Abiding TV

So let us seize and hold fast and retain without wavering the hope we cherish and confess and our acknowledgement of it, for He Who promised is reliable (sure) and faithful to His word.
—Hebrews 10:23

Giving voice to your faith can actually increase your faith—because what you say out loud gets rooted in your heart. I have heard that we believe more of what we say than what anyone else says, so why not say things that we truly want to believe? Say frequently, “I trust God,” or “I believe God is working in my life and circumstances right now.” Say, “God loves me and will work through me to do good to other people.”

The Psalms are filled with confessions of faith: I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust! (Psalm 91:2). You can make a similar confession!

The apostle Peter said we should resist the devil at his onset (see 1 Peter 5:9). Developing the habit of confessing your faith as soon as any negative thoughts, words, behaviors, and attitudes appear will increase your faith and your joy. Soon you’ll be living from faith to faith (see Romans 1:17), without wavering.

Power Thought: God is faithful; my hope in Him is unwavering.

1 Timothy 2:12—I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men; for kings and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

In Reverence To God, Honor And Show Respect At All Times For Those In Authority, Regardless Of Their Words, Attitudes Or Behavior

In obedience to God’s Word, I offer up prayer and thanksgiving for all who are in positions of authority.  I speak blessings over them and pray that they might be saved and increasingly able to perceive and know how to precisely and accurately handle the divine Truth of God.  I pray that God will teach our leaders to do His will and that He will send His Spirit to guide our leaders to further His cause—for this will elevate our nation.  I pray that God will lead those in authority to lead a noble life, acting honorably and in complete honesty in all things, and that He will speak His Word over their lives.  For His Word does not return to Him void, without producing any effect.  Rather, it accomplishes His purpose and pleasure and prospers in the thing for which He sends it.

All authority comes form God, existing only by His permission and appointment.  Christ is the head of all who rule and carry authority.  They are God’s servants for my good; I am loyally subject and submissive to them.  I do not fear those in authority because I conduct myself in a way that is pleasing to God.  I do what is right to show that I can be fully trusted, so that in every way I make the teaching about God, my Savior, more attractive.  In accordance to the Word of God, I am submissive to authority for the sake of the Lord.

Source:  Man of God 18 Days of Promise

"The earth was formless and empty…and God said, 'Let there be light'"
Genesis 1:2-3, NIV

TODAY'S WORD:
Do you need a miracle in your life for something that seems impossible? With man it may be, but we serve the all-powerful God, and He can create something out of nothing! He can make a way when there seems to be no way and open doors that seemed closed forever!

Genesis tells us that in the beginning, God created the heavens and earth, but before He spoke the world into existence, it was formless and void. If God can make the world out of nothing, He can take the empty places in your life and create something beautiful, too! He can speak light into your darkest hour. He can take your formless dreams and give them shape. He can resurrect your dormant gifts and talents! He can make your crooked places straight!

Remember, you are created in the image of almighty God. There’s power in your words, and there’s power when you’re in agreement with Him. Start saying what God says about your situation. Speak life to your broken dreams today. Speak hope into the hopeless places. Keep an attitude of faith and expectancy because He will turn things around for you and create something out of nothing!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:
"Father, I trust that You are willing and able to make a way for me where there seems to be no way. Fill me with Your peace and hope. Give me a vision for all You have for me and thank you for making something out of nothing. In Jesus’ Name. Amen."

So that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will (2 Timothy 2:25-26 NKJV).

The only thing that can break the chains of bondage is the truth. And the only valid source of truth is God’s Word.

Satan has kept the Body of Christ in darkness by blinding the hearts and minds of God’s people to the truth of who they really are in Christ: “Whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them” (2 Corinthians 4:4 NKJV).

The enemy wants to put blinders over your eyes so that you cannot see who you really are in Christ. One tool the enemy uses to create blinders is religious tradition. Jesus said religious tradition makes the Word of God of no affect in one’s life (see Matthew 7:13). The only thing that can expose the enemy’s blinders and set you free from any bondage you are experiencing is the truth.

The definition of truth is “the highest form of reality that exists. Therefore, the Bible is the highest form of reality that exists. Jesus said, “And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32 NKJV).

It stands to reason that the more truth you know, the greater freedom you will enjoy. God is not hiding truth from you; he has placed it on every page of His Word, from Genesis to Revelation. If you are hungry enough for freedom, then you’ll get into God’s Word.

And if you abide in that Word, the truth will make you free!

Confession: I am a child of God, and I abide in God’s Word. I declare that no weapon formed against me will prosper as my heart and mind is open to God’s truth, and I walk in complete freedom.

