by dailyd | Sep 20, 2018 | More
Topic: Do You Surrender?
It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others. — Ephesians 2:10 (TLB)
Happiness and all of the unlimited benefits which flow from the storehouse of heaven are contingent upon our relationship to God. Absolute dependency and absolute yieldedness are the conditions of being His child. Only His children are entitled to receive those things that lend themselves to happiness; and in order to be His child, there must be surrender of the will to Him.
We must admit we are poor before we can be made rich. We must admit we are destitute before we can become children of adoption. When we realize that all our own goodness is as filthy rags in God’s sight, and become aware of the destructive power of our stubborn wills; when we realize our absolute dependence upon the grace of God through faith and nothing more, then we have started on the road to happiness.
Man does not come to know God through works—he comes to know God by faith through grace. You cannot work your way toward happiness and heaven, you cannot moralize your way, you cannot reform your way, you cannot buy your way. It comes as a gift of God through Christ.
Prayer for the day: Ever impress upon us, Lord Jesus, that it is through grace that we came to know You; that it is because of You that we stand righteous before You.
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 19, 2018 | More
Topic: A Fitting Time
Read: Ecclesiastes 3:1–14, Bible in a Year: Ecclesiastes 1–3; 2 Corinthians 11:16–33
He has made everything beautiful in its time. Ecclesiastes 3:11
Yesterday I purchased an airline ticket to send my firstborn child to college. I’m surprised the keyboard on my computer still functions, given the waterworks my eyes unleashed on it during the flight selection process. I have so enjoyed my eighteen years of daily life with her that I am saddened by the prospect of her departure. Yet I wouldn’t rob her of the opportunity that lies ahead simply because I’ll miss her. At this juncture in her life, it is fitting for her to embark on a new journey to discover adulthood and explore another part of the country.
As this season of my parenting draws to a close, another one begins. It will undoubtedly bring both new challenges and new delights. Solomon, Israel’s third king, wrote that God appoints “a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). We humans have little control over the events of our lives—whether we view those events as favorable or not. But God, in His mighty power, makes “everything beautiful in its time” (v. 11).
In seasons of heartache, we can trust God to bring something good from them in time. Our comforts and joys may come and go, but God’s works “will endure forever” (v. 14). We may not relish every season—some are quite painful—yet He can bring beauty to them all.
Prayer: Father, You have permitted this season in my life. Help me to be content in the midst of it, and to recognize Your power and might are at work.
God brings beauty from all seasons.
This message was written By Kirsten Holmberg [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]
Our Daily Bread 18 September 2018 Devotional – Engraved on His Hands
by dailyd | Sep 19, 2018 | More
Topic: A Word About Angels
For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. – Psalm 91:11
It’s time to set the record straight. Angels are not kid stuff. They’re not little fat babies with long blonde hair and bows and arrows in their hands. Angels are big, strong warriors. They are real. They are powerful. And if you are a believer, they are a vital part of your life.
We see examples of what angels can do all through the Bible. For instance, when the children of Israel were fleeing from Egypt with Pharaoh’s army hot on their heels, the Bible tells us that suddenly the wheels on the Egyptians’ chariots got fouled up. They just quit rolling!
Who do you think caused that? The angels, of course!
They haven’t retired since then either. Angels are at work today just as they’ve always been.
A few years ago in one of Israel’s major wars, the enemy had their guns trained on Israeli cities. Those guns were the finest military equipment money could buy. They had a range of at least 20 miles and were equipped with electronic gun sights for accuracy.
But something very odd happened. Every time they fired those guns at the Israelis, they either overshot or fell far short of their targets. We know there was nothing wrong with the guns because later the Israelis captured them and fired them back at the enemy with perfect success.
What happened? Angels, that’s what!
My friend, that isn’t just a fairy tale. That’s a real-life example of the involvement of angels in the lives of God’s people today. And, if you’re a child of God, you have a right to expect God’s angels to do the same kind of things for you.
So, start expecting! Say, “Thank You, heavenly Father, for giving Your angels charge over me to keep me in all my ways.” Once you’ve spoken that word of faith, stand fast. Don’t fear. Don’t waver. Just be patient and keep believing, and you will surely see the salvation of the Lord.
Scripture Reading: Acts 12:1-17
This message was written by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, the leader of the Kenneth Copeland Ministries (www.KCM.org) that specializes in teaching principles of bible faith – prayer, healing, salvation and other biblical topics.
