Morning Devotional For Saturday 4th, August

[Edoman]

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES


SATURDAY, 4TH AUGUST

KNOWING HIM BEYOND THE SENSES.

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God (Ephesians 3:19).

I want you to observe the Apostle Paul’s choice of words carefully; he said, “And to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge....” How can you know something that surpasses knowledge? Here, he distinguishes between two kinds of knowledge: revelation knowledge and scientific knowledge. The word translated “know” above is “ginosko,” which means knowledge by revelation.

The other word translated “knowledge,” is the Greek word “gnosis,” which is knowledge based on science or intellectual activity. This is knowledge gained through the natural senses. Understanding the love of Christ is beyond scientific or intellectual knowledge; it requires the revelation of the Spirit.

In science, there’re no absolutes; all its laws are based on theories and assumptions. However, in revelation knowledge, there’re no assumptions. Science can’t unveil to you the passion of Jesus Christ, which He demonstrated on the cross of Calvary. No matter what books of this world you study, you’ll never get to know the significance and import of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

You may have an idea, but you won’t have the understanding; that can only be granted you by revelation of the Word of God.
Our opening verse means, knowing the love of Christ beyond your senses and human definitions. You can be a Christian for many years, or even a preacher, and still not know what the love of Christ is.

Our calling is to know and express the love of God. Part of the ministry of the Spirit in your life is to grant you this revelation knowledge; He teaches you the Word, and grants you insight into the secrets and mysteries of the Kingdom. Therefore, relying on Him, and affirming that He’s with you to teach you and unveil the Word to you as you study, is very important.

PRAYER
Dear Father, thank you for opening my eyes to see that true knowledge can only be found in your Word. By being born again, I’ve been initiated into this specialised knowledge that divinely energises and enables me to walk in your fullness, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.

Philippians 3:8-10 Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;


1-Year Bible Reading Plan
Romans 8:1-17 & Psalms 68-69

2-Year Bible Reading Plan
Ephesians 5:25-33 & Isaiah 55






#AFFIRMATIONTRAIN


4TH AUGUST.

I affirm that the Lord God is the source of my prosperity! I am established in God’s righteousness, planted in the house of the Lord; therefore, I flourish like the palm tree, with grace and glory! I bring forth fruit in season, and out of season because I am like a tree planted by the waters, ever in blossom. The anointing of the Spirit is at work in me in an increasing measure. I am a carrier of God’s grace, power, and glory.

I am an extension God, and through me, He carry out His divine purpose in this world to touch, bless, heal, uplift, strengthen, and inspire others. I am lifted and transported by the Holy Ghost into the glorious and higher realms of life, where I only see and relate with the realities of the Kingdom. The zeal for the things of the Spirit and for the expansion of God’s Kingdom has consumed me. I am a burning and a shining light; I am fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, putting on righteousness as a breastplate, with my feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. I am full of passion for extraordinary impact with the Gospel. I am a true and dependable minister of the Gospel, an ambassador of Christ.

I am effective today in turning many to righteousness, and from darkness to light, through the power of the Holy Spirit that is at work in me mightily. I shine as a star forever, because I am a soul winner; touching and impacting my world with blessings. Glory to God. Hallelujah!

SPEAK IN OTHER TONGUES NOW

• Be bold to say the same things that God has said concerning you in His Word. That is what takes you beyond salvation, to enjoy the benefits of salvation ~ Pastor Chris Oyakhilome.

God bless you.

[Edoman]

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL

THEME: Laughter From Divine Visitation I

DATE: Saturday August 4th 2018

Memorise: And there was great joy in that city. Acts 8:8

Read: Genesis 18:1-14 (KJV)

1 And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:

4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:

5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.

6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.

7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.

8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

13 And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

14 Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

Bible in one year: Job 5-8, Matthew 13:24-44

MESSAGE:-
There is a link between divine visitation and laughter. When God comes visiting, He ensures He leaves behind something to laugh about before He departs.

We see this manifested when Philip the evangelist took the presence of God to Samaria with the preaching of the gospel. The aftermath of this divine visitation was laughter (Acts 8:5-8). Today’s Bible reading also narrates how Abraham invited the presence of God into his tent without even knowing it. Because Abraham was given to hospitality, he was just doing what he knew how to do best. Little did he know that he was entertaining the angels of the Lord! After this visit, he and his wife received something to laugh about.

When you visit God in His sanctuary, you go home with what your faith can carry. A divine visitation is more awesome than this. During a divine visitation, the Almighty comes to you with his entourage, loaded with blessings, many of which money cannot buy.

If God were to judge Sarah by her faith, she would have received nothing from Him. However, as Sarah’s case shows, when God comes visiting, He has already made up His mind to bless you regardless of the level of your faith. Many things happen when you receive an unexpected divine visitation, one of which is that God accepts your offering. When God was passing by Abraham’s tent, Abraham did not even know that it was God coming his way. Nevertheless, he extended an in visitation which activated this life-changing visit, which had been preordained by God Himself. It is therefore no surprise that God readily accepted his invitation and also accepted his offerings of food and drink. I pray that God will today accept your invitation of His presence into your life for salvation, healing, breakthrough, joy and great laughter. I also pray that He will accept the offering of your life to Him in Jesus’ Name. When the Shunammite woman invited Elisha into her home, little did she know that she was attracting a divine visitation into her life (2nd Kings 4:8-17).

