TOPIC- Press On in Patience
…Be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Hebrews 6:12
You’ve been walking by faith. You’ve been believing God to meet your need. But what do you do when the results seem slow in coming and you are tempted to give up?
Be patient!
There is not much said about patience these days. But, when it comes to receiving from God, it is just as important as faith.
It will make the difference between success and failure for you.
Patience undergirds and sustains faith until the result is manifest. After you have meditated on the promises of God and have them in your spirit, patience will encourage you to hold steady. Patience is power. It has the courage to refuse the lie of Satan that says the Word is not working for you. It knows that God’s Word has never failed. Patience will not draw back in fear but will press forward in faith until you have the answer.
When the results of your faith seem slow in coming, don’t give up! Continue to put the Word first, with patience, and you will surely receive the promise of God!
Scripture Reading:
Hebrews 10:32-39
About Us:- Hello, we’re Kenneth and Gloria Copeland. For the last 49 years, we’ve been passionately teaching Christians all over the world how to apply the principles of faith found in God’s WORD to their lives.We have seven ministry offices around the world: United States, Canada, Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Ukraine and Latin America. Our God-given directive is to preach and teach the uncompromised WORD of God on every available voice, which is being accomplished through a variety of channels, including our Believer’s Voice of Victory TV and radio broadcasts, podcast and magazine; Believers’ Conventions, Victory Campaigns and Living Victory meetings; published books, website, and social media channels, to name a few. Kenneth Copeland Ministries Daily Devotional March 8 2017- Meet the Living WordWith the expansion of technology, we have more work to do now than ever. We are determined to let the world know Jesus is LORD, and we’re not slowing down anytime soon!
TOPIC- The Miracle of Life
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
—Psalm 19:1–3
here is a language in nature that speaks of the existence of God. It is the language of order, beauty, perfection, and intelligence. Some time ago a scientist told me that when he gave serious thought to the majestic order of the universe and its obedience to unchanging law, he could not help but believe in God. He had become aware that God was speaking through nature.
God speaks in the certainty and regularity of the seasons; in the precision of the movements of the sun, the moon, and the stars; in the regular coming of night and day; in the balance between man’s consumption of life-giving oxygen and its production by the plant life of the earth; and even in the cry of a newborn child with its ever-new dimension of the miracle of life.
Prayer for the day
The beauty of this day will be a constant reminder of the magnificence of You, God.
Mr. Graham is regularly listed by the Gallup organization as one of the “Ten Most Admired Men in the World,” whom it described as the dominant figure in that poll since 1948—making an unparalleled 60th appearance and 54th consecutive appearance in 2015. He has also appeared on the covers of Time, Newsweek, Life, U.S. News and World Report, Parade and numerous other magazines and has been the subject of many newspaper and magazine feature articles and books.
Mr. Graham lost his wife of nearly 64 years, Ruth Bell Graham, in June of 2007. Together they had three daughters, two sons, 19 grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren. Mr. Graham resides in their home in the mountains of North Carolina.
Billy Graham Daily Devotional April 26 2017- The Miracle of Life
TOPIC- GODLY SORROW LEADS TO REPENTANCE
Mark 6:12, "And they went out, and preached that men should repent."
MARK 6:7-12
"Repent" comes from the Greek word, "metanoeo," and literally means to have another mind. Repentance is a necessary part of salvation. Repentance may include Godly sorrow, but sorrow does not always include repentance.
Repentance is simply a change of mind accompanied by corresponding actions. There is a Godly type of sorrow and an ungodly type of sorrow. Godly sorrow leads to repentance. Ungodly sorrow, or the sorrow of this world, just kills.
Our culture has rejected all "negative" emotions. But God gave us the capacity for these negative emotions, and there is a proper use of them. Ecclesiastes 7:3 says, "Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better." People should feel bad about sin. There should be sorrow over our failures. However, this sorrow should lead to repentance. Then, when forgiveness is received, our sorrow should be cast upon the Lord (Isa. 53:4).
Andrew Wommack GODLY SORROW LEADS TO REPENTANCE
The Lord's statements to His disciples, the night before His crucifixion, caused them sorrow (Mt. 26:21-22; Jn. 16:6). If they would have let that sorrow lead them to repentance, then they wouldn't have denied the Lord. Peter's sorrow after his denial of Jesus changed him and, certainly, he never regretted the tears he cried.
The sorrow experienced by those who do not turn to God produces only death. They grieve over their situation because they don't turn to God (that's repentance). Christians should only have sorrow until they repent. Once repentance has come, we need to appropriate the forgiveness and cleansing that are already ours through Christ. Godly sorrow that produces repentance leaves us with no regrets. The positive change that our sorrows led us to, changes our attitude towards the things that caused us sorrow. Let the negatives in your life become positives through Jesus.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF GOD’S CHILDREN – Wednesday April 26th 2017
Memorise: As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 1st Peter 2:2
Read: 1st John 3:1-3 (KJV)
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Bible in one year: Numbers 20-21, Jeremiah 21:1-10, Hymn: Sing hymn 6
MESSAGE:
All those who have accepted the Lordship of Jesus Christ over their life are children of God, by the grace of adoption through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:5). As children of God, while God has some responsibilities to make a success of our walk of faith in this world, we also have some responsibilities we have to bear in this regard. Peter, in today’s memory verse, points out that one of our responsibilities as children of God is to desire things that are beneficial to our spiritual growth. When some new converts become children of God, due to zeal without knowledge, they begin to nurse some good desires which are inappropriate or unhealthy for sustaining their victory in the Christian race. For example, some converts after giving their lives to Christ immediately begin to desire the office of a pastor, evangelist or Christian minister of any sort. Although these are good desires, they are inappropriate and ill-timed. The first responsibility of a believer when he or she becomes a child of God is to desire the sincere milk of the word so that he or she can grow to maturity through it. It is after this that he or she can think of rendering service to the Kingdom work. Open Heavens 2017. Physically speaking, when a little baby desires to eat bread, yam, or rice, such desires could kill him or her. In the same vein, when a newborn believer desires to be a pastor or an evangelist overnight, he or she would not last long. This is the mistake some Christian organisations make when they make converts out of Muslims and traditionalists and immediately turn them into tools of evangelism. The resultant effect is that such converts, without having depth in the word of God, would begin to see themselves as evangelists. Based on my experience and observations, more often than not, such converts don’t last. For this season, children being born into God’s family must take time to study the word of God and become well grounded in it.
In our Bible reading today, we see another responsibility of children of God, which is that they must keep themselves pure (1st John 3:3). After being cleansed and purified by the Blood of Jesus, children of God have the responsibility of not going back to their old vomit or staining their garment of righteousness with the filth of this world (Ephesians 5:26-27). Practically, you achieve this by measuring your action against the standard of God’s word. Open Heavens Devotional 2017 Wednesday 26 April 2017:- Responsibilities of God’s children I. Anything that is contrary to the word of God is filth that must be avoided. This is the more reason why all children of God need to be grounded in the word first before anything else.
Action Point
Make sure you read, study and apply the word of God to your day-to-day living as a child of God, and you will grow in faith.
Open Heaven Daily Devotional, 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.
TOPIC- Joy in Sharing
We . . . offer our sacrifice of praise to God by telling others of the glory of his name.
—Hebrews 13:15 (TLB)
Jesus knew that one of the real tests of our yieldedness to God is our willingness to share with others. If we have no mercy toward others, that is one proof that we have never experienced God’s mercy. Emerson must have been reading the gauge of human mercy when he said, “What you are speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say.” Satan does not care how much you theorize about Christianity, or how much you profess to know Christ. What he opposes vigorously is the way you live Christ.
Some time ago a lady wrote and said, “I am 65 years old. My children are all married, my husband is dead, and I am one of the loneliest people in all the world.” It was suggested to her that she find a way of sharing her religious faith and her material goods with those around her. She wrote a few weeks later and said, “I am the happiest woman in town. I have found a new joy and happiness in sharing with others.” That’s exactly what Jesus promised!
Prayer for the day
There is no greater joy, Father, than sharing Your love. Help me to convey this in all my dealings with others.
Mr. Graham is regularly listed by the Gallup organization as one of the “Ten Most Admired Men in the World,” whom it described as the dominant figure in that poll since 1948—making an unparalleled 60th appearance and 54th consecutive appearance in 2015. He has also appeared on the covers of Time, Newsweek, Life, U.S. News and World Report, Parade and numerous other magazines and has been the subject of many newspaper and magazine feature articles and books.
Mr. Graham lost his wife of nearly 64 years, Ruth Bell Graham, in June of 2007. Together they had three daughters, two sons, 19 grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren. Mr. Graham resides in their home in the mountains of North Carolina.
TOPIC- THE GOSPEL IS THE POWER OF GOD
Matthew 9:38, "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest."
MATTHEW 9:35-38, 13:53-58, MARK 6:1-6
People are born again through the power of the Word of God, not through prayer. Prayer is very important, but it is not a substitute for the Gospel.
Many people petition God for someone to be saved and can't understand why it hasn't happened yet. We don't have to ask the Lord to save anyone. He isn't willing that anyone should perish. He has already made provision for everyone's salvation.
So what do we pray concerning someone coming to the Lord? Jesus said to pray that the Lord send laborers across their path. They need to hear the Word. Also, we should bind the influence of the god of this world (Satan) who tries to blind them to spiritual truth (II Cor. 4:4).
Daily Devotional with Andrew Wommack
God is more motivated to save our loved ones than we are. We don't need to plead with Him, but rather we need to become a channel for Him to flow through to reach that person. We do that by sharing the good news (Gospel) with them and/or praying that others will come across their path who will do the same.
The Gospel is the power of God that releases the effects of salvation in our lives (Rom. 1:16). If a person needs healing, it's in the Gospel. If deliverance is needed, it's in the Gospel. Prosperity, answered prayer, joy, peace, love - they are all found through understanding and believing the Gospel.
The Gospel is the good news that although we are sinners and worthy of God's wrath, God, in love, sent His Son to be our substitute, bearing our punishment, so that we could be made completely righteous in His sight. It's based only on our faith in this completed work of Christ and not our own performance. Now that's GOOD NEWS!
Daily Devotional with Andrew Wommack - THE GOSPEL IS THE POWER OF GOD
TOPIC- Inside Out
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 3:18
Have you ever thought about the fact that man is the only creature God created who has to wear clothing to cover himself? All the other creatures grow their own coverings. Some grow fur, some feathers, others scales or leathery hide. But all are clothed from the inside out!
Most people don’t realize it, but in the beginning, man was clothed that way too. He was made in the image of God. And, if you’ll look in Ezekiel 8:2, you’ll find that God is clothed in fire from the loins up and from the loins down. That fire is His glory emanating outward from His innermost being.
When man was first created, he was like that too. He was covered with the very glory of God. It radiated from his inner being outward. That’s why he had no sense of nakedness until after he sinned and the glory departed from him.
It was a tragic day when man lost that glorious covering. But I want you to know something today. It’s not lost forever. The Word of God says we can gain it back.
You see, when you put your faith in the blood of Jesus and were born again, the glory of God once again took up residence in you. It may be well-hidden right now, but believe me, it’s in there.
And the Bible says that as you gaze into the Lord’s face by studying the Word and fellowshiping with Him, as you renew your mind to understand who you are in Christ, you’ll be changed into His image on the outside as well. As you learn to hear His voice and obey it, you’ll start giving outward expression of the glory within you. Little by little, you’ll be turned inside out!
Instead of simply staring into your closet every morning, spend some time gazing at Jesus and beholding His Word. Let Him clothe you in His radiant presence. Once His glory starts shining through, anything you wear will look beautiful on you.
Scripture Reading:
Psalm 8
About UsHello, we’re Kenneth and Gloria Copeland. For the last 49 years, we’ve been passionately teaching Christians all over the world how to apply the principles of faith found in God’s WORD to their lives.We have seven ministry offices around the world: United States, Canada, Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Ukraine and Latin America. Our God-given directive is to preach and teach the uncompromised WORD of God on every available voice, which is being accomplished through a variety of channels, including our Believer’s Voice of Victory TV and radio broadcasts, podcast and magazine; Believers’ Conventions, Victory Campaigns and Living Victory meetings; published books, website, and social media channels, to name a few. Kenneth Copeland Ministries Daily Devotional March 8 2017- Meet the Living WordWith the expansion of technology, we have more work to do now than ever. We are determined to let the world know Jesus is LORD, and we’re not slowing down anytime soon!
TOPIC- He Is Alive!
Because I live, ye shall live also.
—John 14:19
For personal Christianity, the resurrection is all-important. There is a vital interrelation to the existence of Christianity itself, as well as to the individual believer, in the message of the Gospel. The Swiss theologian, Karl Barth, said, “Do you want to believe in the living Christ? We may believe in Him only if we believe in His corporeal resurrection. This is the content of the New Testament. We are always free to reject it, but not to modify it, nor to pretend that the New Testament tells something else. We may accept or refuse the message, but we may not change it.” Christianity as a system of truth collapses if the resurrection is rejected. That Jesus rose from the dead is one of the foundation stones of our faith.
Prayer for the day
Lord, let me live today with the constant thought that You are alive!
Billy Graham Daily Devotional April 24 2017- He Is Alive!
Mr. Graham is regularly listed by the Gallup organization as one of the “Ten Most Admired Men in the World,” whom it described as the dominant figure in that poll since 1948—making an unparalleled 60th appearance and 54th consecutive appearance in 2015. He has also appeared on the covers of Time, Newsweek, Life, U.S. News and World Report, Parade and numerous other magazines and has been the subject of many newspaper and magazine feature articles and books.
Mr. Graham lost his wife of nearly 64 years, Ruth Bell Graham, in June of 2007. Together they had three daughters, two sons, 19 grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren. Mr. Graham resides in their home in the mountains of North Carolina.
TOPIC- GET RID OF FEAR
Luke 8:50, "But when Jesus heard it, he answered him saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole."
MATTHEW 9:23-31; MARK 5:35-43; LUKE 8:49-56
Jesus told Jairus to "believe only," implying that faith and fear can operate in us at the same time. This is also the reason James tells us not to be double-minded, or to waiver (Jas. 1:5-8). Fear will negate faith. We can have both thoughts of faith and thoughts of unbelief at the same time.
Fear and faith are opposing forces. Fear is actually faith in reverse. Fear is believing something or someone other than God. Therefore, fear makes us subject to Satan and his death just as faith makes us recipients of all that God has to offer. This is the reason Jesus told Jairus, "Fear not." Jairus' fear would have sealed his daughter's death.
Instead of trying to build huge amounts of faith to overcome our fears and unbelief, a simpler method is to remove our fears by cutting off their source. Then, our simple "child-like" faith that remains will do the job. It doesn't take big faith - just pure faith. Daily Devotional with Andrew Wommack
Where does fear come from? Second Timothy 1:7 says, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power and of love, and of a sound mind." It doesn't come from God. The way that fear is able to come upon us is that we take our attention off of Jesus and put it on our situation.
Fear or doubt cannot "just overcome" us. We have to let it in. In the same way that faith comes by hearing the Word of God, fear comes by hearing or seeing something contrary to God's Word. We would not be tempted with fear or doubt if we didn't consider things that Satan uses to minister that fear and doubt.
Satan tries to distract us with thinking about our problems. No problem is too big for God. We should cast our concern about the problem over on God and just keep our eyes on Jesus, the Word.
Daily Devotional with Andrew Wommack GET RID OF FEAR - April 24 2017
TOPIC- He Died for Us
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
—Romans 5:8
As we stand at the cross of Christ we see a glorious exhibition of God’s love. Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, “While we were powerless to help ourselves . . . Christ died for sinful men.” In human experience, it is a rare thing for one man to give his life for another, even if the latter be a good man, though there have been a few who have had the courage to do it. Yet the proof of God’s amazing love is this: that it was “while we were sinners Christ died for us.”
A beautiful young society leader came to visit my wife and me. She had been converted to Christ in one of our Crusades, and she was absolutely radiant in her transformation. Already she had learned scores of Scripture verses by heart and was so full of Christ that we sat for two hours listening to her give her moving testimony. Over and over she said, “I cannot understand how God could forgive me. I have been such a wicked sinner. I just cannot understand the love of God.”
Prayer for the day
It is beyond comprehension the love that took You to the cross for me. Humbly I praise and thank You, my Savior and my Lord.
Billy Graham Daily Devotional April 23 2017- He Died for Us
Mr. Graham is regularly listed by the Gallup organization as one of the “Ten Most Admired Men in the World,” whom it described as the dominant figure in that poll since 1948—making an unparalleled 60th appearance and 54th consecutive appearance in 2015. He has also appeared on the covers of Time, Newsweek, Life, U.S. News and World Report, Parade and numerous other magazines and has been the subject of many newspaper and magazine feature articles and books.
Mr. Graham lost his wife of nearly 64 years, Ruth Bell Graham, in June of 2007. Together they had three daughters, two sons, 19 grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren. Mr. Graham resides in their home in the mountains of North Carolina.
TOPIC- Oppose the Devil
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7
If you’ve been crying and asking God to run the devil out of your life, stop! The Bible says you’re the one who’s supposed to overcome the devil.
How? By resisting him. By rebelling against him when he tells you to do something and doing what God says instead! When Satan tells you some lie, contradict him with the Word of God. Oppose him. This verse says when you do that, he’ll flee from you. He’ll “run as in terror.”
That means everywhere you go, as you walk in faith and oppose the devil, darkness is pushed back.
Kenneth Copeland Ministries Daily Devotional April- Oppose the Devil Written By Gloria Copeland
So start pushing back that darkness. You can do it! The life of God is within you. Jesus Himself is living inside you. Everywhere you go, He goes. Every problem that rises up against you, every evil spirit that tries to influence your life, is coming up against God when it comes up against you.
All you need to do is become conscious of that. Begin now living your life moment by moment, knowing that the light of God is in you. The Word of God is in you. The Spirit of God is in you.
Live knowing that Jesus, the Son of God, is in you. Then watch the devil run!
Scripture Reading:
Ephesians 6:10-18
About Us Hello, we’re Kenneth and Gloria Copeland. For the last 49 years, we’ve been passionately teaching Christians all over the world how to apply the principles of faith found in God’s WORD to their lives.We have seven ministry offices around the world: United States, Canada, Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Ukraine and Latin America. Our God-given directive is to preach and teach the uncompromised WORD of God on every available voice, which is being accomplished through a variety of channels, including our Believer’s Voice of Victory TV and radio broadcasts, podcast and magazine; Believers’ Conventions, Victory Campaigns and Living Victory meetings; published books, website, and social media channels, to name a few. Kenneth Copeland Ministries Daily Devotional March 8 2017- Meet the Living WordWith the expansion of technology, we have more work to do now than ever. We are determined to let the world know Jesus is LORD, and we’re not slowing down anytime soon!
MAKING FAITH WORK - Andrew Wommack
Luke 8:46, "And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me."
LUKE 8:43-48
Is it possible that Jesus, who was God manifest in the flesh, and therefore all-knowing, did not actually know who touched Him? Yes! Although Jesus' spiritual man was divine, He took upon Himself a physical body with its limitations. Jesus drew on His divine ability through the gifts of the Holy Ghost, and so can we (Jn. 14:12; 1 Cor. 12:7). Before His resurrection, He operated as a man (sinless) by receiving from His Father through faith. Luke 8:47 says that the woman "saw that she was not hid." It is evident that Jesus received a word of knowledge from the Holy Spirit and had singled out this woman. However, this was after He felt the power of God flow out of Him and heal her. The woman was healed before He discerned her by the law of faith. Daily Devotional with Andrew Wommack MAKING FAITH WORK
The law of electricity has been here on earth since creation. Man has observed it in such things as lightning and static electricity, but it was not until someone believed that there were laws that governed the activity of electricity that progress began to be made in putting it to use. Likewise, you don't deny the existence of faith, but it is only when you begin to understand that there are laws that govern faith, and begin to learn what those laws are, that faith will begin to work for you.
Daily Devotional with Andrew Wommack MAKING FAITH WORK
PROSPERITY WITHOUT SORROW – Saturday April 22nd 2017
Memorise: The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. Proverbs 10:22
Read: Deuteronomy 8:10-18(KJV)
10 When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
15 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;
17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
18 But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
Bible in one year: Numbers 12-13, Jeremiah 18:1-18, Hymn: Sing hymn 10
MESSAGE:
Many children of God dread prosperity because of the challenges associated with it, particularly when it relates to material prosperity. The reason for this attitude can be put down to either ignorance of the word of God concerning prosperity, or ignorance of the need for the children of God to prosper, if they would not live at the mercy of the ungodly. The Bible in Proverbs 22:7 says,
“The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.”
In our Bible reading today, we discover some truths about God’s purpose concerning the prosperity of His people. Deuteronomy 8:18 says,
“But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.”
God gives power and opportunities to His children to get wealth for one singular reason: to prove Himself faithful to His word. In other words, the issue of God’s children becoming wealthy is not about them but about God and His infallible word. April 22 2017 prosperity without sorrow Open heavens devotional. This is why those who pick and choose what they feel is suitable for them in the word of God are losers; God cannot be mocked. Such people want the blessings of Abraham, but do not want to keep the covenant that Abraham kept with God. Jesus in John 8:39d said:
“If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.”