Author: Jerry Savelle

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves…But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed (James 1:22-25).

The Word of God can be trusted; its integrity is unquestionable. When God wants to do something new in your life, He gives you His Word; He brings that thing (whatever it is), into your life through words; through His message to you. His Word is His material for blessing you. It behooves you, therefore, to get the Word into your spirit; trust and live in the Word.

When He wanted to launch Abraham to a new level in his life, it was through words. He said to him, "Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee" (Genesis 17:5). In the mind of God, Abraham being the father of many nations was a done deal. Though Abraham had no physical children at the time, as far as God was concerned, he was already a father of many, through words.

Until Abraham connected with God’s Word, he couldn’t walk in the blessings thereof. Being the father of many nations was God’s destiny for him; a destiny created through God’s Word. There’re people who aren’t walking in God’s destiny for their lives because they aren’t living out the Word. Don’t assume that as long as God has given a word concerning you, it’ll come to pass; you have a role to play. You must believe and act on the Word. You must connect to, and align yourself with His message to you to experience the blessings thereof.

The Bible says, "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3). You have to walk and agree with God for His blessings, His truth, His Word, His will and purpose to be fulfilled in your life. You have to work out your own salvation with godly reverence (Philippians 2:12). It’s the doer, not the hearer of the Word, that’s blessed. Read the opening scripture again.

Prayer

Dear Father, I thank you for giving me your Word to live by and use in altering the circumstances of life and to align with your perfect will and destiny for me. Your Word produces in and for me what it talks about, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

further study: James 2:17-23

: H ebrews 1 Jeremiah 34-35

: 1 Peter 1:1-12 E zekiel 32

Romans 4:8
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”

You are blessed today because all your sins are forgiven in Christ. God does not count your sins against you. Instead, He counts you righteous in Christ. That is why you are the blessed man to whom the Lord does not and will not impute sin!

What happens to such a man? Let’s look at the story of Jacob to find out.

The Bible records how Jacob had deceived his father and cheated his elder brother Esau of his firstborn blessing. (Genesis 27:1–41) Yet, in spite of his sin of deception, God chose to speak to Jacob. And no, God did not say to this cheat, “You terrible sinner! How can you deceive your own father? You are cursed!”

No, to deceitful Jacob, God said, “I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants…Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.” (Genesis 28:13–15) Here was a man to whom God did not impute sin!

God did not rebuke Jacob at all. Instead, we hear Him telling Jacob, “I will give to you…I am with you…I will keep you…I will bring you back…I will not leave you…” Jacob certainly did not deserve these blessings. This is one man who walked in the truth of Romans 4:8—“Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin”! Now, I am not encouraging you to sin, but I want you to see the love and grace of God toward us.

If Jacob was so blessed, how much more you and I today, who are under the new covenant of grace established by the blood of Jesus. How much more is our blessedness because Jesus has removed all our sins at the cross!

Beloved, because of Jesus’ finished work, God does not impute sin to you. What He does impute to you is righteousness apart from works. (Romans 4:6) And because you are righteous, get ready for His blessings! (Proverbs 10:6)

Thought For The Day
Because of Jesus’ finished work, God does not impute sin to you, but righteousness apart from works.

You don't understand now why I am doing it; some day you will.
—John 13:7 (TLB)

May I remind you that physical illness is not the worst thing that can happen to you? Some of the most twisted, miserable people I have ever met had no physical handicap. Some of the world’s greatest and most useful people have been handicapped.

“The Messiah” was composed by Handel, who was suffering from a paralyzed right side and arm. Catherine Booth, in the last year of her life, said that she could not remember one day free from pain.

Helen Keller has written, “I thank God for my handicaps, for through them I have found myself, my work, and God.” Some of the most radiant Christians I have ever met were “wheelchair” saints. May God give you grace to “triumph in affliction.”

Prayer for the day
When physical afflictions come into my life, may they draw me closer to You, my beloved Lord Jesus Christ.

Memorise: 
And grieve not the holy spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30

Read: Matthew 12:24-31 (KJV)
24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.

28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.


Bible in one year: 
Revelations 1:1-3:13,
Psalms 91

Message:
There are many Christians living in frustration and defeat because they have set themselves against the flow of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the key to the outpouring of revival and every endeavour in this new dispensation. The Holy Spirit is the secret behind every super-national occurrence.

Do you desire to know the plan of God for your tomorrow? Get the Holy Sprit. Do you want to live a successful Christian life? Get the Holy Spirit. Without the power of the Holy Spirit, you will live a life of continuous defeat. As helpful as the Holy Spirit is, one should be careful in relating with Him. Ananias and Saphirra lied to Peter about how much they sold their land. They felt they were deceiving Peter, unfortunately, it was too late for them to realise that they had grieved the Holy Spirit.

