Daily Devotional for Wednesday 23rd September

[Edoman]

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES


WEDNESDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER.



LIVING IN CHRIST BY PASTOR CHRIS 
OYAKHILOME.


So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him (Colossians 2:6 NIV).

On a certain day, as Jesus taught in one of the synagogues, He noticed a woman who was bent double; she couldn’t straighten herself. She had been in that condition for eighteen years. Then, Jesus said to her, “...Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God” (Luke 13:12-13).


Before we review Paul’s amazing submission in the verse above, let’s read what he said in the 20th verse: “Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances” (Colossians 2:20). Notice his amazing communication; he says the Christian doesn’t live in this world, in this natural plane of life. Where then does the Christian live? He lives in Christ!


Christ is the home and new environment of the one who’s born again. Notice 2 Corinthians 5:17; it says, “If any man be in Christ…”; Christ is a place. You’re not supposed to be affected, ruled or influenced by the rudiments of this world, because you live in a different environment. In that environment, everything is perfect; there’s no failure, weakness, defeat, sickness, disease, poverty or anything of darkness. We only have God’s glory and righteousness.


Now you can better understand what we read in our opening verse; “just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him.” Living in Christ is living in the kingdom of heaven in the earth, with absolute mastery over circumstances, shielded, nourished and protected by His divine power. Hallelujah!



PRAYER

Christ is my home; Christ is my life and Christ is my all! In Him I live, and move and have my being. His glory is all I see, have and experience. I’m not subject to circumstances; rather, I reign and manifest the glory and righteousness of Christ, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.



FURTHER STUDY

Philippians 3:20-21 AMPC; Romans 8:1; 2 Corinthians 5:17


1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Ephesians 1:1-14 & Isaiah 11-12


2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
1 Timothy 6:1-16 & Jeremiah 41












#AFFIRMATIONTRAIN 23RD SEPTEMBER


I affirm that Christ is my wisdom; I have insight into mysteries and secrets; I know how things run, and I know how to tame the circumstances of life to conform to God’s perfect will for my life. Hallelujah! 


Daily, I am propelled by the force of wisdom to say and do the right things, the right way, for God’s glory and purpose. 


I am filled with all the fulness of God; thus, I am energized on the inside for the supernatural. I think and talk differently because the Word of God has renewed my thinking and given me the mind of Christ. 


Hallelujah! I’ve been ushered into a life of unlimited possibilities, victories, and dominion by the wisdom of God. 


There’s no regret or uncertainty in my path because I live in, and by, the Word! Everywhere I go, and in everything I do, divine wisdom is heard in my words, and seen in my actions! 


I live and function in God’s perfect will, having insight into ther realitiesof the Kingdom. Hallelujah! God’s divine blessings and promotions are evident in my life. 


My eyes are empowered to see the right opportunities because the wisdom of God has made His home in the quarters of my heart. 


I function from the standpoint of advantage, power, and excellence. I live in triumph over circumstances, in total fulfilment, joy, glory, and dominion! Blessed be God!







God bless you

[Edoman]

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 


DATE: WEDNESDAY, 23RD SEPTEMBER, 2020.

TOPIC: LOOKING UNTO JESUS

MEMORISE
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” - (Hebrews 12:2)

READ: Hebrews 12:1-4 (KJV)

1. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

4. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

MESSAGE

Who you look to will determine how far you go in life. It can be a distraction sometimes to be surrounded by people who you think can help you as it would become hard for you to look to God for everything you need. What can man give to you? Can man keep you alive? Man cannot even heal himself. If he gives you money, can he give you prosperity? Rather than run after men, spend time chasing God. God can turn your life and that of your generation around forever. You don’t need an appointment to see God; He is everywhere and willing to help you.

A life that looks to Jesus is a life of peace, joy and love. A person who looks to Jesus would not depend on any man to live; his future is secured in Jesus Christ.

The Christian faith is a race and we cannot finish the race without the help of God. Our confidence in succeeding in this race is placed in Jesus Christ! We are encouraged to look unto Him and Him alone. Turn away from your past - failures, successes, sins and so on, and look unto Jesus Christ. We look to Christ because of who He is, what He did and where He reigns.

Who is He? He is the author and finisher of our faith. Jesus knows everything about our earthly race. Indeed, He ran His in faith because He is the author and finisher of faith. He is the perfect example to follow.

When we look up to Jesus; He will perfect what He began in us. Those who look unto God cannot be put to shame. You cannot trust in God and be put to shame.

“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.” - Psalms 121:1-2

Never look unto man; look to Jesus alone, He is higher than the highest. He is a very present help when you are faced with life’s challenges (Psalms 46:1).

ACTION POINT
Never shift your gaze off Jesus no matter what comes your way.

AUTHOR: Pastor E. A. Adeboye

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Esther 6 - 10

HYMNAL:
HYMN 19 - MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS

1. My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus name.

CHORUS:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

2. When darkness seems to veil His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

3. His oath, His covenant, and blood,
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

[Edoman]

*MORNING TEA☕*


*WEDNESDAY 23 SEPTEMBER 2020?*

* A HABIT OF PRAYER⚓️*

*TODAY’S SCRIPTURE?* 
To You, O *LORD*, I called, and to the *LORD* I made supplication. 
_*(Psalm 30:8, NASB)*_

_*Psalm 30:8 KJV*_
I cried to thee, O *LORD*; and unto the *LORD* I made supplication.

*TODAY’S WORD?*
GOD promises so many things to those who call on Him. He is always listening; He is always ready to receive us when we come to Him. The question is, how often are you calling on Him? A lot of times people think, “Oh, I need to pray about that,” but then they get busy about their day and distracted with life. Thinking about praying isn’t the same as praying. Knowing that you need to pray isn’t the same as praying. We have to be diligent to make time every day, throughout the day, to stop and pray and call on Him.

One way to develop a habit a prayer is to have a prayer partner, a friend whom you agree to connect with and pray together. It doesn’t have to be long or formal. The Scripture tells us there is power in agreement. When two or more come together in *JESUS*' name, He is there. If you don’t have a prayer partner, *JESUS* will be your prayer partner! Just make sure you carve out time each day to develop a habit of prayer!

*A PRAYER FOR TODAY??* 
Father, thank You for Your promises and many blessings for those who are faithful to seek You in prayer. Help me to be faithful, help me to be diligent to keep you first in everything I do. In *JESUS*’ Name. Amen.

[Edoman]

*RESTORATION TODAY* 


WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

*TOPIC: STRIKE FIRST*

“…and David put his hand in his bag and took thence a stone, and slang it and smote the Philistine in his forehead that the stone sunk into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to the earth.” 1 Samuel 17:49


*MESSAGE*
Israel fought her Arab neighbors in what has now been popularly known as the six-day-war in 1967. This war changed the map of the Middle East establishing Israel as the region’s dominant military force.

Few days before this war, the United Nations Peacekeepers were expelled from Egypt. The Red Sea was closed to Israeli ships, the Arab armies gathered at the border of Israel. At this time the whole world thought the 19-year-old nation would come to an end, just like it was thought that Donald Trump could never win Hillary Clinton. However, something happened on the eve of the Israeli war, Israeli army general shouted and demanded for the Prime Minister. 

He said “There’s no need waiting for the d’day; let us strike first to be sure of victory.” That night, Israeli army attacked and destroyed the Egyptian Air force and destroyed Egypt’s air power on the ground before the war began. This caused Israeli army to destroy the combined forces of Egypt, Jordan, Syria and the Allied Forces.

This is a spiritual principle—the same principle that David applied as he fought Goliath: he struck first. In other words, don’t way for the devil to attack you before you respond; in spiritual warfare, always be a step ahead of the devil and his cohorts by being ready to launch an attack on them even before they attack you.

*ACTION POINT*
 ?️  Being proactive in spiritual warfare assures you of victory. Be at alert always.

*SCRIPTURES*
Exodus 14:26-28; Exodus 15:21; 2 Samuel 18:5

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. Father, please help me to be vigilant and always ready to strike the enemy first in spiritual warfare.

2. Lord, give me the grace to obey the leading of Your Spirit in me in Jesus’ name.

3. Help me to be proactive in all my endeavours in life in Jesus’ name.

*THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR* 
1 Kings 15:1-32, Jer. 26, Col. 3:1-5-4:1