by dailyd | Sep 24, 2018 | Open Heavens
Topic: Fruits of Repentance
Memorise: “Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:”- Matthew 3:8
Read: Luke 15:11-22 (KJV)
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
Bible in One Year: Isaiah 1-3, Mark 12:28-13:2
MESSAGE:
The proof of genuine repentance is doing those things you promised God at the altar when you gave your life to Christ. In Luke 15:18, the prodigal son repented of his ways and said:
“I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,”
The fruit of his repentance is manifested here in Luke 15:20a & 21:
“20a And he arose, and came to his father… 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.”
Many times we see people confessing their sins to God and promising Him never to go back to them again, but as soon as they leave the altar of repentance, they begin to live their lives as before. This suggests that their repentance was not genuine. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says:
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
Beloved, can you sincerely say that old things have passed away in your life? The truth of the matter is that it takes conscious and determined effort to bear the fruits of repentance. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 and Ephesians 4:24-32 contain some practical guidance for bearing fruits of repentance; please take time out to read through these passages.
When a fellow who was stealing before his confession of faith in Christ stops stealing, we can say he or she is bearing fruits of repentance. An adulterous woman who for the sake of Christ sacks all her sin partners, thereby losing all the “fringe benefits” of her extramarital wanderings, can be said to be bearing fruits of repentance. When an alcoholic scraps the drinking bar in his or her expansive living room to begin hosting Christian gatherings in that space, sharing the word of God over cups of tea, we can say that such a fellow is bearing the fruit of repentance. This indeed was the first thing my friends noticed in me after I became born again. Any time they came to my house and asked for brandy, I offered them soft drinks. They would laugh at me and tell me to admit that I was just broke. I would tell them that although the money was there to buy brandy, my Lord Jesus Christ would not want me to drink alcohol or serve it to others. One by one they stopped visiting my house, which served my best interest as a growing child of God. Beloved, the whole world must recognize that you have actually given your life to Christ when they see undeniable proof of the fruits of repentance in you. A street fighter who is now a peace-maker in the neighborhood is the pride of the Master. God bless you as you bear fruits worthy of repentance in Jesus’ Name.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, help me forthwith to bear fruits that reflect the transformation inside me in Jesus’ Name.
MONDAY HYMN 12: TAKE MY LIFE, AND LET IT BE
1. Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise,
Let them flow in endless praise.
2. Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3. Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose,
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.
5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.
Open Heavens 24 September 2018 Monday Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC. Open Heavens 24 September 2018 Monday Daily Devotional.
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by dailyd | Sep 24, 2018 | Seed of Destiny
Topic: Dealing with the Reproaches of Life
Scripture: Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper. – 2 Kings 5:1
Thought For The Day: Your impact will handle your insult.
A reproach is a situation which causes shame, mockery, disfavour, rejection, and sorrow. A reproach is an attack on a person’s identity; its prime objective is to swallow up the name or identity of the affected person.
The case of a certain crippled man who sat at the gate called “Beautiful” (Acts 3:2) was a good example of reproach. The gate had a name, “beautiful” but the man had no name; he was simply referred to as “a certain man.”
Now, let us look at the keys to dealing with the reproaches of life.
1. Maintaining a life of Impact
Naaman, the Syrian was a leper but he was also an expert warrior (2 Kings 5:1). People who had no leprosy were also in the Army of Syria but Naaman, a leper was appointed Chief of Army Staff because he was far better than the normal people without leprosy; he outperformed others by his impact, ability and war strategies. Naaman decided to make impact despite his setback.
In one of his assignments as an Army General, he led the Syrian Army to raid Israel and they brought a little girl back home as prisoner of war. He impacted and influenced the life of the girl so positively that the girl desired that he, her master, be healed. She then directed him to Prophet Elisha in Israel where he got his healing.
By virtue of impact Naaman could not remain a leper. Your impact will handle your insult.
2. Submit yourself to prophetic instruction.
Naaman was not cleansed of his leprosy until he completely obeyed the instruction of Prophet Elisha (2 kings 5:14).
3. Immerse yourself in the Word.
Naaman dipped himself in the water seven times and he was cleansed. The Word of God is the water that washes away our reproach (Ephesians 5:26).
Beloved, immerse your life in the Word and let it wash off every reproach in your life.
Remember this: Your impact will handle your insult.
Assignments:
1. Ignore your setbacks and focus on your purpose of existence.
2. Value your prophetic covering and heed prophetic instructions.
3. Consistently soak yourself in the Word of God.
FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: DEALING WITH REPROACHES
Prayer: O Lord, I look up to You. Let Your glory radiate on me and displace every reproach around my life, Lord in Jesus’ Name.
Quote: Who is behind you is stronger than what is in front of you. Culled from RIDING THE STORMS OF LIFE by Dr Paul Enenche.
Amazing Fact: A human skeleton renews itself completely every 10 years.
Today In History: 24th September, 1988 – Ben Johnson wins the 100m gold at the Seoul Olympics and reaffirms his position as the world’s fastest man.
Daily Reading: Isaiah 43:14 to 45:10, Ephesians 3: 1 to 21, Psalm 68:1 to 18, Proverbs 24:1 to 2.