Beloved, I have good news for you: God is interested in the prosperity of His people (3rd John 2). Not only is God interested in your prosperity, He also gives you the power to make wealth and to prosper. Furthermore, the prosperity from God is without negative repercussions and sorrow. The Lord who prospers is the same Lord who protects. Open Heavens Today 2017. He will not give you a car that will become a death trap. He will not give you a child that will break your heart. If you believe this, you will see the glory of God. Finally, in order to receive the prosperity that is devoid of sorrow, you must ensure that the prosperity you are seeking is from the Almighty God. This suggests to us that there is a counterfeit prosperity which puts its beneficiaries in tight jackets of regret and sorrow. The devil is the giver of counterfeits, but Jesus is the true source of eternal blessings. You can never regret being prospered by His benevolence because He paid the price of your prosperity in full. 2nd Corinthians 8:9 says,
“For ye know the grace our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he become poor, that ye though his poverty might be rich.”
Key Point
Stop cutting corners. At God’s own time and in God’s own way, He will prosper you.
Open Heaven Daily Devotional, 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.
Seek First God’s Kingdom
Apr 21, 2017
Matthew 6:31–33
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Topics
Righteousness
Keywords
Holy Spirit , Peace , Righteous(ness) , Kingdom Of God , Joy
Scripture Reference
Matthew
As a child of God, know that it is your Father’s pleasure to meet all your needs. Jesus Himself tells us, “For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” But God does not want you to seek after things. He wants you to seek first His kingdom. And when you do that, all the things that you need will be added to you!
So your first priority every day is to seek His kingdom. The word “first” in verse 33 is the Greek word proton, which means “first in order or importance, holding the highest place in all our affections”. My friend, God wants us to seek first His kingdom, and all things will fall gloriously in place.
We are not to seek after things the way Gentiles do. The word “seek” in “the Gentiles seek” (verse 32) is the Greek word epizeteo. It means “to seek with all their might with much sweat or with much stress”. However, the way God wants us to “seek” in “seek first the kingdom of God” is the Greek word zeteo, which means “to hunger, to desire to worship”. It is simply a hungering, a desiring for the kingdom of God, without any labor or toil.
But what is the kingdom of God? Romans 14:17 tells us that it is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. And the kingdom of God dwells within you because the Holy Spirit indwells you. So the kingdom of God is His righteousness, peace and joy in you.
Beloved, if you want to have peace and joy in the Holy Spirit flowing inside you, then seek every day to be conscious of your righteousness in Christ, not your own righteousness, but His righteousness given to you as a gift. Pursue Jesus first. Spend time with Him and listen to His Word. And when you do these things, you are seeking His kingdom and His righteousness, and all the things that you need will be added to you!
Thought For The Day
When you pursue Jesus and His righteousness given to you as a gift, everything you need will be added to you.
BACKSLIDER-IN-HEART II – Thursday April 20th 2017
Memorise: For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. 2nd Timothy 4:10
Read: Judges 14:5-10 (King James Version)
14:5 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.
14:6 And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.
14:7 And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.
14:8 And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.
14:9 And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.
14:10 So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.
Bible in one year: Numbers 8-9, Jeremiah 16:14-17:13, Hymn: Sing hymn 11
MESSAGE:
Yesterday, we established that backsliding is a gradual process that remains hidden in the heart and only begins to manifest after it had gotten out of hand. In today’s memory verse, we discover one factor that brings backsliding: the love of the world. 1st John 2:15-16 says,
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world,”
The Bible passage reveals the character of the love of this present world, by which the heart of Demas, a companion of Paul, was stolen away from the straight and narrow way (2nd Timothy 4:10). How far have you been drawn away from the narrow path which you have been treading on for so long? Is the relativism philosophy of this present world doing great damage to the faith which you once had? How far have you been drawn away by the pleasurable things of life? My prayer for you is that the fire of the first love you had for Christ will be reignited, and that you will relate with God and the things of God like when you first believed in Him in Jesus’ Name.
Taking a closer look at the life of Samson as a case study of the backslider-in-heart, one lesson we can learn from today’s Bible reading is that the backslider-in-heart can still be preaching, ministering in songs, doing all kinds of work of the ministry, and even performing miracles, which in the process of backsliding. 20 April 2017 Open heavens devotional 2017. Although Samson was going down into the abomination, when a lion roared against him, he responded with the same ability of the spirit he always had. Judges 14:6 says:
“And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he world have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father of his mother what he had done.”
As if marrying a Philistine was not enough, on his next trip to Timnath, he went to admire the relics of his conquest, the carcass of a lion he had killed. Behold, the devil had set up a honeycomb right there in the carcass of the dead lion to ensnare him, and Samson fell for it; even though he knew that a Nazirite must not touch the dead body of an animal (Numbers 6:2-8). Samson’s stomach and taste continued to lead him on his downward slide towards destruction, just as they did to Esau (Hebrews 12:16-17). My prayer for you is that your appetite for the things for the world will not destroy you in Jesus’Name.
Prayer Point
Father, don’t let what I love destroy me, and don’t let me love what would destroy me.
Open Heaven Daily Devotional, 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.
TOPIC- GOD LIKES US
Mark 5:19, "Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee."
MARK 5:18-20
One of the ways God's goodness is revealed is through His mercy. We may describe mercy as "the readiness of God to relieve the misery of fallen creatures." Many times, mercy is called compassion or lovingkindness. It is expressed toward the sinner because of the misery that sin has brought upon him.
God's mercy to the believer is revealed by His taking away the misery of sin's consequences through the New Covenant of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Mercy is not something merited or earned, but as the Apostle Paul states, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to HIS MERCY He saved us." Daily Devotional with Andrew Wommack April 20 2017- GOD LIKES US
Our Heavenly Father is the author, originator, and source of all mercy.
"Mercy is condescending love, reaching out to meet a need without considering the merit of the person who receives the aid" (Expository Dictionary of Bible Words [EDBW]).
"Even when we were spiritually dead because of our sins, God's forbearance was working on our behalf. He was tolerant, patient and kind towards us. God abounded in excessive proportion with good will, compassion, and desire to help us. His disposition was kind, compassionate, and forgiving in His treatment of us. He wanted in abundant supply to alleviate our distress and bring relief from our sins. He did this by giving us life in place of death. It was with Christ that this salvation was secured. By grace, kindness, and favor we are saved. All of this was the result of God's extremely large degree of love wherewith He loved us, always seeking the welfare and betterment of us. God likes us"
TOPIC- Our Basic Need
. . . he hath set his love upon me . . .
—Psalm 91:14
A basic need of mankind is affection. Those who “abide in Him” are objects of God’s affection and love. You cannot say that you are friendless when Christ has said, “Henceforth I call you not servants . . . but I have called you friends” (John 15:15). To you who lament the fact that you have been bereft of affection and love in this life, I happily commend Christ. He loved you enough to lay down His life for you. Not only that, but by His atonement upon the cross, He purchased the favor of God in your behalf, and now through Him you may be the recipient of the grace and love of God without measure.
Prayer for the day
Thank You for Your love, Father, that no matter where I am—in whatever situation—You are there, loving me.
TOPIC- Be Supernatural God's Way
And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me?... Lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
Exodus 14:15-16
If you hang around God very much, it won’t be long before you’ll start wanting to do things the world considers supernatural. You’ll start wanting to lay hands on the sick and have them recover. You’ll start wanting to cast out demons. You’ll start wanting to cast mountainous problems into the sea.
What’s more, you can do it if you want to!
How? Not by jumping out and “trying” to do supernatural things, but by obeying God one step at a time. By doing the things He’s already given you power to do.
That’s how it happened with Moses. He didn’t have the power to divide the Red Sea. But he did have the power to stretch his rod out over it. And when he did that in obedience to the Lord’s command, the Holy Spirit did the rest.
It will be the same way with you. When you start doing your part, the Holy Spirit will do His and supernatural things will start happening around you.
What is your part? Feeding on the Word. Praying in the spirit. Listening to what the Spirit of God says to you. As you do those things, as you begin to move as God impresses you to move and take your direction from Him, you’ll flow in the supernatural as naturally as a bird flies in the air.
You won’t struggle and strain and try to “part the sea.” You’ll just trust the Lord and stretch out your rod...and watch the miracles roll.
Scripture Reading:
Exodus 14
About UsHello, we’re Kenneth and Gloria Copeland. For the last 49 years, we’ve been passionately teaching Christians all over the world how to apply the principles of faith found in God’s WORD to their lives.We have seven ministry offices around the world: United States, Canada, Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Ukraine and Latin America. Our God-given directive is to preach and teach the uncompromised WORD of God on every available voice, which is being accomplished through a variety of channels, including our Believer’s Voice of Victory TV and radio broadcasts, podcast and magazine; Believers’ Conventions, Victory Campaigns and Living Victory meetings; published books, website, and social media channels, to name a few. Kenneth Copeland Ministries Daily Devotional March 8 2017- Meet the Living WordWith the expansion of technology, we have more work to do now than ever. We are determined to let the world know Jesus is LORD, and we’re not slowing down anytime soon!
TOPIC- WORSHIP IS WARFARE
Mark 5:6, "But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him."
MATTHEW 8:28-34; MARK 5:1-17; LUKE 8:27-39
The word "worshipped" is taken from the Greek word "proskuneo" which means "to prostrate oneself in homage to; do reverence to; adore." The fact that this tormented man ran to Jesus, and not away from Him, indicates that even "demon-possessed" people have a free will and Satan cannot control an individual without his consent.
Many battles have been fought over whether or not a Christian can be demon possessed. The Greek word for "possessed" literally means "to be demonized." The Bible makes no clear distinction between degrees of demon activity (such as oppressed, depressed, possessed, etc.), but simply refers to people as being "demonized." All Christians are fighting against spiritual powers. If we don't put on the whole armor of God, Satan can certainly affect us or even control us. Daily Devotional with Andrew Wommack April 19 2017- WORSHIP IS WARFARE
The best way to administer deliverance is through God's Word. As a person receives the Word, it will set him free and also help guard against this situation when the demon tries to come back in with seven other spirits. In severe cases of being demonized, the individual clearly needs the help of a believer, and that's the reason why Jesus equipped all believers with authority over evil spirits.
Anointed praise and worship will also drive off evil spirits. One thing reserved for God alone is worship, and the devil has always sought that. If he can't be the one to receive worship, then he seeks to turn others away from giving true worship to the most High God. Praise and worship to the Lord is such a powerful tool against Satan. He can't stand to see God worshipped. Worship God today in spirit and in truth. The Father seeks those who will worship Him this way. He's waiting for you.
Daily Devotional with Andrew Wommack April 19 2017- WORSHIP IS WARFARE
TOPIC- Be of Good Cheer
And now I exhort you to be of good cheer.
Acts 27:22
What do you do when you’re in a really perilous situation?
If you’re like I used to be, you cry out to God in desperation. One afternoon when I was squalling to God about something, He interrupted me and said, Kenneth, did you know I don’t hear the cry of My children when they cry out in desperation?
“What?” I said. “I thought You did.”
He said, No, I hear the desperation cry of a sinner because that’s all he can cry about. But once you get born again, son, you ought to be crying out of faith. I hear the faith cry.
What is a faith cry? It’s calling things that be not as though they were (Romans 4:17). It’s what the Bible means when it says, “…Let the weak say, I am strong” (Joel 3:10).
The Apostle Paul knew how to use the faith cry. That’s why, in Acts 27, he exhorted the men on that battered, sinking ship to “be of good cheer.” He was telling them to start acting by faith. Can’t you imagine what those sailors thought when he said that? Listen to that stupid preacher. We’re sinking and he says be of good cheer. We’ve thrown everything we have overboard and he says be of good cheer. Kenneth Copeland Ministries Daily Devotional April 19 2017- Be of Good Cheer
You may feel just like those sailors did, right now. You may feel like your ship’s going down. You may feel like crying out in desperation. But don’t do it. Instead, do what Paul said and be of good cheer!
Cry out to God in faith and say, “Lord, I’m not going to panic. I’m not going to despair. I’m going to be of good cheer because Your Word says You’ll deliver me from this situation” (Psalm 34:19).
Then start being cheerful. It may take more determination than anything you’ve ever done before, but God will give you the strength to do it. He’ll give you the power to be cheerful in the middle of the most ungodly darkness the devil can bring up.
Instead of crying out in desperation, take a faith stand. Sing and rejoice and praise God for your deliverance. Be of good cheer and you can be sure God will bring you through the storm just fine!
Scripture Reading:
Philippians 4:4-9
Kenneth Copeland Ministries Daily Devotional April 19 2017- Be of Good Cheer
BACKSLIDER-IN-HEART I – Wednesday April 19th 2017
Memorise: The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself. Proverbs 14:14
Read: Judges 14:1-3 (King James Version)
14:1 And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.
14:2 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.
14:3 Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
Bible in one year: Numbers 7, Jeremiah 16:1-13, Hymn: Sing hymn 16
MESSAGE:
Backsliding is not an event but a gradual process that occurs over a period of time until is get to a noticeable stage. At that stage, people will begin to say an individual has backslidden, but what they fail to realise is that it did not start at that point. Backsliding begins in the heart. When a believer becomes filled with his or her own ways, that believer has begun to backslide. That person would always be right in his or her own sight, and others would be wrong. Such a person would no longer take advice from anybody, becoming a loner. In today’s Bible reading, we see the case of Samson, an anointed Nazirite to the Lord, who began to backslide right from his heart. The way today’s Bible reading begins is significant: “And Samson went down….” When a person begins to go down, may the Lord have mercy on him or her. As he went down, he saw an abomination that enticed him: a Philistine woman. He came to his father and mother to tell them of his intention to marry the Philistine woman. His parents counselled him against this abominable desire, but regardless of their warning, Samson said “Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.”
When a child of God begins to nurse the idea of getting engaged to an unbeliever, no doubt, he or she has started backsliding in the heart. An unbeliever should not be an attractive option for a genuine child of God. A female child of God should find it repugnant for a smoker or drunkard to become her husband; after all, such a person will get intimate with her after wedlock with smoky lips or a mouth saturated with alcohol. 19 April 2017 Open heavens devotional 2017. A Christian brother should also see it as degrading to be married to a lady operating under the influence of the spirit of Jezebel – knowing full well how Jezebel destroyed her husband (Ephesians 2:2, 1st Kings 21:25). You are influenced by the environment you live in and the people you are intimate with. An unbelieving woman of man will act as a weight around your neck, dragging you down to the pit of hell. The different abominable things going on in the world are enough to deter a genuine child of God from marrying a person who is not under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Such a person is not restrained from doing whatever the devil suggests to his or her heart and does not share the same standard of the word of God as a moral compass for life. Today, we hear of wives sleeping with drivers and domestic staff, and we also hear of husbands sleeping with housemaids and their wife’s sisters – things that are abominable in the sight of God. Do you know that an unbeliever might not find these things abominable? It is a terrible thing to be associated with an “uncircumcised Philistine” in these end times. Beware of backsliding!
Prayer Point
Father, completely destroy the works of the devil in my life and in your Church.
Open Heaven Daily Devotional, 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.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC. Click HERE to DOWNLOAD Daily Open Heaven Devotional from January to December 2017
TOPIC- Depend on Him
I advise you to obey only the Holy Spirit's instructions. He will tell you where to go and what to do, and then you won't always be doing the wrong things your evil nature wants you to.
—Galatians 5:16 (TLB)
To walk in the Spirit is a challenging and inspiring exercise, for it combines activity with relaxation. To walk means to place one foot in front of the other. If you stop doing this, you are no longer walking-you are standing still. Walking always implies movement, progress, and direction. Sin shall no longer rule or dominate you when you are allowing the Holy Spirit to live Christ’s life through you. It is living by faith, living by trust, living in dependence upon God.