Because God wanted to bless her, He accepted her invitation to abide under her roof through His prophet. As a result of this, the man of God was moved by God to consider that this woman who had been meeting his needs and those of this servant must also have a need of her own to be met. When he asked what he could do for her, she said she needed nothing. Thank God his servant recognised the one need which money could not buy in her life: she had no child and her husband was old. Nine months later, she was carrying her baby. You should learn from this woman’s experience that your need cannot be met unless you realise that you have a need. I pray that the Almighty God will choose your home for His abode today, and this gesture will be a point of contact for meeting your age-long needs in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point:
Father, please visit me today and cause me to laugh in Jesus’ Name.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional Lessons was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical Churches in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.

Sing hymn 6

A NEW THING
(Tune: There shall be showers of Blessing)
We will soon shout Halleluiah
Because God will do new things
Sinners will be forgiven
Prodigals will come home soon.

Chorus:
Shout Hallelujah
Because God will do new things
Rivers in desert now flowing
Hallelujah to our king.

We will soon shout Hallelujah
Because God will do new things
Sickness and sorrow will be gone
Bondage will be forgotten.

We will soon shout Hallelujah
Because God will do new things
The barren will be faithful soon
Failure will be forgotten.

We will soon shout Hallelujah
Because God will do new things
Poverty will be forgotten
Stagnancy will soon be gone.

We will soon shout Hallelujah
Because God will do new things
To all miracles are given
There shall be celebrations


We will soon shout Hallelujah
Because God will do new things
Many will have testimonies
Of prayer answered fully.

We will soon shout Hallelujah
Because God will do new things
One of us will chase a thousand
Two will conquer ten thousand

We will soon shout Hallelujah
Because God will do new things
Songs of praises we will sing
Hallelujah to our King.

[Edoman]

Today's SOD - 2018-08-04
TOPIC: MAINTAINING THE RIGHT INFLUENCE OVER YOUR LIFE

(FROM AUGUST 2018 SEEDS OF DESTINY DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY DR. PASTOR PAUL ENENCHE)

SATURDAY 4TH AUGUST,"2018

SCRIPTURE": Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 1 Corinthians 15:33

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: The human (or people) environment of your life affects your atmosphere and attainment in life.

Maintaining the right influence over your life is one of the most important things to do in life. Your life could be influenced directly or indirectly by the kind of friends you keep. Those who speak into your life also influence your life positively or negatively. The influence around your life determines the impact of your life. You cannot have a level of impact on earth higher than the degree of influence around you. Your friendship determines your reach in life. That is why maintaining the right influence is one of the most important things to do in life.

Someone once said that if you can point out the seven closest persons to your life,"you can see your future. If a drunkard, smoker or borrower is your closest friend, then you are face to face with an unpleasant future. Environment determines attainment. The human (or people) environment of your life affects your atmosphere and attainments. The atmosphere of your life determines the achievements of your life.

Beloved, if you are not yet married, be selective in your choice of marriage partner. If you want to get married and you discover that the character of your fiancé or fiancée is not compatible with yours, you need to reconsider your choice and ask God for direction. If what excites you depresses him/her or your passion is his/her pressure, I counsel you to quit that relationship even though you think you have heard God clearly.

My counsel is, select the influence around your life; select the things you listen to, the things you watch on television, the books you read, the people you call friends and the people who speak into your life. Connect with the kind of people who push out your potentials, bring out your best, assist you to fulfil your life’s assignments, and help your relationship with God.

Remember this": The human (or people) environment of your life affects your atmosphere and attainments in life.

ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Carefully select those who influence your life; select what you hear,"watch or who speaks into your life.
2. Ask God to bring the right people your way.
3. Avoid the wrong company; company with people who can and are willing to assist in bringing out the best in you.

PRAYER": O Lord,"I ask that you surround me with the right influence. Deliver me from wrong influences so I can maximize destiny, Lord, in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE": THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN LIFE.

DAILY BIBLE READING: 2 Chronicles 35:1 to 36:23,"1 Corinthians 1":1 to 17,"Psalm 27":1 to 6,"Proverbs 20":20 to 21

AMAZING FACT: Koalas have finger prints like humans; they are the only animals except the primates (apes and humans) who have finger prints.

TODAY IN HISTORY: 04/08/1934 - Mel Ott became the first major league baseball player to score six runs in a single game.

QUOTE: Who you associate with is a confirmation of who you are. Culled from 30 SECRETS TO THE TOP by Dr Paul Enenche.

DON’T FORGET TO ATTEND: The six over flooded Destiny Recovery Services tomorrow by 6 am,"7":20 am,"8":40 am,"10 am 11":20 am & 12:40 pm. Invite someone to church.