Please bless these Ministries with your
love, involvement, and prayers! Thanks!
Tell your friends
and family about the eBlessings International Daily Devotional! Spread
the Word!
You Can Make a Difference!
Thursday,
1 December 2005
MORE - much, much, much, more BROKENNESS
“So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the
outermost part of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch,
when they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets,
and brake in pieces the pitchers that were in their hands.”
JUDGES 7:19 (ASV)
Here we have the
story of Gideon. Gideon took his army of
three hundred men into battle against the Midianites. There were
thousands of well-armed Midianites. It was an impossible situation.
Without God there was no hope! Their weapons were primitive! They
were dead men! They went to battle at the time the watch changed in
the night. They went to battle with almost no weapons! A clay pot
and a torch is all they had to win the war! In the natural –
impossible! Yet, when they broke the clay pots containing the
torches, they won the war! The enemy fought each other in their
confusion. The victory was the Lord’s.
God showed me that they had the greatest weapon of all. What were
their weapons that were so great? A clay pot and a flaming torch!
What can you do with a clay pot! How do you kill an army with a clay
pot? A flaming torch! What can you do to win a war with flaming
torches? What did they do? They put the torch inside the clay pot
then broke the pot. It was only when the clay pot was broken that
the light of the torch could be seen. They had the weapons they
needed to win the war. We have the greatest weapon – the only weapon
we need to win the war. What is that weapon? Brokenness!
How do we use that weapon? To be broken means: Ruined! Wrecked!
Finished! Ended! Useless! Defunct! Shattered! Smashed! Destroyed!
God wants to destroy, wreck, ruin, shatter, smash, finish, end, make
defunct, all that we were, all that we are, and all that we want to
be. He wants to so remold us that all that we were, are, and hope to
be is forever changed.
Jesus was broken on a cross for me. His life was poured out for me.
The cross speaks of death – death to self; total commitment; a
willingness to suffer and die; self-denial and complete dedication,
which brings willing obedience. God wants to purify our hearts.
When I lay down my rights, my attitudes, and my values, His life
comes forth in me. When I take up His life and lay down my life, His
life becomes my life. I have to break my heart. I have to humble my
heart. I am to lose my life for His sake. When I do this I gain His
life. All He is, all He was, All He can do becomes mine! The
brokenness that I surrender and yield to the tool of death brings
forth resurrection life, not just in me, but also in those I touch.
Will you surrender and be broken? This is my prayer – more of His
brokenness in my life.
RESURRECTION LIFE
Rev.
Denise Reid
International Apostolic Ministry, Pastor, Teacher, Missionary
Evangelist. Four Corners Ministries
P.O. Box 308, Hamilton, New Zealand & P.O. Box 1079, Tavernier,
Florida 3307, U.S.A.
Email:
four.corners@xtra.co.nz &
kdereid@aol.com
Web Page:
www.fourcornersministries.com
Where is your aim in life? What
target are you trying to hit?
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the
first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no
more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down
from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her
husband.”
REVELATION 21:1-2 (KJV)
The beautiful houses,
cars, gold, silvers, diamonds, and other earthy
things is yet to be seen. How wonderful and great the new Heaven
will look. Why are we searching for beautiful things while our God
told us that He has many great things for us. Let us worship God and
obey Him and all will be well with us. “And Jesus said unto him,
“No man, having put his hand to the plow,
looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.”” Luke 9.62
(NIV) To enjoy what God has given us, we must surrender from under
the power of our sins and be ready to follow God and leave
everything in our agenda. We must turn our agenda over to God.
“For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he
shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though
after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see
God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and
not another though my reins be consumed within me.” Job
19:25-27 (KJV)
Nothing is as good as to worship God and keep the Commandments so
that we may live in Heaven and enjoy life with our lovely Father. No
matter who you are, one day you will die and after death is
Judgment. It is a joyful thing if our brothers and sisters die in
Christ; but it is regrettable if our beloved do not die with Jesus
because no soul will meet the LORD with sin. “Jesus said unto
her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he
that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:”
John 11:25
In this our modern world, no soul will say he doesn’t know about
JESUS or the words of GOD. Any soul that dies with sin and goes to
hell fire has no one to blame. Time is never too late for you to
repent and focus all your aim to Jesus because one day you must die.
Don’t keep riches in the world; rather keep riches in Heaven because
the world is not our home, one day we will die. The love and
promises of God for us will be wonderful and full of enjoyment in
God. How beautiful our homes in Heaven will be for us!
It’s interesting that
everywhere in the Bible the Lord called Himself the God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. There’s a richness of revelation in
this and many spiritual parallels that can be drawn.
“Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father,
the God of
Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”
EXODUS 3:6 (KJV)
Abraham is the father of faith. He is God’s pioneer showing us that we
must always have faith, even to the point of leaving the old things
behind and moving completely by faith into the new territories the
Lord has for us. God is a God of faith; we are encouraged to have
faith in God (or as the original Greek puts it in Mark 11:22,
the faith of God), and Hebrews 11:6 tells us that it
is impossible to please God without faith.
Isaac is a symbol of obedience to God and to the natural and
spiritual authority the Lord has placed over us. Isaac was so
obedient that even when he found out that he was to be the
sacrificial lamb, he was willing to obey God and his father, even to
the point of death. Obedience is better than sacrifice. (1 Samuel
15:22)
Jacob is an example of repentance, humility, and crushing of our
self-centeredness. He had tried it all his way first (and did
obtain the blessing of his father by deception), but he knew it was
not right in the eyes of God. So, he humbled himself before the Lord
and sought the Lord’s real blessing, which he did receive. This time
it came not through deception, but through transformation of his
character – from Jacob (a deceiver) to Israel (a Prince with God –
Genesis 32:28).
The natural seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was Joseph, who
ministered God’s salvation in the time of natural hunger upon the
face of the whole Earth. Spiritually speaking, if we combine
God’s faith, obedience to God (even to the point of being
willing to die for Him), repentance, humility and crushing of our
self-centeredness, what will come out will be people that will
bring God’s salvation to this spiritually hungry world in which we
are living.
One person of peace at a time,
builds nations of peace.
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give
unto you:
not as the world
giveth, give I unto you.
Let not your
heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
JOHN 14:27 (KJV)
Part 2: Christians, salt of the
earth and light of the world. You press on
your television, you turn the button of your radio, you open your
newspaper, and everywhere there is violence: verbal violence and
physical violence. Our world goes from evil into worse evil. The
international institutions, in particular the United Nations with
its real world mentality truly does not manage the entire world.
There is yet to be found a climate of peace in our world. YES, dear
brothers and sisters in Christ, our world needs true peace, not
dancing and skipping peace.
Jesus addressing his disciples by metaphor said: “You
are the salt of the earth... and
You are the light of the world...”
Matthew 5:13a, 14a We say that Christians must positively
influence the people around whom they live. Indeed to arrive there
(in a world of peace) they must bear fruit according to whether it
is written in John 15:8 (NKJV); “By
this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will
be My disciples.” Jesus was often using people and nature
to illustrate a spiritual truth. The metaphor of John 15:8
speaks about the reproductive life. The seed sprouts (in death), the
vine shoots (growing) and the fruit (product) constitute a
biological system in which the fruit comes from the nutritive
substances of the ground.
Just like the vine owes its life to the reproductive nature of the
seed, Christians must be dependent on the life of Christ in them and
from there draw their spiritual vitality. And just like the fruit
nourishes others and contains in itself the same seeds for its own
reproduction, thus the demonstration is externalized in the life of
Christ in us nourishing us and reproducing His life for the
nourishment of others. The Bible speaks to us about the fruit of the
spirit rather than of the fruits. A tree can carry many apples, but
all come from the same tree. In the same manner, the Holy Spirit is
for our lives the same source of much fruit in the life of the
Christian. When our lives are enriched by Christ, the fruit is seen
in our behavior. God is then glorified.
In his commentary on the Epistle of the Galatians, Martin
Luther says that those which follow the Lord “produce the most
excellent fruits and that with a maximum of effectiveness, because
those which testify, give glory to God and by doing this attract and
push others to embrace the doctrines of Christ.”
