Abiding TV

On the heels of the #metoo movement came #churchtoo — exposing the abuse, harassment, and misogyny taking place in churches, places where people should experience mutual support, leadership, and empowerment. Lisa Bevere shares how the New Testament shows people of different genders working together for the good of all

Pastor Robert Morris | God's Goodness

Faith When You Can't See a Thing - Pastor Jack Hayford

Dr. Jack Deere shows us how we can move from the duty of trying to be good for God, to the delight of experiencing his affection.

 The Day Of Restoration by Pastor Doug Batchelor

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

Some Christians make statements like, “As long as you’re in this body, you’re prone to sin,” but that’s not what the Word teaches. To believe and talk that way is to derogate the salvation Jesus brought to us, and denigrate its power. 1 John 2:1 says, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

The underlined portion of the preceding verse lets us know that it’s not compulsory to sin. Part of it says, “…if any man sin,” not “…when any man sin.” Sin is no longer a factor. The Bible says, “…whosoever is born of God sinneth not…” (1 John 5:18). It is possible not to sin, otherwise, the Apostle John wouldn’t have said so.

You need to understand how God sees you, following the redemptive and substitutionary work of Christ. Colossians 1:21-22 makes it clear. It says, “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight.” He’s made you holy, blameless, and unreprovable. You didn’t attain this by your actions, but in Christ Jesus.

No wonder He says in 1 Peter 2:9 (AMPC), “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God’s] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” He called you out of darkness, to set forth His wonderful deeds, and display His virtues and perfections. He didn’t just say you should walk in perfection, but to display and manifest His glory and virtue. He’s called you to walk in divine excellence, and manifest the fruits and works of righteousness. That’s the life of a Christian. Glory to God!

Prayer:
Dear Father, you’re the one at work in me, both to will and to do of your good pleasure. I’m born of you; therefore, sin has no dominion over me. I produce works and fruits of righteousness, displaying your perfection and excellence in all I do, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:
Romans 6:6-14; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57

1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
Romans 5:12-21 & Psalms 52-55

2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
Ephesians 4:25-32 & Isaiah 51  

The Lord said, “Many of my people have become like the tortoise.” Putting on hard outer shells, to protect the soft places inside. 

The problem with these hard outer shells is they are large and cumbersome, slowing the movement of my people down to a crawl. The Lord is saying, “Remove your protective outer shell and put on the armor of God instead.”

Trust Him to defend you, command the spirit of fear to go. Pull my people in close, instead of keeping them at arms length. Can you love the lost, embrace the broken? We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies (2 Corinthians 4:8-10).

The Lord is near to those who are discouraged; he saves those who have lost all hope (Psalm 34:18). What does your hope barometer look like today. Have you lost all hope, have a little hope, or do you walk in great expectation of what the Lord will do next. My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him (Psalm 62:5). In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning, I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly (Psalm 5:3). So we have this great assurance that God hears our voice, that we can make our requests known to Him.

Are you in want, lack or need, take it to the prayer closet. As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliver; do not delay, O my God! (Psalm 40:17). I decree and declare over you right now, no more delay in the name of Jesus. Where you have need, let the Lord fill you. Where there is hurt, fear, pain; let the love of Christ fill that space. The Lord came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. I hear a command from heaven, “Stop living below your birthright.” But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).

Just step into the light, tilt your face to the Son of God, and recognize who you are and whose you are; A child of the most high God. Redeemed, forgiven, accepted and approved. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Suit up, grab your cape, and be a superhero for God today!!!!

Tammy Lang Jensen

Tuesday July 31st 2018
Memorise: Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Matthew 5:9
Read: Hebrews 12:12-15 (KJV)

12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

Bible in one year: 
Esther 1-3,
Matthew 11:20-12:8,

Hymn:
Sing hymn 2

Message:
Today’s memory verse reveals the blessedness of working for peace. It is amazing that he Master Himself said that working for peace is what truly identifies us as children of God.

How I pray that everyone who professes to be a child of God will take working for peace very seriously! The first peace you need to work towards is peace with God. God Himself is trying to make peace with you. In 2nd Corinthians 5:19-20 He says to you:

“To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”

We broker peace with our Maker when, like the prodigal son, we came to the altar of repentance to confess our sins with a promise and commitment never to go back to them again. When we do this, we have this assurance from 1st John 1:9:

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

In our Bible text, we are told to follow peace with all men. This cannot be possible until we have reconciled with God first. When we are reconciled with God, the Bible says God will make our enemies be at peace with us (Proverbs 16:7). When your enemies are at peace with you, that enemy that has been blocking your way to success will be used by God to pave way to your breakthrough. This is the blessedness of working for peace. In addition to making peace with God, you should also endeavour to live peaceably with your neighbours. In Matthew 5:25, Our Lord Jesus Christ counselled us, saying:

“Agree with thine adversary quickly. Whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the office, and thou be cast into prison.”

It is unfortunate that some believers find it difficult to amicably settle their differences with fellow believers. This is dangerous, and as Jesus Christ said, the price of being irreconcilable may be as high as going to hell. May this not be our portion in Jesus’ Name. Have you been reconciled with your Maker and your fellow men, especially those in the household of faith? Do not forget that those who work for peace are blessed. Tap into this blessing today.

Action Point
Reconcile with God and your neighbour today, if you have anything against him or her.

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.

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him.

Isaiah 55:7

You can't win a victory as long as the problem is the biggest thing in your life!

The Lord woke me up to that fact a few years ago. At that time I was facing some difficulties in my ministry that seemed so big to me, I thought about them from morning till night. Even though I was standing against them, I was thinking more about those problems than about the scripture promises I was standing on.

Then I saw something in Matthew 6:24-25: "Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life...."

I'd read that scripture hundreds of times, but that day I saw something I'd never noticed before. I saw that immediately after Jesus said, "No man can serve two masters," He said, "Take no thought." Suddenly it hit me: We serve our thoughts!

That's why Isaiah 55 says for us to forsake our thoughts, and by the Word, take God's thoughts. That's why 2 Corinthians 10:5 says to cast down thoughts that challenge the Word and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

Do you want deliverance from your problems today?

Then quit serving them! Quit allowing them to consume your thought life. And don't wait until circumstances change to do it. Instead, realize that circumstances won't ever change until you switch from wrong to right thinking.

I know that's not easy to do, especially in the midst of heavy darkness and trial. But you can do it if you'll do these three things:

First, remember you aren't alone. You have the Word (God's thoughts). You have the Holy Spirit to strengthen you and you have the mind of Christ.

Second, get around people who are full of faith. Instead of rehearsing your problem, let them do the talking. Make yourself listen. Join in with their faith and resist darkness.

Third, praise God. Do whatever it takes to make yourself praise. When you begin to praise, God's presence will turn back those worried thoughts and make them fall!

Your problems are not the biggest thing in your life. Jesus is. Serve Him with your thoughts and He will set you free!

Scripture Reading:
Isaiah 55

When we suffer and die for Christ it only means that we will begin living with him in heaven.
—2 Timothy 2:11 (TLB)

I have a friend who during the Depression lost his job, a fortune, a wife, and a home. But he tenaciously held to his faith—the only thing he had left. One day he stopped to watch some men doing stonework on a huge church. One of them was chiseling a triangular piece of stone. “What are you going to do with that?” asked my friend. The workman said, “See that little opening away up there near the spire? Well, I’m shaping this down here, so it will fit in up there.” Tears filled the eyes of my friend as he walked away, for it seemed that God had spoken through the workman to explain his ordeal through which he was passing, “I’m shaping you down here, so you’ll fit in up there.”

Find encouragement in your suffering.

Prayer for the day
Thank You, Lord, for all the “shaping” in my life, which brings me closer to You.

“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 NLT).

We can be a hero one day and a zero the next day, a millionaire one day and bankrupt the next. No matter how much we make, no matter how much we save, finances are uncertain.
So we worry. But what does the Bible say about worrying over money?

It’s unreasonable (Matthew 6:25). You’re going to have fears in life, but there are better things to be scared of than a lack of finances. Even if you go bankrupt, it could get worse. Life is more than just the accumulation of things. Be concerned about what’s truly important.

It’s unnatural (Matthew 6:26). Jesus reminds us that animals and plants don’t worry. Birds don’t say, “I’d better build a bigger nest for retirement.” Only human beings don’t trust God to provide for them. Everything else in creation trusts him.

It’s unnecessary (Matthew 6:30). Financial fears come from a misunderstanding about God and what he’s promised to do for you. He’s assumed responsibility for your needs. He says, “I’m your heavenly Father; you’re my child. I’m going to take care of your needs.” We always get into trouble when we doubt the love of God.

Worry is playing God. It’s assuming responsibility for something that God has said he will take care of. Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:19, “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus” (NLT).

God knows what’s going on in your life — and in your wallet. He knows all your needs even before you ask. He wants to help you out.

Talk It Over

What things in your life are more important than your finances?
How do you balance trusting in God and being a good steward of your finances and resources?
What promises from Scripture encourage you when you start to worry about money?

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up..."
1 Thessalonians 5:11, NIV

TODAY'S WORD:

God designed us to live in relationship with others. He wants us to help each other grow. None of us will reach our highest potential by ourselves. We need people in our lives to encourage us, and we need to encourage the people in our lives and help them reach their potential. The word “encourage” means to “urge forward.” Many times, you can see things in other people that they don’t see themselves. You can see their strengths and talents. You can see that God has a special plan for them even though they may be going through a difficult time. Don’t assume that people see what you see in them.

Take a moment and encourage them either with a kind word or a simple note. There might be a special gift you can give that will remind them of their goal or dream. In whatever way you can, urge the people in your life to keep moving forward. If you’ll be a people builder and help others fulfill their dreams, God will help you fulfill your dreams also, and you’ll live in blessing all the days of your life.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

"Father, thank You for the people You have placed in my life. Help me build them up and find creative ways to urge them forward to Your glory in Jesus’ name. Amen."