Abiding TV

Beloved. Picture this, My Child. See a powerful eagle flying high above the storm clouds. In his claw is a snake.

His talons are wrapped tightly around it’s neck. Suddenly, the eagle lets go of that snake and it crashes to the rocks below. It’s head is crushed. YOU are that eagle, My Child. For too long, you have seen yourself as an earth dweller.

But I see you in the Spirit. You are My Eagle in heavenly places. That old serpent, who is Satan, cannot harm you. I have given you My authority over him and his minions. For too long, you have suffered at his hands, Dear One. But My Spirit is in you to remind you who you are in Me.

You have the very same authority as Paul, who, when the snake tried to bite him, SHOOK IT OFF. In the same way, I shall protect you from the serpent’s poison and the evil one will NOT be able to hold onto you. You shall not be shaken, but you shall shake the kingdom of darkness. When the enemy tries to come at you with bad reports, lying symptoms, and fear, SHAKE HIM OFF, My Child. I am He who has set you free. His authority in your life has been overcome. I have trained your hands for war and your fingers for battle.

I AM the Rock upon whom the enemy is crushed. I AM renewing your strength and your youth like the eagle. You shall mount up with wings as eagles; you shall run, and not be weary; you shall walk, and not faint. Rise up, My Mighty Warrior Eagle! Grab that snake by the neck, fly high in the Spirit, and shake him off! He has NO dominion over you, Beloved! Behold, I have given you authority to TRAMPLE serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means harm you!

... Acts 28:3,5 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand... and he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.
... Luke 10:18-19.So Jesus said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will by any means harm you”
... 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.
... Genesis 3:15“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; HE WILL CRUSH YOUR HEAD, and you will strike His heel.
...Romans 16:20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
... Psalm 144:1 Blessed be the LORD, my Rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle.
Amazing painting by Ricardo Colon; used with permission

As I close my eyes, I keep seeing orange water lilies. They look like fire upon the water. 

I hear REVIVAL break-out, Spirit break out, fire of heaven fall down.

Then I am quickly taken to another vision of a woman riding on a horse in the forest. She shouts, “Follow me to the frontlines!” The Lord says, “I am no respecter of person, and I can bless you in the city and I can bless you in the country.”

You would do well to search my spirit out and find out which way it flows, and then jump into the river.

Don’t be like the king and think you are too good to kneel in the Jordan. But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought Elisha would certainly come out to meet me!”he said. I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me (2 Kings 5:11). He also went on to talk about how the rivers of Damascus were better than the river Jordan.

Don’t let pride, assumption and carnal expectation keep you from what God is trying to do in your life. When the wolf is at the door, say Lord, not my will but your will be done. So Naaman went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy (2 Kings 5:14). So what did Naaman’s obedience get him?

Well it got him restoration and healing. When you have a surrendered obedient life, you can’t help but be changed by it. So how do we become that fire upon the water? We listen to the voice of God. So when the fiery darts of the enemy come, just thank him for increasing your flame. So when the wind of adversity blows, just let it fan your flame.

Our God is an all consuming fire, so let him consume you. Let him burn away everything that is not of Him, so you burn white hot. Purified by the hand of God, so you can touch and change your circumstance. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18). Let God transform you today, and as his touch sets you ablaze; go out and start a REVIVAL!!!!....

Tammy Lang Jensen

Tuesday October 2nd 2018
MEMORIZE: Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.    Romans 15:13

Read: Ezekiel 37:11-14 (KJV)
11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.
12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.
13 And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,
14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord.

Bible in one year: 
Isaiah 28-29;
Luke 1:1-25,

Hymnal: 
Sing Hymn 11

Message:
Hopelessness or despair is a state marked by great difficulty, doubt, desperation, heaviness and embarrassment, causing one to be confounded, to give up hope or to be at a loss on what to do. Shame is also implied, as hopelessness leads to hanging one’s head low in a daze or confusion.

