The Need For Discipleship
Matthew 28:19 (NET)Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit After Larry accepted Christ, he realized that he no longer had the desire to be a sinner. But as time passed, he saw that his desire was not strong enough to keep him from his old sinful habits. Each time he fell, he felt uneasy inside because he knew he was not acting in accordance with his new nature. He knew he had received a new nature inside, but he wanted to know how to let this new nature dominate him and no more the old nature. After discussing his challenges with the person that led him to Christ, it became clear to him that he needed to submit himself to discipleship. Discipleship is God’s educational system for training believers to walk in their new nature through the renewal of their minds by the word(see Rom 12:2). Spiritually mature believers are those who are no more carnal (dominated by the flesh) but are now dominated by the spirit. These are the believers whose lives are now dominated by the kingdom of God and who are striving for their reward in the kingdom. One very important aspect of discipleship is the ministry of the word and prayer. You cannot disciple people without regularly interceding for them and teaching them the word of God; explaining the mysteries of the kingdom of God to them. Without proper discipleship, new believers will remain spiritual babies and may not abide in the Lord. Go into today determined to submit yourself to proper discipleship if you are still controlled by your old nature of sin as a believer. If you are a discipler, ask the Lord to multiply your grace for this. — Abraham Damilola Arigi Yearly Bible: Acts 7-8 Streamglobe is nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. Send testimonies and prayer requests here(WhatsApp): +234813822454, +2348034420524 http://listen.streamglobe.org/Devotional%20Audio%202360.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
Our Spiritual Identity
1 Corinthians 10:1 (KJV) Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea Have you ever wondered why in writing to Gentile (non-Jewish) believers, Apostle Paul referred to the Jewish ancestors who left Egypt as ‘our fathers’? Why is Paul sounding as if all the Corinthian Christians were Jews whose fathers were in the wilderness? This is because Paul understood that everyone in Christ now has the same ancestry as Christ. You see, when Christ came, he came as a Jewish man with Jewish ancestors. Because Jesus could have referred to the prophets of old as ‘our fathers’, the saints who are now members of Christ can also refer to them as ‘our fathers’. It is worthy of note that in just a few paragraphs before today’s verse, Paul said these words: To the Jews, I became as a Jew… (1Cor 9:20). This means Paul no longer primarily saw himself as a Jew in the earthly sense. This is the Christian mindset: we are no longer defined according to our earthly identity, but our spiritual identity means we are descendants of Abraham because of our union with Christ who is the true seed of Abraham (see Gal 3:16). Because of this, we are inheritors of the blessing of Abraham (see Gal 3:13-14). Romans 2:28-29 (NET) For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision something that is outward in the flesh, but someone is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart by the Spirit and not by the written code. This person’s praise is not from people but from God. Go into today thanking Jesus (The king of the Jews) for making you His family. — Abraham Damilola Arigi Yearly Bible: Nahum Streamglobe is nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. Send testimonies and prayer requests here(WhatsApp): +234813822454, +2348034420524 http://listen.streamglobe.org/Devotional%20Audio%202359.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
Control Your Desires(appetites)
James 1:14-15 (ESV) “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death”. Cain and Abel were brothers, one day they both brought an offering to God. They brought God what they considered good. Abel and his offering were accepted while Cain and his offering were rejected. The outcome of Cain’s offering should have been a message; he needed to find out what God really wanted so his next offering would be accepted, but he desired to kill his brother instead. God however interrupted his desire by letting him know that he can still stop his evil intention before it has produced sin(see Genesis 4:6-7). Cain chose to execute his desire which produced sin and sin chased him out of God’s presence. You did not sin because you were tempted, you sinned because you yielded to the temptation. Sin cannot force itself on a believer, instead, it seeks his cooperation and this is achieved by taking advantage of his desires. If he has learned to control his desires, these desires will never produce sin but if he has not, his desires will produce sin.Desires are products of the mind, thus, a renewed mind will produce renewed desires and an unrenewed mind will produce unrenewed desires which produce sin. If you want to live a sin-free life, you must learn to control your desires. You will achieve this by renewing your mind (Romans 12:2) through the truth of God’s word (Eph 5:26). Go into today knowing that the secret to a sin-free life is to continuously renew your mind by the word of God. Prayer: Dear Lord, as I give myself to studying your word, open my eyes to see the truth that will help renew my heart. — Dr. Emmanuel James Yearly Bible: Proverbs 31 Streamglobe is nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. Send testimonies and prayer requests here(WhatsApp): +234813822454, +2348034420524 Join the Livestream of Streamglobe Word Encounter Today by 11:30AM WAT Link: http://mixlr.com/streamglobeworld http://listen.streamglobe.org/Devotional%20Audio%202358.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
Be Strengthened In The Lord
Ephesians 6:10 (NET) Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power. King David was a man of like passion: he believed in the Lord and hoped in His salvation just like you and me today. David went through a lot of ups and downs in his life, but in the end, the spirit of God bore witness that he fulfilled destiny and served God’s purpose in his own generation(see Acts 13:36). David had one secret that carried him through the battles of life and he always came out victorious. He understood how to draw strength from the Lord. There was a time he and his men came back home after a very long day, but they found that their homes had been plundered and their families were taken away as captives. It was at this point that we see an example of a man strengthening himself in the Lord. 1 Samuel 30:6 (ASV) says: “[a]nd David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David strengthened himself in Jehovah his God”. At the end of that situation, David was victorious and recovered all that was lost(with extra) because he strengthened(encouraged) himself in the LORD his God [and did not wallow in discouragement like the others]. Drawing strength from the Lord was David’s secret of victory in every battle. It is also our secret today. Today’s verse is talking about spiritual warfare and the first instruction we are given is that we should strengthen ourselves in the Lord. When there was a reason for David to be depressed, he decided to draw joy from the Lord and not allow the circumstances around him to make him depressed. This is also our battle strategy. David drew His strength from the Lord because he understood that the Lord loves him and is on his side, and as long as the Lord is on his side, he would always come out victorious. When he was boasting against Goliath, it wasn’t because he had a big sword, it was because he had a big God. Go into today remembering that the joy of the Lord is your strength. Remember that the greatest God is on your side. Let this be your source of strength(see Philippians 4:4). Prayer: Lord, help me to always draw my strength from you. Deliver me from the temptation to be heavy and depressed when circumstances do not go my way. Thank you for giving me victory always (2 Corinthians 2:14). Amen. — Abraham Damilola Arigi Yearly Bible: Psalms 120-121 Streamglobe is nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. Send testimonies and prayer requests here(WhatsApp): +234813822454, +2348034420524 http://listen.streamglobe.org/Devotional%20Audio%202357.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
Knowing The Church Of Christ
1 Timothy 3:15 (LEB) “But if I am delayed, I am writing in order that you may know how one must conduct oneself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and mainstay ( ”basis”; or “support”) of the truth”. Pastor, this problem began after I visited a church for prayers because of certain challenges I was facing. They took me to a river, gave me a sponge and a soap with which I took my bath there, and they prayed for me. I noticed that after that bath experience, I lost the ability to control my desires. After messing up with several ladies (most of which were from that church), I got one pregnant but when the lead Pastor became aware, he just said I should get ready for marriage because God has chosen her for me. Pastor, I don’t like this lady neither do I like the fact that I am a slave to uncontrollable urges. Please help me sir! The Church of the living God is the pillar and mainstay of the truth (1 Tim 3:25). It is where two or three who are being led by the Spirit of Christ are gathered together in His name; the congregation of those who are called out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light (1 Peter 2:9). One of the hallmarks of the Church is her inability to house demons, this is because wherever God’s kingdom is dominating, demons are cast out (Matthew 12:28). Another Hallmark of the true Church is her inability to condone sin. The church does not pamper sin because ‘he that commits sin is of the devil’ and Jesus has been made manifest that the works of Satan might be destroyed (1 John 3:8). Anyone who continues in the works of Satan cannot be comfortable in the Church. If you ever find yourself in a congregation where demons and sin are pampered and what is believed contradicts the truth of the Scriptures, you can be sure that you are not in the Church of the Living God. The right thing to do is to leave such a place. Go into today knowing that any congregation where scriptural truths are silenced in order to tolerate sin and strange practices (that do not align with the precepts of the new testament church), that congregation is not part of the church of Christ. Prayer: ask the Lord to pull down every synagogue of Satan disguised as a Church of Christ. Ask that the Lord will set their captives free. — Dr. Emmanuel James Yearly Bible: II Chronicles 21-24 Streamglobe is nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. Send testimonies and prayer requests here(WhatsApp): +234813822454, +2348034420524 http://listen.streamglobe.org/Devotional%20Audio%202356.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
Run To Win 2
1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (KJV) Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. Because Temitayo wanted to win the trophy, she was willing to do whatever it took. It became impossible for her to hide this from people around her. Everyone now knew she was an athlete because she was always doing something that showed she was preparing for the championship. It doesn’t take time for people who have to deal with really serious athletes to know that they are athletes. It is very difficult for them to hide this fact about them. It shows. In the same way, when a believer is really serious about his kingdom assignment and winning his prize, he cannot hide his identity as a believer for long. Under normal circumstances, any believer who has successfully been able to hide his identity from his coworkers for several months may have been able to do so because he is not really striving for the prize of the mark of the high calling in God. Daniel worked in a most godless environment, but it was impossible for him to hide who he really was. Moses couldn’t either. When your kingdom assignment takes over you and becomes the most important thing in your life, you will find that you are a witness for Christ everywhere you go. The Holy Spirit would begin to give you insight into people’s lives just because He wants you to share the gospel with them. Go into today remembering that you are first and foremost a witness for Christ in every place He has planted you. Ask the Lord to help you to this end. Ask for the wisdom to be a soul-winner. — Abraham Damilola Arigi Yearly Bible: Deuteronomy 1-3 Streamglobe is nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. Send testimonies and prayer requests here(WhatsApp): +234813822454, +2348034420524 http://listen.streamglobe.org/Devotional%20Audio%202355.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
Run To Win
1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (KJV) Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. When Temitayo started preparing for the championship in tennis, she knew she now had to become temperate in her eating, sleeping, watching movies, etc. She was told by her instructor that she could no longer eat anything but had to only eat things that maximize energy output. Her life became greatly streamlined because of this championship. Temitayo made the sacrifices she made because she wanted to win the tennis championship. We are also in a championship, but this is for an infinitely more valuable incorruptible prize. The devil and his hordes of demons are our contenders that can’t win the prize, but they want to hinder us. The only human beings that can overcome them are those who believe in the Lord Jesus (see 1 John 5:5). We must maintain a champion’s mindset of self-control. We must not let the flesh hinder us. We must always put the flesh under the will of our renewed minds. This is the only way to appropriate our victory over our contenders. Go into today remembering that the prize you have to win is the reward for faithfully doing the work cut out for you by God. This reward, among other things, will translate to your place of glory and authority in God’s eternal kingdom that would never end. Not everyone in the kingdom will receive a reward, some will suffer loss (see 1 Cor 3:15). Prayer: Ask the Lord to help you run in such a way that you would receive your reward (1 Cor 9:24). — Abraham Damilola Arigi Yearly Bible: Hebrews 11-13 Streamglobe is nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. Send testimonies and prayer requests here(WhatsApp): +234813822454, +2348034420524 http://listen.streamglobe.org/Devotional%20Audio%202354.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
Sanctification: The Way To True Freedom
John 17:16-19 (KJV) “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth”. Bro, I’m not going, I’m tired of everyday deliverance, after all, we have seen no improvement. We’ve done all they said we should do; we’ve fasted and did vigils for several weeks, sown battle seed and the other kinds of seed. Remember that this is the eighth church we will be visiting for deliverance on this same issue, this deliverance thing is not working! I’m tired! There seem to be many in the Church who do not know the purpose of deliverance, they see deliverance as an end in itself but it is not. The Israelites for instance were delivered from Egypt’s captivity but a lot of them perished in the wilderness without entering the promised Land. What deliverance does is to take the hindrances or blockages between us and the truth away. These hindrances could be demonic, human, or environmental. And once hindrances are taken away, the delivered must find the truth and continue to live by it. If this is not done, the deliverance will be short-lived and unable to produce freedom. Jesus in John 8:32 said, “ you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”. So, what makes for freedom is knowledge of ( fellowship with) the truth. Obediah clarifies this when he said the following by the Spirit: “upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions” Obadiah 1:17 (KJV). In other words, deliverance makes holy living possible, and holy living yields freedom (possessing one’s possessions). Go into today knowing that to get true freedom, you must live holy. This will be possible when you allow the truth of God’s word to sanctify you. Pray: Thank you Jesus for access to your word, help me to live by the truth of your word. Amen! —Dr. Emmanuel James Yearly Bible: Acts 5-6 (In today’s Audio) Streamglobe is nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. Send testimonies and prayer requests here(WhatsApp): +234813822454, +2348034420524 To start getting Streamglobe Devotional Text & Audio early every day, join a Streamglobe WhatsApp Group here☞ https://chat.whatsapp.com/JPvxi0cBg7z3hMl0V34FPw http://listen.streamglobe.org/Devotional%20Audio%202352.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
Sanctification: The Path To Kingdom Greatness
John 17:17 (KJV), “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth”. The Chaplain said to the newly admitted students: “Can you believe that Evangelist Gift was my vice president back in my university days? I gave the instructions and he followed, but he’s now one of the most renowned evangelists in the world. You know, he never kept a girlfriend, didn’t eat any sister’s food, and never counseled with a sister, God said he shouldn’t, he claimed. If he is not in class or studying his books, he is either praying or studying his Bible. We called him names and denied him certain privileges because we thought he was being unnecessarily pious. It is obvious today that he was right and I was wrong. I’m not comparing myself with him, God’s mercy has found me, but I want you to know that your obedience to God’s word and instructions will determine how far He can go with you.” Sanctification is not a gift, so it cannot be imparted, it is a work that must be done individually (Phil. 2:12). Corporate fellowship, prayers, and Bible studies are good if they culminate into personal disciplines that lead to personal dedication to the truth of the word of God. When you begin to journey on the path of sanctification, God will begin to give you instructions that are peculiar to you. For instance, you may be instructed to stop watching movies, to give a certain percentage of your income to [the work of] God, to pick up certain kinds of jobs and never to accept others even when the pay is better, to pray for a number of hours daily, or to move to a certain location, etc. No razor was to touch the head of Samson for he was a Nazarite unto God (Judges 13:5) and John the Baptist must drink neither wine nor strong drink but shall be filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:15). What instruction has God given you regarding your sanctification? Note that, just like Samson and John became great, you will also be great if you observe them. But if you choose to break your consecration either by neglecting these specific and unique instructions or by doing contrary to the written word of God, the promised greatness may never be actualized. It is sanctification that consecrates and separates us unto God. It is proof that we are willing to follow God not just because of gains but because we love Him and desire to serve His purpose. This is what determines whether you will be great in the kingdom of God. Prayer: Lord Jesus, please forgive my past disobedience and help me to spend the rest of my life in obedience to you. Amen —Dr. Emmanuel James Yearly Bible: Micah (In today’s Audio) Streamglobe is nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. Send testimonies and prayer requests here(WhatsApp): +2348034420524, +2348138224547 To start getting Streamglobe Devotional Text & Audio early every day, join a Streamglobe WhatsApp Group here☞ https://chat.whatsapp.com/JPvxi0cBg7z3hMl0V34FPw http://listen.streamglobe.org/Devotional%20Audio%202351.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
Knowing Jesus As The Truth
John 14:6 (KJV) “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”. After about two months, Jude noticed that most of the persons who said the sinner’s prayer alongside him had returned to their old way of life. This got him so troubled that he asked his pastor, “what is happening sir? Why have these other persons fallen back into sin? I don’t think they experienced what I experienced and is still experiencing”. What are you experiencing? His Pastor asked. “sir, the joy that came into my heart the very day I made Jesus my Lord is being renewed daily”, Jude responded. “Your experience is because you have continued in obedience and service to Jesus. Those other persons fell back to their evil ways because unlike you, they did not continue”, his Pastor said. When a man continues in the way (justification), he will meet with the truth and the truth will cause sanctification of such a one. Jesus said, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” John 17:17 (KJV). In the same manner that we are being justified by putting our faith in Jesus, we will be sanctified by applying the truth of the word of God to our lives. It is at the stage of sanctification that the truth of the word of God begins to reveal your unique faults to you. The people around you may even consider such faults not sinful, but you will just notice that you are not comfortable doing those things again. When you continue to live like this, you will begin to experience freedom, and the more you live your life based on the truth of the word of God, the more freedom you will experience. In John 8:31-32, Jesus said to those who believed in him, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”. When you continue in obedience to the truth of God’s word, His word will lead you to life and this is what guarantees glorification. Go into today determined to follow the truth of God’s word until you take your last breath. Prayer: thank you Jesus for bringing me into the way. Help me to continue until I have been made completely free by your truth. Amen! —Dr. Emmanuel James Yearly Bible: Proverbs 29-30 (In today’s Audio) Streamglobe is nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. Send testimonies and prayer requests here(WhatsApp): +2348034420524, +2348138224547 Join the Livestream of Streamglobe Word Encounter Today by 11:30 AM WAT Link: mixlr.com/streamglobeworld http://listen.streamglobe.org/Devotional%20Audio%202350.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS