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Showing posts from April 24, 2016

MORNING DEVOTION

OUR DAILY BREAD May 1, 2016 Sunday THE RESTORATION BUSINESS Dennis Fisher Philippians 3:1-8 I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. —nkjv Philippians 3:8 After the apostle Paul turned his life over to the Savior, he realized his own achievements and abilities amounted to little more than trash. But Jesus transformed it all into something new and useful. Paul said, “Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ” (Phil. 3:7-8). Having been trained in Jewish religious law, he had been an angry and violent man toward those who followed Christ (Acts 9:1-2). After being transformed by Christ, the tangled wreckage of his angry past was transformed into the love of Christ for others (2 Cor. 5:14-17). If ...

MORNING DEVOTION

OUR DAILY BREAD April 29, 2016 Friday THE FRAGRANCE OF CHRIST Marion Stroud 2 Corinthians 2:14-17 We are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:15 Which of the five senses brings back your memories most sharply? For me it is definitely the sense of smell. A certain kind of sun oil takes me instantly to a French beach. The smell of chicken mash brings back childhood visits to my grandmother. A hint of pine says “Christmas,” and a certain kind of aftershave reminds me of my son’s teenage years. Paul reminded the Corinthians that they were the aroma of Christ: “For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ” (2 Cor. 2:15). He may have been referring to Roman victory parades. The Romans made sure everyone knew they had been victorious by burning incense on altars throughout the city. For the victors, the aroma was pleasing; for the prisoners it meant certain slavery or death. So as believers, we are victorious soldiers. And when the gospel...

MORNING DEVOTION

OUR DAILY BREAD April 28, 2016 Thursday AN AMAZING LOVE Dave Branon Malachi 1:1-10; 4:5-6 “I have loved you,” says the Lord. Malachi 1:2 The final major historic acts of the Old Testament are described in Ezra and Nehemiah as God allowed the people of Israel to return from exile and resettle in Jerusalem. The City of David was repopulated with Hebrew families, a new temple was built, and the wall was repaired. And that brings us to Malachi. This prophet, who was most likely a contemporary of Nehemiah, brings the written portion of the Old Testament to a close. Notice the first thing he said to the people of Israel: “ ‘I have loved you,’ says the Lord.” And look at their response: “How have you loved us?” (1:2). Amazing, isn’t it? Their history had proven God’s faithfulness, yet after hundreds of years in which God continually provided for His chosen people in both miraculous and mundane ways, they wondered how He had s...

My name is Gossip

“My Name Is Gossip. I have no respect for justice. I maim without killing. I break hearts and ruin lives. I am cunning and malicious and gather strength with age. The more I am quoted the more I am believed. I flourish at every level of society. My victims are helpless. They cannot protect themselves against me because I have no name and no face. To track me down is impossible. The harder you try, the more elusive I become. I am nobody’s friend. Once I tarnish a reputation, it is never the same. I topple governments and ruin marriages. I ruin careers and cause sleepless nights, heartache and indigestion. I spawn suspicion and generate grief. I make innocent people cry in their pillows. Even my name hisses. I AM CALLED GOSSIP.” This eye-opening poem from an unknown author says a lot about the damage done through gossip. What about the famous phrase we all have heard. “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”? ...

THE END IS HERE

Rapture  Alert: By Papa Adeboye - Religion D end is HERE ADEBOYE'S TESTIMONY I saw it again. This time more scary. The end-time is more than nigh. It will happen like a flash unexpected and time shall be no more for repentance.In my dream, it was as if God shut his ears.I saw multitude of people running into a church. But inside that church, screaming and shouting everywhere; people making utterances to heaven. Behold it was as if a strange spirit entered into some people more clearly, I remember seeing an old man who was beside me whom the said spirit entered into and as he let out a cry, he disappeared and few other people. At that point, I realised that the rapture has taken place. I cried the more. Immediately, the devil took over and started making mockery of the left over Christians. He had a register of everyone's name... At this point, I woke up. The end is more than near. What breaks my heart the most is that many people in the church will not make it if Jesus comes...

MORNING DEVOTION

OUR DAILY BREAD April 27, 2016 Wednesday STORMS ON THE HORIZON David Roper Matthew 8:23-28 What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him! Matthew 8:27 Jesus’ disciples were surrounded by a storm, and He used the experience to teach them about the power and faithfulness of God (Matt. 8:23-27). We seek answers for the uncertainties of life. We watch the future growing closer and wonder what will happen to us there. Puritan poet John Keble captured this in one of his poems in which he watched the future as it drew near. But as he watched he was “waiting to see what God will do.” Whether young or old we all face uncertain futures. Heaven answers: God's love and goodness encircle us no matter what awaits us. We wait and see what God will do! We sail into the uncertain future surrounded by the faithfulness of God! When sin came into the world, everything broke. The earth no longer functioned as it was supposed to. Our bodies and minds became susc...

WE JUST HAD SEX

WE JUST HAD SEX. Confessions of a Born Again Brother I have not eaten all day, I am not fasting but am in despair and in shock. How can I explain this to you? By this time last night, she was in my arms, we were cuddled together naked and just finished making love to catch up for the lost time. It was pleasurable as usual and we enjoyed it. We haven't seen each other for few weeks and we were in love. She was the lead chorister in my church, a vibrant sister, very beautiful but was my lover and partner in sin. I saw her off at about 10:18PM. It wasn't up to 30 minutes when my phone rang, I picked it up only for the caller to tell me the owner of this phone was killed by a trailer that failed break. I was hit by a tsunami, lost composure and started crying. When I finally got to her house, people were in sad mood but were praising God that a dedicated sister has returned to heaven, but deep inside me I felt a great guilt and I knew deep down what we did in secret. Friends,...

Be a good man

One day a woman wanted to know how the hubby would react if she left without telling him where she had gone. So she decided to write him a letter saying she is tired of him and didn't want to live with him any more and after writing she put the letter on the table in the bedroom before hiding under the bed... When hubby came back home, saw the letter and read it, then he also wrote something on it then began to sing and dance changing his clothes. He got his phone, dialled someone then said: "Hey babe, am just changing clothes then will join you, as for the other fool it has finally dawned on her that I was fooling around with her and has left. I was wrong really wrong to have married her, I wish I had known you earlier. See you soon honey!". The hubby walked out of the room and left. In tears and very upset, the woman got up from under the bed and decided to go and read what the hubby wrote on the letter. When she got the letter, it said: "I COULD see your feet u...

MORNING DEVOTION

OUR DAILY BREAD April 26, 2016 MEANT TO BE UNDERSTOOD Bill Crowder Romans 15:1-6 Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us. Romans 15:4 Sometimes we can feel the same way about the Scriptures. We wonder, Is it even possible to understand them? Where do I start? Perhaps Paul’s words can give us some help: “Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope” (Rom. 15:4). God has given us the Scriptures for our instruction and encouragement. He has also given us His Spirit to help us to know His mind. Jesus said that He was sending the Spirit to “guide [us] into all the truth” (John 16:13). Paul affirms this in 1 Corinthians 2:12, saying, “What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.” With the help of t...

MORNING DEVOTION

OUR DAILY BREAD April 25, 2016 Monday Greater than the Mess David McCasland 2 Samuel 22:26-37 You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light. 2 Samuel 22:29 A major theme of the Old Testament book of 2 Samuel could easily be “Life is a mess!” It has all the elements of a blockbuster TV miniseries. As David sought to establish his rule as king of Israel, he faced military challenges, political intrigue, and betrayal by friends and family members. And David himself was certainly not without guilt as his relationship with Bathsheba clearly showed (chs. 11–12). Yet near the end of 2 Samuel we find David’s song of praise to God for His mercy, love, and deliverance. “You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light” (22:29). In many of his difficulties, David turned to the Lord. “With your help I can advance against a troop [run through a barricade]; with my God I can scale a wall” (v. 30). Perhaps we identif...

There is not like him

Please permit me to  introduce my Father to you. He is: 1. Wonderful 2. Counsellor 3. Prince of Peace 4. Eternal Rock of Ages 5. King of Glory 6. Mighty God 7. King of kings 8. Lord of lords 9. Lord of hosts 10. Lily of the valley 11. Healer 12. Deliverer 13. Provider 14. Creator 15. Potter 16. Day Star 17. Cornerstone 18. Prophet of prophets 19. Saviour 20. I AM THAT I AM 21. Wisdom of God 22. Head of the church 23. Governor 24. Righteous Judge 25. Protector 26. Rock of offence 27. Shield 28. Merciful God 29. Gracious God 30.  Faithful God 31. Giver 32. Victorious in Holiness 33. Consuming Fire 34. El Elyon 35. Jehovah Raphael 36. Jehovah Rohi 37. Jehovah Jireh 38. Jehovah Elgibor 39. Jehovah Sham ah 40. Jehovah Shalom 41. El Olam 42. Defender 43. Redeemer 44. Comforter 45. Trinity in Council 46. Instructor 47. Teacher 48. Inspirer 49. Reminder 50. Invisible God 51. Hope of Glory 52. Lion of Judah 53. Root of Jesse 54. Man...

MORNING DEVOTION

OUR DAILY BREAD April 24, 2016 Sunday RELIEF FOR THE TROUBLED Jennifer Benson Schuldt 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12 [God will] give relief to you who are troubled. 2 Thessalonians 1:7 There is Someone else who is strong and good, and who will one day right the wrongs in our world. When Jesus returns, He will come down from heaven with a group of powerful angels. He will “give relief to you who are troubled,” and He will not ignore those who have created problems for His children (2 Thess. 1:6-7). Until that day, Jesus wants us to stand firm and have courage. No matter what we endure on earth, we are safe for eternity. Dear God, please protect us and give us wisdom through Your Holy Spirit. Help us to be just and fair in everything we do so that we are good representatives for You. One day God will right every wrong. Bible in a year: 2 Samuel 19–20; Luke 18:1-23 Good morning