PRODUCE EXCELLENT FRUIT
Evangelist Seka Armand
Elviss Yavo
Evangelic Church of Revelation
23 B. P. 360 Abidjan 23, (Dimension of Ivory)
Yopougon, Abidjan, Cote D'Ivorie, Africa
Email: yavolevis@yahoo.fr
Please Bless
Evangelic Church of Revelation
with your Involvement and Prayers!
You Make a Difference!
Each
One!
Bless
One!
MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU
AS YOU LIVE A LIFE DEDICATED TO
HIM!
Tell your friends
and family about the eBlessings International Daily Devotional! Spread
the Word!
You are a miracle expecting a miracle. We are
surrounded by miracles.
“But Mary stood outside by
the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stopped down and looked
into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the
head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to
them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where
they have laid him.” Now when she had said this, she turned around
and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was
Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you
seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him “Sir,
if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I
will take Him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).
JOHN 20:11-16
(NKJV)
Have
you ever seen a miracle in the last three
hours? Have you seen a miracle in 24 hours? What about the past
week, month or year? Have you ever seen the sun rising? What’s about
the moon coming up? Or a new born baby? What’s about watching your
child grow up? Maybe you answered no to the first few questions in
this devotion, but answer yes to the last four questions. You almost
missed the miracle. To be frank each of these questions is the
smallest miracle that God provides.
Have you been touched immediately when you pray? Has an Angel spoken
to you in a dream? Has Jesus touched your heart? Trust God and know
that He is still in the business of healing. Believe! On Christmas
morning the shepherds almost missed the Babe Jesus, and then came
the miracles. The choir of Angels and the star showing them the way
to the birthplace. (Luke 2:12-16) Another wonderful thing
happens when Jesus is a small boy. (Matthew 2:11) The Wise
Men from the east who were following the same bright star were told
by Herod that on their return trip that they should tell him, so he
could go and worship Jesus. (Matthew 2:1-12) The miracles
are:
1) The
same bright star when Jesus was a baby is still shining bright
for the Wise Men to lead them to the small child Jesus.
(Matthew 2:9)
2)
“Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not
return to Herod, they departed for their own country another
way.” Matthew 2:12 (NKJV) …because Herod wanted to kill
Jesus.
Don’t
allow Herod to kill your dreams, your hope for a miracle, or stop
you from seeing the present miracle in your life or in the lives of
one of your family members or friends. Hold on to your faith and
believe your miracle is coming—you already are a living miracle.
Live in the positive expectation of your miracle!
Update your diary! Now do and
learn what the Holy Ghost tells you.
“But the
Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener,
Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in
My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you
all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of,
bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you.”
JOHN 14:26
(AMP)
Christianity is at a
crossroads today. On the one hand, it is
fashionable to attend a church; to attend a certain kind of church
in a certain kind of way. It is fashionable to celebrate your
marriage with the church pastor, building, and a few of the deacons
and church members. And at least for the majority of people who want
to be popular, seen, or known in the church, they make every effort
to bury their skins in every religious activity and to do what the
pastor or the church commands until their time of death.
On the other hand, it is those who live everyday life, living with
the Holy Ghost who miss this type of Imperial Christianity. To be
always “with the listening for the voice” of the Spirit of the Lord
and to make the things of which the Holy Ghost has approved, here is
the fact of what is truly meant by “being a disciple of the Christ.”
This is not to say that we are like Angels concentrating the length
of our day awaiting an unspecified voice which commands us a
specific order. Admittedly, not! When we live our whole lives with
Jesus in a perfect loving relationship, we receive in this humility
His Holy Ghost who becomes the permanent Light which shines in our
hearts and commands us into the Perfect and Divine Will of Christ
Jesus.
So at the house, at the job, at the time of our voyages, in our
family relations, and our ways of thinking, the Spirit of the Lord
leaves His print, His claw, and His impression. It points out to us
what we are and who we must be according to the precepts of our Lord
Master, Jesus Christ. The Holy Ghost speaks to us and teaches us the
way to be followed. We thus open the diary of our hearts to the page
where it is necessary for us to write that which is said, the notes
that are necessary for us to live the life which the Holy Spirit
would direct us to live in Christ Jesus. Thus update diary! Listen
to the Holy Ghost and learn to grow spiritually.
“Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou has
redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy
habitation.”
EXODUS 15:13 (KJV)
MERCY:
When you do not get what you deserve! How would you feel if you
realized that the person you were about to be married to was about
to have a baby by another? How would you respond to them under such
betrayals? How would you react towards yourself?
Now, this is what happened to Joseph when he found that Mary, his
betrothed (fiancée), soon to be wife was pregnant. “Then Joseph
her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public
example, was minded to put her away secretly.” Matthew 1:19
(NKJV) This is called MERCY. David cried out to God for mercy after
he had handed out judgment on himself for adultery, conspiracy, and
murder. “Have mercy upon me, O God according to Your
lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
blot out my transgressions.” Psalm 51:1 (NKJV) The man was meant
to die, but he called on God for mercy when, first, there was
nothing like a presidential pardon in the constitution. Secondly,
his own mouth had brought the conviction. You well know, despite
your excuses, that you have blown it. You know you are guilty. “If
we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is
not is us.” 1 John 1:8 We would be hypocritical to suggest that we
have not sinned.
“Now the wages of sin is death...” Romans 6:23a “For He knows our
frame; He remembers that we are dust. Psalm 103:14 (NKJV)
“Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD
pitieth them that fear him.” Psalm 103:13 (KJV) It is time for
us to go to the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain Mercy. What we
need from God is Mercy. Mercy, because our sins have piled up God’s
wrath for us. However, Mercy grants us such love from God that we do
not get what we deserve. That is why David cried for MERCY. Is it
not true that we have turned everyone to his own way? Is it not true
that we would rather have God give us than make us? Is it not true
that by this we are saying that if we had the money, we would handle
it better than God? Is it not the same sin that made our first
parents (Adam and Eve) fall in the garden when they thought that God
could be wrong? We all need mercy and it is time to go to the Mercy
Seat to find Grace and obtain help. May God cause you to reach out
for his Mercy today.
View your loss as seed
planted on your behalf
because you would not plant it voluntarily.
“And some seed fell among thorns;
and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. But
other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang
up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a
hundred.”
MARK 4:7-8 (NKJV)
Loss vs. Seed.
One weekend I met a man from Louisiana at the
bank. We struck up a conversation. He was telling me how he lost
$200,000 worth of oil paintings and his artistic work. I have heard
many tragic stories of loss due to the 2005 Katrina hurricane. The
Holy Spirit spoke to me and I started telling him what the Holy
Spirit was telling me to tell him. This can be for you too.
You have lost $200,00 and more. It is important to look at it this
way and when you change the way you look at your situation, you will
walk in your change. On one side you see your loss. On the other
side your loss is seed. Think of your loss as seed. One apple seed
produces an apple tree which produces thousands of seeds. Your loss
is seed which has been planted. But you have to take on the
perception that your loss is your seed. Let your mind think,
believe, and know that what you lost is seed planted on your behalf.
This (your belief) is the fertile ground in which this seed
is now growing.
Think of it as God or Jesus allowed you, forced you, made it happen
for you, that you could plant seed which you would never plant, but
this planted seed will benefit not only you and your family, but
countless millions in ways that you and I could not ever imagine.
“But he who received seed on the good ground
is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit
and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
Matthew 13:23 It is important not to think of a loss as a loss,
but as a seed. Your mind is the fertile good ground which this seed
has to grow. In our thinking concerning life’s situations, on one
side there is loss, and on the other side there is a seed (gain
through giving, spiritual growth through sacrifice, eternal life
through obedience). The perception of loss is negative. The
perception of seed is positive. Once planted, this seed will grow.
Your belief, your faith will nourish this seed you are receiving.
