Church Leadership 2
1 Timothy 3:1-7 (NET) This saying is trustworthy: “If someone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a good work.” The overseer then must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, an able teacher, not a drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not contentious, free from the love of money. He must manage his own household well and keep his children in control without losing his dignity.But if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for the church of God? He must not be a recent convert or he may become arrogant and fall into the punishment that the devil will exact. And he must be well thought of by those outside the faith, so that he may not fall into disgrace and be caught by the devil’s trap. Tade was appointed to the highest level of leadership of his local church assembly, but he realized that immediately after his appointment, he started facing terrible and unbearable demonic attacks. Also, he found that he didn’t have the spiritual authority that was expected to come with his ordination into that exalted church leadership office. As he continued to inquire of the Lord, it became clear to him and the leadership in the church that he was so afflicted because he was wrongly appointed into church leadership. He was not qualified and did not have the required spiritual authority to handle such a position. He was only physically occupying a seat, but spiritually, he had no authority. We see from today’s Bible verse the criteria for those who are to be appointed to the highest level of leadership in the church. One thing we must note is that these criteria are God’s will and not man’s idea. If a man is appointed to the highest level of church leadership but does not meet these criteria, he would only be a physical figurehead and not be able to wield the spiritual authority of his office. So great is the authority of the church leadership that the judgment of the church should be more feared and respected than the judgment of any human court(see 1 Corinthians 6:1-4). When the church binds a thing on earth, it is bound in the heavens also(Matthew 16:18). But all of this is only possible when those who occupy the top leadership of the church are qualified for the leadership. If a man meets these criteria mentioned in today’s Bible text, it is an indication that he has the required stature and spiritual capacity to be appointed into the highest level of leadership in the church. Go into today remembering that the spiritual authority and capacity you have is directly a result of your submission to the Lord. Prayer: Lord, let every aspect of my life reflect my submission to your authority. Amen.Want to be saved? Click here: streamglobe.org/33—Abraham Damilola Arigi Yearly Bible Reading: Revelation 7-11 (in Devotional Audio)Audio Bible credit: Bible Experience, Zondervan Kindly share this devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together.Streamglobe Devotional is nondenominational and interdenominational Contact us (WhatsApp): +15155195600, +234813822454Listen to Streamglobe 24/7 Christian Radio here☞ https://streamglobe.radio https://listen.streamglobe.org/DevotionalAudio3549.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
Receiving & Walking in Spiritual Gifts
1 Corinthians 12:11 (NKJV) But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. Aarav had always wanted to walk in the prophetic gifts because he had seen the benefits firsthand. He always assumed he had received the [baptism of the] Holy Spirit, but through diligent study of the word, he realized he was not yet baptized in the Holy Spirit because he saw from scripture that everyone who was baptized knew for sure that they had received the Holy Spirit. But he wasn’t sure. Aarav was invited to attend an interdenominational Holy Ghost all-night prayer meeting. He decided to participate in this meeting because he was told that people received the baptism of the Holy Spirit there. During the meeting, the minister of God invited all those who wanted to receive the Holy Ghost to come forward to be ministered to. As soon as the minister laid his hand on Aarav’s head, Aarav felt great power come upon him that made his body quiver. The next thing he could remember was that he started speaking in tongues and prophesying. That was the day Aarav received the spiritual gifts of tongues and prophesy. With time, he observed that he now had the gift of “discerning of spirits” and the ability to know things supernaturally (word of knowledge). Spiritual gifts are distributed by the Holy Spirit as He wills. The Holy Spirit not only gives us spiritual gifts, but He is also the one who powers (or works) them. So walking in communion with the Holy Spirit is the key to walking and excelling in your spiritual gifts. Receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit is key to receiving spiritual gifts. Go into today remembering that God wants you to walk in spiritual gifts so you can be more fruitful. Prayer: Ask the Lord to deliver you from everything that hinders your communion with the Holy Spirit.—Abraham Damilola Arigi Yearly Bible Reading: Song of Solomon 3-4Audio Bible credit: Bible Experience, Zondervan Kindly share this devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together.Streamglobe Devotional is nondenominational and interdenominational Contact us (WhatsApp): +15155195600, +234813822454Listen to Streamglobe 24/7 Christian Radio here☞ https://streamglobe.radio https://listen.streamglobe.org/DevotionalAudio3548.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:29 — 4.0MB)Subscribe: RSS
