Daily Devotional for Monday 2nd November

[Edoman]

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES 


MONDAY 2ND NOVEMBER.



WALK IN WISDOM


But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30).


Some Christians get very excited when they read our opening verse, and then get confused when they read James 1:5 which says, ”If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” Since Christ has been made unto us wisdom, why then should one still ask for wisdom? they wonder.


Those two references aren’t contradictory at all; rather, it’s about levels of maturity in Christ. As you study the Scriptures, you’ll find that there’re different instructions for different groups of Christians on the basis of their maturity. Some are addressed to the babes in Christ; others, to the maturing in Christ, and then there’re instructions for the ”fathers” or the spiritually mature in Christ.


The one who’s still a babe in Christ may quote and confess that Christ is his wisdom, yet he hasn’t reaIIy caught it. His words and actions may still be incongruous with the Word and wisdom of God. He isn’t yet manifesting wisdom, which is a fruit of righteousness. He still acts and thinks like the rest of the world, like those without wisdom. So, James admonishes those in that class to ask for wisdom.


Remember, it’s ”children” that ask for things. Jesus said, “...Ask, and it shall be given you”; He related it to children asking their father for bread (Luke 11:9-12). The spiritually mature don’t ask for anything, because they lack nothing in Christ. This is the level God wants you to grow into, where you know that all things are yours; you’re not asking for wisdom, but walking in wisdom. Hallelujah!



PRAYER

Dear Father, I thank you for your wisdom that’s at work in my spirit, which is also increased even now through the Word that I’ve received today. I live out the Word, and therefore walk in your glory, fulfilling your perfect will and bringing many to righteousness, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.


FURTHER STUDY

Acts 20:32; Proverbs 4:5-9

1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Hebrews 2 & Jeremiah 36-37

2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
1 Peter 1:13-25 & Ezekiel 33










#TALKINGSESSION 




Righteous Father, I am so grateful for Your boundless blessings in my life. Thank You for the power of the Spirit that is at work in me to effectively minister the Gospel to those in my world, and the regions beyond. 

Your grace is released even now for hearts to be touched and converted by the news of Your saving power. I am called, justified, and glorified according to Your divine predestination. 

Your call on my life is that of honour! I am the chosen of the Lord; therefore, I refuse to cast away the call of God on my life. His call is my only insurance for a glorious life and future.

 I am serving the Lord unreservedly, living for Him, and honouring what He honours. I am always glad and full of praise for the opportunities He gives me for service. 

I walk in the glory of God, and live in the dominion and authority of Christ! Nothing, and no one, can successfully stand against me, as I go forth proclaiming liberty to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, bringing men out of darkness into
the glorious liberty of the sons of God! 


My whole life is about the call; therefore, I refuse to treat it lightly. The only thing that matters to me is the call of God on my life and how to fulfill it. I am fulfilling that call by the power of the Spirit. Daily, I give attention to God’s Word and His call on my life. 


I’ve made the decision to follow the Spirit, not the world or the flesh. His desires are my desire. As I serve Him truly and wholeheartedly, He fills my life with His beauty, grace, glory, and honour, in Jesus’ Name. Amen. Hallelujah!







God bless you

[Edoman]

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL


DATE: MONDAY 2ND NOVEMBER 2020

THEME: THE SAINTS AND THE WICKED

MEMORISE:

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:8

READ: 2 Thessalonian 1:5-10

5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;

7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

MESSAGE:

The wicked are people who do not know God and those who probably know Him but do not seek Him (Psalm 10:2-13). Their lifestyle shows that they don’t believe in the gospel of Christ and that they do not have any regard for God. On the other hand, there are saints- the people of God; these are the people who believe. Though they may suffer persecutions and afflictions for the Kingdom, they remain faithful children of God.

Paul assumes the saints who have believed and remain steadfast even in their afflictions that God will grant them relief and their afflictions would come to an end in due course. Christ will be glorified in them, and they in Him (2 Thessalonians 1:12). On the other hand, God will repay the persecutors with affliction; He will mete out justice. He says in 2 Thessalonians 1:9 that the retribution will be:
 “…. everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;”

The wicked would not cease to exist because of God’s final judgment, rather they would be deprived of being in God’s presence forever.