On one side there is loss. On the other side what looks like a loss
is really a seed. What looks like losing everything is gaining
unimaginably. Plant a tree called “bountiful.” “It
is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is
smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows
up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large
branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”
Mark 4:31-32 (NKJV)
OVERFLOW THROUGH SACRIFICE
James
Anthony Allen, Evangelist eBlessings.us Founder
Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA, North America
Email: eblessings@gmail.com
Please Bless
the eBlessings.us Family and Friends
with your Involvement and Prayers!
You Make a Difference!
Each
One!
Bless
One!
MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU
AS YOU LIVE A LIFE DEDICATED TO
HIM!
Tell your friends
and family about the eBlessings International Daily Devotional! Spread
the Word!
Before our circumstances and
situations can change,
we must first be willing to change our minds!
“And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched
the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of
joint as he wrestled with him.”
GENESIS 32:25
(KJV)
When darkness is
dispelled from the different areas in our
lives, something is breaking in us, giving us a new identity and a
new meaning to all we are in this life. Jacob was broken physically
and spiritually by GOD in order to reform and transform his mindset
and attitude. Jacob was once a swindler, trickster, gambling man who
always found ways to get whatever he wanted, even if it belonged to
someone else. The blessing that Jacob received from his father
created major problems in his life. It worked as a curse against
him. (Genesis 29:23-27) Although Jacob endured many
circumstances and situations and was hard pressed on every side,
most of what he endured was created by his own doings and he was
simply reaping that which he had sown.
The very fact that Jacob’s thigh became out of joint speaks of
breaking. His will had to be broken, including his thigh so that GOD
could perfect Himself though Jacob’s weakness. Wherever Jacob was
weak, God proved himself to be stronger. (Genesis 34:27-30; 35:5)
Even in his wrestling with God, he would not let go until he
received a blessing. (Genesis 32:26-29) We as children of the
Most High God should never let go of God, whether He grants us a
tangible blessing or not. God desires us to hold on tight and seek
His face instead of His hands. God blesses us daily through His
guiding and infinite wisdom when and if we seek His face and His
heart.
As Jacob began to understand where the root of his problem lay, he
knew that his life with God would not last long if he did not deal
with his sin. In his wrestling with God, Jacob did not ask for a
Heavenly host of protection to keep him from Esau. Jacob had a deep
yearning to be broken and changed so that he could receive the
eternal inheritance, salvation and posterity for his family. God
changed Jacob and can change us as well, if only we desire God more
than anything else. Commit your will to God’s Divine Will today.
“And you must be called masters
(leaders), for you have one Master
(Leader), the Christ. He who is great among
you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself [with
haughtiness and empty pride] shall be humbled
(brought low); and whoever humbles
himself—who has modest opinion of himself and behaves accordingly—
shall be raised to honor.”
MATTHEW 23:10-12
(AMP)
SERVANTHOOD.
A servant is a person who is in total availability to his master. He
is at the complete disposal for his master and his work is to serve
and please his master. History tells of many faithful servants who
have laid down their lives for their masters. A stunning example is
that of the faithful servant of David Livingstone, who carried the
dead body of their master across the jungles of Africa because they
loved him and were faithful in every aspect. They were accountable
to their master. Accountability and faithfulness are required of
every servant of God. We have to be found faithfully accountable
even unto death.
Being accountable is being answerable, responsible, chargeable,
liable, duty bound, or obligated. This is one quality we as members
of the Body of Christ cannot afford not to have. Right from the
beginning of creation, God put mankind in the position of
accountability. We have to be accountable for everything over which
we are placed in charge. (Matthew 12:35-36; NAS)
Therefore, accountability builds trust and honesty among God’s
children. Accountability enables us to support each other
wholeheartedly. If you do not trust somebody because you think they
are not accountable, you will hardly support them, especially with
your finances. They may have genuine needs, but how can you know
they are real? Furthermore, haven’t we all been burned or used in
the name of the Lord by someone in whom we trusted? Let’s face it,
you cannot be independent and at the same time ask people for
financial help. The moment you ask for finances, you are liable to
those people and you must to give an account for the finances. Your
ministry is bound to those people and you are no longer serving God
independently.
ACCOUNTABILITY
Pastor
John Nyantika Mokua
Living In Victory International Ministries
P. O. Box 68 50100 Kakamega, Kenya, Africa
Tel: +254 720 489848
Email: ministerjn7@yahoo.com
It will be a glorious
experience and God’s wants you to live in readiness
and be ready when it takes place!
“We believe that Jesus died and rose
again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who
have fallen asleep in him. For the Lord himself will come down from
heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and
with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise
first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be
caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the
air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”
1 THESSALONIANS 4:14, 16-17
(NIV)
The word “Rapture”
(not found in the Bible) means to be “caught up.” No
one knows the day nor the time when the Lord will appear in the
clouds, but He will come suddenly and unexpectedly. It is God’s
desire for everyone to turn away from a life of sin and lawlessness,
and turn to Him in true repentance. This is the first step to living
in “readiness.” You continue to build on your relationship with the
Lord Jesus Christ in your walk with Him from day to day in the
reading and studying of God’s Word, the Bible and in fellowship with
other believers and in prayer. God wants you to be ready NOW!
All Christians who have died, (and who are in the presence of God),
and Christians now alive, who may not be alive when Jesus comes,
will be raised first. (see verse 16) After that, all Christians who
are alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to
meet the Lord in the air. (1 Thessalonians 4:17)
God called you to live a life that is holy and acceptable to Him. We
did not create ourselves, God did. If you reject Him, He will one
day reject you. “For God did not call us to be impure, but to
live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does
not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.” 1
Thessalonians 4:7-8 Go ahead, if you do not know Jesus
personally, call on Him today. He is waiting to hear from YOU.
RAPTURE
submitted by
Abigail
Taylor
Pastor, Evangelist Miracle Temple Ministries
Lodge Project
St. Kitts, West Indies
Email: gladabi@msn.com or
tune332002@yahoo.com
Please Bless
Miracle Temple Ministries
with your Involvement and Prayers!
You Make a Difference!
Each
One!
Bless
One!
MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU
AS YOU LIVE A LIFE DEDICATED TO
HIM!
Tell your friends
and family about the eBlessings International Daily Devotional! Spread
the Word!
“Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desire of
your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do
this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the
justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”
PSALMS 37:4-6 (NIV)
All the days of life
people make friendly relations with one another, alliances within
groups, among groups, and in general have particular degrees of
confidence in these relationships. But these relationships always
fail because when the conditions and circumstances of the
individuals or groups change, then people change their positions,
opinions, perspectives and cannot and do not respect the past
agreements. It is in these cases that conflict between man and man,
between woman and woman and between man and woman occurs. (Psalm
118:8)
People are actually only like grass or the flower which grows, shows
forth for a season, then falls and passes in only a short time.
(Psalms 103:15-16) People do not actually rely on themselves
only, nor do they speak about the confidence which they have or must
have with others to live as social interactive human beings.
Moreover the Bible says that misfortune will follow them who put
more trust in man than in God. To those who trusts in man and not
God, they smell as odors in the nostrils of God. (Isaiah 65:5)
Confidence must be placed in that which has neither beginning nor
end: Alpha and Omega—that which does not change, being the same
yesterday, today, and eternally—that which never betrays because it
is He who has created everything; even confidence. Confidence is
thus a question of God, creator of the universe—commit your fate to
the Lord completely. Trust in Him and in Him only. “And he
(David) said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my
deliverer; the God of my rock; in him will I trust; he is my
shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge,
my saviour; thou savest me from violence. I will call upon the LORD,
who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine
enemies.” 2 Samuel 22:2-4 (KJV) He does not go on the left, nor
on the right for all the details of your life, because His
confidence in you will act. It is God who knows all and who has
promised projects of peace to you and not of misfortune in order to
give you a future made with hope. God will make your justice like
the light and your success like the sun in its zenith.
“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
When a man’s ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his
enemies live at peace with him. King’s detest wrongdoing, for a
throne is established through righteousness.” Proverbs 16:3,7,12
(NIV) Trust the LORD God Yahweh and practice being good and you will
succeed in all your endeavors.
