My Utmost for His Highest daily devotional Friday, February 3, 2017. Oswald Chambers

Becoming the “Filth of the World”


Friday, February 3, 201

Image Credits: Indekerk

We have been made as the filth of the world… —1 Corinthians 4:13


These words are not an exaggeration. The only reason they may not be true of us who call ourselves ministers of the gospel is not that Paul forgot or misunderstood the exact truth of them, but that we are too cautious and concerned about our own desires to allow ourselves to become the refuse or “filth of the world.” “Fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ…” (Collosians 1:24) is not the result of the holiness of sanctification, but the evidence of consecration— being “separated to the gospel of God…” (Romans 1:1).

“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you…” (1 Peter 4:12). If we do think the things we encounter are strange, it is because we are fearful and cowardly. We pay such close attention to our own interests and desires that we stay out of the mire and say, “I won’t submit; I won’t bow or bend.” And you don’t have to— you can be saved by the “skin of your teeth” if you like. You can refuse to let God count you as one who is “separated to the gospel….” Or you can say, “I don’t care if I am treated like ‘the filth of the world’ as long as the gospel is proclaimed.” A true servant of Jesus Christ is one who is willing to experience martyrdom for the reality of the gospel of God. When a moral person is confronted with contempt, immorality, disloyalty, or dishonesty, he is so repulsed by the offense that he turns away and in despair closes his heart to the offender. But the miracle of the redemptive reality of God is that the worst and the vilest offender can never exhaust the depths of His love. Paul did not say that God separated him to show what a wonderful man He could make of him, but “to reveal His Son in me…” (Galatians 1:16).

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

Beware of bartering the Word of God for a more suitable conception of your own.  Disciples Indeed

Bible in One Year Exodus 31-33; Matthew 22:1-22

Our Daily Bread Friday, February 3, 2017 I See You

Our Daily Bread

Friday,
February 3, 2017

I See You

Image credits: pathworkers

Read: Genesis 16:1-13

I have now seen the One who sees me. Genesis 16:13

“I see you,” a friend said in an online writers’ group where we support and encourage each other. Having felt stressed and anxious, I experienced a sense of peace and well-being with her words. She “saw” me—my hopes, fears, struggles, and dreams—and loved me.

When I heard my friend’s simple but powerful encouragement, I thought of Hagar, a slave in Abram’s household. After many years of Sarai and Abram still longing for an heir, Sarai followed the custom of the culture and told her husband to conceive through Hagar. But when Hagar became pregnant, she treated Sarai with contempt. When Sarai mistreated her in return, Hagar fled far away to the desert.

The Lord saw Hagar in her pain and confusion, and He blessed her with the promise that she would be the mother of many descendants. After the encounter, Hagar called the Lord “El Roi,” which means “the God who sees me” (Gen. 16:13), for she knew she wasn’t alone or abandoned.

As Hagar was seen—and loved—so are we. We might feel ignored or rejected by friends or family, yet we know that our Father sees not only the face we present to the world, but all of our secret feelings and fears. He speaks the words that bring us life. — Amy Boucher Pye

Father God, just as You saw Hagar in her distress, so You see those who are hurting, fleeing oppression, and afraid. Please send them help and encouragement.

To know that God sees us gives us comfort and confidence.

Bible in a year: Exodus 31-33, Matthew 22:1-22

DCLM Daily Devotional by Pastor W. F Kumuyi

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2017

APPLY WISDOM

-EXODUS 18:13-27

KEY VERSE:

"Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God" (Exodus 18:19).

We take so much on ourselves, such that it is a miracle in itself that many of us do not break down often. We see ourselves as champions or superstars and come to the inexplicable conclusion that we alone are capable of handling things. In the process, however, we often create more problems than we tend to solve. Moses thought he was doing a great job as he sat daily from morning to evening, judging the cases brought to him by the Israelites in the wilderness. He didn’t know any other way to handle the matters they brought to him, and thought it was his sole responsibility to personally attend to their needs. But his father-in-law, Jethro, came on a visit and promptly told him: "The thing that thou doest is not good". But not stopping at mere criticisms, Jethro advised that Moses learn how to delegate responsibilities to other "able men such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness". Their role was to handle the small issues affecting the people in sets of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens, respectively. Only the difficult and delicate matters would be brought to Moses. This way, the assignment God had given him would be easier as he shared the burdens of leadership with others. Quite promptly, Moses, heeding the advice of his father-in-law, chose other capable men and assigned tasks to them at different levels, thereby lightening the burden of his work both on himself and on the people of Israel. It is not a mark of effectiveness to concentrate responsibilities on oneself. If anything, we run the risk of failing to live up to the expectations both of those who gave us the assignment and those we lead. We must never get to a point where we begin to think that without us, nothing can be done well. When we take so much on ourselves, we risk burning out. Worse still, we become ineffective and therefore, unsuited for the responsibility given to us.

Thought for the day:"Wisdom is the principal thing... and with all thy getting get understanding."

Bible Reading in one Year: PSALM 19-23

Credits: Deeper Christian Life Ministry

My Utmost for His Highest daily devotional by Oswald Chambers February 2, 2017

My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers  February 2, 2017

The Compelling Force of the Call

Woe to me if i do not preach the gospel. 1 Cor. 9:16

Beware of refusing to hear the call of God. Everyone who is saved is called to testify to the fact of his salvation. That, however, is not the same as the call to preach, but is merely an illustration which can be used in preaching. In this verse, Paul was referring to the stinging pains produced in him by the compelling force of the call to preach the gospel. Never try to apply what Paul said regarding the call to preach to those souls who are being called to God for salvation. There is nothing easier than getting saved, because it is solely God’s sovereign work— “Look to Me, and be saved…”Isaiah 45:22 

Our Lord never requires the same conditions for discipleship that he requires for salvation. We are condemned to salvation through the Cross of Christ. But discipleship has an option with it— “If anyone…” Luke 14:26

Paul’s words have to do with our being made servants of Jesus Christ, and our permission is never asked as to what we will do or where we will go. God makes us as broken bread and poured-out wine to please Himself. To be “separated to the gospel” means being able to hear the call of God. Romans 1:1. Once someone begins to hear that call, a suffering worthy of the name of Christ is produced. Suddenly, every ambition, every desire of life, and every outlook is completely blotted out and extinguished. Only one thing remains— “…separated to the gospel…” Woe be to the soul who tries to head in any other direction once that call has come to him. The Bible Training College exists so that each of you may know whether or not God has a man or woman here who truly cares about proclaiming His gospel and to see if God grips you for this purpose. Beware of competing calls once the call of God grips you.

Wisdom From Oswald Chambers

The great point of Abraham’s faith in God was that he was prepared to do anything for God. 

Our Daily Bread Daily Devotional, February 2, 2017

Our Daily Bread Daily Devotional,
February 2, 2017
What's the Occasion?

Read Ecclesiastes 3:9-17,
Bible in a Year: Exodus 29-30

Everything God does will endure forever
Four-year-old Asher’s gleeful face peeked out from beneath his favorite hooded sweatshirt. His alligator-head hooded sweatshirt, complete with plush jaws that seemed to swallow his head! His mom’s heart sank. She wanted the family to make a good impression as they visited a family they hadn’t seen in a long time.
“Oh, Hon,” she said, “that may not be appropriate for the occasion.”
The Lord who made you wants to make him the center of your life.   
“Of course it is!” Asher protested brightly.
“Hmm, and what occasion might that be?” she asked. Asher replied, “You know. Life!” He got to wear the shirt.
That joyful boy already grasps the truth of Ecclesiastes 3:12—“There is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.” Ecclesiastes can seem depressing and is often misunderstood because it’s written from a human perspective, not God’s. The writer, King Solomon, asked, “What do workers gain from their toil?” (v. 9). Yet throughout the book we catch glimpses of hope. Solomon also wrote: “That each of [us] may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all [our] toil—this is the gift of God” (v. 13).
We serve a God who gives us good things to enjoy. Everything He does “will endure forever” (v. 14). As we acknowledge Him and follow His loving commands, He infuses our lives with purpose, meaning, and joy.

DCLM Daily Manna Thursday, 2 February 2017

Thursday, 2 February 2017

DCLM Daily Manna February 2, 2017 by Pastor Kumuyi – The Unfathomable Love Of God

Topic: The Unfathomable Love of God [Thursday February 2, 2017]

Text: Jeremiah 31:1-14

Key Verse: "The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee".  Jeremiah 31:1-3

The love of God for humanity is unfathomable. This love is manifest at the creation of human being (Genesis 1:26-28). Created by God, we are also blessed by God: "...God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it and have dominion." The depth of God’s love is demonstrated in His giving us His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to save us from our sins. "…that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them…" (2 Corinthians 5:19).

Let’s count our blessing through His love. One, spiritual adoption of all humans into God’s family is made possible through His love (Jeremiah 31:1). Two, He promised restoration for those who have gone astray and assures that "they shall not stumble" anymore. Three, for those who embrace the love of God, the avalanche of God’s blessings and provision as revealed in our text includes God’s protection and care (verse 10). Four, redemption from the enemy that is stronger than man (verse 11), abundant provisions (verse 12). Five, concerning His own, God said "…their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all" (verse 12). What a blessing! He further promised: "…for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow" (verse 13).

Has life been treating you harshly as it happened to the children of Israel in Egypt? Embrace the love of God today by turning away from what displeases God in your life. The fullness of God’s love has been demonstrated in His giving Jesus Christ to us. So, surrender your life to Christ today and you will partake of God’s unfathomable love. Reciprocate the love of God by living in total obedience to His words.

Thought for the day: Live the rest of your life to appreciate and reciprocate God’s love.

Bible Reading in one Year: Psalms 11-18

Open Heavens 2017
SECRETS OF FRUITFULNESS – Thursday February 2nd 2017

Memorise: If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:25

Read: Galatians 5:22-26 (KJV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

MESSAGE

One of the utmost desires of every human being is to be fruitful. We derive our drive for fruitfulness from the command that God gave to our spirit after creation in Genesis 1:28:

“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”
To be fruitful means to have outstanding results in one’s assignment or chosen career. Fruitfulness is having excellent results where others are failing. Open Heavens 2017 Thursday 2 February 2017:- Secrets of fruitfulness. It is to be highly favoured where others are struggling, and making progress where others are either retrogressing or remaining stagnant. Fruitfulness means being a vessel of honour while some are vessels unto dishonour. My prayer is that the Lord will reveal to you the secrets of good fruitfulness in Jesus’ Name.

The first secret of good fruitfulness is absolute dependence on the One who infused our spirit with the drive to be fruitful: God. God plays a prominent role in the fruitfulness of His children. This is why you need to settle it in your mind that there is nothing you can achieve without the help of the Almighty God. Those who understand this secret never attempt to run ahead of God. Jesus in John 15:5 said,

“I am the vine, ye are the branches; He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
"

No amount of human labour would suffice if God is not involved. Open heaven devotional 2017. This is why you need to run your endeavours in partnership with Jesus. If you partner with Jesus, you can never suffer loss because He is committed to giving you what money cannot buy. Money cannot buy you a good name; neither can money buy you peace of mind or guaranteed protection.



Another secret of good fruitfulness is avoiding strife and division. These manifest carnality and they will hinder you from bearing good fruit in life. Any family where envy and provocation of one another persist cannot be fruitful. Any organisation where people are committed to breaking ranks cannot be fruitful. Any church where people are always pulling down one another through their actions and words cannot be fruitful. This is why the Bible admonishes us to always walk in the Spirit so that we will not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Let us always create an atmosphere of peace, love, joy and goodness, without undermining the importance of discipline. You will be amazed at how good our fruits would be under the leading of God.

Prayer Point

Father, destroy every agent of strife and division in our families.

Bible in one year: Luke 14-15, Isaiah 29:1-14, Hymn: Sing hymn 10


Open Heavens Daily Devotional, written by Pastor E.A Adeboye