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by dailyd | Sep 19, 2018 | More
Topic: For A Fruitful Land!
Text: Isaiah 32:9-20 (KJV)
Key Verse: “Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest“ (Isaiah 32:15).
MESSAGE:
God has always expressed great displeasure towards any society that allows vices such as corruption, profanity, violence and injustice to characterise its system. Such society has often been visited with divine judgment.
In Israel, at this time, particularly in Judah, the sin of idolatry appeared good to all. The people turned their backs on God and concentrated on pleasures; they no longer looked unto the holy One of Israel, neither did they seek the Lord. Instead they went down to Egypt for help (Isaiah 31:1). Judah was soon to be destroyed and taken into captivity. In the light of this, God, in His infinite mercy, sounded an alarm to the careless women who remained at ease. The requirement for their deliverance and fruitfulness was to tremble and cry out to God in humility until He poured out His Spirit of righteousness upon the land.
Human depravity such as moral decadence, corruption, political dysfunctions, cultism, social vices, love for self more than God and so on are the fruit of ungodliness with which Satan destroys societies today.
For our land to experience true fruitfulness (spiritually and physically), believers must not fold their hands and stay aloof. We must rise up as individuals, families and congregations in humility and passionately, persistently seek the Lord in prayers so that His Spirit can reign in the affairs of our land. Then shall our dry and barren land become a fruitful field.
Thought For The Day: A land devoid of God’s presence is full of darkness and disaster.
Bible Reading In One Year: Ezra 4-6; Psalm 137
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
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by dailyd | Sep 19, 2018 | Open Heavens
Topic: The Window of the Heart
Memorise: “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.”– Matthew 6:22
Read: Matthew 5:27-29 (KJV)
27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Bible in One Year: Ecclesiastes 1-3, Mark 10:13-34
MESSAGE:
It is unfortunate that in the Church today, we underestimate the evil effects of nudity and exhibitionism. It has gotten so bad that in some quarters semi-nudity has become a norm. We pretend as if we don’t know or understand the motives behind suggestive dressing and what it triggers in the minds of the opposite sex. It seems a good number of people have lost understanding of the difference between private and public body parts. Today’s memory verse says that the light of the body is the eye and that our eyes should be single. In other words, our eyes should not carry the abominable weights of sinful sights into our hearts. The question is how can the eye be single when it is exposed to what should be covered by men and womenfolk alike. Some women expose their contours and we pretend as if we are blind to it or that our body has suddenly become dead wood. Some men, including some pastors, put on trousers that are fitted to the point of being too tight. The reason why many men are caught in the web of extra-marital wanderings is that their “eye” is double or triple. In other words, they carry many satanic images of the opposite sex in their sub-consciousness. What is the consequence of our eyes not being single? The Lord said the whole body will be full of darkness. No wonder such people grope in darkness towards eventual destruction and experience a bitter ending after the “honey” they were after turns sour.
Pornographic websites have dealt deadly blows to the gentle soul of several people. As saints unto the Lord, we must not engage in viewing such sites, because it is what you see that you desire. If something has not come into your sub-consciousness, particularly through your eyes, you may not crave it. It was after Eve saw the forbidden fruit that she fell in love with it. You will be wise to adopt Job’s principle in Job 31:1, wherein he said:
“I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?”
Our sisters should make a covenant with their bodies that they would not allow it become a stumbling block to others, knowing that causing the fall of a saint is grievous in the sight of the Lord. They should also remember that Beersheba‘s nudity was what ignited David’s woes; he saw it and his eye ceased from being single (2 Samuel 11:2). Our brothers should also learn when not to look or stare. Most importantly, they should mortify the deeds of the body because there will always be daughters of Jezebel around to entice them. Romans 8:13 says:
“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”
Action Point:
Make a covenant with your eyes today that you will not look upon iniquitous sights any more.
Wednesday Hymn 9: Old Rugged Cross
1. On a hill far away
Stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross
Where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
Chorus:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last l lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.
2. O that old rugged cross,
So despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God
Left his Glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
3. In that old rugged cross,
Stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ‘twas on that old cross
Jesus suffered and died
To pardon and sanctify me.
4. To that old rugged cross
I will ever be true,
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then he’ll call me some day
To my home far away,
Where his glory forever I’ll share.
Open Heavens 19 September 2018 Wednesday 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 19 September 2018 Wednesday Daily Devotional.
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