfred.

Ah! I can even see Josephine, Laura, Vicky, Isaiah, Nana, etc, there! Watch out for these names this year! But what the Holy Ghost wants you to know is that INDEED, MOST OF THE STORMS YOU WILL ENCOUNTER WILL COME FROM PEOPLE!

No wonder William Blake opined: “It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend.” Joseph’s brothers were the cause of his storms! King Saul pursued David all through most of his youthful days! Men killed Jesus!

Judas betrayed Him! Abraham was scorned by LOT! Moses was ENVIED by Miriam. The friends of Daniel were the reason for his storms. Indeed, a man’s enemies are not plants or animals! A man’s enemies are members of his own house! Watch and pray this year! Trust nobody!

I remember Caitlyn Siehl: “Do not fall in love with people like me. I will take you to museums, and parks, and monuments, and kiss you in every beautiful place, so that you can never go back to them without tasting me like blood in your mouth.

 I will destroy you in the most beautiful way possible.
And when I leave you will finally understand why storms are named after people.” Did you get that? Storms are named after people! People are desperately wicked! The heart of man is bloody! Those you trust will betray you! Refuse to be bitter or scared as you pray that in 2020, you will meet men and women who will be SHELTERS against the STORMS OF LIFE!

BEST EASTER GIFT: Help a Soul daily! Give out the next ADULT ODM and CHILDREN ODM editions as SPECIAL Easter gifts.

ODM WHEREVER YOU GO! ODM MOBILE APP IS FINALLY OUT! It contains 8 Languages! Wow!

PRAYER POINTS: Take any song of worship as led.

1. Pray over today’s word as led now.
2. I shall not put my eyes on men this year! Decree that in 2020, you will not be a victim of men.
3. Lord, shake away men or women who will cause irreversible storms for my life, family and ministry.
4. Lord, send me STORM SHELTERS this year. Connect me to unforgettable helpers in Jesus name.
5. Pray about today seriously as led now.

THE BIBLE-IN-ONE-YEAR: (JOSHUA 16-18)
BY: BISHOP DR. CHRIS E. KWAKPOVWE (CEK)PUBLISHER/WRITER

[Edoman]

LIVING WATER CAC DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE


Wednesday, March 4, 2020.

DEALING WITH HARD TIMES (II)
Read: 2 Samuel 15:30-32

2 Samuel 15:30-32 But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went; his head was covered and he was barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up.

Now David had been told, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Lord, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.”
When David arrived at the summit, where people used to worship God, Hushai the Arkite was there to meet him, his robe torn and dust on his head.

MEMORISE: Now David had been told, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Lord, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.” (2 Samuel 15:31)

EXPOSITION

Another thing we need, in order to deal with hard times, is hard prayer. Having taken David as our example, we discovered that some of his prayer points in the book of psalms portrayed the picture of a man who was truly passing through hard times (Psa. 6:10; 7:6; 9:3; 18:37-40; 27:12; 35:19; 37:20; 54:5; 68:1,21).

David passed through different difficult times/
situations. One of them was the time his biological son, Absalom, rebelled against him, and finally dethroned him, forcing him to leave the city barefooted and wailing. His prayers that time is recorded in psalm 3. 

The answer could have been the death of the rebellious son. Even though he wouldn't want the child to die, yet the prayer-answering God who wouldn't want the child to die, yet the prayer-answering God who wouldn't condone evil and injustice, fought for David, in that tough time. David's sincere prayers at this time dismantled his enemies and reinstated him.

When David heard that Ahithophel was with Absalom in the conspiracy, he knew who was and how effective his counsel could be, hence his prayer, O Lord, I pray turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness! (2 Sam. 15:31b). 2 Samuel 17:14-23 gives the picture of how God answered that simple but mighty prayer.

Satan usually masterminds hard times to weaken Christians and makes them give up their faith and trust in God. Whatever that weakens your spirit has already conquered you. 

To deal with hard times, develop your prayer life. To be a victorious Christians, constantly face your hard times with unrelenting prayers. Learn from the early church's experience and response (Act 12:5). Don't allow any circumstances take the strength of prayer (the weapon you need to calm situations) from you.

PRAYER POINTS

1. Endow me, O Lord, with the grace and strength to pray unrelentingly, to face and overcome all challenges of life.
2. Help believers who are beings challenged in one area or the other of their lives, to be unrelenting in their faith and prayers, O Lord.
3. Father, let there be revival of prayer in our mission like the early days.

EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Numbers 11-13 & Luke 21
Good morning and happy new day to you. Goodness and mercy shall encompass you always, in Jesus name Amen.
Remember Jesus comes soon. Are you prepared?!