CHRISTIAN ARBITRATION 2
Download Audio Version☞ bit.ly/audio1734 1 Corinthians 6:3-5 (NET) Do you not know that we will judge angels? Why not ordinary matters! So if you have ordinary lawsuits, do you appoint as judges those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame! Is there no one among you wise enough to settle disputes between fellow Christians? A certain influential Christian brother started keeping a mistress. With time, his wife found out and challenged him about it. But he was not sorry; he had become very proud because of his phenomenal success in business. Instead of taking the matter to court to file for a divorce, his wife took the matter to the leadership of their church. They summoned him, but he had become too busy to respond to the summons of the church. After this brother had shown that he no longer had regard for the authority of the church, they decided to break fellowship with him and treat him like an unbeliever (see Matthew 18:16-17). Three years later, all his very successful businesses had crashed and he was now in great debt. He was also in serious police trouble and now needed the help of his wife. His life was full of reproach and it was clear to everyone that his troubles were a result of the Church’s judgment. One reason Christians are tempted take each other to court [before unbelievers] is because they know that the judgment of a civil court would be enforced by the government of the land. But they fail to realize that when judgment is made by a living Church, it would be enforced by the most powerful government in the universe—Heaven enforces the judgments of the church, for whatever the church binds on earth is bound in heaven(see Matthew 18:18). Go into today remembering that no government on the earth has as much authority as the church of Christ. —Pastor SD Abraham Bible in 1 Year: John 3-4 (in today’s audio) To start getting Streamglobe Devotional Text & Audio on your WhatsApp, join our WhatsApp Group Here☞ https://chat.whatsapp.com/Am0twb9Vvz69f6T1pAUyom or Telegram Group☞ https://t.me/streamglobe1 Not sure you’re saved? Go Here☞ streamglobe.org/33 Streamglobe is nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. WhatsApp: +2348079816967 www.streamglobe.org Source: Devotional http://listen.streamglobe.org/Devotional%20Audio%201734.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
CHRISTIAN ARBITRATION 1
Download Audio Version☞ bit.ly/audio1733 1 Corinthians 6:3-5 (NET) Do you not know that we will judge angels? Why not ordinary matters! So if you have ordinary lawsuits, do you appoint as judges those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame! Is there no one among you wise enough to settle disputes between fellow Christians?Ian and Ronald both started an ICT company when they were undergraduates on campus. After seven years, the company had grown to become one of the top 100 companies in their country. After Ian got married, he decided it was time for him to go solo. Because Ronald felt cheated by this decision, he made it very difficult for Ian to leave the company. Ronald insisted that in leaving the company, Ian was sabotaging the company and couldn’t leave with 50% of the company’s assets and equity. Ian, on the other hand, wasn’t seeing things that way. He felt that since he owned 50% of the company, he was entitled to his 50% of the company’s assets and equity. Both of them strongly held to their positions and couldn’t seem to reach a compromise. Because both of them were true believers who loved the Lord, they both knew that taking each other to court was not the way to go. Because they attended different churches, they decided to take the matter before a pastor they both respected. This was the pastor that discipled them during their university days. When they told him about the issue, he called on another Christian elder (who was an experienced business school professor) to be part of the arbitration. Both Ian and Ronald agreed that they would abide by whatever judgment the pastor gave. This case involved billions of dollars. Go into today knowing that it is a shame for two believers to take their disputes before unbelievers. Doing so makes it much more difficult for us to witness to these same unbelievers. Remember that the gospel of the kingdom is the most important thing going on in the world today. Our minor issues should never be made to stand in the way of advancement of the gospel. —Pastor SD Abraham Bible in 1 Year: Daniel 1-6 (in today’s audio) To start getting Streamglobe Devotional Text & Audio on your WhatsApp, join our WhatsApp Group Here☞ https://chat.whatsapp.com/Am0twb9Vvz69f6T1pAUyom or Telegram Group☞ https://t.me/streamglobe1 Not sure you’re saved? Go Here☞ streamglobe.org/33 Streamglobe is nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. WhatsApp: +2348079816967 www.streamglobe.org Source: Devotional http://listen.streamglobe.org/Devotional%20Audio%201733.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