There are numerous ways by which grieve the Holy Spirit. The moment a person begins to rebel against the instructions in God’s Word, such a fellow is asking for trouble from the Holy Spirit. At several points in the life of the children of Israel, they murmured against God. They were never satisfied with His provision. Psalms 78:40 says:

“How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!”

They grieved God for forty years in the wilderness. Their hearts were hardened and they refused to acknowledge the ways of God. As a result of this attitude, they were not allowed to enter into the rest of the Lord. May this not be your portion in Jesus’ name.

Another way people can grieve the Holy Spirit is when they despise the truth of God’s Word. The apostle, in 1st Thessalonians 5:19 said that the church must not quench the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit can be grieved when disciples begin to disobey God. Believers today should do everything possible to pattern their lives after the beliefs and practices that were maintained by the disciples of the early church. There should be no room for bitterness or evil feelings towards one another. There are some people who make deliberate attempts to deceive their leaders. Some try to act very cleverly. Some Christians still see themselves as being smart because their sins have not yet been found out. All these people are only waiting for the judgement of God unless they repent. Do not do anything that will make you an enemy to the Holy Spirit. Do not make yourself a stumbling block to the progress of others around you. Don’t have the ‘pull it down’ mind-set. Don’t scatter the good works others have done simply because you are in a position of influence. All those who do these will see the anger of God.

The Holy Spirit must not be grieved. He is always working hard against sinners. You have to allow the Holy Spirit to breathe on you with the breath of God so that your life can be filled anew. When your life is filled anew, you will find it easy to love what He loves.

Prayer Point
Father, help me not to grieve your Holy Spirit.

Open Heavens Daily written by Pastor E.A Adeboye

But faith...worketh by love.
Galatians 5:6

I used to wonder why we believers didn't see more of the power of God operating among us than we do. With what we know about faith and the Word, it seemed to me signs and wonders and miracles should be happening all the time.

So, one day I asked, "Lord, why isn't the power of God turned up to a higher volume in the Church?"

Do you know what He said? He told me we weren't walking in enough love yet.

God wants us to have power. But first, He has to be sure we'll use that power in love. He wants to know that we won't take it and mix it with judgment and criticism and blast people out of the water.

Kenneth, He said, I can't afford to back your words with supernatural power in a church service on Sunday morning and then have you get on the freeway that night and lash out at someone because he pulled over into your lane. You'd blow him off the highway. I can't leave the power of Almighty God at a high volume in the mouth of an unmerciful fool.

Then He reminded me of a time I took my son, John, hunting. He was just a little guy at the time, barely big enough to keep his gun from knocking him on his back every time he'd pull the trigger. I was teaching him how to shoot, and he was coming along pretty well.

That day we were walking along out at Gloria's grandparents' farm and John spotted one of the biggest tarantula spiders I'd ever seen. It was clinging to the wall of the barn. When John saw that spider, he took aim. He was going to blow that bug away.

If I hadn't stopped him, he would have too. And it wouldn't have dawned on him until it was all over that he was going to blow a hole in the barn at the same time. From my grown-up perspective, I could see that would be foolishness. He couldn't. He was looking through the eyes of a child.

Do you want God to put a shotgun of spiritual power in your hand, so you can blow the works of the devil to kingdom come? Then focus on love. Pursue it. Practice it. Study it. Grow up in it. Then you'll see the power of God operating through you.

Scripture Reading:
Romans 13:8-14

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34a NIV).

Forgiveness is not resuming a relationship without change. In fact, forgiveness and resuming a relationship are two different things. One of them is what you do as the offended person. Resuming the relationship is what the other person does in order to get back into your good graces. Saying “I’m sorry” is not enough. In fact, the Bible teaches three things that are essential to resume a relationship that’s been broken. These are all what the offender has to do.

Restoring a relationship requires repentance. In other words, you’re truly saddened about what you did. That’s not just saying, “I’m sorry.” It means saying, “I was wrong. Please forgive me.” You can be sorry that the weather was bad or something like that, but repentance is admitting wrong and being truly sorry.

Restoring a relationship requires restitution. Sometimes you have to do some kind of physical or material restitution. Even when you’re forgiven, it doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. You still have to pay a debt to society or to someone for what was damaged or destroyed by your actions.
Restoring a relationship requires rebuilding trust. That, friends, takes a long, long time. When somebody hurts you, you have to forgive him or her immediately. But you don’t have to trust that person immediately. Forgiveness is built on grace and is unconditional. Trust has to be rebuilt over a period of time.

