Growing As A Baby
John 15:16 (NET) You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that remains, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. Moyin noticed that the rate at which Kemi received answers to her prayers was really remarkable. There was a day they were traveling together, and it was about to rain and disrupt the meeting they were going for. Moyin had prayed and prayed in her heart concerning the rain, but nothing happened and the rain started. As soon as she called Kemi to pray, while Kemi was still praying, the heavy rainfall reduced and eventually stopped miraculously. There were many other examples of how Kemi received from the Lord more, and Moyin became concerned. ‘Does it mean that God loves Kemi more than me?’ Moyin would ask herself. She went into days of prayer to seek God’s face concerning why He didn’t answer her prayers the way He answered Kemi’s prayers. This was when the Lord showed her that Kemi was a much more fruitful Christian than her, that this was why Kemi had God’s ear. We can see from today’s Bible text that when we are fruitful, we can ask and receive more expressly from the Father. Many Christians have fruitless prayer lives because other areas of their lives are fruitless before God. A fruitful Christian is one whose life and character manifest the fruit of the Spirit. He is also one who wins souls to the kingdom of God. He is a profitable servant of the Lord who uses his resources [talents and gifts] for the advancement of God’s kingdom in this world. Go into today remembering that when all is said and done, we will be rewarded according to our fruitfulness (see Rev 22:12, Matt 16:27, Rom 2:6). Prayer: Ask the Lord to help you become more fruitful. —Abraham Damilola Arigi Yearly Bible Plan: I Samuel 11-15 (In Devotional Audio) Streamglobe is Interdenominational and nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. To start getting Streamglobe Devotional Text & Audio early every day, join our WhatsApp Group here☞ https://chat.whatsapp.com/GvVFJFXWXJMENumQjx4VcG Or Send us a message on WhatsApp: +1 (515) 519-5600, +2348138224547 visit: www.streamglobe.org Download the Audio Version Here☞ http://bit.ly/aud2516 http://listen.streamglobe.org/Devotional%20Audio%202516.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
The Fellowship of His Suffering
2 Timothy 2:12-13 (KJV) If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. After Darrel read this Bible verse, he felt quite disturbed because all his life as a believer, he had never really been persecuted for his faith. He was born into a secular country where there was freedom of religion and no one was overtly persecuted for their faith. He thought within himself that ‘does this mean I will not be counted among those who would reign with the Lord when He returns because I have never suffered for Him?’ While he meditated on this, the Holy Spirit helped him remember the times he had been mocked and sidelined in the office because he refused to compromise his faith. He remembered the times he felt alone and almost rejected because he accepted the Lord Jesus and his old friends now despised him. He also remembered the times he had the opportunity to make fast money but wouldn’t because of his faith, and he looked like a fool to many(even so-called Christians). The Holy Spirit reminded him that while he went through all of that, the Lord was with Him to Comfort him, that was why he could go through such seasons and come out victorious. In Philippians 3:10, Apostle Paul said: “that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His suffering…” There is a depth of knowledge of God that is accessed when we have gone through ‘stuff’ because of our faith in Christ. I believe one reason why saints who overcome(see Revelation 3:21) have the destiny to sit on the throne of Christ with Him [and reign over all God’s creation with Him] is that our fragile lives here on earth give us certain privileges to know God in ways that even angels might not be able to know Him. We have the privilege of being able to say “I suffered with Him”. You know that when you have a faithful friend you suffered with when things were tough, such a friend would have a special place in your heart, much more than the new friends you made when things became easy and abundant. Go into today remembering that if you truly want to live for Christ and refuse to compromise your faith in this corrupt world, it will fight back. When the world fights back and you pass through unpleasantness that you normally wouldn’t have faced if you were an unbeliever, that suffering you passed through because of your faith counts in heaven. Prayer: Lord, help me know you more and walk more in your power. Amen. Want to be saved? Click here: www.streamglobe.org/33 —Abraham Damilola Arigi Yearly Bible Plan: Genesis 48-50 (In Devotional Audio) Streamglobe is Interdenominational and nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. To start getting Streamglobe Devotional Text & Audio early every day, join our WhatsApp Group here☞ https://chat.whatsapp.com/GvVFJFXWXJMENumQjx4VcG Or Send us a message on WhatsApp: +1 (515) 519-5600, +2348138224547 visit: www.streamglobe.org Audio Devotional & Bible Here☞ http://bit.ly/aud2223 http://listen.streamglobe.org/Devotional%20Audio%202223.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
Stay Alert, Sentry
Proverbs 4:23 (NET) Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Emotions are very powerful tools. This is because they usually start off as a signal of what we feel, but they don’t end there, left unchecked, they go on to create new feelings for us. A man can become sad because he lost a huge amount of money to a Ponzi scheme, left unchecked, that sadness can morph into depression and suicidal thoughts. Likewise, a young lady can become unhappy because she suffered a heartbreak, left unchecked, that unhappiness can easily segue into strong hate and bitterness. Not all ‘emotions’ were designed by God; some are actually a result of the fall of man and are often a work of demons. God never created depression; it serves no godly purpose. It is important to understand that emotions can shape how you think and act. People who act sometimes under the heavy influence of emotions do some highly irrational things and usually tag it as acting in a “moment of madness”. That must not be the experience of a discipled believer. We have heard of men who have in a fit of rage seriously hurt or maimed a loved one. Men have committed murder, women harm and damage their children and lovers inflict injuries upon one another under the influence of (often unchecked and overpowering) emotions. Demons can take advantage of one’s emotion to promote ungodly actions and strong binds such as bitterness, depression, etcetera. The Bible, therefore, warns that we keep a sober watch over our hearts. Do you allow your emotions to determine your actions? Can you be trusted to act right even when you ‘feel’ wronged? Are you allowing your emotions to dictate and direct your thoughts? Keep guard over your heart. Have and show emotion but do not allow emotions have you. Do not give demons license over your thoughts and feelings; we cast out demons not give in to them. You can be angry and sin not (Ephesians 4:26). Jesus wept but did not stay weeping, with teary eyes he looked up into heaven and prayed after which he raised Lazarus (See John 11:35-44). He felt amazed by the lack of unbelief of his country home people and next went about teaching (See Mark 6:6), Paul and his companions were experiencing trouble on every side but were not crushed, perplexed but not driven to despair (2 Cor 4:8), that there is how we must be. Shaped by His word, our convictions, and faith and not by circumstances, experiences and emotions. Go into today determined to allow your life be shaped and run by the power of God through His word and with the help of the Holy Spirit. Have emotions, but don’t let them have you. Confession: My Life is shaped by the word of God. I am not controlled by emotions and fears —Ikechukwu Mpama Yearly Bible Reading: I Corinthians 9-10 (In Devotional Audio)Streamglobe is Interdenominational and nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. To start getting Streamglobe Devotional Text & Audio early every day, join our WhatsApp Group here☞ https://chat.whatsapp.com/GvVFJFXWXJMENumQjx4VcG Or Send us a message on WhatsApp: +1 (515) 519-5600, +2348138224547 visit: www.streamglobe.org Download Today’s Audio here☞ http://bit.ly/aud2782 http://listen.streamglobe.org/Devotional%20Audio%202782.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
Praying Wisely 4
Ephesians 6:18 (NIV)And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Because of her upbringing, Rhoda knew how to pray for long. So when it dawned on her that she was not praying nearly enough, she decided to start praying the way she was brought up to pray. At every opportunity she found, she would pray in the spirit. She also started taking out at least one hour each day to pray in the Spirit. Rhoda observed that as she prayed more, she became more sensitive in the spirit and was filled with power and boldness. She saw that through prayer, she now physically received the things that had been prophesied over her life long ago; prophecies that appeared like they would not be fulfilled. It is through prayers that we birth the things that have been given to us through prophecy. This was what Daniel understood when he began to pray concerning the liberation of Israel prophesied by Jeremiah (see Dan 9:2-3). Rhoda’s prayers were now powerful because she was now walking in the outward manifestation of God’s righteousness. It is the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man that avails much, not the effectual fervent prayer of any man. Many believers pray long and pray hard, but their prayers are not very powerful because it comes from deceitful lips and impure hearts. They cannot ascend the heights [of power] through prayer because of the way they live their lives (see Psa 24:3-5). Go into today remembering that deceitful lips do not have any power in the presence of God and his holy angels. Ask the Lord to help you pray in the Spirit on all occasions. —Abraham Damilola Arigi Yearly Bible Reading: Mark 3-4 (In Devotional Audio) Streamglobe is Interdenominational and nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. To start getting Streamglobe Devotional Text & Audio early every day, join our WhatsApp Group here☞ https://chat.whatsapp.com/GvVFJFXWXJMENumQjx4VcG Or Send us a message on WhatsApp: +1 (515) 519-5600, +2348138224547 visit: www.streamglobe.org http://listen.streamglobe.org/Devotional%20Audio%201591.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
Praying Wisely 3
James 5:16 (AMP) Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God-it is dynamic and can have tremendous power]. Rhoda grew up in a church where they knew how to pray. They could pray for twelve hours straight. But it was not a Bible-word-based church. Many of them lived unrighteous miserable lives despite their great prayer lives. Many of them had broken marriages, etc.. It appeared that all their prayers were not so powerful because they were not righteous people in their manner of conduct. When Rhoda left home, she started attending a Bible-based church and grew greatly in faith and the word of righteousness. But they didn’t pray much in that church assembly so power wasn’t as much as it should be. One big problem I have observed is that many churches that emphasize prayer the way churches should, do not emphasize the practical walking out of righteousness in the lives of their members. This has led to many of them living in an unholy and unrighteous manner. Because of this, even though they pray much, their prayers are not very powerful. It is the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man that makes much power available. It is also sad that many churches that are faith and Bible-based these days do not pray much. Even when they have all-night prayers, they spend most of the time doing activities and not praying. There would have been tremendous power available if these churches grounded in the word prayed as much as they should. Go into today asking the Lord to help you pray more in the spirit. —Abraham Damilola Arigi Yearly Bible Reading: Isaiah 62-66 (In Devotional Audio) Streamglobe is Interdenominational and nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. To start getting Streamglobe Devotional Text & Audio early every day, join our WhatsApp Group here☞ https://chat.whatsapp.com/GvVFJFXWXJMENumQjx4VcG Or Send us a message on WhatsApp: +1 (515) 519-5600, +2348138224547 visit: www.streamglobe.org
God Feels
Genesis 6:6 (BBE) And the Lord had sorrow because he had made man on the earth, and grief was in his heart. It is amazing how diametrically opposed to the world’s perception of reality the view of the Word (of God) is. Jesus spoke often of some of these differences. For example, he taught his disciples saying that in the world, those who are great would lord it over others, but that in God’s kingdom, he who wishes to be great must first be (like) a servant. (See Luke 22:24-26). This idea is so alien to the world system as you will find that those who serve usually occupy the lower rung of the society while those who are great are distinguished by the fact that they are the ones who receive the most service. Similarly, the world has a warped view of who a strong man is. In their view, a strong man is one without emotions, he has strong well-defined chin and well-chiseled figure complete with six-packs and well-toned biceps and triceps. Flog him a million times and he doesn’t as much as whimper. At the very worst he turns around to say something along the lines of “Please let me know when you are done”. And if he suffers a heartbreak, he simply brushes it aside with the same seriousness he would accord the impact of a falling leave upon his shoulder. He doesn’t laugh out loud nor cry, and if he ever does laugh, it must be just a tip-lipped wry smile, and he is only allowed to shed a few drops of tears with tight lips should he ever decide to cry. The summary is that the world looks at the optics and focuses on it to paint their picture of a strong man. It downplays emotions and makes it look weak and feminine. However, this view is grossly misleading and quite inaccurate. God does have feelings and displays them often. In the Old Testament, you find that God showed how he felt especially as regards his chosen people, Israel. The prophets were the vessels whose lives were the very instruments with which God’s feelings were displayed and communicated which is why they lived a most dramatic life. Again and again, people broke God’s heart with their idolatrous infidelity, and boy! Did God feel the pain? Yes! Just ask Hosea, Moses, Jeremiah…, they’d tell you. Your life and living are either sending proverbial daggers through God’s heart or they are supplying joy and satisfaction to Him. It was with a father’s pride that he boasted of Job, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil” (See Job 1:8), a similar sentiment that was expressed about Jesus by the Father when He proclaimed before the crowd in Jordan “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). If God is your father, what kind of feelings does He have about you? Are you causing pain or bringing joy? Go into today knowing that it matters to God how you live and lead your life. God feels, and we will stand before Him someday. Make up your mind to be a beloved son in the order and manner of His Beloved Son. —Ikechukwu Mpama Yearly Bible Reading: Job 23-24 (In Devotional Audio) Streamglobe is Interdenominational and nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. To start getting Streamglobe Devotional Text & Audio early every day, join our WhatsApp Group here☞ https://chat.whatsapp.com/GvVFJFXWXJMENumQjx4VcG Or Send us a message on WhatsApp: +1 (515) 519-5600, +2348138224547 visit: www.streamglobe.org Download Today’s Audio☞ https://bit.ly/aud2781 http://listen.streamglobe.org/Devotional%20Audio%202781.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