Today’s devotional was written by Pastor Paul Enenche of the Dunamis International Gospel Centre (DIGC), headquartered at Abuja, Nigeria, with Pastor Paul and Becky Enenche, as the Senior Pastors. It is a power-packed arena where God’s Presence, Principles and Power are at work for the salvation, healing and restoration of human destinies and dignities
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by dailyd | Sep 24, 2018 | More
Topic: A Living Presence
A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. — Luke 2:32
If we could look through mighty telescopes or listen to electronic soundings, we could hear and see the metallic stars which both Russia and America have put into space in the past years. None of these synthetic stars have brought peace to the world. But God’s star promised peace to the whole world, if man would believe and trust.
Too often man’s synthetic stars bring fear and anxiety. Our gadget-filled paradise, suspended in a hell of international insecurity, certainly does not offer us the happiness of which the last century dreamed.
But there is still a star in the sky. There is still a song in the air. And Jesus Christ is alive. He is with us, a living presence, to conquer despair, to impart hope, to forgive sins, and to take away our loneliness and reconcile us to God.
Prayer for the day: Your peace reaches all who love and trust You, living Lord Jesus. Beloved Savior, I praise Your holy name!
Written by Billy Graham, Founder of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association(BGEA). BGEA exists to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ by every effective means and to equip the church and others to do the same.
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by dailyd | Sep 24, 2018 | More
Topic: Understanding Truth
Luke 20:44 “David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?”
Text: Luke 20:41-44
Jesus took an apparent contradiction in scripture and through combining these paradoxical statements (concerning the humanity and deity of Christ) brought forth the truth that Christ is God in human flesh. Both assertions (the fact that Jesus was David’s son and yet David’s Lord) were right at the same time.
It was correct that Christ was David’s son and it was also correct that Christ was David’s Lord. This meant that Christ also was God. However, Christ was not exclusively David’s son nor was He exclusively David’s Lord. These two truths had to be combined to arrive at the whole truth. No truth of God’s Word stands independent of the other truths in God’s Word.
A lack of balancing truth with truth is usually the cause of much contention among men when interpreting scriptures. Some argue that everything is by grace, while others emphatically state that without faith it is impossible to please God. The Bible teaches us that we need both grace and faith to be born again – not one without the other. The same is true of faith versus works, and many other truths in God’s Word. Error can simply be truth taken to an extreme at the expense of other truths.
One of the concerns of many Christians is, “How can I know I’m thinking and acting properly?” If we seek the Lord with a pure heart and singleness of purpose, then the Lord will show us anything we need to change. In other words, all we have to do is focus on the Lord with a pure heart, and He promises to show us any error. The only people who need to fear that they might be deceived are those who are not seeking the Lord with a pure and single-minded heart.
This message was written by The Association of Related Ministries International (ARMI) is an extension of Andrew Wommack Ministries (AWM). ARMI is a unique partnership committed to providing resources to help like-minded ministers succeed in a spirit of excellence and to draw from the experience and expertise of both the AWM and Charis Bible College staff. (www.awmi.net).
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by dailyd | Sep 23, 2018 | RCCG Teacher M
Topic: An Accuser of the Brethren?
Memorise: “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”– Mark 11:25
Read: Revelation 12:10-11 (KJV)
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Bible in One Year: Song of Solomon 5-8, Mark 12:13-27
Open Heavens 23 September 2018 Sunday MESSAGE:
As revealed by today’s Bible reading, the devil is the “accuser of the brethren”. It is unfortunate that some people ignorantly possess this attribute of the devil. How can a person be an accuser of the brethren without knowing it? The answer is simple: when you refuse to forgive those who wronged you, you are passively accusing him or her as an evil doer. The practical implication of refusing to forgive those who have wronged you is that you become a prosecuting witness against a brother or sister. You are therefore on the side of the devil in heaven’s court litigating against your own brethren. It’s therefore wise to heed the words of Jesus in Mark 11:25:
“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
Many professing children of God find it difficult to forgive. One wonders if such people have ever experienced the joy of forgiveness from God or man before. Unfortunately for them, the fellow they are accusing in their heart may not even know about it, or may even have settled their case with God, thereby obtaining forgiveness and justification through the Blood of Jesus Christ (Revelation 12:11, Hebrews 12:24). For this reason, Romans 8:34 asks a rhetorical question and answers it saying:
“Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”
May you not be found guilty of working against Christ’s ministry of intercession through unforgiveness.
Beloved, who are you directly or indirectly accusing relentlessly? Of course, he or she might have wronged you; nevertheless, the Lord is saying that you should forgive the fellow. Once you do, he or she is no longer an offender to you, and so, no accusation originates from you anymore. The reward for this is revealed in Matthew 5:7 which says:
“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”
The good news today is that the God who is asking us to forgive and forget has demonstrated the same towards us when He through Christ forgave our sins. Have your sins been forgiven? If you have not experienced the joy of forgiveness, confess your sins today and you will receive the mercy of God without measure.
Father, please forgive my known and unknown sins, and teach my heart to forgive others in Jesus’ Name.
Sunday HYMN 15: Nearer My God To Thee
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!
Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
Darkness comes over me, my rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I’d be nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!
There let me see the sight, an open Heaven;
All that Thou sendest me, in mercy given;
Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!
Then, with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise;
So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!
Open Heavens 23 September 2018 Sunday Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC. Open Heavens 23 September 2018 Sunday Daily Devotional.
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