Church Leadership
1 Timothy 3:1-2 (NET) This saying is trustworthy: “If someone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a good work.” The overseer then must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, an able teacher Apostle Paul’s first letter to Timothy was very instructive. It was written to give Timothy a guide for his assignment of establishing the churches and appointing reliable leadership that would continue the work.In today’s verse, we see Apostle Paul guiding Timothy on those who are to be appointed as overseers or bishops over a local church. The first thing we can observe here is that the position of overseer in God’s house is open to any believer who can meet up with these criteria. It is not necessarily reserved for those who occupy the ministry offices but for those who have had a track record of faithfulness in their service to the Lord. Another thing I would love to point out here is that the leadership of the local church was not given to one man but to a group of bishops or overseers. This is the same pattern we see in the first church in Jerusalem. The apostles were the overseer of the church in Jerusalem. Even though Peter was the one who preached in Acts 2 and 3, it was the [plurality of the] apostles that oversaw the church and made the crucial decisions like appointing deacons, etc. Peter was accountable to them. For example, he owed them an explanation when he acted outside their tradition by preaching in the house of a Gentile (see Acts 11:1-18). Go into today knowing that the greatest authority in the body of Christ is wielded by the church leadership. Those who attain this position are believers who have had a track record of faithfulness. Any believer can attain the zenith of kingdom authority if he would remain faithful. Faithfulness is the key to greatness in God’s kingdom. Prayer: Ask the Lord for the grace to be faithful.Want to be saved? Go here: streamglobe.org/33—Abraham Damilola Arigi Yearly Bible Reading: Psalms 143-145 (In Devotional Audio) Credits: Bible (Bible Experience, Zondervan) Kindly share this devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. Streamglobe Devotional is nondenominational and interdenominational Contact us (WhatsApp): +15155195600, +234813822454 Listen to Streamglobe 24/7 Christian Radio here☞ https://streamglobe.radio Download our sermons here☞ https://streamglobe.org/34 https://listen.streamglobe.org/DevotionalAudio3547.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
His ways
Psalms 25:9 (NET) The meek will he guide in judgment and the meek will he teach his way Tosin was seething with anger as the message was going on. “How dare she make him the subject of her sermon? Just because she is a leader in fellowship doesn’t give her the right to embarrass him” He was going to give it to her once the service was over. However, even as angry as he was, he had a restrain in his spirit to not vent his anger on Sister Debby as planned, a part of him didn’t want to go with that nudge, but he knew that that was the voice of the Holy Spirit. Just as the world has its customs and ways of doing things, there are also ways of perceiving life and doing things in God’s Kingdom and they are opposed to each other. Unless one begins to learn and act in the ways of God, he will act and live just like a wicked and unrighteous man (See Isaiah 55:7-9). One task a believer must preoccupy himself with is to know the Lord; to know His person and His ways. This requires great humility because this demands that the person acknowledges that all he knows amounts to nothing so he can begin to learn what is truly something. It is this meekness that is highlighted in James 1 verse 21 “Wherefore laying aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls”. As one receives the word with meekness, his mind gets renewed and he gets transformed. This transformation is what produces maturity in believers that the beauty and nature of Jesus become easily displayed and manifested through one’s life. It is a sad sight to see men and women who profess to be believers live as though they had never met the Lord. When you see believers who have no qualms living in immorality, swindling their friends and customers, who hold and carry grudges refusing to forgive, who strife and seek to have their way at all times. This is not God’s design. God’s design is that every believer becomes like Christ (See Romans 8:29). This is only achieved through committed and conscious learning and discipleship. Go into today determined to know the Lord through submitting in meekness to learning and discipleship.—Ikechukwu Mpama Bible In One Year: Nehemiah 10-13 (In Devotional Audio) Credits: Bible (Bible Experience, Zondervan) Kindly share this devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. Streamglobe Devotional is nondenominational and interdenominational Contact us (WhatsApp): +15155195600, +234813822454 Listen to Streamglobe 24/7 Christian Radio here☞ https://streamglobe.radio https://listen.streamglobe.org/DevotionalAudio3546.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
