Abiding TV

Tuesday April 2nd 2019
Memorise: Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 1st Corinthians 15:33

Read: 1st Kings 22:29-33 (KJV)
29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.
30 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.
31 But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.
32 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.
33 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.

Bible in one year: 
Titus 1 – Philemon 1,
Jeremiah 9:12-26,

Hymnal:
Sing Hymn 10

Many have argued that the company a person keeps does not necessarily have much impact on his or her character or destiny.

They say that many people have become great and successful in spite of their warped lifestyles and bad behaviour. The One would moulded us disagrees with these notions. He declared in His word that evil communication corrupts person’s background or lifestyle, the company you keep and the kind of information you consume determine the predominant thoughts that rule your heart, and these go a long way to establish who you are and the kind of future that awaits you (Proverbs 23:7, Psalm 1:1-4).

It would be a great error for you to think of the term ‘evil association’ only with respect to interactions with unbelievers; it can also apply to interpersonal relationships among Christians. God wants us to shun the evil activities of the ungodly just as much as He wants us to avoid every appearance of evil among Christians. The Holy Spirit teaches us that those who perpetrate backbiting, disobedience, rebellion and false doctrines among the brethren should be identified and avoided (2nd Thessalonians 3:6). He explicitly says in Romans 16:17:

“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.”

When I was much younger in ministry, I met a man of God who I looked up to. I admired him because of what I thought was the grace of God upon His life, until I accidentally discovered that he was doing things by diabolical means. I quickly moved away from him from that day, and I made sure our paths never crossed again. Don’t be deceived, no matter how wise or careful you are, continued association with anyone live contrary to the word of God will eventually spell doom for you. I pray that you will not share in the punishment or retribution of evil people in Jesus’ Name.

The word of God in Psalm 1:3-4 says clearly that obedient children of God are like a tree planted by the rivers of water that produces fruit in its season, and whatsoever they do prospers. However, the same passage also says that unbelievers and ungodly “Christians” are like chaff that the wind blows away. Sinners can never have lasting peace as they are bound to perish suddenly (Psalms 73:17-18). Therefore, come out from among them, separate yourself and stay away from evil associations that can corrupt your godly nature. 

Key Point
Whatever you permit around you will end up influencing you.

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.

"Warrior Eagles released in the Whirlwind of God's Glory"
"Beloved. There is a great momentum of the Spirit happening. There is a great moving of the Holy Spirit within My people. 

You have been nurtured in My Presence and now I am releasing you into your destiny and purpose. Since the days of old until now, the Kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. In a mighty whirlwind of Glory, I am moving you upward and onward, into new realms.

With great strength you shall accomplish all My Good Pleasure. And know this, My Warrior Eagle, you will not lose strength, but get stronger and swifter for you are empowered by My Might. In Me, you live and move and have your being. Fear not, Beloved. Where you are going, the enemy cannot follow. He is blinded by My Glory upon you and in you. The 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. There has never before been a time such as this. The Voice of My Thunder shall be heard in this Holy Whirlwind, My Lightnings shall light up the world and the earth shall tremble and shake as My Eagles come forth in MY GLORIOUS POWER.

Whirlwind: Bible: 1.An inward spiral motion of the air with an upward current in the center; a vortex of air. It usually has a rapid progressive motion. 2. A body of objects sweeping violently onward.

Momentum. : The strength or force that allows something to continue or to grow stronger or faster as time passes.

...2 Kings 2:1 And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a WHIRLWIND...
...Matthew 11:11Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the VIOLENT take it by force.

...Job 38:1 Then Yahweh answered Job out of the WHIRLWIND
...Psalms 77:18 The voice of Your thunder was in the WHIRLWIND. The lightnings lit up the world. The earth trembled and shook.

...Ezekiel 1:4 And I looked, and, behold, a WHIRLWIND came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. (God's Glory)
... Nahum 1:3 ....the LORD has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet.

...Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of HIS might.
...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.”
amazing artwork by Ricardo Colon

This morning I kept seeing purple water, and I could tell it was getting ready to be released. I asked the Lord what it represented. 

He said,”Honor, integrity, justice, truth and mercy!” He said that truth, justice and mercy are coming in stream line fashion. And all will be applied as he sees fit. A sentence without a righteous judge, is not a sentence at all.

A court without honor is an abomination to the Lord. His people run to and fro seeking justice, but find none. Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but an accurate weight is his delight (Proverbs 11:1). Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice (Proverbs 16:8). The Lord is shaking things up, and that includes his people. No longer will compromise be tolerated and poor choices acceptable.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Be ye holy, therefore as God is holy. There is a call going out among the remnant, and many are being called to the order of Melchizedek. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy, and without fault in his eyes.

God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:4-5). I decree and declare the Spirit of adoption over you today, welcome to the family of Christ. And as sons and daughters of a king you are privy to certain rights and privileges. You are royalty, a royal diadem in the hand of our God. You are splendid in his sight, and bring joy before the courts of heaven.

The day you got saved, the angels stood up and rejoiced. Let’s give them reason to keep rejoicing, let’s share the gospel with all we know. A word about Jesus from your mouth, could be all that stands between the unsaved family member and the gates of hell. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock[a] I will build my church, and the gates of hell[b] shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed[c] in heaven.”(Matthew 16:18-19).

