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And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice (Genesis 22:18).

God chose Israel as a nation and blessed them. However, every year, the priest had to atone for their sins; an animal had to be killed on behalf of the people. The priest will lay his hands on the animal and confess the sins of the nation upon it; this was a yearly routine. Think about that!

But over in the New Testament, the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ was God’s spiritual Lamb and He didn’t just take the sins of Israel, but the sins of the whole world (John 1:29). He was God’s perfect sacrifice that settled the problem of sin forever. Today, no one needs to kill any animal in atonement for sin.

Hebrews 7:26-27, referring to Jesus says, “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.” Also, in Hebrews 9:26, we read, “For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”

In some parts of the world, there’re certain religions where people punish themselves for their sins; they whip themselves and lacerate their skin as penance for their sins. In some instances, the people are laid on a platform with protruding nails, piercing through their flesh with blood gushing out. They believe this would atone for their sins. How sad!

O, that the world would know Jesus and all that He accomplished for humanity! Jesus ended all of such penance. The Bible says there remains no more sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 10:26). You don’t need to go through self-torture or self-recrimination because of your sins; Jesus already paid the full penalty for the sins of all men. This is the message of the Gospel! Christ Jesus paid it all!

God’s not counting or holding your sins against you, because of Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:19). Jesus already bore the punishment and consequences for all your sins. Therefore, serve Him with your life.

Prayer:
Dear Father, thank you for the Lamb of God that was slain for the sins of the whole world. And now, on the basis of Jesus’ glorious resurrection, I’ve received eternal life; I live in righteousness, victory, health, and all the blessings of Christ. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:
Isaiah 53:5-6; Hebrews 9:26-28

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

2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
2 Corinthians 11:1-9 & Isaiah 19  

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8

Satan Has A Five Point Attack On The Church!
The following information was given to me via a telephone interview with a middleaged man who had been baptized into the Church of Satan by his mother when he was twelve.  He had been converted but would not permit the use of his name for fear for his life.  Here is what he says the Church of Satan has planned for Christianity:

1. Members of the Church of Satan will be assigned to infiltrate the church.  The female members will try to obtain a counseling session with the pastor and entrap him in a sexual scandal.
2. Others will be told to seek employment, especially in the Business Dept., and release to the press any embarrassing or damaging information they can find.
3. They will join the join the church and start spreading lies about members to other members creating division, discord and suspicion.  I told him that Christianity had been doing a good job of this for two thousand years.
4. The Church of Satan now supports preachers on television who are preaching false doctrine.  Anything to detract from the preaching of the Word of God.
5. Satan’s plan is to engage the Church of Jesus Christ in such intense spiritual warfare they will collapse beneath the tension and pressure.  St Paul gives the answer in Ephesians 6:11, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles tricks of the devil.”

The fight is on…LET’S WIN IT!

Source:  Facts About Satanism in America

Saturday June 30th 2018
Memorise: I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 2nd Timothy 4:7

Read: Genesis 14:14-24 KJV
14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.
15 And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.
16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.
17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale.
18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
21 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
24 Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.

Bible in one year: 
1st Chronicles 18-20,
Acts 20:1-16,

Hymnal: 
Sing hymn 16

Message:
Is it possible to be meek and militant at the same time? To be meek is to do what other people want without imposing your own opinion. It is having the power to act but refusing to use it to oppress others.

Being militant on the other hand means to use force or pressure to achieve your goals. How is it possible for a Christian to be meek and militant at the same time?

Our Lord, as part of the Sermon on the Mount, clearly taught us that it is a blessed thing to be meek (Matthew 5:5). In his letter to the Galatians, Apostle Paul also declared that meekness is a part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Our Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated meekness when He was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. Hear what He said in Matthew 26:53-54, when He was about to be arrested:

“Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angles? But how often shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?”

This same Jesus tells us that there are times when we need to be violent. In Matthew 11:12, He said:

“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.”

Paul further expounded on this truth, telling us the reason why we are in battle and providing the guidelines for how to shield and prepare ourselves for this violent warfare. In Ephesians 6:12, He wrote:

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

The beautiful swan which vigorously paddles away under the water to stay afloat is viewed as one of the most graceful animals on water because it appears calm on the surface. Our Christian life needs to emulate the posture of the swan. In the spirit realm, we need to display all the militancy that is needed to secure us a place in heaven and push the agenda of the kingdom of our God on earth. At the same time, in the physical realm, the fruit of the Spirit – meekness – must be visible in our lives.

Key point
You cannot keep the faith without giving the devil a fight.

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 Church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

Hebrews 2:9

Death. It’s not a popular topic—even among believers. In fact, a great many are just plain scared of it. Oh yes, they talk about having eternal life. Yet when the devil tries to threaten their earthly survival with sickness or calamity, they panic.

Why? Because they haven’t learned to look at death through God’s eyes. Even though their spirit has been made immortal, they haven’t renewed their minds to include that truth. If they had, when the devil tried to push their panic button, they’d just laugh and say, “You can’t scare me, Devil. I’ve done all the dying I’m ever going to do!”

That’s true, you know. The Word of God says that you, as a born-again believer, are never going to see death (John 8:51). Jesus has been your substitute. He suffered death so you wouldn’t have to. And He was raised from death, Hebrews 2:14-15 says, “Destroy[ing] him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver[ing] them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

If you’ve made Jesus the Lord of your life, the only death you’ll ever experience is behind you now. It occurred the instant you received Christ. At that moment, your old self—the one whose nature was to sin and rebel against God—died. Your body didn’t die, but your spirit man—the real you—died to Satan and all of his works. You became “a new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17), immortal and absolutely incapable of death!

When you’re finished with your work on the earth, you’re not going to die. You’ll simply shed your earthly shell and relocate to a far more glorious place.

Go to the Word and get God’s perspective on death. Make a study of it. Once the reality of your immortality begins to dawn on you, the devil will never be able to threaten you with it again.

Scripture Reading:
Hebrews 2:9-15

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
—Matthew 21:22

Prayer is a two-way conversation; it is our talking to God, and His talking to us. As a Christian, you have a heavenly Father who hears and answers prayer. Jesus said, “All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Every man or woman whose life has counted for the church and the Kingdom of God has been a person of prayer. You cannot afford to be too busy to pray. A prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian. Jesus Christ spent many hours in prayer. Sometimes He spent the night on a mountaintop in solitary communion with God the Father. If He felt that He had to pray, how much more do we need to pray!

Wondering how to pray? Or why God isn’t answering? Read Prayer 101.

Prayer for the day
There is inexpressible joy as I come to You in prayer, my heavenly Father.

Today I saw a vision of raindrops on a window. As it continued to rain, suddenly several of the raindrops ran down the window into a little stream.

They all came together and chose a certain path. While they were all together and on a certain path, what caused it was invisible to me. Just like the gentle pressure of the Father’s hand.

Invisible to the naked eye, but there just the same. Those who know Me hear My voice, and a stranger they will not follow. Where the Lord guides the river of our life is important. Some call it staying in the flow. Are you in step with God, are you remaining in the flow? And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for me, and the leaf thereof for medicine (Healing) (Ezekiel 47:12).

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the lamb (Revelation 22:1). My people have rivers of living water in their belly and fire in their mouth. Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life (Proverbs 4:23). He who believes in Me as the Scripture has said, “Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). What is flowing from you today, has life thrown some rocks in your well? The prayer of a righteous person available much. Pray this prayer with me today: Father, I fear I have allowed the issues of life to dam up my river.

I have allowed rocks of disappointment, hurt, offense, unforgiveness, poverty, irritability and selfishness to block my flow. I asked that you would come in with your gentle hand and help me to remove them. I asked that with your battering ram of love you would break down any walls I have built around my heart. And with your living water tear down any hindrances from the enemy. I asked that I become a conduit of love, peace, generosity, forgiveness, selflessness, joy and laughter once again.

I declare a cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones (Proverbs 17:22). I declare that you have our days planned out for good and not for evil, to give us a hope and a future. That you came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. I am discerning an abundance of rain in the spiritual realm. What the enemy meant for our harm you will turn around for our good. That our vats are overflowing with new wine, and the oil of gladness has overtaken us. That the anointing is so heavy on us, that it drips onto all we come in contact with. That we will burst forth, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon us.

And when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. That you will overtake the land the Lord has given you, like a mighty rushing river. That the Lord has extended your tent pegs, and gladly given you new territory. I hear a cry from heaven, “Go in and possess the land!” From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force (Matthew 11:12). Victory is mine, saith the Lord, victory is mine!

The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away. But today, the Lord says, “It is all yours for the taking!” In Jesus Name Amen.... this is your Victory Hymn! It is time my people possess what is theirs....

Tammy Lang Jensen

“Show proper respect to everyone” (1 Peter 2:17 NIV).

Respect has become an endangered value over the past few decades. We live in the “Age of Irreverence,” where sarcasm rules the day and everyone loves a good put down.

Yet the Bible makes it clear that stable families — and stable societies — are built around respect. The Bible commands us to honor our parents, respect civil authority, and respect church leaders. Wives are called to respect husbands in Ephesians. In the book of 1 Peter, husbands are called to respect wives. Just to make it clear that the Bible leaves no one out, the Bible also tells us to “show proper respect to everyone” (1 Peter 2:17 NIV).

Everyone, regardless of beliefs or behaviors, is worthy of respect.

Why?

God made everyone. Psalm 8:5 says, “You [God] made them inferior only to yourself; you crowned them with glory and honor” (GNT). God doesn’t make junk. No one is worthless. People make wrong decisions all the time, but they are still valuable to God. Even the most unlovable person in the world is loved by God.
Jesus died for everyone. The Bible says, “God paid a ransom to save you …. he paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19 TLB). You may not place much value in certain people, but God does. In fact, he says every person you meet is worth dying for.
It shows you know God. The Bible tells us that God is love. If you know God, you’ll fill your life with love. The Bible says, “If a person isn’t loving and kind, it shows that he doesn’t know God — for God is love” (1 John 4:8). Love always treats people with respect.
You’ll get back whatever you give out. It’s the law of the harvest. Whatever goes around comes around. If you want to be respected, you must treat other people with respect. The Bible says, “A man’s harvest in life will depend entirely on what he sows” (Galatians 6:7 Phillips).

Talk It Over

Every person you meet today is worthy of your respect. How will that change your behavior?
Who do you have the most trouble showing respect to? Why?
What are some ways you can “fill your life with love”?

Write the vision [dream] and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.
Habakkuk 2:2, NKJV

TODAY'S WORD:

Have you ever known someone who had an exciting dream to do something great but did nothing to make it happen? It’s so important to act on the dreams that God has given you. You can take ownership of your dreams by planning and preparing for them. Remember, success is not accidental. Where do you see yourself in your career, finances or relationships? Put some action behind what you’re believing for. Maybe you don’t see how it can happen in the natural. The good news is you don’t have to have it all figured out. With your faith and obedience, God will work supernaturally in your situation to turn things around for good.

Believe in your dreams today. I encourage you to write down your short and long-range goals. Keep them in front of you so you will stay focused. When you make a move, God will direct your steps. He’ll make sure you come across the right people, at the right time. God will give you wisdom, insight and favor as you take steps to bring your dreams to pass.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Heavenly Father, thank You for the dreams You have given me. Today I will take steps toward seeing them come to pass. Help me to set goals and map out steps for victory so that I know where I’m going and how to accomplish my dreams. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Therefore do not be foolish and thoughtless, but understand and firmly grasp what the will of the Lord is.

— Ephesians 5:17

Are you living the life you truly want to live? If not, is it because you allow your life to rule you instead of you ruling it? When God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, He instructed them to subdue it and be fruitful. God has given us a free will and He wants us to use it to choose His will for us. When we make choices according to the will of God, He empowers us to live a life that is truly amazing.

What do you want to accomplish today? Pray, make a plan, stay focused, and go for it! Put your time into what you want to do and don’t let circumstances and people derail you. Fight for yourself! Fight for your right to follow your heart instead of being controlled by outside forces.

Be determined; be strong. Don’t be vague and thoughtless, but have a plan and work your plan. God, through Christ, has provided a way for us to live an amazing life, but we need to continually make choices that agree with God. You have one life to live, so live it fully and refuse to drift along, letting other people and circumstances make your decisions for you.

Prayer Starter: Father, show me Your will for me and help me be courageous enough to make choices that agree with You. I want the life that You want for me! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.  

FRIDAY
29
2 Peter 2:1-3; 2 Peter 2:18-22

Spiritual dangers are all around, but God has given believers a “spiritual security system.” He’s also provided godly shepherds in the church to protect the flock from spiritual predators.

These predators are false teachers who exploit the ignorance of immature believers. They also hunt down people with unresolved guilt and use phony remedies in an attempt to soothe consciences.

Churchgoers who fail to confess and forsake sin according to Scripture are highly susceptible to such trickery. Also at risk are those who know about Jesus and religious practices but are not genuinely saved—they might even be baptized church members, but unless they have the Holy Spirit, they cannot discern truth or live holy lives.

Thankfully, God has provided a way for believers to avoid these dangerous spiritual potholes. First and foremost, we have to saturate our mind continually with God’s Word. In so doing, we will eventually develop a mental filter that reacts in alarm when something false comes our way. In this manner, we become rooted and grounded in the truth.

Christians also have the indwelling Holy Spirit, who gives understanding of God’s Word, directs our way, and enables us to distinguish truth from error. He educates our conscience to provide timely warnings when we start down the wrong path.

The Lord has provided everything we need to avoid deception, but our spiritual security system will protect us only if it is well tuned with the Word of God and obedient to His Spirit.

Bible in One Year: Psalm 95-102

June 29, 2018
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe (Ephesians 1:18-19 NKJV).

Do you desire to see a change in other people and the situations that surround you? Most of us do, yet when we make the effort to get people and things around us to change, we often end up angry and frustrated.

There is a way, however, to bring about change that is both fast and long lasting. Your life will change dramatically when you allow God to change you, when you are willing to change your perceptions and beliefs.

The Bible tells us nothing happens in the natural world without something first happening in the spiritual realm: “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible” (Hebrews 11:3 NKJV).

If you’ve been struggling with the same issue for years, or if you’re looking at a mountain that appears immovable, forget trying to make things happen yourself. Take time out to draw into God and make some changes in the spiritual realm.

It’s in the spiritual realm that you apply your God-given authority
It’s in the spiritual realm that you take control and make things happen
It’s in the spiritual realm that you make changes that impact the natural
It’s in the spiritual realm that you find the solutions to all your problems
The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, will reveal what you need to know; He will gently convict you where you need to change your attitude or belief. When you see the truth and make the necessary heart adjustments, you’ll view your situations completely differently.

You’ll know without a shadow of doubt that your natural world is changing because you were first willing to change.

Confession: I choose today to draw into God, seeking the heart changes He desires to make in me. I release my concern for people and situations in the natural, knowing that the Spirit of Truth will bring the revelation I need.

Author: Jerry Savelle

Ecclesiastes 9:11

…the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.

God’s Word tells us that being faster, stronger and wiser does not automatically make you a winner in life. No, it is actually being at the right place at the right time that causes you to receive blessings. And God, who holds time and chance in His hands, is the only one who can put you at the right place at the right time.

He did this for Ruth. She trusted God for favor when she went looking for a field in which to glean. (Ruth 2:2) Then, the Bible tells us that “she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech”. (Ruth 2:3) Of all the fields in Bethlehem, she happened to end up in Boaz’s field, and he was a close relative of Elimelech, her father-in-law. This meant that Boaz was her potential kinsman redeemer, someone who could redeem her from her plight as a young, childless widow in a foreign land.

Boaz also happened to be “a man of great wealth” (Ruth 2:1), and as it turned out, he was willing to redeem Ruth. (Ruth 4:9–10) All these right happenings could only mean that God had placed Ruth in the right place at the right time.

I believe that the very day Ruth told her mother-in-law that the God of Israel would be her God (Ruth 1:16), God took note of it and made everything happen right for her.

Today, God also wants you to know that because you have said, “God, You are My God,” He will be your God of divine happenings. He will place you at the right place at the right time, where you will meet the right people, do the right things and even escape danger!

You may not know where all the great opportunities are, but God does. He was the one who put in you the skills, talents and gifts that you have, and He knows where you need to be, when you should be there and what you need to be doing to be truly fulfilled!