If we look to our own resources, our own strength, or our own ability, as Peter did when he walked on the water, we will fail. You cannot live the Christian life by yourself. The Holy Spirit must live in you and express Himself through you. Living for Christ is a day-by-day experience. It is a continuous dependence upon the Spirit of God. It is believing in His faithfulness.
Prayer for the day
Lord, so often I have walked on my own instead of walking in Your Spirit. Guide my footsteps this day, I pray in Jesus' name.
TOPIC- KING OF HEARTS
Mark 4:30, "And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?"
MARK 4:30-34
The word "kingdom" means "the realm over which a king rules." When applied to God, it could refer to all creation, since "his kingdom ruleth over all" (Ps. 103:19), but the kingdom more often applies to His rule in and through those who are submitted to Him. "The Kingdom of God" more specifically refers to Christ living and ruling in our hearts. So praying "thy kingdom come" is praying for the expansion and influence of God's rule in the hearts of men everywhere and, ultimately, the establishment of His physical Kingdom here on earth at His second coming (Rev. 11:15; 20:4).
Throughout Jesus' earthly ministry, the Jews kept looking for Jesus to establish a physical kingdom here on the earth and deliver them from the oppression of the Romans. Although, during the Millenium, the Kingdom of God will physically rule over the nations of the earth, Jesus' Kingdom is spiritually established by His Word and not by carnal weapons (2 Cor. 10:3-5). Jesus said, "The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation . . .behold, the kingdom of God is within you." (Lk. 17:20-21) Paul says we are already in the Kingdom of God (Col. 1:13). The Kingdom of God is therefore Christ's "invisible Church," His body. The Kingdom began during His earthly ministry and is still ruling the hearts of men today.
The new birth ushers us into the Kingdom of God which is infinitely greater in wonder and benefits than our finite minds can comprehend. To the degree that we do begin to understand how God's Kingdom works and apply our lives to it, we can experience heaven here on earth. Pray for a release into the physical of what is already present in your spiritual being.
About Andrew & Jamie WommackJamie and I are so thankful our path has crossed with yours. In fact, we believe it was a divine appointment. Over forty years ago, an encounter with God changed our lives forever, and we believe He’ll do the same for you. We consider it a privilege to have the opportunity to share the truth of His life-changing power and grace with you.God called us to teach the truth of the Gospel to the body of Christ with special emphasis on God’s unconditional love and the balance between grace and faith. We are doing our best to fulfill that call by teaching at seminars, in churches, on radio and television, by training others at Charis Bible College, and by developing ministry materials designed to help you in your relationship with the Lord.
Daily Devotional with Andrew Wommack April 14 2017- KING OF HEARTS
Christ Is Our Comforter Billy Graham Daily
. . . realize that your heavenly Father will . . . give the Holy Spirit to those who ask for him.
—Luke 11:13 (TLB)
Before He left His disciples, Christ promised that He would send a Comforter to help them in the trials, cares, and temptations of life. This word comforter means “one that helps alongside.” He is the Holy Spirit, the powerful Third Person of the Trinity. The moment you are born again, He takes up residence in your heart. You may not emotionally feel Him there, but you must exercise faith. Believe it! Accept it as a fact of faith! He is inA your heart to help you. We are told that He sheds the love of God abroad in our hearts. He produces the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” We cannot possibly manufacture this fruit in our own strength. It is supernaturally manufactured by the Holy Spirit who lives in our hearts!
comforting each other after destruction
Prayer for the day
Lord God Almighty, I praise You for Your Holy Spirit who guides and keeps me in all my ways.
Christ Is Our Comforter Billy Graham Daily
TOPIC- Throw Open the Door
Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money [in].... And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites.... And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them...this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
Mark 12:41-44
Have you ever wanted to get God’s attention? You can, you know. There’s a certain kind of boldness, a certain kind of faith in giving that will get His attention every time. You can see that in Mark 12.
Read that chapter and just imagine the situation it describes. Jesus was sitting by the treasury watching as people put in their offerings. Don’t you know there were some sanctimonious displays going on with Him there watching? There was bound to be plenty of pharisaical robe swishing as those wealthy leaders walked up to put in their gifts that day.
Right in the middle of it all, this poor widow walked up and threw in her offering. I can just see her in my mind’s eye. I can hear her say to herself, “By the eternal Almighty God that liveth, I’ve had enough of this poverty. I’m fed up with having nothing but want. I may just be a poor widow now, but I’m not going to be a poor widow anymore. I’m going to be a broke widow if God doesn’t do something here because I’m giving Him everything I’ve got!”
Then, wham! She threw that last little dab of money she had into the offering.
Do you know what? That got Jesus’ attention. He said, “Listen, everyone. I want to talk to you about this woman,” and He started to preach.
What moved Jesus wasn’t just the fact that she gave. It was how she gave. She gave in faith—not in fear. She didn’t stop and calculate what she didn’t have and say, “Boy, if I do this, tomorrow I won’t eat.” She just boldly threw in all she had, expecting God to take care of her in return.
You and I need to catch hold of that same attitude. We need to start holding our offerings up to the Lord in confidence, throwing them boldly into His service, expecting His blessings in return.
If you have a need right now, get God’s attention by giving with boldness like that widow woman did. Throw open the door of your household by throwing everything you have at Jesus. Let God know that He is your source. Before long, the abundance of God will come pouring in!
Scripture Reading:
Mark 12:28-44
TOPIC- Kenneth Copeland Ministries Daily Devotional April 18 2017- Throw Open the Door