Daniel also declared:
“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2

Jesus described the judgment thus “ Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal (Matthew 25: 41, 46). Revelation describes the fate of the wicked thus:” … and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” (Revelation 20:10).

Beloved, a life without Christ is one full of crises – both when the fellow is alive, and even after death. Too many people pay lip service to following Christ but actually do not in real sense of it. Examine your life and choose to deny yourself and follow Christ daily to escape eternal damnation.

REFLECTION:

Which are you: wicked or saint?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:   Mark 11
John 12

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 8: HAVE YOU BEEN TO JESUS.
1. Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

o Refrain:
Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

2. Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

3. When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Will your soul be ready for the mansions bright,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?

4. Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
Oh, be washed in the blood of the Lamb!

[Edoman]

*MORNING TEA☕*


*MONDAY 2 NOVEMBER 2020?*

*GARMENT OF PRAISE⚓️*

*TODAY’S SCRIPTURE?*
"And provide for those who grieve…a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the *LORD*for the display of his splendor."   
_*(Isaiah 61:3, NIV)*_

_*Isaiah 61:3 KJV*_
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion...the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the *LORD*, that he might be glorified.

*TODAY’S WORD?*
What are you wearing today? Not on your physical body, but what’s covering your mind and emotions? Are you clothed with despair and disappointment? Are you wearing “heaviness?"
If you’ve recently gone through a hurtful or disappointing situation, the Bible says there is a time to grieve. It’s important to go through that process and release the hurt to GOD. But the Bible also says that GOD wants to give you a garment of praise instead of a spirit of heaviness or despair. He wants to exchange your hurt for His healing. He wants to fill you with His peace and joy.

Are the garments of yesterday holding you back and weighing you down? Maybe it’s time to exchange that heaviness for His garment of praise. Maybe it’s time to release those heavy burdens. It’s time to forgive those who have hurt you and begin to praise your way to victory! Just start right now by thanking Him for the life you have today. Thank Him for the opportunities today has to offer. Thank Him for the beautiful sunrise. When you wear that garment of praise, you’ll stand strong and display His splendor all the days of your life!

*A PRAYER FOR TODAY??* 
"Father, I humbly come to You giving You my old garments of despair and heaviness. Make me new today. Give me a garment of praise so that I can joyfully embrace the new season You have for me in *JESUS*' name. Amen."

[Edoman]

*RESTORATION TODAY* 


MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2020

*TOPIC: IN THE STORMS OF LIFE*

“And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?” Mark 4:40

*MESSAGE*
In the passage where our text today comes from (Mark 4:35-41), Jesus told his disciples that they should cross over to the other side of the sea of Galilee. In spite of the fact that He was the One Who gave the idea for this journey, however, a great storm still arose and rocked their boat. The disciples thought they were going to die. They were even more alarmed when they found Jesus asleep on a pillow in the midst of the storm and woke Him up. The story ended with Jesus rebuking the storm, commanding peace to prevail and admonishing His disciples to have faith.

*Here are two (2) lessons we can learn from this story about the storms of life:*

1. *When in a storm, you must trust what God has told you.*
When Jesus said, ‘Let us cross over to the other side’ there wasn’t a big enough wave to take them under, no matter how threatening. What has God promised you? Standing on that won’t keep you from getting scared or soaked, but it’ll keep you from sinking.

2. *You must remind yourself who’s in the boat with you.*
If the Lord can calm a storm, he can prevent one. So when He permits you to go through storms it’s to show you that you don’t have a problem He can’t solve; that you may be powerless in the situation but He’s not; and that through this experience you’ll come to know Him in a way you have never known Him before. 

*ACTION POINT*
 ?️  So learn these lessons well and come out stronger on the other side

*SCRIPTURES*
Mark 4:35-41

*PRAYER POINTS*
1. Lord, thank you for always being with me in any storms;

2. Lord, we receive grace to come out strong from the crises facing the world right now in the name of Jesus.

3. Lord, we believe; help our unbelief.

*THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR* 
1 Chro. 15, Ezek. 16:1-34, John 5:24-47