Confess God’s Truth

 Topic: Confess God’s Truth

John 11:14 ‘Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.’

Jesus spoke of Lazarus being asleep instead of dead because that is really a much better description. Death, to their carnal minds, would be final; whereas the word ‘sleep’ would not. When the disciples misunderstood what He was saying, He clarified the situation by saying plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead.’

This looks like a contrary statement to what Jesus was going to do (raise Lazarus from the dead) and indeed it would have been if He had left it at that. But He went on to say in verse 15, ‘I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe.’ This was referring to Lazarus being raised from the dead and it turned Jesus’ statement of a negative fact into a positive confession of faith.

Many people have been confused over this very issue. Many times people will refuse to speak of or acknowledge any situation that is contrary to a promise that God has given them. It is certainly desirable to avoid talking about our problems and there is scriptural precedent for this (2 Ki. 4:20, 26). In this very instance, Jesus avoided using a word to describe Lazarus’ situation that would have instilled fear into His disciples’ hearts. But when dealing with people who didn’t understand, He didn’t deny the natural facts.

A true, positive confession doesn’t deny natural truth. It just refuses to stop at the natural realm and speaks forth the greater spiritual truth. This is what Jesus did and we should follow His example. Therefore, it is not wrong to acknowledge a physical problem such as sickness just as long as we acknowledge to an equal or greater degree the spiritual truth, ‘by whose stripes ye were healed’ (1 Pet. 2:24). Don’t deny that problems exist, just deny those problems the right to continue to exist in your life by confessing your faith in God.

Share the Word today.

This message was written by The Association of Related Ministries International (ARMI) is an extension of Andrew Wommack Ministries (AWM). ARMI is a unique partnership committed to providing resources to help like-minded ministers succeed in a spirit of excellence and to draw from the experience and expertise of both the AWM and Charis Bible College staff. (www.awmi.net).

Flatimes Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:

Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.

LET NO ANXIETY BE FOUND IN YOU!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY AUGUST 10, 2024.

SUBJECT : LET NO ANXIETY BE FOUND IN YOU!

Memory verse: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." (Philippians 4  vs 6.)

READ: Philippians 4 vs 4 - 7:

4:4: Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say rejoice!

4:5: Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

4:6: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

4:7: And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

INTIMATION:

Being anxious is being uneasy with fear or desire regarding something, worrying, or craving, or yearning for something. Anxiety is the offshoot of care or desire for earthly things. Imagine being anxious for nothing. It seems like an impossibility, right? We all have responsibilities, and worries; on the job, in our homes, in our business, at school, our relationships with others, and even with God. 

However, God created the world, and all that is in it, including you. He owns everything, planned everything, and manages everything according to His plans and purposes for creating them. I am always humbled by God's description of Himself in the Scripture: "....For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet known, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will do My pleasure,' (Isaiah 46 vs 9 - 10.)

The "Omni" nature of God occasioned the counsel of Jesus Christ to us, viz; "Therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life." This is because everything, including your life, is planned and purposed by the Owner, who determines circumstances, and commands or allows events as is pleasing to Him. If then you don't have any control over your life, why worry about things. Therefore, worrying about anything is time wasted. 

Christians should put their trust in God, for it is Him who is working all things together according to His purposes. Christians must not worry, for to worry is to doubt God’s ability to take care of all things and to work all things together for the good of the Christian. In order not to worry about the environment and events that are happening, the Christian should instead, communicate with God in prayer. 

Sincerely, our attitude in all things, according to Scriptural advice, is to carry our worries, stresses, and daily struggles to God, and trust Him with them, rather than carrying them by yourself. Sometimes we think that struggles caused by our own sin and foolishness are not God's concern. But when we turn to God in repentance, He will also bear the weight of those struggles. Letting God have your anxieties calls for action, not passively. Ensure you don't submit to circumstances, but to the Lord who controls circumstances.

Because of the effects of worry, Jesus tells us not to worry about those needs that God promises to supply. Worry may damage your health, cause the object of your worry to consume your thoughts, disrupt your productivity, negatively affect the way you treat others, reduce your ability to trust in God. Worry immobilizes, but genuine concern moves you to action.

Turn your worries into prayers. Whenever you start to worry, you stop to pray, and if you start to pray, you stop to worry. Always give God the first place in your life. Concern yourself first with His kingdom; fill your thoughts with His desires, to take His character for your pattern, and to serve and obey Him in everything. When you have done that, all your cares or worries will be treated by Him, and all other things you need will be added to you (Matthew 6 vs 33). 

The result of one’s prayerful communication with God that is based on faith is an inner tranquility that cannot be expressed in words. It is the peace of God that protects one’s heart and produces consistency in one’s thoughts. When our prayers are offered to God upon the bases of faith, and knowing that God will work in answer to our prayers, then we will gain an inner peace of heart and mind. We must have faith in the fact that God answers prayer. 

Prayer: Abba Father, all things are Yours, and You have promised to meet all my needs according to Your riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Therefore, give me the grace to cast all the cares and worries in my life upon You because You cares for me. My trust is in You who owns all things and controls all things, in Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Join The Waiting Souls’

 TOPIC: “Join The Waiting Souls’ Chariot” (DCLM Daily Manna 9 August 2024)

KEY VERSE: “Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus” (Acts 8:35).

TEXT: Acts 8:26-40 (KJV)

26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.

27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,

28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.

29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:

33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.

34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?

35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth 

hinder me to be baptized?

37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

DCLM Daily Manna For Today MESSAGE:

David Brainerd, once said, “I care not where I live, or what hardships I go through so that I can but gain souls to Christ. While I sleep, I dream of these things; as soon as I awake, I think of this great work. All my desire is the conversion of sinners, and all my hope is in God”.

The main business of the believer after conversion is soul-winning for Christ. Today, our text highlights the conversion of a eunuch of Ethiopian through Philip’s soul-winning effort. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem on a religious pilgrimage and, on his return journey, was reading the Book of Isaiah about how Jesus was to be crucified. However, he could not make sense of the passage. An angel instructed Philip to explain the Scripture to him. This led to his conversion.

Gospel time is harvest time, and gospel work is harvest work. Unfortunately, the harvest time is always short as death could snatch away the sinner or the harvester. We must be relentless in our effort to bring others – relatives, friends, neighbours, colleagues, etc. – to the saving knowledge of Christ. Many have the zeal to carry out the soul-winning work but never maintain that zeal and spiritual fervour in the task.

Unfortunately, many believers today have taken the back seat with regard to the execution of the great commission. Yet, souls are dying every day and going to hell. Time is short. Eternity is certain. Death is near. You must rise now and win them one by one. Soon, the harvest will be over and if souls under convictions like the Ethiopian eunuch are not reached with the gospel message now, their souls could be lost by your negligence. Pray for burdened heart for perishing souls like David Brainerd today and be part of the end-time soul harvesters.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Soul-winning is profitable here and hereafter.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Job 1-4

Deeper Life Daily Manna For Today 2024 was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.

Flatimes’ Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:

Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.

OUR FRIENDSHIP WITH JESUS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY AUGUST 09, 2024.

SUBJECT : OUR FRIENDSHIP WITH JESUS!

Memory verse: ".....There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." (Proverbs 18 vs 24.)

READ: John 15 vs 9 - 16:

15:9: As the Father loved Me, I also love you, abide in My love.

15:10: If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.

15:11: These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.

15:12: This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

15:13: Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.

15:14: You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.

15:15: No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

15:16: You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.

INTIMATION:

Jesus Christ is our Friend. He is a friend Who sticks close, listens, cares, and offers help when it is needed, both in good and bad. He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother, even than the clothes we put on. Friendship with Jesus, because of His special ways, brings warmth and beauty to our heart. His goodness and kindness brighten us up so much and make many happy moments start. The apostle Paul, in the Book of Ephesians, gives the believers a rich understanding of the scope of God's eternal purposes and blessings, along with His high standard for us.

Friendship with Him ensures enjoying His presence at all times. He is ever ready to listen, and really understands and cares. He sees the best in us and helps us grow. He is a friend who knows our hopes and fears and all we're dreaming of, who is on our side in everything we do. He is a friend full of love and will give us joy our whole life through.

In the passage we read today, Jesus unequivocally told us what to do to ensure our friendship with Him brings the promised reward of abiding in His love. And to abide in His love we should keep His commandment. What is His commandment? It's that we should love one another as He loved us. Jesus here emphasizes that keeping His commandment is necessary for one to abide in the love and grace of God. The singularity of the commandment that Jesus here gave us is based on the second greatest commandment; “You will love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22 vs 39.) 

Christianity is based on love. All human relationships that are true and enduring find their bond in the action of love. The extent to which Jesus went to give Himself for His friends, the believers, manifests the extent of the love about which Jesus speaks. The greatest expression of love that can be made is that one lay down his life for his friend.   

Though this seems a very high standard and unattainable, but God will never give us an impossible task. This is because, as a believer, you are assured of His fellowship with you at all times (Matthew 28 vs 20), and with Him nothing is impossible (Luke 1 vs 37). I am persuaded that it is achievable, and starts with the very first step of obedience to the commandment. Just start today to show love, no matter how minute it might be or seem, then the Holy Spirit, our Helper, will strengthen you to do more. 

Please take just a minute to imagine and appreciate the extent of Christ's love for us. Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." ,(John 15 vs 13.) He gave up His life that you and I would live. He knew no sin, but was made sin because of you and I, that we might be made that righteousness of God in Him (Second Corinthians 5 vs 21). Again for His grace, though He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor, that we through His poverty might be rich (Second Corinthians 8 vs 9). In my considered opinion, His love for us is unimaginable and unparalleled!

Christians are supposed to have "an inexpressible and glorious joy" in Christ. But many have not yet begun to imagine the kind of Christian experience awaiting them in friendship with the Lord in whom they have placed their faith and trust. Unfortunately, the experience of many is more like "an inexpressible depression and life filled with worry". Nonetheless, one thing is certain; our personal and intimate relationship with God of the universe is exciting and will produce significant spiritual and physical benefits as our knowledge of Him and intimacy grows.

Prayer: Abba Father, You chose me even when I am worthless in my sin nature. You loved me and gave Your precious and inestimable life for me. You have appointed me that I should bear fruit in obedience to Your commandment. Engrace me, My Messiah, in my quest to obey, amidst my weaknesses, that I may be worthy of an intimate friendship and relationship with You, in Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Keep Paddling Upstream

 Topic: Keep Paddling Upstream

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. – Psalm 141:3

Do you really believe that you need to watch over your mouth? Most believers don’t. You can tell that just by listening to their conversations. They profess, for example, to be trusting God concerning their health. But you’re likely to hear them say something like this: “I’m just sure I’m going to get the flu. I get it every year. I’ll be sicker than a dog too, you’ll see….”

Do people like that have what they say?

Oh yes! Check with them a few weeks later and they’ll be quick to tell you that they got just as sick as they said they’d be. But, odds are, if you try to tell them there’s any connection between the words they spoke and the illness they suffered, they’ll look at you as if you were out of your mind.

Of course, if they’d dig in to the Word of God and find out what it has to say about my the subject, they’d realize that the words they speak have a tremendous impact on their lives. They’d see that words quite literally determine their future. If you’re a born-again believer, you’ve already experienced the most powerful example of that. You believed with your heart and confessed with your mouth the Lord Jesus and you changed the eternal course of your life. You know firsthand just how powerful your words can be.

Yet, even so, if you’re like me, you still find that speaking faith-filled words consistently is tough to do. I’ve been at it myself for many years now and, despite all the time I’ve spent on it and all the experiences I’ve had, it’s still something I have to watch all the time.

You see, the world around you is in negative flow. Like a rushing river, it’s always pulling at you, trying to get you to flow with it. Living by faith and speaking words of faith is like trying to paddle upstream. You can do it—but it’s a great deal of work. And there’s never a time you can afford to take a vacation from it. All you have to do is relax a little bit and you’ll just start drifting right back down the river.

Make the decision right now to set a watch over your lips. Determine to consistently fill your mouth with the Word of God. “Attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings” (Proverbs 4:20). Let God’s Word be your watch and everything you say will take you a little farther upstream!

Scripture Reading: Romans 10:8-17

This message was written by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, the leader of the Kenneth Copeland Ministries (www.KCM.org) that specializes in teaching principles of bible faith – prayer, healing, salvation and other biblical topics.

Flatimes Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:

Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus’ name Amen.

START YOUR DAY WITH PRAYER!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY AUGUST 08, 2024.

SUBJECT : START YOUR DAY WITH PRAYER!

Memory verse: "Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed." (Mark 1 vs 35.)

READ: Psalm 5 vs 1 - 3:

5:1: Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.

5:2: Give heed to the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for to You I will pray.

5:3: My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct to You, and I will look up. 

INTIMATION:

The secret of a close relationship with God is to pray to Him earnestly each morning. Prayer is one of the greatest opportunities given to man by God. It is one of the greatest privileges and ministries available to all believers. Indeed everyone who seeks to take his or her place in the Kingdom of God should seek or learn how to pray effectively. Praying is speaking reverently to God in order to express thanks or make a request. It is earnestly entreating God in sincerity of your intention.

God not only welcomes us in prayer, He is waiting for us to pray. In the morning, our minds are more free from problems, and then we can commit the whole day to God. Regular communication helps in friendship and is certainly necessary for a strong relationship with God. We need to communicate with Him daily. Throughout Jesus’ ministry He often went to places where He could be alone in order to concentrate on prayer to the Father.

Our anchor Scripture says He rose up early and in the morning went to a solitary place to pray.

The first thing believers should do before communicating with anyone is communicating with their Maker first. There is this peace and stillness that comes with communicating your fears to God. It’s how we rebuke the devil: The devil is always on the look out for every believer, he comes to them with a snare. Believers must always be at alert in prayer, you must be relentless in prayer always, in the morning, noon and at night. 

Every believer should embrace the act of starting and committing a new day to God’s hands in the morning, asking Him to guide us and shield us from the evils that come with a new day. Also, It is how we command our day: When you invite God to your morning via morning prayers, it sends signals to the realm of the Spirit, you call forth the good you want to see in your morning via prayers. Each day comes with its blessings and opportunities, and that is why Scripture says he daily load us with benefit. It is very significant to commit the day into God’s hands and to also tune into the prompting and leading of the Spirit.

Jesus Christ never taught His disciples how to preach but rather taught them how to pray. Note that Jesus Christ told the disciples "WHEN YOU PRAY" and not "IF YOU PRAY" therefore, the onus is on us to pray. We, the godly; those who are faithful and devoted to God, should know that God is waiting for us to approach Him in prayer and should be confident that God listens to our prayers and answers when we call upon Him. Sometimes we think that God will not hear us because we have fallen short of His high standards for holy living, but if we are aware of the sacrifice of His only Son for our sins, we know He hears us.

Perhaps you need to redesign your schedule to find time for earnest prayer, especially in the morning. It is vitally important to: (1) seek the Lord before your busy schedule takes over your thoughts; (2) withdraw from noise and demands so you can focus on God; (3) take Jesus’ attitude of regular communion with the Father; (4) reflect on the priorities Jesus had for His life; (5) determine to pray on a more regular basis, not just in times of crisis. If prayer was important for Jesus, then it must be important for His followers. Pray, make it a point of duty to get up early in the morning to do it! Do you have a regular time to pray and read God’s Word?

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for the privilege of communion with You in prayer. Give me the enablement to always start my day in communion with You in prayer; handing everything over to Your care and direction, in Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Prayer for Personal Safety and Protection

 Today, we're praying for our safety because the days are evil.

We're going to pray God's word because is spirit and life to us.Isaiah 41:10-13

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

PRAYER POINTS

1. Thank God for this day, and begin to decree good things into the womb of day.

2. I dedicate this day to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and decree that I shall be favoured by God and men, in the name of Jesus.

3. I take authority over this day and declare that this is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it, in the name of Jesus.

4. Commit today into God’s hands and tell Him to have His way in your life, in Jesus’ name.

5. I cover every journey I shall embark upon this day and month with the blood of Jesus.

6. Lord Jesus, I stand on Your word in Isaiah, 54, verse, 17 and declare that no weapon formed against me and my family this day and month shall prosper, in the name of Jesus.

7. I decree that all elemental forces, will refuse to cooperate with my enemies, in the name of Jesus.

8. Lord Jesus, uproot evil things from my life, in the name of Jesus.

9. O Lord, plant good things in my life, in the name of Jesus.

10. I cancel every conscious and unconscious negative agreement, in the name of Jesus.

11. Let every spiritual weakness in my life receive termination, in the name of Jesus.

12. Let every financial failure in my life receive termination, in the name of Jesus.

13. Let every sickness in my life receive termination, in the name of Jesus.

14. Let every architect of problems in my life receive termination, in the name of Jesus.

15. I refuse to reap any satanic harvest this day, and for the rest of my life, in the name of Jesus.

16. That which hinders me from greatness in the past months, begin to give way right now, in the name of Jesus.

17. All my imprisoned blessings in the past years, come forth now, in the name of Jesus.

18. Every tree of sorrow in my life be uprooted by fire, in the name of Jesus.

19. I silence evil utterances against my life and family, in the name of Jesus.

20. Pray for the church of christ, that the church of God will continue to march forward, and the gate of hell shall not prevail over it.

21. Begin to appreciate God for answered prayers.

Amen🙏🙏🙏🔥