Sacrificing To Spirits
Psalm 51:17 (KJV) “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” Have you wondered why God rejected Cain’s offering and accepted Abel’s? As a child, the response was simple; Cain offered rotten and very bad fruits while Abel, the best; spotless and well-fattened calf. Then as an adult, it was told that Cain brought an offering from the earth which the Lord had cursed, while Abel killed an animal spilling its blood, adumbrating the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Both explanations obviously had their place and were helpful, but a careful examination of the scriptures shows something you probably have not considered as the reason why Cain’s offering was rejected. It is simply that the person of Cain was not pleasing to God (Genesis 4:5). The question however still remains, why? According to our text, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit”. This was buttressed in Psalm 4:5 (KJV) when the psalmist wrote, “Offer the sacrifices of righteousness”. From both scriptures, it is obvious that the sacrifice of the Lord is not money, animal, fruit, or anything that men will normally bring as a sacrifice. These things however can be used to express the state of a man’s heart. Every action and character is a spiritual commodity for engaging in spiritual transactions. You will invite or host the spirit whose nature the character or action you exhibit agrees with and it is this spirit that will accept you and your sacrifice. For God, any attitude, character, and action borne out of a contrite heart (a heart that is right before God and holds only things that are godly) will please the Lord and draw you nearer to him. No wonder, Jesus in Matthew 5:23-24 (KJV) said, “Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift”. This buttressed the fact that God requires more than the gift, he wants pure hearts. Go into today knowing that every action you exhibit, attitude, character, and belief you imbibe are all sacrificial items to spirits. Your gifts and offerings will be accepted by the spirit whose lifestyle you imbibe. Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to live in a manner that is pleasing to you so my sacrifices can be accepted by you, amen! —Dr. Emmanuel James Yearly Bible Reading: Psalms 33-35 (In Devotional Audio) Streamglobe is Interdenominational and nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. To start getting Streamglobe Devotional Text & Audio early every day, join our WhatsApp Group here☞ https://chat.whatsapp.com/GvVFJFXWXJMENumQjx4VcG Or Send us a message on WhatsApp: +1 (515) 519-5600, +2348138224547 visit: www.streamglobe.org http://listen.streamglobe.org/Devotional%20Audio%202780.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
Discerning False Doctrines
1 Timothy 6:3-4 (NET) If someone spreads false teachings and does not agree with sound words (that is, those of our Lord Jesus Christ) and with the teaching that accords with godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing, but has an unhealthy interest in controversies and verbal disputes. This gives rise to envy, dissension, slanders, evil suspicions One of the most dangerous things I hear certain progressive teachers of the word say is that the words and teachings of our Lord Jesus while He walked the earth are old Testament and are not for the church, that only the epistles (written after the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus) are valid because the new covenant started after Jesus resurrected. Even judging that position normally and logically, it does not make much sense. No one gives the testament of a Covenant after it has been ratified, it is always given before it is ratified. No one signs a contract document before writing it, signing is done after the document has been written. Jesus gave His New Testament through His teachings and commandments in the three and a half years of His earthly ministry, before He ratified it by His death on the cross. In today’s Bible verse, we see that false teaching is any teaching that does not agree with the words of our Lord Jesus. Any teacher that uses the excuse of “that was old Testament” to explain away a doctrine of the Lord Jesus is teaching something false. For example, if a teacher tries to convince you that you shouldn’t ask God to forgive your sins when the Lord clearly teaches us to repent of our sins, that teacher is nothing but a false teacher. Just like junk food tastes sweeter but is really not healthy, false doctrines might appear sweeter to the flesh, but they are toxic to your new (born-again) spirit. Go into today remembering that any teacher who tries to explain away the words of our Lord Jesus is a false teacher. Prayer: Lord, deliver me and cleanse me from the influence of every false teacher. Give me shepherds afters your heart that will feed me with knowledge and understanding (Jer 3:15). Amen. —Abraham Damilola Arigi http://listen.streamglobe.org/Devotional%20Audio%202220.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
Who Told You So?
