A.B.I.D.E.

By DR. David Jeremiah – Posted April 25, 2017

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
John 15:5

Recommended Reading: John 15:1-8

What can we do without Christ? Nothing. What can we accomplish when we abide in Him? One man said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). What, then, does it mean to abide in Christ?

• “A” stands for absolute surrender. We have to come to Him just as we are, confessing our sin and saying, “You are the potter and I am the clay.”
• “B” stands for believe. We have to trust Him completely to do with us, for us, and around us what is very best while we stand on His promises.
• “I” stands for insight. We have to pour ourselves into His Word each day, learning His ways and gaining His insights for living.
• “D” stands for dedication. We have to persevere over time, separating ourselves from sinful habits and from people or places that may hinder our purity. 
• “E” stands for enthusiasm. We go about His work in the power and energy He provides.

Nothing takes the place of abiding in Christ, for everything depends on Him.

Let the Word create around you, create within you a holy atmosphere, a holy heavenly light, in which your soul will be refreshed and strengthened for the work of daily life.
Andrew Murray, author of Abide in Christ

THE GOOD LIFE WITHOUT THE SWEAT

By Joseph Prince – Posted April 25, 2017

Matthew 6:26

Look at the birds of the air, for the neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

Most people are of the opinion that the good life does not happen without hard work and buckets of sweat. They believe that to achieve success, you first need to have this educational certificate, that professional qualification, this particular job and that many years of hard work. I have good news for you: God has a better way.

We all must work, but the world wants you to believe that there is a natural process of sowing, reaping and gathering, accompanied by waiting, toiling and stress, before the good life actually comes. But God says, “My people do not need to go through this natural process to enjoy the good life for they are not of this world’s system. They can operate out of My economy and I can give them the good life straightaway!”

In the same way that God feeds the birds which do not go through the sow-then-reap-then-gather system of the world, He wants to and will do much more for you!

Your heavenly Father wants you to know the generosity of His heart toward you and how much He wants to make you successful. A case in point is what happened to a church member who believed this truth. After leaving his previous job, he trusted God to provide him with a better one. Within just four months, he found himself heading two companies.

His newly formed distribution company not only clinched a major project in Singapore, but was also made the principal distributor in Southeast Asia for a popular line of products from the United States. His second company, which provided consultancy services, was given two projects by a Korean and a Hong Kong company for a six-figure consultancy fee in US dollars.

Today, God wants you to know that you are not of the world’s system. You are of the kingdom of God—the same kingdom that feeds the birds that do not toil, but simply trust their Creator for all their provisions in life. Be convinced that you are of more value to your heavenly Father than the birds, and let Him give you the good life without the toiling and laboring of the world.

Thought For The Day

Operate out of God’s economy by trusting His heart for you, and enjoy the good life.

Close the Door on Fear

By Joel Osteen – Posted April 25, 2017

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

"Do not give the Devil an opportunity to work." 
Ephesians 4:27, ISV

TODAY'S WORD:

So many people today are living with less than God’s best because they’ve allowed fear to creep in and take root in their lives. Fear is the greatest weapon the enemy uses to try to hold us back. Fear is not from God. Scripture tells us that fear brings torment. It’s designed to paralyze us and keep us from God’s blessings. 
The good news is that God is greater than fear. His power in you is greater than any power that comes against you. But in order to walk in His power, you have to close the door on the enemy. See, the enemy can’t have access to your life unless you open a door and give him access. That’s why we have to be careful about what we watch, what we listen to, what we read, and what we say. When we open ourselves to fear, we give the enemy opportunity. 

If you’ve allowed fear to steal from you in any area of life, today you can be free—you can be finished with fear. Conquering the enemy starts by making the choice to close the door on fear, and instead, meditate on God’s promises. We overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony! Let His truth sink down into your heart. Declare it out of your mouth. Let Him set you free and lead you into victory as you close the door on fear!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father God, I come to You today declaring that I am finished with fear. Thank You for giving me power, love and a sound mind. I choose to stand on Your promises. Fill me with Your peace and joy today as I move forward in victory with You in Jesus’ name. Amen.

God Answers the Prayers of the Righteous

By Joyce Meyer - Posted April 25, 2017

...The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].
— James 5:16

When people struggle in their prayer lives, they often think it is because they are unholy and unrighteous so they try to behave better, hoping that then their prayers will be answered.

The truth is that if we are born again, we are righteous. We may not do everything right; but we are 100 percent righteous through Christ. Second Corinthians 5:21 tells us He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (NKJV). 

There is a difference between righteousness and “right” behavior. Righteousness describes our standing—our position or condition before God—because of the blood of Jesus. We cannot make ourselves righteous; only the blood of Jesus makes us righteous, as if we had never sinned at all. God views us as righteous even though we still make mistakes. Because He sees us as righteous, we have a God-given right to pray and expect God to hear and answer us. 

Always do the best you can to behave properly and do it because you love God, but remember that He hears and answers your prayers because He is good, not because you are.

God’s word for you today: You have been made righteous by the grace of God.