What do you do when life leaves you with no money, no source of livelihood, no food and no place to lay your head? What do you do when there is no way of providing for your family, especially if you have little children? What do you do when you are faced with medical, financial or psychological problems that seem to defy all solution? What do you do when calamity or devastation comes against you unexpectedly and you have exhausted all channels of resolution without respite? Many in such situations have chosen the dark path that eventually leads to death, either by way of murder or suicide. I pray for anyone who may be passing through difficult times at this moment: the Lord will help you, He will make a way for you out of your troubles, and you will live to share your testimony with the world in Jesus’ Name.

So much evil comes forth from situations of hopelessness. ln 1 Samuel 31 :4, after King Saul had been badly wounded, he lost every hope of divine intervention or recovery, and he committed suicide by falling on his sword. Similarly, in 2 Samuel 17:23, the moment Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed. He was filled with shame and embarrassment, so much so that he took his own life. After Judas lscariot had betrayed Jesus, his heart was stricken by guilt, and he hanged himself (Matthew 2723-5). l pray that the type of hopelessness that drove these men to commit suicide will never be your portion in Jesus Name.

Are u confronted by a hopeless situation, or are you stricken on with deep sorrow and pain? I want you to encourage yourself in the Lord your God, just like David did after he lost everything he had ever laboured for (1 Samuel 30:6). The A mighty is our hope, our salvation and our peace. In your deepest sorrow and greatest moments of despair; please avoid the temptation of seeking respite in alcohol, hard drugs or any other mind-bending substances. Always turn to God for help, because you can always count on Him to console you and make a way out of that hopeless situation. l pray that no matter what you are passing through, you will not take any step that will lead to destruction in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer point: 
Father, please turn every hopelessness situation in my life around for good 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.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9

It's wonderful to know you've been set free from the law of sin and death. It's glorious to know you never again have to submit to the slavery of sin. But what do you do when, in spite of those wonderful, glorious truths, you still miss the mark? What do you do when you stumble and fall into sin?

Run to your Father and repent!

That sounds simple. But oddly enough we often do just the opposite. Instead of running to God, we let fear and guilt drive us further and further from Him. We start thinking things like, Well, I've missed it now. I might as well forget the rest of it and live like the devil.

Don't make that mistake. Don't let Satan talk you into sinning in one area of your life just because you missed it in another. When you get off track with God, just confess it and get right back on.

"But, Brother Copeland, I feel so guilty when I tell God what I've done that it's hard for me to make myself do it."

I know. I used to feel that way too. Then, one day, God said to me, Kenneth, when you confessed that sin wasn't when I found out about it. I knew about it all the time! When you confessed it is when you got rid of it, when you were cleansed of its effects in your life.

When you make a mistake, when you miss the mark, remember, you have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous (1 John 2:1). Run to Him! He knows what you are going through. You don't need to be afraid. He didn't tear you apart for the sins you committed before you made Him Lord of your life, did He? Then how much more merciful and loving do you think He'll be now that you're His own? Now that you're reaching out for Him and have a heart for Him?

Don't run from God. Run to Him. Receive His forgiveness. Receive His cleansing. No matter how badly you've sinned, He's eager to forgive and to cleanse you of all unrighteousness.

Scripture Reading:
2 Samuel 11:1-5, 12:1-13

He who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
—Philippians 1:6

Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion. It is a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ. When you start out, you start out as a baby. You must be fed on the simple things of the Bible, and you learn to walk in your Christian life gradually.

At first you will fall down and make many mistakes, but you are to continue growing. However, there are many people who have stopped growing. They remain spiritual babes all their lives. I am afraid that this experience is all too common today. Perhaps it is yours.

Do you remember the day when you gave your heart and life to Christ? You were sure of victory. How easy it seemed to be more than conqueror through Christ who loved you. Thousands of Christians have struggles with themselves. The great need in Christendom today is for Christians to learn the secret of daily victory over sin.

Want more on how to grow your faith? Listen to this message from Billy Graham.

Prayer for the day
Father, I fall so many times but how lovingly You give me Your strength to endure.

”Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT).

Have you ever heard the word sanctification? It’s really just a big theological word that means to dedicate something for God’s purpose.

You can sanctify anything. You can say, “God, I sanctify this car. I dedicate it to you for your purposes. God, I sanctify this home. I dedicate it to you for your purposes.”

God says in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 that there’s something he wants you to dedicate to him: your body. “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body” (NLT).

How do you do that? How do you honor God with your body?

It’s simple: You take care of it.

“Sanctify your body” basically means “get in shape.” If you want God to use you, you’ve got to get in shape. Because the better shape you are in, the more energy you’ll have and the more God can use you.

Psalm 119:73 says, “You made my body, Lord; now give me sense to heed your laws” (TLB). God set up the principles of good health. He doesn’t just want you to have a pure heart. He wants your body to be in shape so he can use you more effectively.

Maybe you aren’t getting enough sleep. But God can’t use somebody who’s tired all the time. You need to get proper rest. Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is to take a nap!

Perhaps you need to work on the food factor. In 1 Corinthians 6:13, the Bible compares overeating to sexual immorality. You might never think of cheating on your spouse, but God says that these are all sins against the body. God is serious about wanting you to control what you eat!

It’s possible you have the wrong attitude toward your body. You neglect it, you reject it (“God, I want a different one!”), or you perfect it (the way a narcissistic bodybuilder worships his body). Instead, God wants you to respect your body and protect it. Why? Because God created it, Jesus paid for it, and the Holy Spirit lives in it.

So what’s our motivation to get in shape? The Bible says, “All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize” (1 Corinthians 9:25 NLT). Our motivation is we want to please God. Athletes get in shape just to win an award. But you will have an eternal reward! You will be rewarded in heaven because you made the most of what you were given, because you took care of your body so that God could use you more effectively here on Earth.

Talk It Over

How does not getting enough sleep affect you during the day? How does it affect your work? Your relationships? Your attitude?

What one step can you take today to implement healthier eating habits?
When it comes to physical fitness, some people neglect their bodies and some people worship their bodies. What does a healthy balance look like?

"…‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty."
(Zechariah 4:6, NIV)

TODAY'S WORD:

Are you struggling or striving to make something happen? Maybe you need a breakthrough in your finances or in a relationship. It’s good to do everything we know to do in the natural, but we have to always remember that victory doesn’t come by might nor power, but by the Spirit of the living God.

One translation says, “It’s by the breath of Almighty God.” When you know God is breathing in your direction and dare to take a leap of faith and say, “Yes, this is my time; I’m going to accomplish my dreams,” that’s when you will feel a wind beneath your wings. That’s when you’ll feel a supernatural lift, an anointing that will help you accomplish what you could not accomplish on your own.

Today, know that the wind of God is blowing. This is your season. This is your time to believe again. Believe that God can open doors that no man can shut. Believe that He is working behind the scenes in your favor. Believe that it’s your season; it’s your time, and get ready to embrace every blessing He has in store for you!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father God, thank You for the power of Your Holy Spirit at work in me. Today, I surrender every area of my heart, my mind, my will and my emotions to You. Thank You for directing my steps and giving me the power to overcome in this life in Jesus’ name. Amen.

...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 3:00 a.m., 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.

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

Are you having a bad day? I mean, a really bad day? Are you ready for the rain to stop pouring down on your parade? Look up! Your help comes from your Redeemer, the Light of the World!

If you can’t think of anything else to do, or the exact words to pray, just begin to PRAISE: Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Read through the Psalms and listen to the words of David, which repeat over and over that we are to praise the Lord, in good times and bad. As you praise Him, you will feel His anointing wash over you like a tidal wave of blessing. Joy unspeakable will flood your soul. You will feel overwhelming peace in your spirit. The exhaustion in your heart, soul, mind, and body will disappear as you invite Jesus to be the Lord and Master of your situation. Just the mention of His name will defeat any enemy you are facing.

Today you can prosper in all things; you can have peace of mind and health in your body. Begin by praising Him, and know that He is right beside you every step of the way!

Source - Daily Truth Devotional

Today's Bible Reading

Old Testament

Isaiah 62:7-65:25

New Testament

Philippians 2:19-3:3

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalms 73:1-28

Proverbs 24:13-14

MONDAY
01
Matthew 18:21-35

For followers of Christ, the goal is to become increasingly like Him, and one of the best ways to reflect His character is through forgiveness. Yet sometimes this is a quality we are reluctant to demonstrate because it seems so unfair, especially if the wrong done to us is ongoing or particularly painful. To forgive appears to diminish the offense and counteract justice.

Let’s correct several misperceptions about this aspect of our faith:

The foundation for our forgiveness of others is God’s forgiveness of us. Today’s passage contains a parable in which a man is forgiven a sum too exorbitant to repay. Yet he turns around and demands immediate payment from someone who owes him a small amount. That’s what we are like when we think others’ wrongs against us must be avenged even though God has forgiven us.

Unforgiveness torments us, not the wrongdoer. It’s a caustic poison within us that corrupts our emotions, stunts us spiritually, and stresses our bodies. When we don’t release the offender, we end up imprisoned in bitterness, resentment, and hostility—and that is sin.

Forgiveness doesn’t negate the wrong done to us. It doesn’t deny the offense or the resulting pain but lets go of the right to get even. Vengeance is God’s responsibility, not ours (Romans 12:19). We don’t have all the facts, nor can we know the offender’s true motive. Only God can judge accurately and fairly.

When Jesus suffered the ultimate injustice of the cross, He entrusted Himself to the Father (1 Peter 2:21-24). Can you follow His example and trust God with wrongs done to you?

Bible in One Year: Zechariah 11-14

October 1, 2018
Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. (2 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV)

Did you know that victory is always yours—that it actually belongs to you?

The key word in the scripture above is always. The knowledge that God always causes us to triumph gets rid of the “win a few, lose a few” philosophy people are so fond of.

I’ve had people say, “But, Brother Jerry, I haven’t always triumphed.” My answer is always the same: “Well, we know that’s not God’s fault because the Bible says God always leads us in triumph.”

What some fail to realize is this: just because the Word says God always leads us to triumph in Christ, it doesn’t mean we will never be attacked or have adversity. It is what we do during the attack that determines whether we win or lose.

I made up my mind years ago that I would never accept failure. Since that time, I’ve experienced setbacks and I’ve faced many opportunities to fail. But I’ve learned that the battle is never over until God has an opportunity to turn what seems to be a defeat into a triumph.

No matter what kind of persecution, adversity, or attack you may be under, according to God’s Word the victory is already yours. You can get discouraged and choose to give up before it comes, but I am totally convinced that God already has a victory planned for you.

You have the potential to experience triumph in every situation—if you won’t give up!

Confession: I believe God will turn every adversity into a victory. I believe God has a victory plan for every negative circumstance I face now, or will ever face. I expect victory in every situation because God has promised me that I can always triumph in Christ.

Author: Jerry Savelle

Genesis 12:7

Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

I don’t know about you, but I am not satisfied with just knowing that I am righteous by faith. I also want to get to know the One who made me righteous. I want to have an intimate relationship with my Savior!

Abraham was such a man. He was righteous by faith, but he also had a close walk with God and was blessed by God in all things (see Genesis 24:1). His nephew Lot, on the other hand, although righteous too (see 2 Peter 2:7–8), had no heart for God. He ended up losing a lot when Sodom, the city he dwelt in, was destroyed along with Gomorrah. He was saved by the skin of his teeth!

My friend, do you want to be a Christian like Lot, righteous but always finding yourself in trouble, or do you want to be a righteous-and-blessed Christian like Abraham? Then, like Abraham, have a heart for God.

From place to place, Abraham would build an altar to the Lord. And in between altars, he grew very rich (see Genesis 13:2)! There is no biblical record, however, of Lot ever building an altar to the Lord.

What is an “altar” in today’s context? It is a place where you know that you have a close relationship with God. For example, when my late father was in the hospital, I was worried and did not know what to do. I remember driving down the road and crying. After a while, I just threw my cares to the Lord. When I reached the hospital, I just laid my hands on my father and said, “Be healed in Jesus’ name.” And he was healed!

Till today, I can remember the place where I had cast my cares to the Lord and leaned on His love for me. That is my “altar.” And it is not the only one.

We have got to have this kind of relationship with God, one full of “altars” that remind us of His love, goodness and faithfulness. Let’s not live the Christian life like Lot, saved by the skin of our teeth. Let’s walk closely with God as Abraham did, and be richly blessed in every area of our lives!