Most people in our culture don’t get the difference between forgiveness and rebuilding trust in a relationship. Whenever a political or religious leader gets caught in a scandal, there will always be people who say, “We’re all imperfect. We’re all human. We need to just forgive him and keep on going.”

No! You must forgive him immediately, but you don’t have to trust him. The Bible says trust is built with time. Credibility is what a leader leads with. All leaders must have trust; it’s the currency they live in. If you lose trust, you have lost your right to lead at that moment. You may have the title, but you’re not the leader until you rebuild trust. And that isn’t going to happen instantly.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

What does it take for someone to regain your trust? What are you willing to do to regain someone’s trust?
Give some examples from your life when you were sorry and when you were truly repentant.
In these three factors for restoring a relationship, what is the responsibility of the person who was offended?

1 Thessalonians 1:1-5

The moment that we place our trust in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, we become new creations. This is an act of love by the heavenly Father—He gives us new life and adopts us into His family. He also has a custom-designed plan for every believer, with specific work for each one to accomplish.

Once we are saved, the rest of our days are to be spent fulfilling God’s purposes for our life. We are called to be Jesus’ disciples—acting on His behalf and working zealously for God, as the Savior did. The world is hungry for the good news, which we are to deliver.

Redemption is God’s gift, offered to us free of charge (Eph. 2:8-9). Salvation is by grace, not by grace-plus-works. Once we are saved, however, works are God’s will for us—the Holy Spirit carries out Jesus’ agenda on earth through His followers.

God has committed Himself to guide and equip believers to act as His servants. No matter what He calls us to do, He will provide the necessary abilities and resources. His Holy Spirit will teach us whatever we need to know—such as effective ways to relate, to pour ourselves out on behalf of others, and to share our faith. He expects us to make serving Him a priority, and to surrender our time, talent, and treasure for His use. Age does not disqualify us from His service, and there is never a time for retirement.

While we are living on earth, our lifestyle is to be one of enthusiastic, committed service in the cause of Christ. Let your work for God be a genuine labor of love.

Bible in One Year: John 1-3

Beloved. Do you hear what I hear? As a groom rejoices over His Bride, so your God is rejoicing over you. My Song is breaking through your night. Heaven has come down to you, My Child. I am Emmanuel, God with you. Every evil entity flees at My Presence. I am singing over you; a song of deliverance and victory; a song of LIGHT and LIFE.

The enemy cannot exist in this frequency, Dear One. My Spirit is vibrating within you on My wavelength. Come into harmony with Me, My Child. Flow with My Spirit and let not your heart be troubled. Faith comes by hearing, Dear One. As you look to your Savior, My Sound and My Light shall supernaturally rewire your brain. Listen not to the dirges of the world, Beloved.

They only bring depression and hopelessness. He who is the Light of the World is in your midst. I am the Mighty One who saves. I am the God who sings and the God of all compassion. My Heartbeat is the rhythm of Life. I am bringing you into perfect resonance with Me by the Spirit. I am exulting over you with loud singing, breaking down every stronghold.

Let not your heart be troubled. Listen to My Love songs being sung over you. I am rejoicing over you with gladness and I shall quiet you with My love. I am surrounding you with songs of deliverance.

..resonance: the prolongation and intensification of sound produced by transmission of its vibrations from one body to another.

..Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is in your midst, the Mighty One who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.

..Isaiah 62:5 For as a young man marries a young woman, so your sons will marry You; and as a groom rejoices over his bride, so your God will rejoice over you.

..Psalm 32:7 You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance.

..Psalm 16:11 You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

A God who sings must be a God who feels, a God of deep, stirring passions. If God sings—and the Bible says He does—then we find ourselves living in the presence of a Supreme Being whose heart pulsates with supreme emotion. (Signs of the Times)

Some ancient Greeks called the Pythagoreans observed that all of creation is mathematical. Then they noticed that music is math. They realized that music is mathematically composed in such a manner that it creates new thoughts and feelings in the human soul.