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand (Philippians 4:4-9). The Lord is coming, and the love of Christ will draw them in. Draw someone in today, be a light in a dark place. The purple tidal wave is coming....

Tammy Lang Jensen

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind . . . 
—Mark 12:30

Christ touches every area of our lives. He touches our minds and we are transformed by the renewing of our minds. God invites people to use their minds, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord” (Isaiah 1:18). We are told in Scripture not to be like the horse or mule, “which have no understanding” (Psalm 32:9).

Christ declared that we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind. We are told to fear God, to love Christ, and to hate sin. Fear, love, and hate are emotions. Dr. Leslie Weatherhead, preaching at the City Temple in London, said, “What is wrong with emotion? Christianity is falling in love with Christ. Has anyone ever fallen in love without emotion?”


Prayer for the day
May my love for You embrace my whole being, Lord Jesus. Teach me true love.

[God] hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:6-7

All my life people told me the reason God saved us was so that when we got to glory, we could spend the rest of eternity loving Him and worshiping Him. But, you know, that’s just not so.

It sounds pretty good, but it’s just something someone made up. God isn’t selfish. He’s just the opposite. He’s the ultimate giver. The ultimate lover. He doesn’t do anything just so He can get something in return.

Why then did He save us? The Word of God tells us He did it so that in the ages to come, He could show us the exceeding riches of His grace.

Think about that! God is going to spend eternity showing the riches of His grace to you and me.

That’s why He sent Jesus into the world. He so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. God gave Jesus so that He wouldn’t be His only son. He sent Jesus so He could have more sons to love and give to—and He plans to spend the eons of time doing just that.

As a believer, you have the most glorious future ahead of you that anyone could ever ask. But don’t wait until you get to glory to enjoy it. You can start right now. You’ve already been seated!

Scripture Reading:
Ephesians 2:1-8

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God” (Romans 15:7 NIV).

God accepts us, despite our messy lives, impure motives, and irritating attitudes. One of the ways we reflect God’s love and bring him glory is to accept one another just as he accepts us. This means we accept others’ quirks and look past their faults in order to see individuals created in the image of God.

To become more like Jesus, you’ll need the support of a small group. God designed us to mature spiritually with the help of others. For instance, we can’t learn to love others on our own. We need to learn how to accept one another unconditionally, just as Christ accepts us unconditionally.

The Bible says, “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God” (Romans 15:7 NIV).

This acceptance makes any small group a safe environment, where people are not afraid to express their fears and doubts or talk about their struggles and where lasting change is facilitated.

Talk It Over

What events from your past make it hard for you to believe God accepts you?
Why do you think people are more likely to change after, rather than before, they find acceptance?
What would be the hardest thing to share with your small group? Ask God to help you let down your walls so you can be vulnerable and transparent with your group.

"The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day."
(Proverbs 4:18, NLT)

TODAY'S WORD:

Are you facing a situation that seems dark today? As a believer, God promises that your path will shine brighter and brighter as you seek His truth and righteousness in every situation. What is righteousness? Righteousness is simply being in right standing with God. Being in right standing with God is about submitting your life to Him. It’s about obeying His commands and seeking His plan for your life on a daily basis. As you seek Him, the light of God’s Word will guide you in every decision you face.

No matter what’s happening in your life today, take time to ask the Lord to shine His light on you. Ask Him to confirm His plan for you. As you continue pursuing His truth and righteousness, as you continue to make His Word a priority in your life, you will experience more of His blessings. You’ll see those brighter days as you move forward in the good plan He has in store for you!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father God, I know that You have a wonderful plan and purpose for me. I desire to be in right standing with You. Show me Your ways and teach me to walk righteously before You. Shine Your light in my heart and give me strength to pursue the path You have in store for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

— Matthew 11:28

We really do live in a time-crunched world; just about everything we do seems to be urgent. We live under incredible pressure and run from one thing to the next—to the point that we may neglect the things that are really important in life: family, our health, God, and building up our spiritual lives.

The truth is, we cannot handle life apart from God. We cannot handle the pressure, the confusion, and the stress without Him. Our marriages will suffer, we will experience financial pressure, and our relationships won’t thrive if we do not study God’s Word and take time to pray.

But there is good news to be thankful for—God will strengthen us and enable us to handle life peacefully and wisely if we start praying about things instead of merely trying to get through the day. God will renew our strength and enable us to handle life and not be weary (see Isaiah 40:31).

Prayer Starter: Father, I am so thankful that You give me peace and rest even in the midst of a busy life. Help me to lean on You today and use wisdom in setting my schedule. You are the strength of my life, and I totally depend on You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Psalm 118:24
This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

You choose your attitude every morning when you get out of bed!

It is God’s will for you to prosper, but you must hear God’s word and obey it before success can be yours.  That’s what our text says today:

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein:  for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Joshua 1:8

Success is not accidental; it is a byproduct of your attitude.  Has anyone ever told you that you have a bad attitude?  People fling that phrase around today like salt and pepper.  “You’ve got a bad attitude.”  So what does that mean?  It means you’re too critical.  It means you’re too sarcastic…too arrogant…too mean…and too inflexible.

If you have a bad attitude, it means that you generally choose to disagree.  You whine and pout when you can’t get your way.  You like to live with a chip on your shoulder.  You can’t keep friends.  You can’t keep a job.  You can’t keep a wife or a husband, because you are a joyless toad.

Who is responsible for your attitude?  You are.  We try to blame our attitude on our husband or wife.  We blame our attitude on the weather, or the car we’re driving.  We blame our attitude on the IRS or PMS—we blame it on something, anything, except ourselves.

You attitude is a choice, not a chance.  Do you wake up in the morning saying, “Good morning, Lord!”  or, “Good Lord, it's morning!”  There’s a difference in those two!

1 Corinthians 1:26-31; 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

What factors determine whether a church is powerful or weak? Oftentimes people make such evaluations based on appearances and human reasoning rather than on God’s Word.

For instance, large congregations with dynamic worship services and programs for every age and interest group look impressive. Or a church could be viewed as powerful because of its prominent location, a big budget, or the pastor with a magnetic personality. In contrast, small churches—especially those with few members, a rural setting, and little money—are often considered lesser.

The point is that we can’t judge a church’s strength or weakness based on outward factors like size, location, prosperity, or prominence. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians points out that a strong church is one that is founded on the message of the cross and grounded in God’s wisdom rather than the world’s.

God’s power is given to the church for His purposes, not for human agendas. And it isn’t a persuasive sermon but the gospel of Christ that can save souls. Some pastors may be able to manipulate people, but only God’s Spirit brings the genuine conviction of sin that leads to repentance and salvation.

For divine power to flow into and through a local body, that church must hold firmly to Scripture. What’s more, it cannot use techniques derived from worldly thinking but must rely on God’s direction.

A faith community cannot be powerful unless the people within it are individually submitted to Christ and empowered by Him. This means our commitment to Jesus affects our churches for better or for worse.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 25-26

For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace (Romans 6:14 NKJV)

Oftentimes, Christians find themselves in bondage to things they know are neither good for them nor pleasing to God, but they can’t seem to stop. Whether the bondage is to gossiping, addictive behaviors, or ungodly relationships, each person shares the same struggle to be free.

If you are held in some sort of bondage, I have good news for you: Jesus has already delivered you and set you free! The Bible says He “gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father” (Galatians 1:4 NKJV). If you have made Jesus Christ your Lord, you are no longer under the law, rather you are under grace.

God’s grace empowers you to do the right thing, to turn from the things you know are destroying you. Grace is the process by which God changes you from the inside out, releasing His power through your body, enabling you to walk according to His Word. Your part in the process is to believe what His Word says about you.

If you believe you are in bondage to a temptation, you will be in bondage to it. If you believe a temptation has power over you, you will be controlled by it. If you fear you will continue to give in to the same temptation, you will receive what you believe.

Remember this: no one and no thing can make you do anything. That temptation you struggle with has no real power over you. The only power it has is the power you give it. However, if you can change your perception about that temptation, and agree with God’s Word that sin has no dominion over you, then sin will no longer have dominion.

When you choose to believe the grace of God is working through you to make it possible for you to walk away from that temptation, then you will walk away.

According to your faith it will be done unto you.

Confession: Because Jesus willingly gave Himself for my sins, sin no longer has dominion over me. The grace of God empowers me to walk away from sin and do what is right. Thank You, Jesus, for setting me free from sin and every temptation of this present age.

Author: Jerry Savelle

Romans 4:25

who [Jesus] was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

The Bible tells us that Christ was delivered up for our sins and raised from the dead for our justification. You may already know why Jesus died for our sins, but do you know the significance of God raising Him from the dead?

Let me give you an illustration to help you understand the significance of Jesus’ resurrection.

Let’s say that you are living in a foreign country. One day, you happen to break a major rule of the land. You appeal to the king for mercy. He says, “A rule is a rule. I cannot bend the rule for you. What will others say about my integrity? However, if you can find a substitute to take your punishment—three months in jail—I will allow it.”

By God’s grace, you find a willing substitute. He goes to prison on your behalf and you don’t see him for some time. Days, weeks and months pass by.

Now, how or when will you know that your crime has been fully paid for? When will you be able to rest easy regarding your crime? It is when you see your substitute walking free again! When you see him out of prison, you will know that the sentence has been fully served. You will know that you are now justified and no one can bring a charge against you for your old crime. No longer will you be afraid of the king or his guards coming after you because you know that the one who was punished in your place is now walking free.

Beloved, Jesus, your substitute, paid the debt you could not pay. On the cross, He bore the sins of your entire life. God put it all on Jesus and then He punished Jesus for every single one of those sins until He was fully satisfied. And because He was so pleased with what Jesus had done, He raised Him from the dead.

Today, Jesus’ tomb remains empty. He is not there for He has risen! His resurrection and empty tomb will forever be our assurance that we have been fully justified. You no longer have to be afraid of God judging you for your sins. His justice is on your side today!