USE YOUR DOUBLE PORTION OF SPEAKING POWER
|
22
Nov
|
|
God calls us “a royal priesthood”. This means that we are kings as well as priests under the king-priesthood of Jesus Christ. This has never happened before in the history of God’s people. In the Old Testament, kings and priests were two distinct groups of people. You were either a king or priest, but not both at the same time.
Today, because we are in Christ, we are king-priests—a royal priesthood. This means that we have adouble portion of speaking power because as kings, “Where the word of a king is, there is power” (Ecclesiastes 8:4), and as priests, “by their word every controversy and every assault shall be settled”. (Deuteronomy 21:5)
So if you are a Christian businessman, you will have an edge over worldly businessmen. What you say about your business deals will come to pass. And if you are falsely accused, know that by your very word, every controversy and every assault will be settled!
And as a king-priest parent, when you bless your children, your words have the power to set in motion supernatural events which will bring them into God’s abundance and superabounding grace. And there will be such a courage and resilience about them that it will empower them to win the fights of life!
When the devil comes to you and says that you will die young because your father and grandfather died young, or that you will never be successful because you are not well-educated, you must remember that the devil is neither a king nor a priest. There is no power in his words. But there is power in yours because you are a king-priest in Christ!
So instead of agreeing with him, believe and declare, “I will not die young. With long life He will satisfy me and show me His salvation!” Say, “The Lord will make my way prosperous and give me good success!” Use your double portion of speaking power and see these blessings come to pass!
Thought For The Day
You have a double portion of speaking power because you are a king as well as a priest in Christ Jesus.
Open Heavens …22nd , November 2015 by Pastor E.A Adeboye.
TOTAL COMMITMENT: A MUST
Memorise: Simon Peter saith unto them,
I go fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. John 21:3
Read: 2nd Kings 2:1-8, 2 And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
2 And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.
3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
4 And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.
5 And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
6 And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the Lord hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.
7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.
8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.
Bible in one year: Psalm 9-16, 2nd Timothy 3:10-4:22
MESSAGE!
If you must walk with God, you must be prepared to meet the conditions He has set; one of which is total commitment. To be committed is to be completely given to a cause. It involves facing a particular direction without turning back, irrespective of the challenges that come your way. This character trait was present in Elisha. After following and serving his master, Elisha, for years, Elisha called him one day and said this to him: “Elisha, I am about to be taken home; it would be a good idea for you to go back to your family, your abandoned farming business and your old lifestyle. “Elisha laughed and replied him, saying “My father, I have left all these for several years and followed you with all my heart. If I go back now, where do I start my large scale farming business again? Sir, wherever you go, I go. “Nevertheless, Elijah did not stop there; he tested him two more times.
Beloved, do you know that your pastor or leader can be used to test your commitment? He or she could cut your wages or salary, deny you certain allowances or even give you an almost impossible condition to fulfil in order to continue an assignment you have been doing, just to test your commitment. If you consider the test with a natural mindset, you will be discouraged and miss out on what God wants you to see. Sometimes, unknowingly or deliberately, your leader or pastor may even be very mean to you. Would you say because he or she is mean to you, you will abandon the assignment God has given you? When God has an assignment for you, He can use your pastor, boss or other superiors to assign it to you, but the work is not from them; it is from God. If your pastor or leader is making it impossible for you to perform that assignment, report the matter to God and ask Him for more grace to be committed. If you compare Elisha with Peter, you will discover that the former was more committed than the latter. When there was no more action and Jesus was not around, Peter chose to return to his fishing business, and he took some people along with him. If you return to the place or condition you were called out from, how committed are you (Hebrews 11:13-16)?
Action Point
As close as John Beloved was to Jesus, when Peter decided to return to fishing, he followed. Never let any man be your yardstick for divine service except Jesus Christ.
Awaiting the Fullness of Joy in Service
wanted to call to tell you this in person,” my co-worker opened. “And it is not good.”
Not what I wanted to hear.