CONFIDENCE
Evangelist Jonas Adama Sawadogo
Assembly Church of God
07 BP 5421 Ouagadougou 07
Burkina Faso, Africa
Email:
evangelistejonas@yahoo.fr
Telephone: +226 76595994
Please Bless
Assembly Church of God
with your Involvement and Prayers!
You Make a Difference!
Each
One!
Bless
One!
MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU
AS YOU LIVE A LIFE DEDICATED TO
HIM!
Tell your friends
and family about the eBlessings International Daily Devotional! Spread
the Word!
There is no true love without
spiritual and physical tears.
“When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping
which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. And
said, Where have ye laid him? They said
unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept.”
JOHN 11:33-35
(KJV)
Weep.
There is no true love without spiritual and physical
tears. True love has spiritual fruits. (Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians
5:9-10) The Word of God is filled with truth. Charity comes first.
“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest
of these is charity.” 1 Corinthians 13:13 (KJV) How can you pray
for a person you do not love? Have love towards your brothers and
sisters—extend your charity to the unsaved. With charity you are
able to preach without fear. At the same time, the power of the
Gospel becomes unlimited where charity is. “Charity never
faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail;
whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there
be knowledge, it shall vanish away.” 1 Corinthians 13:8
(KJV) You are God’s temple; operate in His Charity. God is love;
operate in God’s Love. “Do you not know that you are a
temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” 1
Corinthians 3:16 (ASV)
If you do not have love in your heart towards mankind, ask for it
from the Almighty. Where there is love—hope, faith, courage, grace,
and the other characteristics of God dwell. Jesus wept because He
loved His friend. (John 11:5) You want healing and
deliverance? Weep in spirit. “My sacrifice [the sacrifice
acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart
[broken down with sorrow for sin and humbly and thoroughly penitent]
such O God, You will not despise.” Psalm 51:17 (AMP) Commit
yourself to the truth. Have true love in your heart. God searches
our hearts. (Psalm 44:21; Psalm 139:23; Acts 8:21) We reap
what we sow. “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even
to give every man according to his ways, and according to the
fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:10 (KJV)
My brother and sisters never think you can cheat God. You work for
nothing. “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure
heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith
unfeigned:” 1 Timothy 1:5 (KJV) Remember, the Gospel has
the power to lift you to Heaven. “And above all things have
fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the
multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (KJV)
JESUS WEEPS
Tichadii J Ziwenga
Bible teacher Greater Bible Way Gospel Church
54 Tsukukuwiri Road,
Zengeza 1, Zimbabwe, Africa
Email: tichadii@yahoo.co.uk
Please Bless
Greater Bible Way Gospel Church
with your Involvement and Prayers!
You Make a Difference!
Each
One!
Bless
One!
MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU
AS YOU LIVE A LIFE DEDICATED TO
HIM!
Tell your friends
and family about the eBlessings International Daily Devotional! Spread
the Word!
Do not criticize the dirty feet of
someone if you are not ready to wash them.
“He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a
towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason,
and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the
towel wherewith he was girded.”
JOHN 14:4-5
(KJV)
“And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to
have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee,
that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy
brethren.”
LUKE 22:30-31 (KJV)
It is amazing
how quickly we can criticize someone who does not fit our concepts
and ideas about something. It’s also amazing how prejudiced we can
be towards others. Most of all, we are so uncompromising towards the
mistakes of others. It seems that everything can displease us, make
us angry, discontent, touchy, resentful, or even revengeful. You
know why that is? Because we are lacking God’s true love! (1
Corinthians 13:4-8)
Jesus is our greatest example of the expression of God’s love in
which we must all function all the time. Let’s see just one example:
Jesus knew that Peter would deny Him three times, even to the point
of cursing. Yet, instead of criticizing him, Jesus did three
incredible things:
First, He washed Peter’s feet, which was such an act of
humility, having in mind that Jesus was the King of kings and
Lord of lords.
Second, He prayed for Peter. Can you imagine God praying for
someone like us? Isn’t that a contradiction of terms, which
again shows the highest level of humility?
And
third, He spoke of the future destiny of Peter – being an
encourager and strengthener of his brethren. Wow!
May we learn from this and also be extremely slow to criticize and
extremely quick to pray and serve the others. May we be full of love
towards the Lord and our neighbors, always having the heart and mind
of the Lord towards them, instead of the heart and mind of the
demons and the flesh.
Be a better Christian—Have
the Compassion of Christ.
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name,
he gave the right to become children of God—”
JOHN 1:12 (NIV)
As Christians we are
so much blessed and privileged to be
people adopted into the family of God. No one is the child of God
from her/his birth, rather a sinner from the birth. And the sinners
are the children of David. But according to John 1:12, those
who receive Jesus and those who believed in His name, He gave the
right to become the children of God. Let us not forget that we are
saved sinners. We were children of David, but became children of
God. Unless someone receive Him and believe in His name. They are
not children of God. Sad, but many assume to be children of God,
while being in the family of David. Begetting (being born) in a Christian
family will not make someone Christian really. Probably this is the
great fact missing in Christian families. Because the fact is
missing, the Christians have lost the passion for Christ and for the
lost souls. Friends let us remember, the passion for Christ can only
make us grow into better Christians.
So when we are included into the family of God, we have some
responsibilities to accomplish and not formalities to perform. The
business in the family of God is to win the perishing souls. The
Master in the family says, GO, PREACH, BAPTIZE, MAKE DISCIPLES.
Friends, let us care for what the Master says if we are members of
His family. It’s the passion for Christ that lets us hear Him and
go.
There is a river called Ganges in India; it’s a holy river. It is
the Hindu belief that this river has the power to clean the sin of a
sinner. Millions of Hindus take a holy dip to be forgiven by sin.
Once I happened to go to the riverside and saw a woman bitterly
crying.
I asked her, “Sister tell me how can I help you?” No
reply. “May I help you sister?” I asked again.
“There is none who can help me,” the reply came. Then
she said again, “My husband is a drunkard; a man of sinful nature
and lives a life of immorality. I don’t know how he can be free out
of all kind of sins.”
I said, “Sister, there is a person who not only has
the power to make your husband free but your family free too. And He
is beside you right now. He’s ready to set your husband free and you
as well. The person is Jesus Christ. Believe in His name and receive
Him as your Saviour and all will be all right.”
I asked her to pray after me and before I could say,
“Amen,” she hugged me and said crying, “Why didn’t you come to me
just a minute before? Because I threw my only son into the river to
be free from sin and to get mental peace.”
Friends, are we really not concerned about the souls which are going
away without Christ? Are we really not concerned about the children
who are being thrown into the river to be forgiven? Friends, we are
in the family of God. God loves the world and the world is His. Let
us accomplish the responsibilities with a great passion to bring the
others into God’s fold. God bless you and please help. Amen.
Because we are
Christians, there is a need that we must
keep pressing on, and keep holding on to Jesus Christ. We as
Christians must always keep trusting God and always keep telling Him
that which you desire from Him. Despite the difficulties you must be
going through, its important that you keep looking up to God and
know that He, and He alone, is able to do exceedingly great
miraculous things in your life.
Despite the condition King David went through or was faced with, he
still trusted God. That’s why he said in the book of Psalms
121:1-2, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence
comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, who made the heavens and
earth.” (NKJV) David was persistent in trusting God and knew
that he was going to keep pressing on God, trusting in God,
believing in God, relying on God, expecting God to provide that
which he desired of God before resting. These are other biblical
individuals who were persistent. Look at Job; he was persistent in
seeking God’s face to heal him and indeed He did heal him. (Job
42:10)
Abraham was also persistent; he was 100 years when God answers his
prayers to give him Isaac. (Genesis 21:5) Joseph was 16 years
or so from his being sold into slavery (as a teenager) and going to
prison when God opens up to him and he becomes Vizier (Prime
Minister) of all of Egypt, because of Joseph’s persistency in his
belief in God. Zacharias and Elisabeth were both “well advanced
in years” when she had a son because of their persistency in
their service to the LORD and their obedience “in all the
commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” Luke 1:6
(NKJV) The children of Israel were in bondage for 400 years (or less
by some accounts), but they were still persistent and believed that
God would deliver them from the hands of their evil masters; they
did not give up.
