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...Blessed is the man who fears the Lord...He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.

— Psalm 112:1, 7

God sometimes speaks by giving us peace deep inside our hearts. You may face situations in which everyone around you is telling you to trust God and be at peace, but the “how to” evades you.

Fears are screaming at you, unnerving you, and threatening you. Friends are saying, “Everything will be all right,” but you find that hard to believe until God Himself speaks deep in your heart and says, “You can trust Me; I will take care of this. Everything really is going to be all right.”

In 1989, I went to the doctor for a regular checkup. He discovered a fast-growing type of cancer, and recommended surgery immediately.

As a result of this news, I struggled with tremendous fear. I had trouble sleeping, and there were times when fear hit me so hard I felt I was going to fall down. No matter how many of my family members or friends reassured me, I still battled great fear until very early one morning, about 3:00am, God spoke deep inside my heart and said, “Joyce, you can trust Me.”

After that, I did not experience any sickening fear again. I was apprehensive as I waited for results on tests, but I was not terrified. I knew I was in God’s hands and whatever happened, He would take care of me.

As it turned out, I did not need further treatment. I ended up thankful instead of fearful—and that’s what can happen in any situation when we learn to hear God’s voice.

Prayer Starter: Father, you see everything I’m going through today. Help me to sense your peace deep inside my heart. Help me to trust that you will always take care of me and never let me down. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Matthew 19:26, NIV

TODAY'S WORD:

Are you facing something today that seems impossible? With man it may be, but with God, ALL things are possible. If you seem to be in an impossible situation, get “with God!” Sometimes it’s so easy to focus on our problems and try to solve them in our own strength. But remember, the battle belongs to the Lord. He has a plan for your victory. He has a plan to give you a way out. He is making the things that seem impossible, possible. You can trust Him today. The Bible says that He has plans for your good, not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Start believing and confessing today, “I am with God, and with God all things are possible!” Are your bills piling up? With God, all things are possible. Do your relationships need healing? With God, all things are possible. Is there sickness in your body? With God, all things are possible! As you meditate on God’s Word, His power is activated in your life. He will strengthen you and lead you forward into that place of victory He has in store for you.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Heavenly Father, thank You for making a way where there seems to be no way. I choose to trust You, and I believe that all things are possible! Show me Your power today. Work through me to encourage those around me to trust You more in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Luke 8:11

The seed is the Word of God.  Those by the wayside are those that hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 
Satan’s Plan For Unbelievers Is To Snatch The Gospel Seed Away Before It Can Take Root.
Satan’s objective is to damn the soul of every man on earth.  The Bible says, “He that believeth hath life and he that believeth not is damned already.”

When the gospel seed is sown in the church by the pastor, shared on the streets, or in the home, Satan does everything within his power to snatch the seed of the Word away before it can take root in the heart.

He purposes to blind the mind of the unbeliever from the gospel.  Don’t ever forget it…Satan is into mind control.  Paul wrote, “But if the gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost.  In whom the god of this world Satan has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto us.”

Source:  Facts About Satanism in America

Ephesians 2:1-7

Do you feel loved by God?  Let me ask the question a different way: Did you know that as a believer, it’s possible to mentally understand God loves you without actually sensing it? In fact, the reverse can be true as well—we may say we love God, all the while knowing that our feelings of affection for Him are limited.

There are a variety of reasons that a Christian might not sense love from God or affection for Him, some of which stem from childhood experiences. Perhaps love was absent in the home, or maybe it just wasn’t expressed verbally or demonstrated in practical ways. An individual’s personality could also be part of the equation—some people are naturally expressive while others are more reserved in their emotions.

Although this discrepancy between knowledge and experience can be distressing, there is hope. Meditating on all the ways God has demonstrated His love for you—and asking Him to help you perceive it—can begin to move that truth from your head to your heart. Remember that love is God’s very nature (1 John 4:8), not something conditioned on your performance. And if you’ve been adopted into His family through faith in His Son, God has chosen to lavish kindness on you in Christ.

Believing and accepting that you are loved by the Father will in turn affect your feelings for Him. Commit to knowing Him more intimately and accurately through His Word, and your affection for Him will begin to grow. As you spend time with Him in Scripture and prayer, you’ll discover that the saying “to know him is to love him” is certainly true of God.

Bible in One Year: Psalm 107-111

Romans 5:5

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Today, we express hope as if we can’t be sure what will really happen. We say, “I hope I will win that prize. I hope it won’t rain tomorrow. I hope everything works out well.”

But “hope” in the Bible is a confident and positive expectation of good. God wants you to have a confident expectation of good because as His child, He favors you. Because Christ is in you, the hope of glory (see Colossians 1:27), you can expect the glory of God to shine into every area of your life, including your family, job, ministry, health and finances!

God’s Word says, “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” You may have experienced disappointed hopes, but there is a hope that does not disappoint when you are conscious of how much God loves you. It is a hope that springs from the heart of God, who loves you very much.

It is interesting that the first mention of the Holy Spirit in the book of Romans is tied up with the love of God. The book of Romans is considered foundational for Christians. Could it be that the first thing the Holy Spirit wants to do is to establish in our hearts that God loves us? Many people think that the Holy Spirit has come to teach us about power. But the truth is that the Holy Spirit has come not to reveal the love for power, but the power of love!

My friend, you may have just lost your job. But if you can say, “Jesus loves me this I know,” you can also say, “I believe that I will get a better job tomorrow.” Your girlfriend may have just left you for your best friend. But because you can say, “Jesus loves me this I know,” you can also say, “I’ll meet a better girl.”

When you believe that God loves you, you will have a positive expectation of good. You will have a hope that does not disappoint. So be careful what you hope for because you are bound to get it!

We all face seasons and situations in life that feel like they are going to disqualify us from our destiny or derail our purpose. In these times, it is so important to stir our faith and to remember that we are still going to get to our promised destination.

We might be facing a detour, but it wasn't a surprise to God. He sees you exactly where you are and is working behind the scenes to bring you out better than you were before.

June 23, 2019 - David Ham - Times Square Church
Stay Strong

Worship Compilation  by Tolu Odukoya-Ijogun
Worship Compilation  by Tolu Odukoya-Ijogun
Worship Compilation  by Tolu Odukoya-Ijogun

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace (Ephesians 1:7).

T he word, “redemption” in the verse above is translated from the Greek, “apolutrosis,” which means deliverance, redemption, and more importantly, riddance. While these are synonyms of “apolutrosis,” it’s important to understand riddance in the context.

The Bible says, “And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me” (Psalm 50:15). That’s God assuring His people of deliverance. But now, He has become your riddance, meaning that it doesn’t matter what trouble you get into; He plucks you out; He’ll rid you of that trouble.

Proverbs 12:13 says, “...But the righteous shall come out of trouble” (ASV). That means the righteous may or could get into trouble, but there’s a guarantee of deliverance: Christ! Christ is his deliverance! The mess you’re in could have been self-inflicted or a result of misjudgements; Christ is your assurance that you’re coming out of the trouble, because He’s your riddance. Glory to God!

Christ being your redemption (riddance) means He makes up for your errors. Every mistake, every sin, has been laid to His charge. He’s obligated to save you. He’ll help you out of any quagmire, not because you earned it by your works or efforts, but because you have a ransom in Christ Jesus. He plucks your feet out of the miry clay (Psalm 40:2). Hallelujah!

So, when you make a mistake or get into trouble, be bold to call on Him. He’s not intimidated by your troubles. No wonder the Psalmist said, “But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble” (Psalm 59:16). He’s your deliverance and your Deliverer; your Rescuer; the One who plucks you out of trouble. Glory to His Name forevermore!

CONFESSION
I have my riddance in Christ. It doesn’t matter what troubles come my way; it doesn’t matter what adversities I face; they’re of no effect, because Christ is my riddance. He plucks my feet out of the miry clay. Praise God!

FURTHER STUDY:
Psalm 40:2-3 AMPC; Isaiah 43:2-5; 1 Corinthians 1:30

1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Acts 15:22-35 & Esther 5-7

2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Luke 6:1-11 & Deuteronomy 29 

Monday July 1st 2019
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: Daniel 4:28-33 (KJV)

28 All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.
30 The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
31 While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.


32 And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.

 Bible in one year: 
Deuteronomy 7-8,
Ezekiel 8:7-18,

Hymnal:
Sing hymn 9

Message:-
The spiritual regeneration experience can either be positive or negative. The type that Jesus recommended to Nicodemus in John 3:3-5 is the positive kind.

Describing it, the Holy Spirit says in 2nd Corinthians 5:17:

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.”

However, there is also the negative kind of rebirth. When a person who was filled with good works turns around and begins to behave badly. Such a person is manifesting the symptoms of negative rebirth. The Bible refers to this as ‘backsliding’. According to today’s memory verse, a backslider begins to behave abnormally, exalting personal satisfaction above God’s will.
7

King Nebuchadnezzar’s transformation in today’s Bible reading demonstrating what negation rebirth is all about. In the twinkling of an eye, he changed from a royal majesty to an animal, to the extent that he began to graze like cattle! When a child of God suddenly develops the appetite for alcohol, cigarettes, pornography or extramarital affairs, he or she has experienced a negative rebirth. Don’t be surprised therefore when you see holiness preachers of yesteryear beginning to say that holiness is an illusion – they have undergone a negative rebirth. Are you in a backslidden state? My prayer for you is that the Almighty God will restore you, and every satanic appetite for sin shall vanish from your life today in Jesus’ Name.


Why did Nebuchadnezzar experience negative rebirth? The answer lies in Daniel 4:27 – he refused to take heed when God’s prophet warned him to turn from his wicked ways. It is amazing that in spite of the miracles that Nebuchadnezzar experienced, including seeing the Son of God walking around in the fiery furnace, he continued to be arrogant before the God of heaven (Daniel 3:22-25). In like manner, is it not surprising that in spite of the reality of HIV/AIDS, some people still practice prostitution and have several people patronising them? it is more disheartening when one sees Christians or ministers of God for that matter going back to their old vomit and engaging in sexual immorality and fraudulent practices. Are you one of such people? God is saying to you today in Ezekiel 18:31:

“Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”

It is time for you to repent so that times of refreshing can be poured over your life (Acts 3:19).
 
Action Point
Examine your life today to see where you need positive rebirth through genuine repentance. If the Lord is speaking to you on this matter, go ahead and repent without further delay.

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

His every word is a treasure of knowledge and understanding.
—Proverbs 2:6 (TLB)

It is small wonder . . . the Bible has always been the world’s best-seller! No other book can touch its profound wisdom, its poetic beauty, or the accuracy of its history and prophecy. Its critics who claimed it to be filled with forgery, fiction, and unfulfilled promises are finding that the difficulties lie with themselves, and not the Bible. Greater and more careful scholarship has shown that apparent contradictions were caused by incorrect translations, rather than divine inconsistencies. It was man and not the Bible that needed correcting. And yet—in many homes and among so-called educated people—it has become fashionable to joke about the Bible and to regard it more as a dust-catcher than as the living Word of God. . . . Too many families have used the Bible as a safe storage place for old letters and pressed flowers, and have overlooked entirely the help and assurance that God intended this Book to give them.

How can we know the Bible is true? Here are 5 reasons to trust it.

Maybe you find the Bible hard to understand. Here’s some guidance.

Prayer for the day
Almighty God, I praise You for the authority of Your Word, which speaks to me of my redemption, life as it should be lived, peace and eternal life with You.

Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household?

Matthew 24:45

The Word tells us that God shows Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are "perfect" toward Him (2 Chronicles 16:9). That word perfect doesn't mean that we have to do everything just right and live without making a mistake. Thank God, we don't have to do that. It means "devoted"—a heart consecrated, dedicated, loyal and faithful to God.

The mistakes we make will not stop God from working in our lives. Only our lack of faithfulness can do that.

Who is faithful? The one who spends his time doing what God has called him to do. Or as Jesus put it, the one who takes up his cross and follows Him. The one who denies his fleshly desires and spends his life on the things God desires him to do.

Maybe God has been urging you to spend more time in His Word and in prayer or dealing with you about ministering more to the people around you. He may be calling you to pray for the sick or to teach the Word. But you're busy, so you glide on with good intentions and tell God you'll do it later. Well, later is here!

Decide today that you are going to be the faithful and wise servant. Find out what is stealing your time from the Lord. Serve His interests instead of your own.

Do you want to be a ruler in the household of God? Do you want Him to show Himself strong for you? Then take up Jesus' thoughts today. Take up His purposes and His plans. Now is the time to be faithful!

Scripture Reading:
Matthew 24:42-51

I hear the Lord say it is time for some of his children to dig a trench. To redirect the water to your barren place.

Many of you are waiting on the Father, on supernatural rain from heaven; but the Lord is waiting on you! Time to decide what your part and responsibility is, and get busy.

For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10). Jesus replied,”No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62)....

Look forward with the Lord, get excited about what he is doing in your life. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds (James 1:2). The Lord knew the storm would come, he knew the winds would blow, but he also knew you could do it. You have built your house upon the rock, Christ the firm foundation on which you stand. Delight in the progress you have made, and repent of anywhere you fall short. Not every stone is a cornerstone, and not every rock will take down a giant. Depend on God to be your vindicator. But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord; their vindication will come from me. I, the Lord, have spoken! (Isaiah 54:17)....

So what are you waiting on, start digging a trench and water your garden. Your purpose is waiting on you....
God will meet you....
God will seat you....
And he will establish you....
You just have to start walking....

Tammy Lang Jensen

I was drawn to painting of bluejays flying into the heavens, and I heard this, "Those are not blue birds, but BLUE EAGLES. You are My Blue Warrior Eagles flying in Glory"

Beloved. Those who have waited upon Me are rising up on wings as Eagles. Not just any eagle, No, Dear One. But Eagles of Blue Fire. Blue Fire is the hottest of all Fires. You are My Stealth Fighters, My Storm Troopers of the Spirit. You shall break the sound barriers of the enemy with My Sound and My Cry in your mouth for you are burning with the hottest Fire of God, flying under the radar of the enemy at great speed.You shall root out the enemy's hiding places, and free My imprisoned ones. The enemy will not know where you came from or where you are going. He will not detect you until it is too late. He will see the evidence of My Signs and Wonders and never know what hit him. You will have come and gone before he even senses your presence, for it is My Presence in you that burns with My Brightness and Glory. In your wake shall be marvels and miracles! Fear not, Mighty Warrior. Soar on My Thermals of the Spirit, for you are hidden in the Shelter of My Wings. Arise and shine in My Light. My Glory is your rearguard; Empowering you, lifting you high up above your enemies, causing you to soar! Now is your time to arise in the Power of My Might and My Authority, The storms shall no longer overtake you but you shall rise far above them and you shall overcome them, for YOU are the Storm, My Blue Eagles! You shall leave the enemy in the dust!

Leave someone in the dust: 1. To leave someone or something far behind due to how quickly one is moving. 2. To completely outclass, outperform, or surpass someone or something else.

...Exodus 24:10 And they saw the God of Israel [the manifestation of His presence], and under His feet it was like pavement of bright sapphire stone, (blue) like the very heavens in clearness.
... Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
...John 3:7Do not be amazed that I said, ‘You must be born again.’ 8The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
See comments for more info on Blue Light and Blue Eagles and a confirming word by sis Bonnie Nelson!

“I trust the LORD God to save me, and I will wait for him to answer my prayer” (Micah 7:7 CEV).

The Bible is clear that we go through seasons in life, and one of the seasons that God talks about again and again is the season of waiting.

While you’re waiting, God is working. Don’t think that a season of waiting means that God has stopped working. He’s just taking you through that season because he’s using the time to work in your circumstances for your good.

You’re going to spend a lot of life waiting. If you don’t figure out how to trust God while you’re waiting, you’ll spend a lot of your life not trusting God.

God is never in a hurry. He’s eternal! He is watching. He is working. He is seeing how and when you will trust him as you’re waiting. You’re saying, “When, Lord? When is it going to happen?” And God’s saying, “You can trust me with this.”

The problem with waiting is that our human nature and our society say, “Don’t wait! Get things as quickly as you can.”

That’s the way our culture is wired, but it goes against God’s blessing in our lives, because God’s blessing comes through these times of waiting. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says God “has set the right time for everything” (GNT).

Are you in a time of waiting? Maybe it’s for school to end. Maybe it’s for the “right person” to come into your life. Maybe it’s for a marriage to happen or a baby to come or a new job opportunity to arrive. And you may be frustrated with how slowly things are happening. We’ve all been there.

There’s a promise in the Bible that tells you not only that God is working but also how God is working, and you need to claim it while you’re in your time of waiting: “I am the Lord, and when it is time, I will make these things happen quickly” (Isaiah 60:22 NCV).

That’s how God worked when he sent Jesus into this world. The world waited thousands of years for Jesus to come the first time. And he came at just the right moment.

We’ve been waiting 2,000 years now for Jesus to come again. When will that happen? At just the right time—God’s time. That’s when he’s going to return.

You can apply this to your time of waiting and remember that a delay is not a denial. When you think God is saying no, he may just be saying, “Not yet. Will you keep trusting me through this?”

Micah 7:7 says, “I trust the Lord God to save me, and I will wait for him to answer my prayer” (CEV).

That is the kind of faith that God blesses.

Talk It Over

What have you been waiting for God to do in your life? What has been your response to the season of waiting?
How have you seen God work in your life when you have had to trust his timing and not your own?
What can you do to slow things down in your life so that you learn patience and trust?

You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for the time to favor her, yes, the set time, has come.
Psalm 102:13, NKJV

TODAY'S WORD:

One thing I’ve learned in my life is that God likes to outdo Himself. His dream for your life is so much bigger than your own. His ways are higher, and He has an appointed time of favor for your life. He is going to take you places that you never thought possible. He is going to open up doors that you never have imagined. He’s going to bring talent out of you that you didn’t even know you had. This is the time to get excited about your future! It’s time to get your hopes up because you have been chosen by the Creator of the universe. Your destiny is not determined by the economy, how you were raised, or your education. Your destiny is determined by Almighty God.

Today I want to encourage you to set your thoughts on things above. It’s time for you to move up to a new level. The good news is that God has already laid out victory before you. I declare that in the days ahead you’re going to rise. Get ready because God is going to raise you up into the life of blessing He has prepared for you!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father God, thank You for this day. Thank You for the good plan You have for me. I believe it is my time of set favor; it’s my time to rise higher; it’s my time to experience every breakthrough and every blessing You have in store for me in Jesus’ name! Amen.

Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him

Declared as the “The Hall of Faith,” Hebrews 11 recounts name after name of the warriors of old who grabbed hold of the promises of God, and by faith, performed mighty exploits in His name.

Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” In other words, as believers, we have full confidence for the things for which we hope; we are completely certain of things that we cannot even see. It was this kind of faith that drove the saints of old and won them a reputation that stands today.

Hebrews 11 calls out some of these warriors by name:

Noah, by faith, built an ark before one raindrop fell.
Abraham, by faith, left everything familiar to search for a Promised Land.
Sarah, by faith, gave birth to baby Isaac long after her childbearing years had passed.
Abraham, again by faith, offered up that same long-awaited son on the altar…before God provided a ram.
Amram and Jochebed, by faith, disobeyed the king’s command and spared the life of their son, Moses.
Moses, by faith, gave up the pleasures of Egypt to suffer the afflictions of his people, the Israelites.
The Israelites, by faith, crossed through the middle of the Red Sea on dry land.

These men and women – and many others – “through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens” (Hebrews 11:33-34). Can we ever hope to be so courageous and victorious?

The answer is yes! Because none of these people fought in their own strength. They simply took God at His Word. They could not see the outcome with their physical eyes, but when God spoke to them, they took the step of faith that set them on a course to certain victory.

Whatever you face today, the battle belongs to the Lord. Take Him at His Word. Trust and believe. Take the first step, by faith – even as small as the tiniest mustard seed – and watch Him move a mountain for you.

Blessing:

Heavenly Father, fill me with the faith of these mighty warriors. Give me the courage to take You at Your Word, to trust and believe in everything You say. Then, help me take the first step to be more than a conqueror. In the name of Jesus…amen.

Today's Bible Reading:

Old Testament

2 Kings 17:1-18:12

New Testament

Acts 20:1-38

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 148:1-14

Proverbs 18:6-7

Acts 8:26-39

You’ve probably heard the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Although we cannot negate the power of the gospel spoken in words, there is great benefit in seeing salvation vividly acted out in the baptism of a new believer. When we enter the waters of baptism, we are portraying several truths:

We are proclaiming the gospel message—that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and raised to life on the third day. Baptism serves as a reminder of what the Savior has done for us.

We are also showing what has happened to us through salvation (Rom. 6:3-14). Plunging beneath the surface pictures the death and burial of our old self with Christ. Being raised up out of the water expresses our new life in Christ and our union with Him. As our heavenly Father physically raised Jesus from the dead and gave Him life, He has done the same for us spiritually. We are no longer the person we once were, because Christ has broken the power of sin in our lives.

Baptism is also a public declaration of our faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and in our own future bodily resurrection. It points to the truth that there is life beyond the grave. Someday we, too, will receive a resurrected body and live forever with Christ.

Baptism is a commandment for all believers, not an option. As such, it is both an obligation and an awesome privilege. Our unbelieving family and friends need to physically see this truth in our life. Have you publicly identified yourself with Jesus through the act of baptism?

Bible in One Year: Psalm 103-106

I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth (Psalm 34:1 NKJV).

Did you know it is possible to experience the joy of the Lord on a continual basis? The key to experiencing continual joy is developing a heart that is filled with continual praise and a willingness to view your life—past, present, and future—with a positive attitude.

The Israelites were surrounded by the goodness of God as they journeyed through the desert to freedom, yet they did not view their experience with a positive frame of mind. Because they complained about their situation, many of them never entered the good land God already had waiting for them.

Had they viewed their circumstances positively, acknowledged the goodness of God, and walked in joy, they would have gone straight into the good land. Their negativity robbed them of joy, dishonored God, and cost them the good life.

So praise God for His grace that covers your past, your present, and your future. His grace is able to turn even deliberate sin from the past around for your good and His glory—if you will hand it over to Him in faith.

You experience joy when nothing from the past has the power to condemn or sadden you, when your memories are only of the positive because you trust in God’s goodness towards you. You experience joy when you focus on the goodness of God in your present situation and believe you will spend your future walking in His grace and mercy.

Continuous joy produces continuous praise for all the good things God has done and is going to do. After all, when you are touched by His goodness, how can you do anything but continually praise God for His kindness and love towards you?

Confession: My God is a good God, and His mercy endures forever. I choose right now to trust Him with every aspect of my life—past, present, and future—knowing that He is able to turn every situation and circumstance for my good. His praise will continually be in my mouth.

Author: Jerry Savelle

Luke 2:40

And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

The verse says that the grace of God was upon Jesus. The Bible also says that where sin abounds, grace abounds much more (see Romans 5:20). And when you put the two together, you may find yourself asking, “If the grace of God was upon Jesus, does it mean that He sinned?”

No, Jesus did not sin (see 2 Corinthians 5:21). So there must be another explanation as to why God’s grace was upon Jesus. There must be another explanation as to why someone can abound in God’s grace even when he has not sinned.

Let’s look at the word “grace” when it is first mentioned in the Bible. Genesis 6:8 says that “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” Noah’s name means “rest.” So the verse is telling us that rest found grace. In other words, when you rest, you find grace!

So grace was upon Jesus because His life was a life of rest and trust in His Father. He said, “The Son can do nothing of Himself. He can do only what He sees His Father doing” (John 5:19).

Likewise, grace comes upon you when you rest and trust God. If you have a wayward child, stop nagging at him and trust God to handle the problem. Say, “Jesus, I commit this boy into Your hands. I cannot control him. You can.” If you have a persistent pain in your body, bring it to the Lord. Say, “Jesus, I hand all my worries about this pain to You. You work on the pain.”

“Pastor Prince, what if nothing happens?”

Honestly, if after you have given the matter to Jesus and nothing happens, what can you do? If Jesus Himself can’t do anything about it, do you think you can? But praise God, once the problem is handed over to Jesus, He can and will do a perfect work of taking care of it for you!

So live a life of rest. Have this attitude and tell the Lord, “I can do nothing of myself. I just rest in You Lord and I trust You.” Beloved, what you will see is the grace of God upon you in every situation of your life!

Learn why Israel is the most fought-over piece of real estate in the world as Jonathan Bernis introduces his new book, A Lasting Peace.

The conflict surrounding Israel has great spiritual significance, and philosophers, politicians, and theologians agree that it is complex. Jonathan breaks down the many elements of the Middle East conflict to give you a clear biblical perspective. The answer to peace in the Middle East is more straightforward and profound than you could imagine.

Regardless of where a person stands politically or spiritually, the conflict in the Middle East is undeniably controversial. Based on his new book, A Lasting Peace, Jonathan Bernis continues his discussion of the struggles between Israel and Arab nations, revealing the historical and spiritual factors of the generations-old strife. You’ll gain a clear understanding of the ongoing conflict and discover the role you can play during this momentous time in history.

Tasha Cobbs Leonard LIVE singing "God I Look To You" as recorded by Bethel Music. Please subscribe and let me know which videos you'd like to see next! God bless

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me (John 10:27).

Oftentimes, when we say God spoke to us, there’re those who wonder, “What language does He speak?” They want to know how they too can hear God. God is a Spirit, and He speaks to your spirit. What you have to learn is to listen to Him with your heart—your spirit.

Being born again, and having received the Holy Spirit, you’re one with the Lord. He’s come to dwell within you and has mingled with your spirit. The Bible says, “But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:17). Thus, His voice in your spirit will be unmistakable. All you have to do is listen from within. He knows every language. He can talk to you in any language.

The most important thing about God speaking to you isn’t the language He spoke; it’s whether your spirit received the words. He speaks to you in “spirit language,” because He talks to your spirit. Your mind is what relates with language.

Language is created with sound for your intellect. But God isn’t a mind, neither does He appeal to your mind. He doesn’t need your reasoning faculties to communicate with you. As a result, He doesn’t need to put His message in a language for your intellect.

When He speaks to you in any human language, if you don’t receive the message from your spirit, it may have no impact or meaning. It has to get to your spirit. If you only got the words in your mind, you may even forget what He said, but your spirit can remember.

Moreover, when God speaks to you, your spirit will at once light up and bear witness that He’s the One talking to you. It’s like what Jesus said in our opening verse, “My sheep hear my voice….”

Train your spirit to be a sure-guide and a dependable receptacle of God’s words and signals. Activate your spirit by speaking in tongues frequently. Also, it’s very important that you learn the Word of God, because He never says anything outside His Word. Praise God!

PRAYER
Dear Father, I thank you for the ability to hear and recognise your voice. As you speak to me from the Word and counsel me from within, I respond to your guidance, promptings, and instructions, and receive the corresponding blessings, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:
Deuteronomy 4:36; Psalm 62:11; John 16:13


1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Acts 15:1-21 & Esther 1-4

2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Luke 5:27-39 & Deuteronomy 28

Sunday June 30th 2019
Memorise: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1

Read: Judges 16:28-31 (KJV)
28 And Samson called unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
29 And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.
30 And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.
31 Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.

Bible in one year: 
Deuteronomy 5-6,
Ezekiel 7:23-8:6,

Hymn:
Sing hymn 4

Message:
Sacrifice is the act of surrendering a prized possession as an offering to God. In reality, it is the death or loss of the object that makes it a sacrifice.

In this light, the use of the term “living sacrifice” in today’s memory verse seems like a contradiction, since an object or sacrifice should not remain alive. However, the term “living sacrifice” is used in that verse with specific focus on our living bodies being presented as holy and acceptable unto God. To this effect, 1st Corinthians 6:19 says:
 
“What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”

This verse says that our body is God’s temple. A temple is a holy place of sacred building which has been set aside as a place of worship or consecrated as the house of God. In the Old Testament, the tabernacle in the desert, the sanctuaries at Bethel and Shiloh, and the temple at Jerusalem were all temples of God in different forms. However, under the now covenant, the notion of God dwelling within us is fundamental to our faith. Our Lord clearly says in John 14:23:

“…If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”

For anyone who belongs to Christ indeed, God is saying clearly that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. You therefore need to handle it with all the care, holiness and sacredness it deserves, if it is to be acceptable to God as a dwelling place.

When I was a university lecturer some years ago, there was a young lady whose prayer was always “Lord, use me for Your glory.” Shunning interest in anything else, this was the only prayer point consistent on her list. One day, she needed to use the toilet because she was seriously pressed, but as she opened the toilets one by one, she discovered they were all messed up. As she left in annoyance, she heard God saying, “I thought you wanted to use the toilet, what happened?”

She responded that the toilets were all dirty. To her shock, she heard the Lord saying the reason He had not used her, despite her numerous prayers, was because she was dirty! Therefore, for anyone to be used of God as a living sacrifice, he or she must be clean in and out, and thoroughly furnished unto good works. God expects us to live in holiness and righteousness, while handling our bodies in sanctification and honour (1st Thessalonians 4:4).

Prayer point
Father, Please help me to live the rest of my life as a living sacrifice to You, in Jesus’ Name.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional Lessons was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical Churches in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.