HOW TO USE PROPHECY
Download Audio Version☞ bit.ly/audio1732 Numbers 23:19 (KJV) God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? After being married for twelve years, mercy was still awaiting the fruit of the womb. She became desperate because she didn’t marry on time and her biological clock was no more in her favor. Her husband who used to be very sweet and kind had become sour, and her in-laws were no longer nice to her. As she cried to the Lord one night, she remembered a word of prophecy that came to her. The word said she was going to have three children and they were all going to be boys. As soon as she remembered that prophecy which she knew was from the Lord, she received strength again to pray. The first time that word of prophecy came to her, she believed it. But that night, she not only believed it but used it as a weapon of spiritual warfare with which she dispelled every doubt and unbelief in her heart. She conceived that same month. Faith (which is a shield) comes by hearing the word of God, but the word of God is also a sword. It is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17). In 1 Timothy 1:18, we see that Timothy was charged to use the prophecies he had received to war a good warfare. Prophecies are to be used not just kept in the recesses of the heart. When Daniel read the prophecies concerning Israel and it was appearing as if they were not going to be fulfilled, he started spiritual warfare, and his basis and weapons were the prophecies he had read(see Daniel 9:2). Go into today remembering that spiritual warfare is won by praying always in the Spirit, with the weapon of God’s word (Ephesians 6:12, 18). —SD Abraham Bible in 1 Year: Proverbs 16 (in today’s audio) To start getting Streamglobe Devotional Text & Audio on your WhatsApp, join our WhatsApp Group Here☞ https://chat.whatsapp.com/Am0twb9Vvz69f6T1pAUyom or Telegram Group☞ https://t.me/streamglobe1 Not sure you’re saved? Go Here☞ streamglobe.org/33 Streamglobe is nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. WhatsApp: +2348079816967 www.streamglobe.org Source: Devotional http://listen.streamglobe.org/Devotional%20Audio%201732.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
LIFE AND LIFESTYLE
Download Audio Version☞ bit.ly/audio1731 Titus 3:8(KJV) 8 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. What we have as believers is a kind of life; a God kind of life. Scriptures sometimes refer to it as eternal life (1st John 5:11&12, John 1:4-5, 12-13), meaning that in reality we received a new, kind of life in salvation. This is our reality. However we must know, this life is not just like a trophy we keep for bragging rights, but the rather, it manifests, it produces something. YOU SEE, THIS LIFE PRODUCES A LIFESTYLE. The scripture is replete with this emphasis. One scripture that encapsulates this truth in a profound way is Ephesians 2:8-10. 8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 it is not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them. You see, this salvation-life was received not by our works (of the law), HOWEVER, the life is designed to produce a work (of righteousness) in every one who receives it. It is therefore ignorance, foolishness or dishonesty to think that there is a disconnect between this life and the lifestyle of the recipient. We have received the God-kind of life, but this life produces godliness. Oh yeah, the hood does not make the monk, BUT THE MONK DOES WEAR A HOOD. IF YOU HAVE THE LIFE, LET IT PRODUCE THE ATTENDANT LIFESTYLE IN YOU. —Ikechukwu Mpama Bible in 1 Year: Psalms 93-95 (in today’s audio) To start getting Streamglobe Devotional Text & Audio on your WhatsApp, join our WhatsApp Group Here☞ https://chat.whatsapp.com/6jUj1xYszMUG0f1vXtObwQ or Telegram Group☞ https://t.me/streamglobe1 Not sure you’re saved? Go Here☞ streamglobe.org/33 Streamglobe is nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. WhatsApp: +2348079816967 www.streamglobe.org Source: Devotional http://listen.streamglobe.org/Devotional%20Audio%201731.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
THE SAINTS WILL JUDGE THE WORLD
Download Audio Version☞ bit.ly/audio1730 1 Corinthians 6:1-2 (NET) When any of you has a legal dispute with another, does he dare go to court before the unrighteous rather than before the saints?Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you not competent to settle trivial suits? When the Lord returns to this physical earth with we His saints and His glorious angels(Jude 1:14), we would have the resurrected glorified bodies and will have the power to take over the governments of this world (Rev 11:15). Every single corner of this earth will be under our control, and we will judge the men of the earth and rule over them (see Revelation 2:26-27, Matt 16:27). Naturally, they would try to resist us because we are coming to take over their governments, but they would not be able to resist us because unlike them, we would have indestructible bodies and super intelligence like the world has never seen. The Lord Jesus will set up the headquarters of His global government in Jerusalem, and His twelve apostles will be part of His top cabinet officials (Matt 19:28). Every believer who has served the Lord during his pilgrimage on earth will be given portfolios (thrones) in that glorious kingdom (Rev 3:21). Some will be given ten cities to govern; some five (see Luke 19:17, 19:19), depending on how they have served God now. For example, we know from scripture that King David will be made a prince (or governor) over the land of Israel (see Ezekiel 37:25). We are going to be people of great wisdom who will be able to rule the men of the earth and judge them, and we are supposed to start working in a foretaste of that wisdom because of the indwelling Holy Spirit. That’s the reason why as believers, we should not take our disputes before unbelievers to judge for us because these same unbelievers are the ones we will judge in our coming government. —Pastor SD Abraham Bible in 1 Year: I Chronicles 1-4 (in today’s audio) To start getting Streamglobe Devotional Text & Audio on your WhatsApp, join our WhatsApp Group Here☞ https://chat.whatsapp.com/6jUj1xYszMUG0f1vXtObwQ or Telegram Group☞ https://t.me/streamglobe1 Not sure you’re saved? Go Here☞ streamglobe.org/33 Streamglobe is nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. WhatsApp: +2348079816967 www.streamglobe.org Source: Devotional
WATCH YOUR COMPANY
Download Audio Version☞ bit.ly/audio1729 1 Corinthians 5:9-11 (KJV) I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. Because Tare was a believer, he would have never been that close to Tega if Tega were not also claiming to be a believer. Tare was very aware of God’s instruction that we should not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14), but he was not aware of the instruction in today’s Bible verses that says we should not keep company with anyone who says he is a brother, but who is an immoral person, or who still lives his life like an unbeliever. Many believers have fallen into the trap of Satan because they have kept company with so-called believers who are actually unbelievers (wolves in sheep clothing) or believers who have acute spiritual diseases and who should be on spiritual quarantine. Go into today remembering that you are to guard your heart with all diligence because out of it flows the springs of life (see Proverbs 4:23). One way to guard your heart is by being very careful about the company you keep. A man who would walk in the blessing of heaven is one who is careful with the company he keeps, and who delights in the word of the Lord (see Psalm 1:1-3). Prayer: Lord, help me from this day to keep company with those who would help me delight in His word and grow. —Pastor SD Abraham Bible in 1 Year: Leviticus 25-27 (in today’s audio) To start getting Streamglobe Devotional Text & Audio on your WhatsApp, join our WhatsApp Group Here☞ https://chat.whatsapp.com/6jUj1xYszMUG0f1vXtObwQ or Telegram Group☞ https://t.me/streamglobe1 Not sure you’re saved? Go Here☞ streamglobe.org/33 Streamglobe is nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. WhatsApp: +2348079816967 www.streamglobe.org Source: Devotional http://listen.streamglobe.org/Devotional%20Audio%201729.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()Subscribe: RSS
PURGE OUT THE LEAVEN 2
1 Corinthians 5:7-8 (KJV) Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. When Tare found out that the reason lust was in his heart was because Tega his new best friend was an acute womanizer, Tare decided to become a mouthpiece for Christ. He decided that he was going to ensure that all his conversations with Tega were centered on the word of God. He was no longer going to hide his faith and love for the Lord. After two weeks, Tega started avoiding him because he was not interested in ‘all that Jesus talk’. It wasn’t easy for Tare, but he knew he had purge out the old leaven of immorality by letting go of his close friendship with Tega, since Tega was not willing to be purged by the word. There are two kinds of leaven identified in today’s Bible verses. There is the old leaven which Apostle Paul was talking about when he was refereeing to the immorality in the church, and there is the other kind of leaven which is similar to the old leaven, but is more subtle and common among self-righteous believers. This leaven is called the leaven of malice and wickedness. Malice happens when believers refuse to forgive those that have offended them. Wickedness is when believers refuse to walk in love; let their light shine; and witness for Christ to a perishing world. In the Parable of Talents, the servant who hid and refused to use his talent was called a wicked servant (see Matt 25:26). Go into today remembering that it is as we escape the yeast of corruption that we become partakers of the divine nature through faith (see 2 Pet 1:4). Bible in 1 Year: II Thessalonians (in today’s audio) To get Streamglobe Devotional Text & Audio daily, join our WhatsApp Group Here☞ https://chat.whatsapp.com/6jUj1xYszMUG0f1vXtObwQ or Telegram Group☞ https://t.me/streamglobe1 Not sure you’re saved? Go Here☞ streamglobe.org/33 Streamglobe is nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. WhatsApp: +2348079816967 www.streamglobe.org Source: Devotional
The Tale of LeBron James and John Harvard
Lebron James Foundation: Free tuition-free uniforms, free transportation within 2 miles, free breakfast, lunch, & snacks. Guaranteed college tuition for every student who graduates. Food pantry for families. GED’s and job placement services for parents, free bicycle and helmet. HARVARD UNIVERSITY: “And as we were thinking and consulting how to effect this great work, it pleased God to stir up the heart of one Mr. Harvard (a godly gentleman and a lover of learning, there living among us) to give the one-half of his estate (it being in all about 1700 £) toward the erecting of a college, and all his library. After him, another gave 300 £; others after them cast in more, and the public hand of the state added the rest.” I write this to add my voice to the debate about private universities built by donations from church members, more so, as comparisons grow with the free ‘I Promise’ school of Lebron James. However, I wish to address a deeper issue which concerns seeing ‘free’ as the only charitable or good cause. The story of these two men (Harvard and Lebron) is as old as time and as new as now. It is the story of the good white guy vs. the good black guy; the story of the developed world vs. the underdeveloped; the wealthy society vs. the poor society; capitalist vs. socialist mind-set; right vs. left, Caucasian vs. people of color. Over time, the accumulated evidence has become overwhelming: “Only economically sustainable models are sustainable.” Charity does not always mean free, John Harvard gave up half his wealth for the building of a University that charged heavily and was still appreciated by Americans. In the same light, it is time to appreciate the free giving of church members towards the creation of financially sustainable Universities that do not depend on government funding (Many of whom are gradually changing the tides of education). Indeed, my children may never attend these schools, but they will be employed by the jobs created from the resulting inventions; treated with the drugs from the researches and ultimately live in the robust economy that the graduates from this institution contribute to. Yes, we have given from our little to build several church universities, and I am glad that Nigerians are not weary of giving. For the giving is for posterity or as the founders of Harvard University put it “dreading to leave [an] illiterate [country] when our present ministers shall lie in the dust”. John Harvard and company were apparently concerned about the literacy level in the society, just like Lebron James and indeed a lot of us. However, the approaches could not have been more different. While the Church leadership in Nigeria seem to be blessed by the wisdom of John Harvard, some members and a lot of Nigerians (sadly even people of color around the world) seem to be lacking and even upset by this wisdom. #Selah. NB: This does not in any way seek to undermine the good work of Mr. Lebron James or disparage the goodness of free things such as scholarships (e.g. Harvard scholarships, Orphanages). However, it is no secret that regardless of the intent, third world countries and people of color have achieved less than desired with its approach and policies and I believe it starts with not knowing the difference between ‘free’ and ‘affordable’. —Dr. Ohize Stephen. Email: ohizeso@gmail.com For Streamglobe Devotional to the Church.
PURGE OUT THE LEAVEN
Download Audio Version☞ bit.ly/audio1727 1 Corinthians 5:7 (KJV) Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us When Tare moved from Warri to Lagos, he got in touch with Tega his best friend on campus. They were so excited to meet again and they continued their friendship as before. But Tare was now happily married while Tega was a womanizer who could not keep his marriage together. Tare really loved his wife and had eyes for no other woman. But after living six months in Lagos, with continuous fellowship with Tega, he noticed that his love for his wife was now waxing cold. And he was becoming drawn to other ladies in the office. He couldn’t understand what was happening to him. He had vowed never to cheat on his wife, but it was now becoming very difficult to keep his vow. After almost falling into adultery with a lady in the office, he decided it was time to seek help. He talked to his pastor about his struggles while he waited on the Lord concerning this issue. Through the guidance of his pastor, he discovered that he had been affected by the spiritual disease of his new best friend. He was advised to break close fellowship with this friend if he wanted his marriage to survive. There were two reasons why Apostle Paul commanded that the man who was cohabiting with his father’s wife be removed from fellowship with the church. The first reason was so that he would come to repentance after he had suffered the consequences of separation from the spiritual covering of the church. The second reason was because Apostle Paul didn’t want the yeast of his iniquity to spread among the brethren. Iniquity is like a contagious disease. That’s why believers are warned not to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers (see 2 Cor 6:14) and not to keep company with ‘believers’ who behave like unbelievers (see 1 Cor 5:11). —Pastor SD Abraham Bible in 1 Year: John 1-2 (in today’s audio) To start getting Streamglobe Devotional Text & Audio on your WhatsApp, join our WhatsApp Group Here☞ https://chat.whatsapp.com/6jUj1xYszMUG0f1vXtObwQ or Telegram Group☞ https://t.me/streamglobe1 Not sure you’re saved? Go Here☞ streamglobe.org/33 Streamglobe is nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. WhatsApp: +2348079816967 www.streamglobe.org Source: Devotional
THE AUTHORITY OF THE CHURCH
Download Audio Version☞ bit.ly/audio1726 1 Corinthians 5:5-6 (NET) turn this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast affects the whole batch of dough? In the Corinthian Church, there was a man who was cohabiting with his father’s wife, and this man was still freely fellowshipping with the church without any shame. I don’t know why they didn’t appear to see anything wrong with this. Clearly, those who reported the matter to Paul did, but for some reason, the church was still moving on as if nothing was wrong. In judging this matter, Paul commanded that this man should be turned over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh. What does this mean? You see, every true church assembly (as represented by the leadership) has great authority in heaven because the church is the body of Christ. Jesus told the Apostles that whoever’s Sin the church forgives is forgiven and whoever’s Sin the church retains is retained (see John 20:23). He also told them that whatever the church binds on earth is bound in heaven (see Matt 18:17-18). Such is the authority of the apostolic church.Every believer has protection from Satan (the prince of this world) because he or she becomes a member of Christ’s body by virtue of his faith in the Lord. But if a church assembly decides to [temporarily] sever themselves from a member because of his embarrassing and shameful conduct, such a believer will no longer enjoy the covering and protection of the church, and will now be exposed to Satan’s assault. If that believer was rightly judged by his church assembly, but rebelliously goes to join himself to another group of believers, if that group accepts him in spite of his rebellion, that group will share in his iniquity and share in his judgement because they have refused to discern the body of the Lord and have ‘laid hands on him suddenly'(see 1 Tim 5:22).Go into today remembering that the church of Christ has more authority than any human government and every member of this body has access to the authority of Christ. —Pastor SD Abraham Bible in 1 Year: Ezekiel 43-48 (in today’s audio) To start getting Streamglobe Devotional Text & Audio on your WhatsApp, join our WhatsApp Group Here☞ https://chat.whatsapp.com/6jUj1xYszMUG0f1vXtObwQ or Telegram Group☞ https://t.me/streamglobe1 Get free sermons here☞ streamglobe.org/34 Streamglobe is nondenominational. Kindly share this Devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together. WhatsApp: +2348079816967 Source: Devotional