Philippians 3:7-8 (NET) Moreover, we possess the prophetic word as an altogether reliable thing. You do well if you pay attention to this as you would to a light shining in a murky place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. This was the third time in a single night with each instance more intense than the last. Ini didn’t quite understand fully what the Lord wanted her to do, but one thing she was convinced about was that she needed to speak to Itohan, that much she could discern from the dreams she had had. She knew about the painful breakup that Itohan had just experienced and so she decided that if nothing else, she could offer her some comfort and encouragement. Ini’s conversation with Itohan was going smoothly as she did her best to reassure Itohan of God’s love for her, and His unshakable desire to settle her in His divine plan and will. She was impressed with how Itohan was handling herself in the light of the pain she must be experiencing, that was until she caught on to something Itohan said: Itohan: I thank God. The realization that I needed to always put myself first and that self-love is more important than what anybody can offer me really helped me deal with this. Ini: Wait, what? Wait a minute, Itohan, what do you mean by “self-love” and “putting yourself first”? More importantly, where are you getting these ideas from? Itohan: What does it matter where I got the ideas from? I mean, you can’t argue against the fact of how helpful it has been. Or are you saying that it is wrong to put one’s interest first? Ini: That it is ‘helpful’ at the moment is beside the point. We must live our lives with principles that correspond with truth and if, for example, the father of all lies gives you life tips, we must jettison it regardless of how ‘helpful’ it might appear to be. Many believers go about their lives living on the philosophical framework of the world just because those philosophies and worldviews sound like ‘Christianese’. There are indeed many voices in the world and all have meaning (See 1 Corinthians 14:10), however, the believer must, through discernment, tune the frequency of his hearing to the voice of the Master and Chief Shepherd of the flock who is Himself Truth. Your life and living must take bearing from God’s word; for God’s word, rightly understood and applied, brings honor, fulfillment, and lasting joy. Go into today armed with the lamp of God’s word to guide you through the dark paths of life. —Ikechukwu Mpama Yearly Bible Reading: Genesis 44-47 (In Devotional Audio) Streamglobe is Interdenominational and nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. To start getting Streamglobe Devotional Text & Audio early every day, join our WhatsApp Group here☞ https://chat.whatsapp.com/GvVFJFXWXJMENumQjx4VcG Or Send us a message on WhatsApp: +1 (515) 519-5600, +2348138224547 www.streamglobe.radio http://listen.streamglobe.org/Devotional%20Audio%202779.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
Praying Wisely
Matthew 6:7-8 (NKJV) And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. Debo observed that he was now telling lies again. He took a count and identified seven different lies he had told in the past four days. He knew he needed to pray. “I cannot continue like this,” he said to himself as he set his alarm clock to wake him up by 2am to pray. After praying in the spirit that night for about two hours, he knew the power of lying in his life was broken. He now had the power to resist the urge to tell lies. Debo prayed because he observed a fault in his life that was resisting his outward walk of righteousness. His prayer that night was not about his needs, but about seeking the righteousness of God. In order to properly understand what Jesus is saying in today’s Bible verses, we need to read further to verses 31 and 32. Here Jesus explains the content of the prayers of Gentiles. Their prayers are all about their needs which can be summed up in “what shall we eat, what shall we drink, and what shall we wear?”. In the context of God’s kingdom, prayers based on this premise are ‘vain prayer’, and repeating such prayers is “vain repetitions”. Jesus goes ahead to tell us in Matt 6:33 that if we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, all these other things (of physical and material needs) will be added unto us. One way we seek the kingdom of God is in the place of prayer. No one can truly seek the kingdom of God without seeking to walk in God’s righteousness (see Rom 14:17). Go into today asking the Lord to help you seek His kingdom and righteousness above all. -Abraham Damilola Arigi Not yet saved? Tap here☞ http://bit.ly/beSaved2 Yearly Bible Reading: I Corinthians 7-8 (In Devotional Audio) Streamglobe is Interdenominational and nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. To start getting Streamglobe Devotional Text & Audio early every day, join our WhatsApp Group here☞ https://chat.whatsapp.com/GvVFJFXWXJMENumQjx4VcG Or Send us a message on WhatsApp: +1 (515) 519-5600, +2348138224547 www.streamglobe.org | www.devotional.ng | www.streamglobe.radio