Be persistent and know that God is able. “Now unto him that is
able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the
church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.
Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21 (KJV)
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.”
PSALM 23:3 (KJV)
I
thank my LORD, JEHOVAH-JIREH
for keeping all of us and all the true believers in the
palms of His hands and keeping us on the path of righteousness for
His namesake. I hope everyone is acknowledging His name each day and
reading His sacred words. His name and words are above all things in
the earthly realm and the Heavens. “I will worship toward thy holy
temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy
truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.” Psalm
138:2 (KJV)
According to His Holy words, He knew us before we were born. The
Word of the LORD coming to Jeremiah: “Before I formed thee in the
belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I
sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the
nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 And He knows the plans He has for us. (For I
know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord (YAHWEH), plans to
prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a
future.) “For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for
you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and
peace, and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.”
Jeremiah 29:11 (AMP) God knows the plans He has for us. But mankind
seems to have difficulty figuring out mankind’s purposes for living
and being on the earth, God’s plans for mankind being on the earth,
and if any plans at all should be made by mankind while living on
the earth.
Did you know that according to the medical world, 95% of the human
body functions automatically? The cells, tissues, organs, and
systems of the body know exactly what their purpose is. Isn’t that
amazing!? The 5% covers whether we will love or hate, do right or
wrong, have faith or doubt, complain or trust; all the emotions and
decisions we choose daily! When I awake each morning, I always make
an effort to remind myself to tell God (EL-SHADDAI) how much I love
Him and how thankful I am for my children, my family, and my
friends. “Now therefore, our God, we thank thee and praise thy
glorious name.” 1 Chronicles 29:13 (KJV)
THANKFULNESS
Tondelayo Johnson,
Teacher Love, Truth, and Life Ministries
116 South Bullock Street
Henderson, North Carolina 27536
Please Bless
Love, Truth, and Life Ministries
with your Involvement and Prayers!
You Make a Difference!
Each
One!
Bless
One!
MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU
AS YOU LIVE A LIFE DEDICATED TO
HIM!
Tell your friends
and family about the eBlessings International Daily Devotional! Spread
the Word!
“And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to
David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink
water; and they gave him a piece of cake of figs, and two clusters
of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for
he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and
three nights. And David said unto him, To whom belongest
thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young
man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me,
because three days agone I fell sick.”
1 SAMUEL 30:11-13 (KJV)
Dear
SAINT…Tempest
tossed and bruised, there is hope for you!
Sometimes you get to your wits end; there cornered, you think that
God has forsaken you. Take heart and hear what the Holy Spirit is
saying. David had come to this point in his life, but he encouraged
himself in the Lord. He both believed and obeyed God’s word to
pursue, for he would recover all. However, the lesson lay in an
Egyptian who was abandoned by his master to die.
God could be allowing you to go through this situation because there
is someone with another skin color, from a different tribe than you,
one who has been abandoned to die. Your miracle lies in helping this
desolate person. For David, it was not a distraction—it was not a
delay. For him, it was in the line of duty. Alas, it was this
abandoned and dying stranger with a different skin color and
religion who held the key to David’s miracle. It was David’s value
of human life that made him get the keys from this strange person.
How often we have missed the answers to our prayers because we were
not sensitive to the needs of others. Out there on you way to
searching out your miracle is some stranger in need. Will you reach
out to them and receive your miracle by being God’s hands extended
in answer to their prayers?
“Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow
Himself to be sneered at — scorned, disdained or mocked [by mere
pretensions or professions, or His precepts being set aside], — He
inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God. For what ever
a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap.”
GALATIANS 6:7
(AMP)
People like to think
that they will not have to deal with their
lifestyles that they lived while on earth until they die and go to
Heaven or hell. That is another lie from hell— we reap what we sow
in harvest season, just like seeds in nature grow and bear fruit in
due season.
Young people think they can do anything, say anything, drink and
smoke anything and that they do not have to deal with the
consequences of their actions until later — much later when they are
old or dead. Older people think what they are going through now is
based on life as growing old, not on their earlier decisions in
life. Non-believers believe they will not be affected by Heaven or
hell or the consequences of their actions, lifestyles, or thoughts –
“things just happen.”
Seeds are miraculous products of nature, which takes their
surroundings and turn them into life’s little pleasures or agonies.
When we are young we sow all the time, all kinds of things. When we
are older we do not sow as much, because we are typically less
active and live life as though we have lived and done most of which
we are going to do (which is not a perception to follow, but
imparting or sharing with young people what you know is better), so
older people tend to settle down into the twilight of life. We reap
what we sow not just when we die. We reap what we sow all along
life’s path.
“I, the Lord, search the mind, I try the heart, even to give
every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his
doings.” Jeremiah 17:10 (AMP)
Remember, thoughts, words, and actions are seeds which we sow into
our lives and the lives we touch, nurture, and help grow. When we
sow, let’s sow our love, joy, peace, patience, encouragement, a
helping hand, a kind thought, our time, gentleness, understanding,
compassion, empathy, kindness, meekness, and did I say love. Our
fruit is coming—harvest time is on the way.
SOWING THEN REAPING—NOW
James Anthony Allen, Evangelist eBlessings.us Founder
Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA, North America
Email: eblessings@gmail.com
We are to love our brothers and
sisters as we love ourselves.
We are to love ourselves also.
“The LORD shall cut off
all flattering lips and the tongue that speaketh proud
things: who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips
are our own: who is lord over us?”
PSALMS 12:3-4 (KJV)
Judge
not, for we are
nothing in this world and everybody is ONE. Who are we to judge
or talk badly about each other? Judgment is for GOD and He is
the only one to condemn or convict anyone. Why do we cast each
other down and talk badly about each other? This is against our
Christian faith. “Sound speech, that cannot be condemned;
that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no
evil thing to say of you.” Titus 2:8
“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart,
be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my
redeemer.” Psalm 19:14 Christ never condemns anyone; not
even those that killed Him. He forgave them and never judged
them. We have no right to judge or talk bad things against our
brothers and sisters. “Judge not, and
ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be
condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: give, and it shall
be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken
together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For
with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured
to you again.” Luke 6:37-38
If they offended us, we must pray for their repentance and
forgive them anyway. “Whereas angels, which are greater in
power and might, bring not railing accusation against them
before the Lord.” 2 Peter 2:11 God is a merciful and
forgiving God. We should strive to be like God, for we were
created in His own likeness/image. “Let your speech be alway
with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to
answer every man.” Colossians 4:6
“And forgive us our sins; for we also
forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into
temptation; but deliver us from evil.” Luke 11:4
(KJV) Now, our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God, even our
Father, which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting
consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and
establish you in every good word and work.
We oftentimes miss the
blessings God intended for us when we ignore others,
just because of their outward
appearance.
“But the LORD said to Samuel,
'Do not consider his appearance, or
his height, for I have rejected him.
The LORD does not look at the things
man looks at.
Man looks at the outward appearance,
but the LORD looks at the heart.'”
1 SAMUEL 16:7
(NIV)
Saul, Israel’s first
King,
was later rejected by God, because
of his disobedience to God’s Word. God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to
meet with Jesse and to anoint one of his sons who would be the next
king. (1 Samuel 16:1) Upon his arrival in Bethlehem, Samuel
met with the Elders of the town, and Jesse, and invited Jesse and
his sons to the sacrifice. (1 Samuel 16:5)
This was the big moment. 1 Samuel 16:3 tells us that God would show
Samuel what he must do, and also which one of the sons he was to
anoint. Jesse and seven of his eight sons were present. When Samuel
saw Eliab, the oldest son of Jesse, Samuel thought “Surely the
LORD’s anointed stands here before the LORD.” 1 Samuel 16:6 But
the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider HIS APPEARANCE or HIS
HEIGHT, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the
things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the
Lord looks at the heart.” (Verse 7)
Finally, after the seven sons pass before him, Samuel enquired, and
had Jesse send for David, the youngest son who tended the sheep.
When David arrived, the Lord said to Samuel. “Rise and anoint him;
he is the one.”
Can we ask ourselves the question: How many times have we, as
Christians overlooked others, and think that he or she is not
important, and needed ? Perhaps maybe, he is not eloquent in speech
or educated, or she is handicapped. Perhaps we think, he or she does
not have what it takes and therefore, is not important to the
kingdom of God. Do we entertain such thinking? When the speaker
comes to town, and he or she does not have the appearance you think
one should have; do you listen to him or her? THESE ARE SERIOUS
MISTAKES ANYONE CAN POSSIBLY MAKE, but we can thank God that
mistakes are avoidable if we are guided by God’s Holy Spirit.
let every man be swift to hear,
slow to speak, slow to wrath:
for the wrath of man worketh
not the righteousness of God.”
JAMES 1:19-20 (KJV)
A regrettable
decision. A father who lived in a village
with his family had an elder son named Kodjo. Kodjo was a gangster
and caused much wrong to his comrades. One day around 5 p.m., a
group of people enter the house of Kodjo's father with violence.
Among the group, a young boy becomes seriously wounded from a blow
from a stone. “Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger
resteth in the bosom of fools.” Ecclesiastes 7:9 (KJV)
Who was the author of this drama? It Was Kodjo! Knowing that this
business is heard by his parents, Kodjo flees to another
neighborhood. “A soft answer turns away wrath, but harsh words
cause quarrels.” Proverb 15:1 (LB) Around 7 p.m., Kodjo returned
to the house because he was hungry. When his father knew that he was
there, his father seized, and bound him, and was going to beat him.
But the very skillful Kodjo, loosed himself, climbed over the fence
and fled. Ignited in anger his father said, “Kodjo, you have fled my
punishment! You may no more return to my house. And besides that,
you are not any more my son.” “A hot-tempered man stirs up
dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.” Proverb 15:18
(NIV)
Kodjo fearing to return to the house because of his father’s
decision went to sleep behind the house of a neighbor.
Unfortunately, an incident occurred. Kodjo was bitten by a snake and
died thereafter. The following day someone informed his father of
it. His father bitterly regretted his decision made in anger. His
father had to pay for the medical expenses of the young boy that
Kodjo wounded. And worse still, he had to pay for the funeral of his
son Kodjo that he had sworn not to return to his house. “He that
is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his
spirit than he that taketh a city.” Proverb 16:32
God knows the negative effects of anger. This is why He asks us to
be prompt to listen, slow with speaking and slow to anger. God knows
that the anger of the man will never achieve His Will. Not only will
it not achieve the Will of God, but also it has very heavy
consequences on our health and our spiritual life. The anger in a
man extinguishes the Holy Spirit in us. “Good sense makes a man
restrain his anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression
or an offense.” Proverb 19:11 (AMP) Let me point out that it was
because of anger that Moses did not enter into Canaan. Precious
servants of God, precious Christians, dear couples, dear leaders of
a group of people, never make decisions in anger like the father of
Kodjo. “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and
slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” Ephesians 4:31
(NAS)
KEEP PEACE
Reverend Anyigbanyo Kossi
Mission Pentecostal Fraternity of Christians of Togo
BP 601 Lome, Lome-Togo, Africa
Email: kanyi_leo@yahoo.fr
Telephone:
(00228) 910 98 73
Please Bless
Mission
Pentecostal Fraternity of Christians of Togo
with your Involvement and Prayers!
You Make a Difference!
Each
One!
Bless
One!
MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU
AS YOU LIVE A LIFE DEDICATED TO
HIM!
Tell your friends
and family about the eBlessings International Daily Devotional! Spread
the Word!
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the
truth, and the life:
no man cometh
unto the Father, but by me.”
JOHN 14:6 (KJV)
“By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love
God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that
we keep his commandments:
and his commandments are not
grievous.”
1st JOHN 5:2-3 (KJV)
Go Through YAHWEH’s.
Internationally, people are being taught and conditioned to “be
different.” Only, to-day being different often translates into being
selfish. People believe they can “do things their way” with the goal
of reaching some new, original “level.” Sadly enough this secular,
worldly ideology has found its way into the sanctuary, ultimately
influencing “the elect.” In our churches people want to worship,
praise, and conduct services while leaning to their own
understanding. Loudly, the WORD admonishes against such behavior.
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding.” Proverb 3:5 (KJV) Churches want to incorporate
hip-hop music, extra offerings (greed), and extra services
(sometimes so that they can have extra offerings) in attempts to
serve self not GOD.
As born again believers we must address and correct accepted and
incorrect beliefs and traditions in society! Sometimes it seems that
everything around us says we can have it our way. Whether by using
the television, the radio, or the internet, society tells us that we
can us our own creativity and agency to make our lives more
desirable for us. Usually, these avenues use materialism to tempt
our personal enterprise. The aim is to take our attention away from
the Blood of the Lamb! GOD’s WORD does not agree. The book of
MATTHEW tells us to deny ourselves! “He that findeth his life
shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find
it.” Matthew 10:39 GOD says woe unto the rich. “But they that
will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many
foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and
perdition.” 1st TIMOTHY 6:9 Yet, thousands or even millions of
“believers” play the lottery, join pyramid clubs, attend “get rich
quick” seminars, and tithe for the purpose of receiving a material
blessing! The LORD rebuke thee. (JUDE 9)
Believers, don’t be self-centered. Remove egoism, selfishness, and
pride. Go through trials, difference, and uncomfortable situations
by following the statues and commandments of Yahweh! Yahweh’s WORD
and SPIRIT direct us. Believe believer!
ALTRUISM
Marcus
Anthony Allen
Called Saint of Christ, eBlessings, CEO The New Shiloh Holiness Church
Durham, North Carolina, USA, North America
Telephone: 919.620.1586
Email: acumen198@hotmail.com
Please Bless
The New
Shiloh Holiness Church
with your Involvement and Prayers!
You Make a Difference!
Each
One!
Bless
One!
MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU
AS YOU LIVE A LIFE DEDICATED TO
HIM!
Tell your friends
and family about the eBlessings International Daily Devotional! Spread
the Word!
Leave you troubles behind—walk in
Christ's emotional healing.
Today is your new day!
“One who was there had been an invalid for
thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that
he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, ‘Do
you want to get well?’ Sir, the invalid replied, ‘I have no
one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am
trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.’ Then Jesus
said to him, ‘Get up! Pick up your mat and
walk.’ At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and
walked.”
JOHN 5:5-7 (NIV)
Brothers and sisters,
God knows where you are. God has full knowledge of your problems. Do
you know God is never late? What is required of you is to keep your
spiritual positions. Do not miss your blessings just because you
have no patience or you fail to be where you are suppose to be.
Spiritual courage is required for you to remain on top of things and
in the right place. I know people fear when confronted with
challenges. This is the opportune time to come to God. Our Lord is
living. He is able to solve all our problems. Be sure of this. GOD
“…is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,
according to his power that is at work within us…” Ephesians 3:20
(NIV)
The way armies fight each other is a good example of the spiritual
warfare we are involved in. Never give up during this fight. Call
God whenever you are losing hope. Call for spiritual power from God.
You never win the fight on your own—spiritual warfare was not
designed with us to fight alone—but with God, our brothers and
sisters in Christ, and God’s Holy Family. “The weapons we fight
with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have
divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and
every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,
and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2
Corinthians 10:4 (NIV)
Knowledge of God is your power. Search the scriptures—study the
scriptures now—DAILY. The word of God is your Spiritual food. Praise
God in every situation, in everything—ALWAYS. There is no special
day for worshipping God. PRAISE HIM Monday through Sunday, morning,
noon, and night, at midnight, or at 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. in the morning.
KNOWLEDGE OF GOD
Tichadii J Ziwenga, Bible Teacher Greater Bibleway Gospel Church
54 Tsukukuwiri Road, Zengeza 1
Zimbabwe, Africa
Email: tichadii@yahoo.co.uk
Please Bless
Greater Bibleway Gospel Church
with your Involvement and Prayers!
You Make a Difference!
Each
One!
Bless
One!
MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU
AS YOU LIVE A LIFE DEDICATED TO
HIM!
Tell your friends
and family about the eBlessings International Daily Devotional! Spread
the Word!
1
IN the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2
The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All
things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that
was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was
the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in
darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
(John)
(John
1:1-5)
* * *
The Angel Gabriel
26 AND
in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city
of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 To a virgin
espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and
the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And the angel
came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the
Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
(Luke)
(Luke
1:26-28)
29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at
his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this
should be. 30 And the angel said unto her,
Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring
forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and
the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob
for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I
know not a man? (Luke)
(Luke
1:29-34)
35 And the angel answered and said unto her,
The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest
shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be
born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 36
And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in
her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called
barren. 37 For with God nothing shall be
impossible. 38 And Mary said, Behold the
handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the
angel departed from her. (Luke)
(Luke
1:35-38)
* * *
The Conception of Jesus
18 NOW
the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary
was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found
with child of the Holy Ghost. 19 Then Joseph
her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick
example, was minded to put her away privily. 20
But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord
appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David,
fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is
conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And
she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for
he shall save his people from their sins. (Matthew)
22 Now all this was done, that it might be
fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, (O.T.
prophecy in Isaiah 7:14) 23 Behold, a virgin
shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall
call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of
the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn
son: and he called his name JESUS. (Matthew)
(Matthew
1:18-25)
The Birth of Jesus
1 AND it came to pass in those days, that
there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world
should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first
made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3
And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of
the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is
called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of
David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused
wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was,
that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she
should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth
her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid
him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
(Luke)
(Luke
2:1-7)
8 And there were in the same country shepherds
abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon
them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they
were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto
them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy,
which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you
is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the
Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye
shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
(Luke)
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a
multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace, good will toward men. 15 And it came to
pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the
shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem,
and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made
known unto us. (Luke)
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary,
and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which
was told them concerning this child. 18 And
all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them
by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these
things, and pondered them in her heart. 20 And
the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the
things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
(Luke)
Parents learn and teach
children the ways of the LORD!
“Praise the LORD.
Blessed is the man that fears
the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands.”
PSALM 112:1 (NIV)
Those who believe in
God believe in their religion for safety.
The Christian of our days and times has learned not only to seek
safety in Christian religion, but also pleasure and happiness in the
world. Such attitude confuses the Christian children of today. Many
Christian children have no knowledge of the true God, because
parents fail to teach them the fear of the LORD. Parents fail for
they don’t know what the fear of the LORD is! “And he said to
man, ‘The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is
understanding.’” Job 28:28 (NIV)
“The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant
known to them.” Psalm 25:14 Parents teach your children that the
fear of the lord is the beginning of the wisdom. (Psalm 111:10)
Let all parents read Psalm 34, and learn to teach children
the secret of happiness. Parents you are responsible for your
children. You will be accountability before God for how you raised,
cared for, handled your children, and loved your children. Parents
you all have the same calling to teach them. Don’t be afraid parents
of promising your children that it will be well with them if they do
fear God. “Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him
lack nothing.” Psalm 34:9 It’s all right parents to let your
children think liberally seeking to find their way of life with God
as their focus. “But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s
love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their
children’s children—” Psalm 103:17
Parents if you do not rule and restrain your children, but give them
their own way, you honor them more than you honor yourself and God.
Your weakness can be and may appear to be wickedness in your lives
and foster wickedness in your children’s lives. “You who fear
him, trust in the LORD—he is their help and shield.” Psalm 115:11
God help and bless parents to teach their children and the fear of
the LORD. Amen!
Young man—young woman keep your life,
live life, and love your life by helping others.
“Remember [earnestly] also your Creator [that you are not your
own, but His property], now in the days of your youth, before the
evil days come or the years draw near when you will say [of physical
pleasures], I have no enjoyment in them;”
ECCLESIASTES 12:1
(AMP)
God, nature, and life
makes it clear to us that as young people
we must benefit from our youth; we must make the most out of our
lives. To benefit from your youth, which direction do you take? To
make your life, live your life, and love your life, which direction
should you take?
Take not the direction of vice and sin. We must not engage our
lives, our youthful lives in things which dishonor our God and our
bodies. According to Ecclesiastes 12:1 we are free to make
what seems to us good. But God who reads in secrecy—observes,
memorizes, and preserves our master keys.
As the workman who deserves his wages, we also will deserve our
reward at the day of the judgment. God will put us opposite of our
sins and we will be liable. Our judgment for irresponsibility will
be the lake of fire. During our youth, some of us devote ourselves
to many useless things. At the evening of our lives, we are empty
and victims of sanitarium forces. The Word of God is known by many,
but many do not find it useful.
“Everything is permissible for me”—but not everything is
beneficial. Everything is permissible for me—but I will not be
mastered by anything.” 1 Corinthians 6:12 (NIV) Useful actions
are the only things to do. Proverb 3:1 requires of us to keep
the lesson and the precepts of God, the Creator. “My son, forget
not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:” The
result of this act is (Proverb 3:2); the increase in the days
of our lives and peace in our lives.
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine
understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct
thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV)
LIFE’S DIRECTION
Kouakou Tano Evrard
Liberian Refugee Camp
Ghana, Africa
Telephone: 00233-(0)-277090096/00233-(0)-0208444027
Email: tanoevra@yahoo.fr
Please Bless
Liberian Refugee Camp
with your Support and Prayers!
You Make a Difference!
Each
One!
Bless
One!
MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU
AS YOU LIVE A LIFE DEDICATED TO
HIM!
Tell your friends
and family about the eBlessings International Daily Devotional! Spread
the Word!
Live a productive life
devoted and dedicated to God and His Christ.
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ.
To him be glory both now and
forever! Amen.”
2 PETER 3:18 (NIV)
Three Pillars of A
Believer. There are qualities in the
constitution of every believer that determines whether or not we
will be effective in our service to the Lord. We may show a degree
of promise; we may be missing some very important characteristics,
the lack of which may impair us. Preparation will help us to face
and deal with these shortcomings. Preparation will help us build the
desired character that will match the kind of work or ministry to
which we are called. However, we have to give our selves time to
build these qualities. They will not come overnight.
1. Our Character
Character development deals with our personality,
morality, integrity, and identity. Knowing who and what we are
in Christ Jesus helps to shape our character and behavior.
2. Our Abilities
The Lord wants us to develop our abilities,
talents, and gifts of the Holy Spirit in us. We must know what
we have been called to accomplish in Christ, and then develop
the abilities to do the work. Our ministries will be more
fruitful if we take time to prepare and develop our abilities.
3. Our Knowledge
We need to increase our capacity for knowledge
and wisdom. And by doing that we must start reading the Bible,
inspirational books, and Daily Devotional like this one which
has a cost to the dedicated and devoted men and women of God
from around the world who are involved in its contribution.
Thank God for Evangelist Anthony Allen for the vision which has
united the Body of Christ around the world. We cannot be
effective in our ministries if we are not well informed.
Intellectual development will help to increase our perception of
things, our judgment power, our insights, and our discernment. A
leader must discipline his mind to learning. A person that is
well learned, especially, in the field to which he has been
called, will have more open doors and opportunities to serve.
His life will be more effective for the Lord.
These three pillars of a Christian believer’s life refer to our
inner devotional life, our service to God, and our intellectual
life. To develop these three pillars, we must make sure our lives
are not too busy with activities which are not productive.
God will guard you, fight for you, and
keep you by His side.
“No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by
his great strength. A horse is a vain hope of deliverance; despite
all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the LORD are
on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.”
PSALMS 33:16-19 (NIV)
Life always has a
force
of opposition. “Those who live, it
is those who fight,” said Victor Hugo and the future belongs to
those who rise early to fight. Until death there is always a combat
to carry out; battles on the spiritual level, social and economic
levels, because it is capitalism which allows the strong ones to
dominate the weak ones and impose their policy of life, their walk
of life—the iron arm. The malicious spirits fight the Children of
God in the spiritual realm wanting to dominate them and resisting
the hell to come.
It is always necessary to fight in life if you are not to be the
prey of somebody; otherwise the situation will be worse than the
first. To fight is a reality impossible to circumvent. But the
problem resides in when to rest before the combat. Is this the time to
entrust in our weapons, our intelligence, the wisdom of nuclear
weapons or in our B-6? It is quite true that an African proverb
said, “If war were inevitable, war would be the first to be struck,"
but it is still better to recognize that in which we have confidence
while going to face war.
Drunken manpower will not be used for anything without the
intervention God. But glory is returned to God who made us the fair
promise to take with His hands our daily combat that we may be
delivered as He fights for our safety and delivery. What God
promised, He has the power to achieve it. He will do it as He
supported David, the son of Israel when he was to fight Goliath. It
is by the name of the God of Israel that David fought Goliath (1
Samuel 17) because God has the force—not by the power of nuclear
weapons nor by the wisdom of man, but by my Spirit says God
Almighty. (Zechariah 4:6)
Guarded silence is laced in the confidence that God is in our
combat. It is by this confidence that Joshua and the people of
Israel captured the town of Jericho and that the walls collapsed to
the ground. That is what is pleasant to God—for us to be at peace
with our enemies. Yahweh is good to those who hope in Him, to
those who seek Him. It is wise to await in silence, the safety of
the Eternal. Do not fear because our Father, your God fights for
you. “The LORD will fight for you; you need only keep still.”
Exodus 14:14 (NIV)
BE STILL
Evangelist Jonas Adama Sawadogo
Assembly Church of God
07 BP 5421 Ouagadougou 07
Burkina Faso, Africa
Email:
evangelistejonas@yahoo.fr
Telephone:
+226 76595994
Please Bless
Assembly Church of God
with your Support and Prayers!
You Make a Difference!
Each
One!
Bless
One!
MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU
AS YOU LIVE A LIFE DEDICATED TO
HIM!
Tell your friends
and family about the eBlessings International Daily Devotional! Spread
the Word!
because if you are not merciful,
you will sacrifice.
“But go and learn what this means: ‘I
desire mercy and not sacrifice.’
For I did not
come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.’”
MATTHEW 9:13 (NKJV)
Obedience—mercy
is better than sacrifice. The Hebrews, Israelites, Jews have to pay
to become a member of a synagogue today. In ancient times, the
Hebrews could not enter the temple until they paid their annual
entrance fees: the temple tax. Why do you think the money-changers
were there in the temple? The smallest coin available to the
populace was about sixty cents—the Roman didrachm. But it cost
thirty cents to pay the annual temple tax—the Hebrew half-shekel.
The only ones who could make change in the temple for the Israelites
to enter were the money-changers who also sold the items(animals)
for sacrifice. Jesus was upset with the practice of people being
charged to go to church/synagogue.
God wants obedience to His Commands (His speaking to you today), His
Commandments (the Big Ten), His Ordinances, Precepts, and Laws.
Jesus wants you to love your neighbor as yourself and to love
yourself. The first commandment is not tithe and offerings; it is
love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and strength. (Matthew
22:37-38)
God requires obedience—mercy not sacrifice. Your seed is your life.
God and Jesus want you sure to pay tithes and offering, but not to
the point of sacrifice. They want you to sow your life more than any
tithe and offering you could possibly give into the service of the
Kingdom.
In Malachi 3:8, “Will a man rob God?…” that is talking about
the priests… those were evil times with evil kings and evil,
idolatrous priests. So Malachi was talking about evil priests,
because the people could not get into the temple without first
having paid. So Malachi was not talking to the people, but to the
priests. If the priests would take the money and other sacrifices in
to God in the Holy of Holies, and they had taken money or sacrifice
(above the ascribed issue), God would kill them and the other
priests, scribes, and other religious folk would pull them out by a
rope tied to their ankles.
Yes, double tithe, triple tithe to your church building project, but
know this—thousands of children die every day around the world due
to no fault of their own, because of starvation, poor nutrition,
wars, HIV/AIDS, disease, and the lack of shelter. Remember, God is
watching us, feeling what we feel, knowing what we think, listening
to what we say, and seeing what we do as His good stewards.
STEWARDSHIP
James
Anthony Allen, Evangelist eBlessings.us Founder
Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA, North America
Email: eblessings@gmail.com
Saturday,
31 December 2005
We Christians must follow the paths
of God
and help people to help themselves.
“He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread:
but he that followeth vain persons
is void of understanding.”
PROVERB 12:11 (KJV)
Our God is rich
and not a poor God. He provides for us all the time. To be a
Christian or God servant doesn’t mean that we will depend on begging
for etching out a living. Charity is important in our lives and it
is good to help poor brethren to start a good life and work for God.
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye
love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one
another.” John 13:34 (KJV)
God wants us to work hard and help ourselves, our families, our
friends, and everyone that needs our help. Being lazy person or a
weak person by choice is not a good idea. It is the ideal mind which
decides to work hard and help people around him; and to worship God
for His goodness. “By this shall all men
know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
John 13:35
“This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that
thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might
be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and
profitable unto men.” Titus 3:8 (KJV) Share your love with
others and care for the people around you: yourself, your family,
your neighbors, your friends, your church, the homeless, the sick,
those in prison, those in mental institutions, the elderly, the
lonely, the sad, the weak, the grieving, the hopeless, the hurting
soul, the unsaved, and the rich who are lost and don’t know it. “These
things I command you, that ye love one another.” John 15:17
God is the beginning and the end of all things and He will give us
anything we want, if only we believe and ask. “Again,
I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching
any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my
Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 18:19 (KJV) May the
peace and love of GOD be with you all. Amen.
All written correspondence, checks (cheques),
money orders, offerings, tithes, gifts, joys, love offerings, contributions,
support, and all payments may be sent to:
(always use wisdom when
giving; there is a lot of suffering going on and some have more urgent needs
than others)
or
All written correspondence, checks (cheques),
money orders, offerings, tithes, gifts, joys, love offerings, contributions,
support, and all payments may be sent to:
TO ANY OF THE MINISTRIES, ORGANIZATIONS,
ORPHANAGES LISTED ON THIS WEB SITE.
Please feel free to contact any of the Outreach
Partners whose information is found on this web site to send your financial
gifts of support as they help you spread the Gospel to all the corners of the
earth. If you have any questions concerning any of the ministries, visiting
countries, and any other points of interest and questions, direct them to James
Anthony Allen, Email: eblessings@gmail.com.
(always use wisdom when
giving; there is a lot of suffering going on and some have more urgent needs
than others)
or
All written correspondence, checks (cheques),
money orders, offerings, tithes, gifts, joys, love offerings, contributions,
support, and all payments may be sent to:
My prayer is for this music to reach the people
through their hearts, mind and soul. So that the message of music
and life may inspire them to proceed with their dreams with Faith.
Tell Brother Jay, eBlessings sent you!
Contact Brother Jay for
Bookings, Ministry, Concerts, CD Orders at:
In North India and Myanmar, some families
have been helped by a number of projects which have been completed and you are
needed to secure funding for future quality of life projects.
Dearest my
Brothers and Sisters in Christ.Praise
the Lord! We know that you have more things
to do but we come to you for your
contribution about the school fees for our
orphans. Our situation is very sad now. The
Headmaster needs the school fees.
The
children are at school now, but they have
many difficulties: school fees, food,
materials... My Brothers and Sisters, send
your contributions and we hope you continue
to find other benevolent stewards for our
orphans. Please send your
contribution,...thank you for support our
programs, and our God-inspired mission.
How the Program works...
Food sales and
distribution are handled by church host sites. Orders and payments are collected
by the host sties during the first part of each month. Check the
Angel Food Ministries
web site for the location on your local distribution
point and the available
menu for the month. This project is sponsored by the
United Methodist Men.
Contact
Larry Grossmanfor Stone Mountain orders.