Are You A Fresh Or Stale Christain? 1
[10/19, 6:08 AM] faithemm2015: OPEN HEAVENS 2023 DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUE, OCT 17, 2023
TOPIC: ARE YOU A FRESH OR STALE CHRISTAIN? 1
MEMORISE:
"And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." - (Matthew 18:3)
READ: Matthew 18:1-6 (KJV)
MESSAGE:
When there is an evangelistic outreach, the most beautiful part of the Scripture is usually preached so that unbelievers in attendance can be won for Jesus. The preacher would typically tell the congregation that when they come to Jesus Christ, they would find healing, deliverance, freedom, promotion and so on, and indeed, all these are true. Once they give their lives to Christ, they become fresh Christians. Fresh Christians are however, required to remain fresh at all times, just as we see in our Bible reading today. Yes, new converts are baby Christians who should grow into spiritual maturity, but they must never lose their freshness in Christ as they constantly renew their minds (Romans 12:2).
There are many distinct characteristics of fresh Christians. The very first thing is an insatiable hunger to know the word of God (1 Peter 2:2). People who just genuinely gave their lives to Christ don't go late for fellowship. They even usually sit in front where there would be no distractions because they just have this strong desire for the word of God. Unfortunately, you see many people who have been born again for a long time forgetting this desire they once had. When you mature, you are supposed to advance to strong meat, but many fail to do this and rather become stale though they usually claim they have become mature. A Christian becomes stale when he or she stops feeding on the word of God daily.
Beloved, if you no longer spend quality time studying your Bible daily, you are becoming a stale Christian. Unless that hunger returns and you begin to feed on the word of God daily again, you are a dying Christian.
Another distinct characteristic of fresh Christians is that they cannot stop talking about Jesus. They are not ashamed of Christ at all. A Christian who has become stale however, will see himself or herself as too big to preach the gospel to everyone, forgetting Jesus' command in Mark 16:15 and His warning in Matthew 10:33.
Freshness or staleness in Christ is not determined by how long you have been born again, but by your attitude towards the things of God.
REFLECTION:
When was the last time you won a soul for Christ?
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Mark 10-11
HYMNAL:
Hymn 12 - Onward, Christian soldiers!
Install the Open Heavens 2023 devotional app on play store.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=virosoft.rccg.oh2023
[10/19, 6:08 AM] faithemm2015: SEEDS OF DESTINY DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY DR PASTOR PAUL ENENCHE
THURSDAY 19 OCTOBER, 2023.
TOPIC: THE TRAGEDY OF GLORIFYING THE DEVIL.
SCRIPTURE: For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep… ACTS 13:36A.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Ensure that you glorify God in everything you do.
There used to be a man called Elvis Presley, “the king of rock” as he was called. He was said to have been raised in the church.
I once watched his recorded performance of the songs, Amazing Grace and How Great Thou Art with his deep baritone voice combined with amazing vocal effects; it was awesome and impactful.
But afterwards, he drifted away from the faith and handed himself to the devil. He started singing songs that glorified the devil. Consequently, he died on drugs. Elvis Presley faded away in shame because he decided to glorify the devil with his potentials.
Similarly, Michael Jackson also sang in the church but after a while, he got into the world. He began to glorify the devil with his potentials, and died miserably.
There are many people today who are glorifying the devil with what was graciously given to them by God. How could a person use the voice that Jehovah gave him for the worship of His Name, to sing immoral songs glorifying the devil? Why would God give you voice, wisdom, graces, etc. and you use them to celebrate His enemy, satan, the devil? How would you stand before God in Judgment?
There are people who have the gifts of making people laugh but they are making unclean jokes. Some of the jokes are full of lies. You do not need to tell lies to make jokes. There are clean and healthy jokes that can make the heart merry and do good like medicine.
Beloved, ensure that you glorify God in everything you do. Never use any divine gift to the glory of the devil. Do not use your gifts and talents for ordinary entertainment without impacting lives positively. Ensure you can defend before God in eternity, how you used your potentials on earth.
REMEMBER THIS: Ensure that you glorify God in everything you do.
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Ask for mercy if you have ever used your potentials to glorify or promote the kingdom of darkness.
2. Channel your gifts and potentials towards making positive impact on earth and glorifying the Name of God.
3. Refuse to bow to the pressures of glorifying the devil with your potentials no matter the money, fame or promises involved.
PRAYER: Thank you Lord. The life, resources, and potentials you gave me are all Yours. Use me, and use them all for Your glory, Lord, in Jesus’ Name.
For Further Understanding, Get This Message: Purpose and Destiny Pointers.
DAILY BIBLE READING: Mark 11-13.
QUOTE: Once you can conquer yourself, you can conquer your world... When you are defeated by yourself, you can be defeated by anyone and anything. Culled from “21 Foolish Things People Do” by Dr Paul Enenche.
AMAZING FACT: Octopuses can taste with their arms.
PROPHETIC DECLARATION/WORD: May the grace to glorify the Lord with your life be released on you, in Jesus’ Name.
