Daily Devotional for Thursday 23rd April

[Edoman]

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES 


THURSDAY 23RD APRIL.



USE YOUR FAITH

…Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God… (Hebrews 11:3).


Some people think it’s nice and humble to always cry to God for help. They think that God loves their “dependency syndrome,” but He doesn’t. Rather, He wants you to effect changes in your life and circumstances with the word of faith on your lips. 

It reminds of a situation with Jesus and His disciples as they sailed in a boat. The Master had fallen asleep in the rear of the boat, and the Bible says, “…there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy” (Luke 8:23).

The disciples ran to him in utter desperation and said, “Master, master, we perish.” The Master, after rebuking the raging tempest, turned to them and said, “Where is your faith?” (Read Luke 8:23-25). 

He made them realize they could have done something about the situation without necessarily coming to Him. He said in Matthew 17:20, “…If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed…nothing shall be impossible unto you.”

With your faith, you can achieve and have anything; you can chart the course of your life to align with God’s will and purpose for you. It makes no difference what has happened or is happening with your finances, job and health or in any area of your life; don’t fret or cry for help! Repair, arrange and reconstruct things in line with God’s perfect will with your confessions of faith.

Whatever confronts you today is no match for your faith. Change the narrative with your faith-filled confessions. Speak, and keep speaking, and you’ll surely see the change that you desire, because Jesus said, “You shall have what you say” (Mark 11:23).

CONFESSION

With the Word of God in my mouth, I frame the kind of life and environment I desire; I arrange and fashion my life and my world to synchronize with God’s perfect will. All things work together for my good. I’m never helpless, for my faith is strong and prevailing. Glory to God!


FURTHER STUDY

Matthew 17:14-20; Hebrews 11:6; Romans 10:6-8


1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Luke 20:1-19; 1 Samuel 18-19

2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Romans 15:1-9; Psalm 127-128






#TALKINGSESSION



KINDLY SAY THESE WORDS OUT LOUD.

Thank You dear Father for Your divine power at work in me to accomplish every task that You’ve planned for me. 

I recognize the working of Your Spirit in me, and thus declare that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 

You’ve perfected all that concerns me and granted me all that I need to live a successful life. My mind is renewed by the Word. 

I am in God's place for my life! I am like a tree planted by the riverside, bringing forth fruits in and out of season. 

Today and always, I am being led in the path of righteousness, wisdom, and glory. Divinity is at work in me for I am a partaker of God's indestructible, indomitable, and imperishable life.

 God's glory and righteousness are revealed in me today, as I speak and apply the Word in all I do. 

Thank You, Father, for the divine impact of Your Spirit—on my physical body. 

I refuse to fear; for the presence of Your Spirit in me paralyzes, destroys, eliminates and dispels every form of sickness, disease or infirmity. 

From the crown of my head to the soles of my feet, I am whole, sound, and excellent, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.


God bless you

[Edoman]

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL


DATE: THURSDAY 23RD APRIL 2020.

THEME: JOY LIKE A RIVER.  

MEMORISE:

 A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. Proverb 15:13

READ: Psalm 51:10-13

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

MESSAGE 

 Joy is a powerful fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is the privilege of every Christian to walk in the light, to have all round peace, and experience joy that flows like a river. There is a difference between happiness and joy; happiness is usually triggered by happenings around a person. A negative turn in circumstances could spoil or ruin happiness. However, joy flows right on through times of trouble, unhindered through dark and difficult periods of life and even in times of persecution or opposition. Nothing hinders the flow of joy because it is not dependent on any earthly condition, but on a spiritual conviction. Joy is an exclusive privilege of the children of God; He gives Hie people perpetual joy as a reward of obedience to His word. Jeremiah 15:16 says:
“Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.”

Joy is divine and is rooted in the word of God. Christians should search for joy through the word and not in the World. This joy propels people to preach to sinners, help the poor, visit the widow and the fatherless, and spread the good news of the kingdom. Therefore, the kind of joy that is not beneficial to others and does nothing to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ is not worth it, and cannot be from God.

There are however, diverse kinds of Joy: there is joy of one’s own salvation, the joy of the salvation of other, and the joy of seeing young converts walking in the truth. The joy that comes from salvation of others surpasses the joy of our own salvation. The blessed privilege of being used of God to win souls to Christ, and to see people being delivered from sin, sickness, poverty, and bondage, is the highest honor anyone can receive. I pray that the joy of the Lord will overflow in you and become a source of joy to the whole world, in the Mighty Name of Jesus. 

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please let joy like a river flow through me to the world, in the Mighty Name of Jesus. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 43-45, 49, 84-85 & 87.
 

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 3:  BE GLAD IN THE LORD AND REJOICE.

1. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice,
All ye that are upright in heart;
And ye that have made Him your choice,
Bid sadness and sorrow depart.
o Refrain:
Rejoice, rejoice,
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice;
Rejoice, rejoice,
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice.

2. Be joyful, for He is the Lord
On earth and in Heaven supreme;
He fashions and rules by His word—
The “Mighty” and “Strong” to redeem.

3. What though in the conflict for right
Your enemies almost prevail?
God’s armies, just hid from your sight,
Are more than the foes which assail.

4. Though darkness surround you by day,
Your sky by the night be o’ercast,
Let nothing your spirit dismay,
But trust till the danger is past.

5. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice,
His praises proclaiming in song;
Let gratefulness give all a voice,
The loud hallelujahs prolong!

[Edoman]

SEEDS OF DESTINY DAILY DEVOTIONAL


BY DR PASTOR PAUL ENENCHE

THURSDAY 23 APRIL, 2020.

TOPIC: THE ENEMY CALLED PRIDE

SCRIPTURE: Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Proverbs 16:18.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Attitude determines altitudes. Your manner of life affects the extent of your rise.

In our study yesterday, we saw that a person with great potentials can be limited in life because of certain factors. 

These limiting factors are the enemies of distinction in life and destiny. There are many people who are born with great potentials but plagued with limitations in life and destiny because of these enemies of destiny.

Now, it is very important to define these enemies of distinction because what is not defined cannot be dealt with; and what is not dealt with can rob one of one's destiny on earth and ultimately one's eternity with God.

Therefore, in order to fulfil destiny, one must pay close attention to these enemies in dealing with them.

Now, one of these limiting enemies of distinction and destiny is Pride.

What is pride? Pride refers to the absence of humility. It is the bankruptcy or deficiency of humility. Pride is a shortage of humility. It is a major enemy of distinction in life.

Please note that attitude determines altitudes. Your manner of life affects the extent of your rise. In the same way, the attitude of arrogance forbids the altitude of eminence. Whenever a man is too big for people, he is weighed down; his weight becomes too big to climb to the top.

Remember this: Attitude determines altitudes. Your manner of life affects the extent of your rise.

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. Cultivate the right attitude for a quality destiny.
2. Avoid the life of pride and arrogance.
PRAYER: Lord, I ask for the grace to develop the right attitude for great destiny. Deliver me from pride and arrogance, Lord, in Jesus Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: ENEMIES OF DISTINCTION (PART 5).

QUOTE: Pride is satan manifested and there is nothing God hates like satan manifested. God had cast him from heaven as a result of pride. That is why the first thing on the list of what God hates is the principal sin of satan - pride. Culled from 'WHO ARE YOU?' by Dr Paul Enenche.

AMAZING FACT: Eagles can live up to seventy years.

DAILY READING: Esther 5-7

PROPHETIC WORD: Every spell of pride and arrogance is broken in Jesus Name. Receive the grace to walk in humility in Jesus Name.

[Edoman]

OUR DAILY MANNA DEVOTIONAL BOOKLET FOR CHAMPIONS


DATE: THURSDAY 23RD APRIL, 2020

TOPIC: JUST AFTER THAT FAILURE!

BASIC SCRIPTURE: (ACTS 2:14-36)

Welcome to another devotional encounter with the STORM STOPPER! Hear Arnold Palmer: “During my 18 years, I came to bat almost 10,000 times.

 I struck out about, 1,700 times and walked maybe, 1, 800 times.

You figure a ballplayer will average about 500 at bats a season. That means I played seven years without ever hitting the ball.” Did you get that? He was playing without results!

Hear Mickey Mantle: “Always make a total effort, even when the odds are against you.” Even when nothing is working or things seem slow, refuse to quit! It is mistake that provoke miracles! It is errors that birth elevation! Yes! It is failures that give birth to fortunes!

Hear Richard Yates: “If you don’t try at anything, you can’t fail… it takes backbone to lead the life you want.”

Indeed, it seems that failure tends to be more public than success. You try to avoid it, and you question yourself every time you have uncommon ideas because you fear to fail. But the simple truth is – no great success was ever achieved without failure. It may be one epic failure.

Or a series of failures – such as Edison’s 10,000 attempts to create a light bulb or Dyson’s 5,126 attempts to invent a bag-less vacuum cleaner. But, whether we like it or not, failure is necessary stepping stone to achieving our dreams. In life, failure should be your teacher and not your cemetery!

STOP CONDEMNING YOURSELF! Failure is delay, not defeat! It is a temporary detour (bend), not a dead end. Failure is something you can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing. AND THAT MEANS YOU ARE AS GOOD AS DEAD!

It was the moral failure of DAVID that gave birth to Psalm 51. FAILURE IS NOT FINAL except you allow it to be so! Peter denied Christ three times! But did Peter’s failure exclude him from success?

No! He restored Peter in a dramatic moment of the Sea of Galilee (John 21:15-17) and Peter became the leader of the disciples, preaching the first evangelical historic message after which more than 3,000 people got saved (Act 2:14-36).

Wow! Sometimes your best days are just after a major failure/mistake! This is because failure and mistake are LADDERS OF MERCY! Move on, trust God and watch God elevate you beyond measure! (Get ready for the Anointing service in 48 hours time! This is your hour)!

PRAYER POINTS: Take Song 2: Standing On The Promises Of God…

1. In your own words, pray over today’s word as led now.
2. LORD, help me to face life and win! Help me to face life and conquer!
3. I receive elevating grace to win over every seed of past failure and past mistakes in Jesus name.
4. Oh you my destiny, you shall not be buried in the ocean of MISTAKES and past ERRORS! I 
DETERMINE TO MOVE ON!
5. Sometimes your best days are just after a major failure/mistake! Lord God of Peter, use every mistake and error of my past to RE-WRITE my DESTINY STORY again this year in Jesus name Pray it seriously for 5 days and 5 nights).
6. I scatter every power that says my ELEVATION in 2020 cannot happen in Jesus name! Pray for your local church pastor today.
7. Pray about today seriously now! USE PAGES 7-9 PRAYERS!

THE BIBLE-IN-ONE-YEAR: (2 CHRON. 1-3)
BY: BISHOP DR. CHRIS E. KWAKPOVWE (CEK)PUBLISHER/WRITER

SONG 2: STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF GOD

1. Standing on the promises of Christ my king,
Through eternal ages let his praises ring;
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Saviour;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

2. Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

3. Standing on the promises I now can see
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God.

4. Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.

5. Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
Listening every moment to the Spirit’s call,
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.

[Edoman]

RESTORATION TODAY


THURSDAY, APRIL  23 , 2020.

TOPIC: *BUILDING A STRONG HOME [2]*

"Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep." Psalms 121:1-2 .

*MESSAGE*
*These Two Verses Convey Two Crucial Points. We Considered That The First Yersterday, Let Us Look AT The Second Today.*

*2. The Lord Himself Must Be The Centre Of Our Life And Work.   (verse 2).*
This second verse talks about making a living-working long and hard hours. The point the psalmist is making here is that long, hard hours by themselves will never result in a godly, happy home-only "painful labours." And please note that if the Lord is first in our lives, he will reward us even in our sleep. A godly life includes times of rest and relaxation.

There is an ancient Greek         proverb that says "You will break the bow if you keep it always bent." Think about that. Are you a parent who has become too busy, and always too stressed out? God says He will reward you even in your sleep! Though you may feel too involved and could hardly find time to step back and rest, it is better you do so.

On the other hand, if the Lord is not the very centre of your life, all the labour of a lifetime cannot serve as a substitute for Him. Long hours and painful labours, rising early and going to bed late can never replace your allegiance to the Lord and His presence in your home. Money cannot replace Christ!

So the fundamental instruction on building a happy home is this: Christ must be first. You must be a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and you must marry one who is a believer if you wish to establish your home with full strength and stability. Then, obedience to the commands and principles of Scripture must inform your choices if you hope to build a strong family.

*ACTION POINT*
Are you working so hard that you hardly have time to rest? Accept God's invitation to rest; place Him at the centre of your life, and see things turn around for good.

*SCRIPTURES*
Matthew 11:28-29; Psalm 127:1-5.

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. Father, thank You for the gift of work;

2.  Lord, help me to find the balance between hard work and rest in the name of Jesus;

3. I rebuke the spirit of laziness and poverty from my family in the name of Jesus.

*THE BIBLE OF THE YEAR*
Num. 3 , PS.148-150, Mark 14:27-52 .

[Edoman]

*THE LIVING WATER*


*DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE*

*Thursday, April 23, 2020 - _World Book and Copyright Day_*

*TOPIC: WISDOM: GREATER THAN WEALTH*
*Read Ecclesiastes 4:13-14*

*MEMORISE: _Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; and he shaved, changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh_ (Genesis 41:14)*

*EXPOSITION*

What would be your request from God, if you were given an open cheque, like King Solomon *(1 Kgs. 3:5)?* Many who got rich in life were first considered great in wisdom for it is wisdom that tells you what to do and how best to do them. 

Many world investors were once poor and some abandoned and ‘drop outs’. Wealth is only good and sustainable, if it is managed by wise people. 

That is why some children could not manage their parents’ estates after their demise. But the best wisdom is found in God. 

That is why Solomon, after derailing from the path of God and his godly parent, got off track and regretted his life afterwards. If you find Jesus, you have found wealth and all that makes life fulfilling. Jesus is the wisdom of God *(1 Cor. 1:24);* get Jesus into your life and be all that God wants you to be. Abraham left his idolatrous country and became lord and king in the land of Canaan. Joseph, though poor, his wisdom brought him to the palace, causing him to reign over his people. Wisdom promotes.

Wisdom is not about age, class or position, it is given by God to those who will use it for the benefit of God and humanity. The preacher, in Ecclesiastes chapter 9 verse 14-15, talks about a poor wise man who delivered a whole city by his wisdom. 

Let believers in Christ also learn some lessons from young David who saved his country from the terrible and terrifying oppression from God’s enemies *(1 Sam. 17:45-50)*. Let us learn to seek God through Jesus Christ and rely completely on Him. Note that the wise will always rule their world. So seek wisdom; seek Jesus *(1 Cor. 1:30).*

*PRAYER POINTS*

1. Lord Jesus, You are the true Wisdom of God; give me wisdom, knowledge and understanding.
2. Father, give me the ability to manage my God-given wealth in ways that glorify You and benefit humanity.
3. Lord, please give our political and church leaders the wisdom to manage the church’s/
nation’s affairs for Your glory.

*EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: 1 Samuel 1 – 2 & Acts 26*
*Author: C.A.C WORLDWIDE*
*Remain blessed!*