Way to Kingdom Greatness
1 Timothy 3:13 (KJV) For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. After Enyo served as a deaconess in her church for seven months, she realized that her boldness and spiritual might was greatly increased. She now had the ability to cast out demons and walk in the supernatural power of God. She saw that she now had the authority to rebuke sickness and disease. Her children who used to be very sickly were no longer falling sick because of her spiritual cover. Her mother who was dying of diabetes became miraculously healed when Enyo laid her hand on her and prayed for her from the standpoint of her new level of authority. This was not always the case with Enyo. She didn’t have the boldness to walk in her authority as a child of God, but her service as a deacon obtained for her a good degree: a higher level of kingdom authority. Do you notice how much boldness and authority Stephen, Philip, and the other deacons appointed in the early church exerted after they were appointed (see Acts 6)? That is what the office of a deacon does to those who embrace it wholeheartedly and serve diligently. They obtain a good degree and great boldness in their faith. Deacons are primarily ministers in the church who handle physical matters of administration, serving tables, etc. Their job in the church may not look as dignified as that of the elders or bishops, but such selfless service is the fastest way to kingdom greatness. Those who run away from responsibility and work in the church of God are running away from an opportunity to increase their level of spiritual boldness and authority. The advantages of advancing in kingdom greatness transcend time and space, they are eternal. When the kingdom comes, some will inherit thrones while some will suffer loss and only be saved as though through fire(see 1 Corinthians 3:13-15). Our promotion in God’s kingdom is determined by our faithfulness to kingdom service. Go into today remembering that the way to eternal greatness is service in the kingdom of God. Prayer: Lord, please give me the strength to serve you acceptably. Amen.—Abraham Damilola Arigi Yearly Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 26-28 (In Devotional Audio) Credits: Bible (Bible Experience, Zondervan) Kindly share this devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. Streamglobe Devotional is nondenominational and interdenominational Contact us (WhatsApp): +15155195600, +234813822454 Listen to Streamglobe 24/7 Christian Radio here☞ https://streamglobe.radio https://listen.streamglobe.org/DevotionalAudio3545.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
Children of Your Father
Job 31:29-30 (GNB) I have never been glad when my enemies suffered, or pleased when they met with disaster; I have never sinned by praying for their death Don’t you find it interesting that long before Matthew 5:43-44, Job had this same understanding that it doesn’t please God when we rejoice at the downfall of others, even those we consider our enemies? Perhaps, this was why David would mourn Saul the way he did (2 Samuel 1:1-27). God has said, ‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay’ (Romans 12:9), and this is because God alone has the moral authority to carry out judgment. It is a well-known legal maxim that he who comes into equity must come with clean hands, and then you hear Jesus say, ‘he that hath no sin, let him cast the first stone’. When we repay evil for evil, we are appealing to judgment over mercy and submitting ourselves to be judged with the same standard and consideration with which we judged; suffice it to say that no man would live if God were to treat us in that way. Now, beyond just allowing God exact judgment, we are not to gloat. Granted that your enemies might be reaping their just recompense of reward, yet, it should never serve as an occasion to gloat. This is because God delights in mercy and forgiveness, and He wills that all will access His grace and mercy. So when next you are tempted to gloat, remind yourself the words of Matthew 5:43-45: ‘Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.’ Go into today meditating on these words of Jesus. Make this confession: I am of God, I walk in love, I walk in forgiveness, I do not repay evil for evil and do not rejoice in evil but take delight in all that is good. Amen. —Ikechukwu Mpama Yearly Bible Reading: II John (In Devotional Audio) Credits: Bible (Bible Experience, Zondervan) Kindly share this devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together.Streamglobe Devotional is nondenominational and interdenominational Contact us (WhatsApp): +15155195600, +234813822454Listen to Streamglobe 24/7 Christian Radio here☞ https://streamglobe.radio https://listen.streamglobe.org/DevotionalAudio3544.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:58 — 2.6MB)Subscribe: RSS
Holding firmly to our confidence
Hebrews 3:5-6 (NET) Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that would be spoken. But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. We are of his house, if in fact we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope we take pride in. When Sesugh met Seth in the youth coups orientation camp, he knew he was not talking to an ordinary young man. There was this confidence and intelligence that Seth had that made him stand out. He never scrambled for things like others, but he always got his way around because he exhibited a level of intelligence and clear-headedness that was not common in such a camp full of young people. When Sesugh found out that Seth was a prince, and indeed the heir to the throne of a very significant kingdom and lots of Estate, he said “I knew it, I always knew there was something different about Seth. The way he carried himself and the way he behaved as if he had such a great reputation to protect”. The hope that we possess as believers makes us keep ourselves pure (see 1 John 3:3). It gives us confidence that money cannot afford. This Hope is the well from which our faith springs(Heb 11:1). The Lord Jesus is coming back to give us His kingdom. When he appears, our mortal bodies will be changed according to the likeness of His glorious body (see Philippians 3:20-21). We will literally inherit the earth and every other thing that belongs to God in the universe. The Holy Spirit substantiates this knowledge in our hearts to the point that it begins to affect the way we live and even our demeanor. No one can intimidate us. They will even at some point, start asking about the hope that we possess(see 1 Peter 3:15) because our hope and confidence with be evident. Go into today knowing that this Hope and confidence we have motivates us to sanctify ourselves and keep ourselves pure. As long as this happens, we can be sure that we are members of the family of God. Jesus is our elder brother and we are joint heirs with Him (see Romans 8:17). —Abraham Damilola Arigi Bible in 1 Year: Acts 21-22 (In Devotional Audio)Credits: Bible (Bible Experience, Zondervan) Kindly share this devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together.Streamglobe Devotional is nondenominational and interdenominational Contact us (WhatsApp): +15155195600, +234813822454Listen to Streamglobe 24/7 Christian Radio here☞ https://streamglobe.radio https://listen.streamglobe.org/DevotionalAudio3543.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
Beyond the Fog and the Haze
Ephesians 3:19 (AMP) [That you may really come] to know [practically through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]! Pa Lekan was beside himself with amusement as he watched his children and grandchildren run around frantically trying to put up a last-minute surprise party for their mother and grandmother, his wife, to celebrate her 70th birthday. Everything seemed set: jollof-rice, well-spiced just like she loves it, smoothies, cake, and peppered gizzard. The sitting room was well decorated with balloons, ribbons, and messages of all shapes and sizes prominent of which read: “Seventy Looks Good On You”. Everything was set except for the special gift that she would cherish greatly. Tunde suggested they replaced her car with a new one, Shola opined that they get her gold or diamond trinkets of the highest quality. The suggestions just kept rolling in until out of sheer exhaustion, they decided to seek their father’s opinion and he simply informed them that if they could just sacrifice a weekend, along with their kids, and spend it with her, she would cherish that the most beyond any gift they could afford. There is a knowledge that comes from walking experientially with a person, this knowledge runs deep like deep waters. It is what makes couples who have lived harmoniously for a long time to know so much of the other that they can basically finish each other’s sentences, and tell what the other person is thinking and feeling to a great extent. The more people get to know each other the more they can communicate richly non-verbally. It is important that a man spends his youth walking with the Lord and growing in the knowledge of Him through His word, fellowship of prayers, and practical obedience to the Holy Spirit. The more a man does this the more his being gets flooded with the Presence of God. Go into today determined to know God more intimately and through fellowship and practical obedience.—Ikechukwu Mpama Bible In One Year: Revelation 1-6 (In Devotional Audio) Credits: Bible (Bible Experience, Zondervan) Kindly share this devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. Streamglobe Devotional is nondenominational and interdenominational Contact us (WhatsApp): +15155195600, +234813822454 Listen to Streamglobe 24/7 Christian Radio here☞ https://streamglobe.radio https://listen.streamglobe.org/DevotionalAudio3542.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