We have been working for about three months to get ready for the first visit of my friend and mentor, George Verwer, to Nigeria. He will be speaking to multiple meetings about God’s work around the world. First among our tasks, was to make sure over 10,000 copies of his books were printed and ready for his visit. We traveled from the United States to develop a relationship with the printing press managers who partner with us regularly. Our Nigerian staff has made multiple visits; our deposit was paid months ago, everything was on track.
About two weeks ago, there was fighting around the press between the army and nomadic tribesman on a road I am familiar with. Tragically, on the printers’ campus, a press worker was killed in the crossfire. Compounding this tragedy were other delays.
After a hundred hours of work, I came to the realization that the books may not be ready in time. What more could have been done? I am embarrassed, discouraged, and asking why.
It’s Too Heavy
Another time I was in Kenya with my friends and partners talking about the editing of the Africa Study Bible — the first full study Bible written by Africans for Africa. More than 400 million Christians in Africa do not have a single Bible with notes and helps to meet the spiritual needs of their cultures in applying the Bible to issues like slavery, polygamy, and witchcraft. Now 300 Africans from 45 countries are laboring with us to write over 2,000 notes and features, which is hard work.
Over lunch with three reviewers on their university’s campus — three of the leading theologians in their country — it became clear why work has been slow. They did not have needed Internet access at home. After a long day teaching and serving on campus, they were forced to stay late to access the campus network to complete editing projects on our Internet-based system. On top of this, due to the latest financial crisis in their country and at their university, they had not been paid in months. Resources are scarce, but for $200 total, we purchased home Internet access for all three.
Imagine being among the senior theologians on a continent with 400 million Christians and being unable to afford Internet access for lack of $70 worth of equipment and subscription costs? I could go on and on describing troubles, difficulties, and complications for accomplishing simple things in Africa that would take me just a short time here in Chicago.
Recently, as I reflected on three months’ worth of frustration for one transaction that would have taken a password and a few mouse clicks in the States, I felt like I had had enough. The burden felt too heavy. Something cracked, and I wept before the Lord.
Joy Set Before Us
But now, after my morning phone call, I’m rolling a different phrase over in my head.
Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1–2)
Because of the joy awaiting him.
So what does it mean for me right now? Does it mean giving in to struggles and frustrations?
I’m learning that the joy of faithful service is often something like a woman giving birth. She is ready to endure the discomfort of pregnancy and the final agony of giving birth for the joy of having a child. Because of the coming joy — “the joy that was set before him” — you can be strong enough to get through the pains of today.
The joy is real, and tangible, and celebratory, and can be felt in force in the best moments, but it is not all here yet. Much of the time, we are still in the labor part, the child of promise is not born. We are living in just a portion of the joy, and awaiting the fullness to come.
Someday, I want to stand before Jesus and be able to honestly say, “I did it, with your help. Even though it was with shaky faith and much struggling, I poured myself out in serving those who are most forgotten and in need, just like you told me to.”
As God calls you to step out and serve those God has loved and chosen in a different part of the world, or out of your comfort zone, he doesn’t promise it will be easy. The Christian life is not easy. Meeting the needs of others is not easy. Fighting back the darkness in a world of sin and pain is not easy. But it is good. Jesus has set his joy before us. We will not be disappointed with his reward.
Like a woman giving birth, or Jesus himself persevering on his path to the cross, the barriers and resistances and sufferings of laboring today will soon be eclipsed by the joy of seeing God’s unshakable kingdom proclaimed with power, compassion, and justice.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58)
BMI To Honor BeBe & CeCe Winans and Mary Mary At Annual Trailblazers Event In January
Gospel music superstar sibling acts, BeBe & CeCe Winans and Mary Mary will be honored at the 17th annual Broadcast Music, Inc. ® (BMI®) Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards at the Rialto Center for the Arts in Atlanta, GA on January 16, 2016. Hosted by former Trailblazer recipient and renowned gospel singer-songwriter, Yolanda Adams, this special night will pay tribute to the best in the gospel music community.
The invitation-only event, which is part industry celebration and part awe-inspiring worship service, will be attended by gospel music’s premier songwriters, brightest stars, and leading industry executives. In addition to honoring BeBe & CeCe and Mary Mary, BMI will also announce the “Most Performed Gospel Song of the Year” at this memorable ceremony.
“BMI is thrilled and privileged to once again bring the leaders in gospel music together for one of the most unique and moving celebrations in music today,” said BMI Vice President, Writer-Publisher Relations in Atlanta, Catherine Brewton. “The ability to honor superstars BeBe & CeCe Winans and Mary Mary, as well as other gospel trailblazers in a city as steeped in musical history as Atlanta, will make for a truly inspirational night filled with incredible performances.”
BeBe & CeCe Winans were born for musical greatness, as members of the Winans family, a dynasty in the world of gospel music. Though they each have impressive solo careers and have taken the time to focus on their individual talents, but as a pair, have made musical magic. Their legacy, spanning over 25 years has granted them many accolades as singer-songwriters in the gospel community. Together they have sold over five million records worldwide and received five GRAMMY Awards, eight Dove Awards, and a Soul Train Award. In May 2015, the duo was inducted into the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame and a new stage musical, Born For This: The BeBe Winans Story will premiere in January 2016 at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta.
Legendary sister act Mary Mary, featuring the soul-stirring vocals of Erica and Tina Campbell, have successfully crossed genres blending gospel and contemporary music with the smoothness of R&B. Since the group began over 15 years ago, the sisters have proven their star power with five studio albums, two of which reached No.1 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums, along with a compilation album of their biggest hits. Now a household name in the industry, Mary Mary also conquered the world of television with their own self-titled series on WE tv and were judges on BET’s gospel singing competition show, Sunday’s Best for over five seasons. Some of their many accolades include four GRAMMY Awards, four BET Awards, seven Dove awards, two American Music Awards, and have graced the covers of Ebony, Jet, and Sister 2 Sister Magazine to name a few.
Freedom from Anxiety by Joyce Meyer – posted November 21, 2015.
Freedom from Anxiety
by Joyce Meyer – posted November 21, 2015
Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.
—Philippians 4:6
I highly recommend speaking the Word of God when a “worry attack” comes upon you. Doing this is what it means to wield the two-edged sword against the enemy (see Hebrews 4:12 and Ephesians 6:17). A sword in its sheath won’t do any good during an attack; God has given us the sword of His Word so we can use it! Learn scriptures like Philippians 4:6, and when the enemy attacks, counter his attack with the same weapon that Jesus used: the Word.
The Word coming from a believer’s mouth, with faith to back it up, is the single most effective weapon that can be used to win the war against worry and anxiety.
Power Thought: I am free from worry and anxiety.
KEY TO REST by Bishop David Abioye
KEY TO REST
Today: 2015-11-21
The key to rest in life is rest in the Word.
Rest of mind proceeds from rest in the Word.
So, to access absolute rest in life, rest absolutely on the Word of God.
God’s Word is tested and proven, those who rest upon it cannot be shaken.
Men are troubled because they haven’t found the Word to rest upon.
Rest upon the Word to find rest in the world.
“…And the people rested upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.”
2 Chr 32:8
OUR DAILY MANNA BY PASTOR W.F KUMUYI…SATURDAY, 21 NOVEMBER 2015 ..Punishment for ungodly
-REVELATION 18:21-24
Key Verse:
“And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all” (Revelation 18:21).
Our text captures what God prescribed as the total destruction of Babylon, which shall be sudden and catastrophic. The sins of the city were that she deceived many nations and killed saints. God had a controversy against her and brought her beneath the surface where nobody could see her again. The city, which was once basking with socio-economic activities became a shadow of herself. John the Beloved, in this vision, saw a mighty angel throw a stone, like a great millstone, into the sea, aptly portraying the downfall of the great city and its system. The angel, as a confirmation of this declares, “Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all”. Entertaining sounds of harps, singers, flutes or trumpets ceased on her streets, while craftsmen, who furnished the items of luxury, were no more. Industrial activities was totally destroyed; the millstones, which grind the grain for flour, could not get grains, thus affecting food supply. Lamps, which lit the homes and businesses were permanently put out and darkness engulfed everywhere. The merry voices at wedding parties ceased. The destruction of Babylon is a note of warning to everybody, particularly as we conduct our lives in this world, with the prevailing mindset that money is everything. Even after the Bible had clearly warned that “the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows”, many remain adamantly wedded to committing heinous crimes because of money. What happened to Babylon is instructive to all: great destruction awaits those who have made mammon, (money) their god.
Thought for the day: Love of money ensnares and kills.
Bible Reading in one Year: 2 KINGS 20 – 21
Open Heavens …21th, November 2015 By Pastor E.A Adeboye
ENTERING HIS PRESENCE
Memorise: He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. Psalm 24:4
Read; Psalm 24:3-4,3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
Bible in one year: Psalm 1-8, 2nd Timothy 2:24-3:9
MESSAGE!
It is always a great experience to be in God’s presence, because the fullness of joy and everlasting pleasures resides there. Psalm 16:11b says:
“…in thy presence is fullness of joy, at thy right hand there are pleasures of evermore.”
However, the state of our lives determines what we derive from God’s presence. According toPsalm 68:2-3, while the righteous received joy in God’s presence, the enemies of God or those with wicked schemes will melt like wax before the fire of His presence. While the fire of God’s presence protects His own, it acts an incinerating agent against the enemies of God’s people. As you live in obedience to God from now on, the fire of God that protects you will destroy your enemies in Jesus’ Name.
With this knowledge of the potency of God’s presence, every child of God should desire at all times to be in His presence. Nevertheless, you don’t enter the presence of a king just anyhow; there are certain protocols you must fellow. How much more, when entering the presence of the King of kings? How then do we enter God’s presence? Going into the presence of God is not about going into a place of worship. In a gathering filled with God’s glory, it is possible that some people there will not have access to God’s presence due to their nonchalant and standoffish attitude. From our Bible reading, we understand that if you truly want to benefit from the pleasures at His right hand, you must have clean hands and a pure heart. In other words, entering the church auditorium is just not enough; likewise, praising and worshipping God with the lips is just not enough. This is so because when God’s presence descends upon an assembly, God will ask His angels to carry out a personality check on everyone present, to know those who have met His conditions, and only those found worthy will be the beneficiaries of His presence that day. Beloved, you must have clean hands. Your hands must not be tarnished with the blood of anyone or with the filth of a foul means of livelihood. Your hands must have been washed by the Blood of Jesus for them to be deemed clean. Similarly, your thoughts, plans and motives must be pure before you can enter into God’s presence. Prepare yourself and ensure you follow heaven’s protocol whenever you want to access the presence of God.
Prayer Point
Father, cleanse my heart and my hands with the Blood of Jesus, as I access Your presence today to partake of the pleasures at Your right hand.
ASK IN JESUS’ NAME AND RECEIVE
|
21
Nov
|
|
Do you always end your prayers with “in Jesus’ name”? Maybe your Sunday school teacher taught you to do this, or maybe you have heard church leaders and other believers utter it at the end of their prayers.
I used to say “in Jesus’ name” very quickly as if those were magic words that would get my prayers answered. Then, one day, I heard the Lord asking me why I was doing that.
The Lord wanted me to realize that whenever I pray and say “in Jesus’ name”, I am putting my entire faith for my prayer to be answered not in who I am or what I have done, but in the person and name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and what He has done at the cross!
Whenever we ask God for anything in Jesus’ name, Jesus says to us, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.” This means that in your prayer for healing, when you say “in Jesus’ name”, healing comes over your sick body because it is by His stripes that you are healed. (1 Peter 2:24) In your prayer for protection, when you say “in Jesus’ name”, you are kept safe because the blood of Jesus protects and delivers you from evil. (Exodus 12:13)
Beloved, the good name of your family cannot save you. Your pastor’s name cannot save you. Even the name of the latest medical breakthrough cannot save you. Only one name under heaven can save you—Jesus! And the good news is that His name in Hebrew, Yeshua, means salvation—healing, preservation, wholeness, wellness, provision, safety and deliverance for you and your family!
So these days, whenever I pray, I slow down at the end of my prayer and say, “Father, I ask all this not based on what I have or have not done, but based on Jesus and His finished work at the cross. I ask all this in Jesus’ name. Amen!”
Thought For The Day
Jesus assures us that whatever we ask the Father in His name, the Father will give to us.