So they came up with a hypothesis that the Creator must be a singer, and He must have sung the universe into existence. The entire cosmos must operate on a musical score of some kind! (Ty Gibson)

Good morning friends and family of God Honor Strength, welcome to the beginning of a new week, a week where anything and everything is possible when you have God in your life. I hope each of you had an amazing and blessed weekend, and were able to spend time with family and friends, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

This morning I am sitting here enjoying a cup of coffee, which I am not sure how I would survive without coffee, but none the less, I was thinking about this past weekend. One of my callings from God is to serve my community. I volunteer as a Crisis Chaplain for Harris County, I work side by side with the Harris County Sheriffs Office doing ride a longs with the Deputies. This past Saturday night I met a man who made some bad decisions in his life and had been incarcerated for 28 years, more than half his life, and was just recently released. As we were talking he told me his story, shared with me his testimony and when he was finished we prayed and he told me that any doubts about God he had were gone, because our paths crossed that night. The point I am trying to get to is this, we all have probably made decisions or choices in our past that we wish we could go back and change, but we can't, we can only learn from them, ask for forgiveness and move forward. Do not allow your past to dictate your future.

We all live each day thinking about yesterday and what's to come tomorrow. The reality is once you go to sleep at night, yesterday is gone, we can't go back and change it, or ask for a "do over". What happened yesterday is done and can not be changed. We no longer have yesterday. At the same time, we can't have tomorrow either, for it hasn't happened yet. You only have today. This is the day the Lord has made...live in it.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:33-34
As you go to sleep tonight, you will wake up to tomorrow being blessed by God. What will it bring, what achievements will you accomplish, what trials will be there for you? None of us have the answers to those questions, so to worry about them now will only tarnish today. We all work and plan for the future, to make for a better life for our families, but remember, God has a plan for each of you, and He did not create us to fail. We cannot change our past, we cannot predict our future. God has already planned a path for you to walk, put Him first place in every aspect of your life and he will guide you every step of the way. Your past does not dictate your future, God does. There is no power greater than Him, nothing can keep you from where He is leading you, except you. Not even the enemy can stop you, unless you allow him to. Put your trust in God to deliver us from yesterday and prepare for us tomorrow, so we can have today. This is the day the Lord made...Live in it.
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31

As I speak a blessing over each of you this morning, always remember, I am here for you if you ever need to talk or get something off your chest or if you need prayer for yourselves, your family or your friends. Please do not hesitate to contact me.

May the Lord bless you and keep you; may the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; may the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.

Dear Father God, thank you for blessing us with this day and loving us as Your children. Watch over each and every one of us as we start each day, as we go through this week, keeping us in the palm of Your hand. Guide us in our daily lives, directing us on the path You have planned for us, bringing forth the dreams you have planted in each of our hearts. For we know who we are and whose we are, children of the most high God. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

"Keep your Faith strong, your Hope alive and your Prayers never ending."
God Bless
Pastor Mark

"...His favor is for a lifetime..."
Psalm 30:5, AMP

TODAY'S WORD:
One definition of the word “favor” is an advantage for success. When you put God first, when you obey His commands, you open the door for His favor which means you have the advantage for success! Even if someone may have wronged you and it looks like they have the upper hand, even if it looks like things are never going to change, keep reminding yourself, “I have an advantage. God is in control of my destiny. He’s fighting my battles for me. He is my Vindicator. And it’s just a matter of time before things change in my favor.”

In Hebrews that says, “Don’t cast away your confidence.” One translation says, “payday is coming.” In the difficult times, you have to remind yourself that payday is on the way! God is a faithful God. If you’ll keep doing the right thing, honoring Him, expecting His favor, God promises that He will pay you back. He will restore everything in your life that the enemy has stolen. Remember, you have the advantage today!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:
"Father, thank You for Your grace, mercy, and everlasting favor. I open my heart and mind to You and receive everything You have for me. Thank You for favor and healing in every area of my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen."

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send? And who will go for Us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
- Isaiah 6:8

In the prayer of consecration, we dedicate our lives and all that we are to Him. In order for God to use us, we must consecrate ourselves to Him.

When we truly consecrate ourselves to the Lord, we lose the burden of trying to run our own lives. I would rather voluntarily follow God than struggle to get Him to follow me. He knows where He is going, and I know I will reach my destination safely if I allow Him to lead.

I consecrate myself to God in prayer on a regular basis. I say, “Here I am, Lord. I am Yours; do with me as You please.” Then sometimes I add, “I hope I like what You choose, Lord, but if I don’t, Your will be done and not mine.”

Consecration and/or dedication to God is the most important aspect of succeeding at being ourselves. We don’t even know what we are supposed to be, let alone know how to become whatever it is. But as we regularly keep our lives on the altar in consecration to God, He will do the work that needs to be done in us, so He may do the work He desires to do through us.

Lord, I gladly consecrate myself—body, soul, and spirit—to You today. Take my life, shape my life, and use my life for Your glory. Amen.

Romans 6:18—And having been set free from sin, you have become the servants of righteousness. Of conformity to the divine will in thought, purpose and action

Proclaim Your Freedom From Addiction!
Part Two—

Christ came that I might have and enjoy abundant life.  Whereas, Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy.  I steep myself in the Word of God that I might know the divine power that is mine in Christ’s name.  I meditate on His commands day and night to keep myself from sin, and I remain cautious at all times—on the lookout for Satan’s attempts to lead me astray.

I walk in faith, not fear, for God is with me.  He will never forsake me.  He strengthens and helps me and makes the darkness into light before me.  I ask, and God places a hedge of protection around me.  He is my refuge and dwelling place.  He drives the enemy out before me.

I test all things until I recognize that which is good; then I grasp it tightly in my hand.  I will not be overcome by evil, but will overcome evil with good.   I determine in my heart, by the grace of God, to stand fast.  I will never again be ensnared by the yoke of slavery to sin.

Source:  Man of God 18 Days of Promise

If you will listen diligently to the voice of the Lord your God, being watchful to do all His commandments which I command you this day, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth (Deuteronomy 28:1 AMP).

Have you noticed some believers seem to walk in the fullness of God’s promised blessings on a continual basis while others, who love Him no less, seem to struggle through life, never quite walking in the freedom they desire?

I believe the difference in these two groups can be summed up with these three words: listen and obey. Walking in God’s blessing really is this simple, yet there are those who have never made the commitment to follow His instructions.

God wants to bless you and empower you to prosper in every area of your life:

spiritually
in your mind an emotions
in your body
financially
in your relationships with others
As you listen diligently to the voice of your God and do what the Word tells you to do, blessings will overtake you. God will give you practical instruction on how to prosper in every area of your life if you will listen to Him. The Holy Spirit inside you will teach you and empower you to do what He says.

He will teach you to have a dynamic and intimate friendship with the Father.
He will teach you how to take care of your body.
He will show you how to be a better worker, and He will cause you to be promoted.
He will give you ideas and direction on how to manage your business.
He will teach you how to get along with people and better understand others.
Listen to Him; He has the answer to your questions. Listen to Him; He will show you what to do and will give you the power to do it.

Confession:I will listen diligently to the voice of the Lord. As I hear the voice of the Holy Spirit and I am quick to obey, God’s blessings will come upon me and overtake me today.

Author: Jerry Savelle

Ephesians 2:7
that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Have you ever blown things out of proportion and gotten angry with God when you were going through a trying time? This happened to Jesus’ disciples when a storm hit them hard. In their fear of drowning, they cried out to Jesus, who was getting some much-needed sleep in the boat, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38)

For accusing Him of not caring, you would think that they received a rebuke from Jesus. But it was the wind which received His rebuke, and a great calm followed. (Mark 4:39) Because of His tenderness toward His own, Jesus did not waste time taking offence. Instead, He wasted no time taking care of the problem that had caused His disciples so much anxiety and fear.

This also happened to two sisters, Martha and Mary, who did not hesitate to let Jesus know how they felt when He finally showed up days after their brother Lazarus had died. Both sisters made the same remark to Him: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:21, 32)

Both sisters had seen Jesus’ miracles of mercy and love. Now, in their grief, they focused on how He could have prevented their brother’s death, but did not. They did not know His heart—how tender it was toward them and how His help would never fail them, but would even extend to raising their dead brother. (John 11:41–44)

Beloved, your heavenly Father sees you trying to stay afloat when you are in the midst of a storm. He sees you trying to provide for yourself and your family, and thinking, “If I don’t take care of these things, no one else will!” And He wants you to know how tender His heart is toward you, how He is not offended by all the bad things you have ever said of or to Him. He wants you to know how much He wants to and will help and bless you. So let go and experience afresh the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward you!

Thought For The Day
In the midst of your storm, Jesus wants you to know that He wants to and will help and bless you.

If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha (1 Corinthians 16:22).

The Lord Jesus said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15), meaning that the proof of your love for Him is keeping His Word. Furthermore, our opening verse says anyone who doesn’t love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be "anathema" (accursed). Loving Jesus isn’t debatable or negotiable; it’s not subject to the power of choice. It’s something you’re required to do.

Jesus is the crown of heaven, and the joy of the whole earth. Everything in the universe revolves around Him. He’s the embodiment and fullest revelation of God’s love! The Father has expressed Himself and His love in Jesus. There’s no better way for the Father to prove His love and manifest Himself to man outside of Jesus! Jesus is the joy of the Father’s heart. All that God does is wrapped around Him. This is the reason you must love Jesus with all your heart. Someone might want to ask, "But how can I love Him, when I can’t see Him physically?"

He already said it: "If you love me, keep my Word!" So, it’s through the Word. He rules our hearts and lives through His Word. Loving Him is loving the Word, living according to His Word. Someone once said, "I believe in God, and I love God, but I don’t believe in Jesus." That’s a contradiction, because the Bible says, "Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also" (1 John 2:23). If you love the Father, you must love the Son also.

Your proof of love for God is demonstrated in your love for Jesus. And there’s no better way to prove your love for the Master than to do His Word. Your love for Him should be expressed in your worship and in your actions as well. Your love for Him should be the greatest attraction, and the distinguishing attribute in your life.

Prayer

Precious Lord Jesus, I love you; thank you for all you’ve done for me. I appreciate and celebrate your glory in my life; thank you for giving me eternal life, and for loving me with such endearing and everlasting love. You’re my everything; you alone are worthy of all praise, glory, honour and adoration, forever and ever. Amen.

further study: Romans 5:5; John 14:21-23

: Philemon 1:1-25 Jeremiah 33

: James 5:1-20 Ezekiel 31

Memorise: 
Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them; for the Lord thy God he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Deuteronomy 31:6

Read: 2nd Chronicles 32:7-8 (KJV)
7 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him:

8 With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.


Bible in one year: 
Malachi 1-4,
Psalms 90:7-17

Message:
Courage is a virtue that is not optional for children of God who want to fulfil destiny. Without courage, we can’t even say we are images of Living God. This is why God Almighty always emphasizes the need to be courageous in the lives of those who He wants to use for special assignments. In the memory verse for today, Moses, the servant of God, encouraged the children of Israel to be of good courage, void of fear for people. There are many reasons why we cannot afford to be afraid of people.
Proverbs 29:25 says:

“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.”

Anyone who wants to represent God in this world must be courageous, or else, he or she will make a mess of the divine assignment like king Saul did. When he was confronted with the half-obedience he exhibited concerning the Amalekites, he had this to say:

“… I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.”
1st Samuel 15:24

Another reason we should not be afraid of any man is that God is with us. His name is Emmanuel. He himself said “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20). Isaiah 43:2-3 says:

“When thou passeth through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.”

There are facts that should instil courage into us because faithful is He who has promised; He will fulfil it. In the Bible reading for today, kind Hezekiah, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, told the people to be courageous in the face of the threats of war from Sennacherib king of Assyria.

“With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.”
2nd Chronicles 32:8

Prayer Point
Father, give me courage; don’t let me lose my ground of faith to the devil.

Open Heavens Daily written by Pastor E.A Adeboye

From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

Matthew 11:12
The Amplified Bible translates Matthew 11:12, "...a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion."

I want you to get violent today. Yes, violent, determined, zealous. I want you to get so committed to the things of God that you'll withstand any attempt to take them away from you.

Too many believers these days are like the Israelites. They're wandering around in a wilderness of defeat because there's an enemy in the promised land. They're being robbed of their rightful inheritance because they're afraid to fight him. They keep hoping that somehow they'll find a way in without using force. But they won't! You have to make demands where Satan and his associates are concerned.

When God sent the Israelites into Canaan, He said, "Send the armed men to go before you." They were to go up armed—ready for the fight. He knew they'd have to fight to take the land. He never promised them that they wouldn't. What He promised them was they'd win every time.

The same is true for you. You can't just lie down and play dead when you're dealing with the devil. He's not going to let go of any area of your life—of your health or your finances or anything else—without a fight. He's not going to give it up unless you force him.

Quit sitting there in the wilderness. Quit sitting there while the devil steals the blessings of God out from under you. You have God's permission and His power and His ability to take the land. Get violent enough to do something about it...today!

Scripture Reading:
Deuteronomy 31:1-8

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34a NIV).

Forgiveness may be the most misused, misapplied, and misunderstood quality in our culture. We think we know what forgiveness is all about, but we really don’t. Before reading further, take a minute to do this little quiz by deciding if each statement is true or false.

A person should not be forgiven until he asks for it.
Forgiving includes minimizing the offense and the pain caused.
Forgiveness includes restoring trust and reuniting a relationship.
You haven’t really forgiven until you’ve forgotten the offense.
When you see somebody hurt, it is your duty to forgive the offender.
When you read the Bible and see what God has to say about forgiveness, you discover that all five of those statements are false. How did you do?

We’re going to spend the next few days looking at what forgiveness really is, because most people don’t understand forgiveness.

First, real forgiveness is unconditional. There’s no attachment to it. You don’t earn it. You don’t deserve it. You don’t bargain for it. Forgiveness is not based on a promise to never do it again. You offer it to somebody whether they ask for it or not.

When Jesus stretched out his hands on the cross and said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing,” nobody had asked for it (Luke 23:34a NIV). Nobody had said, “Please forgive me, Jesus, for what we’re doing to you.” He just offered it. He took the initiative.

Second, forgiveness isn’t minimizing the seriousness of the offense. When somebody asks for your forgiveness and you say, “It’s no big deal. It really didn’t hurt,” that actually cheapens forgiveness. If it wasn’t a big deal, you don’t need forgiveness and you don’t need to offer it.

Forgiveness is only for the big stuff. You don’t use it for slights that are just minor issues. If something really requires forgiveness, then you should not minimize it when somebody asks you for forgiveness. You shouldn’t say it wasn’t a big deal. It was a big deal! If it wasn’t a big deal, just say, “You don’t need to ask forgiveness.” But if it is a big deal, then you need to admit it.

There are a lot of big deals in life. Have you noticed that? But there is a difference in being wounded and being wronged. Being wounded requires patience and acceptance, not forgiveness, because the person did it unintentionally. Being wronged requires forgiveness.

Remember that God will give you the grace to forgive as you walk in faith with him.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

What are the wounds that you’ve been waiting for someone to apologize for but that you just need to accept?
Why is it so hard to offer forgiveness to someone who has not asked for it? How can you move past this?
How does your attitude on forgiveness change when you consider how Christ forgave you?

For our citizenship is in heaven; from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
—Philippians 3:20 (NASB)

If you are moving to a new home, you want to know all about the community to which you are going. And since we will spend eternity some place, we ought to know something about it. The information concerning heaven is found in the Bible. When we talk about heaven, earth grows shabby by comparison. Our sorrows and problems here seem so much less, when we have keen anticipation of the future.

In a certain sense the Christian has heaven here on earth. He has peace of soul, peace of conscience, and peace with God. In the midst of troubles and difficulties he can smile. He has a spring in his step, a joy in his soul, a smile on his face. But the Bible also promises the Christian a heaven in the life hereafter.

Prayer for the day
Father, as I face whatever trials come my way, I will take heart in the glorious promise of heaven—knowing I shall be with You!

I have seen with my own eyes the division in today's society. I have watched as the enemy corrupts the minds of some and in turn brings forth hate and prejudice and fear.

We are all of one Father in Heaven. We all believe in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We all drop to our knees and pray for our families, our friends, our neighbors, this country.

Then why do we allow the enemy to win? Why do we allow the enemy in our lives? Because we are weak and we need God's strength. Let's bring Him back to this country. Let's bring Him back where he belongs. One Nation Under God!

Beloved. Fear not. I am the LORD of Hosts. I have commanded chariots of Holy Fire and My mighty angels to minister to you and to help you in your times of need. You will not be fighting this battle alone, Dear One.

They that are with you are MUCH MORE than those who are against you. The enemy makes himself known by his fiery darts coming against you, to get your eyes off of Me and onto that situation.

But it is finished, My Child. I am opening your eyes to see My protection surrounding you. As you lift your shield of faith, thousands upon thousands fight your battles with you. I give My angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. They lift you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone. Mighty angels are encamped around those who are Mine.

They hearken to My Voice and My Word. They carry My Fire, Beloved, and nothing shall by any means harm you. Faith works through My Love. My Love is always working for you from Glory. The Fire Light of My Glory and My Brightness surrounds you, protects you, and lights up the path ahead of you. Do you see the wheels within wheels gathered around you, Beloved? Do not fear, My Child. I am the God of angel armies. I have you covered.

..Heavenly host (Hebrew: צבאות‎‎ sabaoth, "armies") refers to the army (Luke 2:13) of angels mentioned both in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles, as well as other Jewish and Christian texts.
Several descriptions of angels in the Bible describe them in military terms, such as encampment (Genesis 32:1-2), command structure (Psalms 91:11-12; Matt.13:41; Rev.7:2), and combat (Jdg.5:20; Job 19:12; Rev.12:7).

..Psalms 91:11For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.12 They shall bear you up in their hands, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

..Hebrews 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

..Hebrews 13:2 - Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
..Psalms 103:20 - Bless the LORD, ye His angels, that excel in strength, that do His commandments, hearkening unto the Voice of His Word.

..2 Kings 6:16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.17 And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

..Ezekiel 1:15 Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold, a wheel was upon the earth by each of the living creatures with his four faces.16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the color of beryl, and all four had the same likeness; and their appearance and their work was, as it were, a wheel within a wheel.