Anxiety is a Grace Inhibitor
Philippians 4:6 (NET) Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. While Ranjit was a little boy living with his wealthy parents, he never heard his parents argue or worry about money. But when he was ten, his parents let him go live with his cousins in Germany. They didn’t want him to become spoilt like all the other rich ‘trust-fund babies’ they saw around. When Ranjit started living with his cousins, for the first time in his life, he saw people talking, worrying, and planning about money. Before this time, he didn’t know money was something to ever worry about or talk about because his parents were very rich. When people know that there is an abundance of something, you rarely hear them talking about it.For example, as important as the oxygen we breathe is to our physical existence, because here on earth we have an abundance of it, you don’t hear people talking about air or worrying if there would be enough air for them to breathe till the end of the year. In the kingdom of God, there is a superabundance of everything. So it is very out of place when believers become anxious about anything. The fact that you can’t see the air does not mean it does not exist. The fact that you can’t see a thing you want does not mean God has not provided it. You connect with the reality of God’s abundance by expelling anxiety and walking in faith. Anxiety is an inhibitor of grace. Whenever a believer is anxious about walking in any spiritual blessing he has received, that anxiety would only help to hinder the manifestation of that blessing.When you speak in tongues, do you worry and think about the words you would say? Do you listen to every word you say to see whether it sounds right? If you did, you wouldn’t flow in that gift. The truth is that you have no anxiety about tongues when you speak in tongues. Maybe that’s why you walk in that gift so effortlessly. The same principle applies to other spiritual blessings and gifts. Go into today remembering that a spiritual gift will flow when there is no pressure or anxiety in your heart concerning it, but only faith and assurance that you would walk effortlessly in it because God has given it to you. Prayer: Lord, deliver me from all forms of anxiety so I can walk in the fullness of Your grace. Amen.—Abraham Damilola ArigiBible in 1 Year: Song of Solomon 1-2 (In Devotional Audio)Credits: Bible (Bible Experience, Zondervan) Kindly share this devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together.Streamglobe Devotional is nondenominational and interdenominational Contact us (WhatsApp): +15155195600, +234813822454Listen to Streamglobe 24/7 Christian Radio here☞ https://streamglobe.radio https://listen.streamglobe.org/DevotionalAudio3541.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
The Riches the Lord Gives
2 Corinthians 8:9 (NET) For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you by his poverty could become rich. If the Lord Jesus was rich but became poor so that through His poverty we might be made rich, the kind of riches He gives is the kind of riches that He has. There are riches that the devil can give, but this is different from that that Jesus gives. You see, the blessing of the Lord, makes rich, and He adds no sorrow(see Prov 10:22). The empowerment from the devil may make one rich, but he would add much sorrow. A spirit cannot give you something without leaving its fingerprint in your life. Every spirit apart from the Holy Spirit that enriches people leaves its fingerprint of sorrow and destruction in their lives. The man the Lord blesses is the man who focuses on Him and not on riches. One way to know such a man is by checking how he responds to God’s word. Such a person delights in the word of God (see Psalm 1:1-3). Go into today knowing that the type of riches Jesus gives is eternal, nothing of this realm can affect it; it manifests in this realm and yet cannot be affected by the forces in this realm. Prayer: Heavenly Father, please empower me to walk in the riches of Christ, in Jesus’ name. Amen.—Abraham Damilola Arigi Bible in 1 Year: Psalms 140-142 (In Devotional Audio)Credits: Bible (Bible Experience, Zondervan) Kindly share this devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together.Streamglobe Devotional is nondenominational and interdenominational Contact us (WhatsApp): +15155195600, +234813822454Listen to Streamglobe 24/7 Christian Radio here☞ https://streamglobe.radio https://listen.streamglobe.org/DevotionalAudio3540.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS