Thoughts of Our Fathers (TOF)

READ: Acts 1:1-8
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be lotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Acts 3:19

Does the rain fall all the time? Certainly not. There is a time for the rain to fall and similarly there is a time for the Holy Spirit to come upon your life.

Just as there is a time for you to receive salvation, God has also scheduled a time for you to receive the Holy Spirit and become anointed. The Holy Spirit does not haphazardly fall on people irrespective of the time.

Notice in the Scripture below that the disciples were asked to wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit fell on them at a particular time and they had to wait for it.

To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

The gift of the Holy Spirit is the most precious thing you could ever have from God. God wants to bless you but if you are not prepared to wait, you will not receive it. If you are not ready when it is time you will miss the pouring out of the Holy Spirit.

…Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments…. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.
Psalm 112:1,7

Are you ready to face a crisis? Don't wait until one hits to find out. Prepare yourself now.

That's what a couple of my Partners did. They faced a situation that would have made many people panic. But when the crisis hit, their hearts were so deeply established on the Word of God that their first response was not one of fear but of faith.

What affected me most when I heard their testimony was one particular phrase they kept using:

No Deposit—No Return

What they meant by that was that if you don't take the time to deposit the Word in your heart now, it won't be there later when you really need it. You'll end up in a crisis with only doubt and unbelief instead of the faith and power you need to see you through. In a situation like the one this couple faced, that could be deadly.

You see, their 2-year-old son had suffered a fall that had cracked his skull and critically injured his neck. He had no feeling in his arms and legs and was unable to move. Yet as they rushed him to the emergency room, a great sense of peace rested on them. Rather than crying with fear, they prayed in faith and declared, "By Jesus' stripes, our son is healed!"

Sure enough, within hours, their boy was totally restored. Even the X-rays verified the fact that a miracle had taken place.

What's important to understand about that story is this: The victory was not won when the damage to that little boy's body disappeared. It was won all during the days and weeks and months before when his parents were listening to tapes and studying the Word and praying in the spirit. It was won because these people had spent time building a foundation on the Word so that when this storm came, they were able to stand.

Now is the time for you to build a rock-solid foundation! Don't wait around until you're faced with a crisis. Get the Word in your heart in abundance now, so when you really need it, it will flow out in power.

Remember: No deposit—no return.

Start making those precious deposits today!



Scripture Reading:

Psalm 112

Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.
—1 Peter 5:7

God is always present in our lives—waiting to take over the heavy burdens we have if we will release them to Him. Like any loving father, He wants to help us handle our affairs just because He loves and cares for us. If we want to experience the peace that God desires for each of us, we must learn to cast ourselves and our cares completely into His hands…permanently.

Instead of giving our cares and burdens over to God completely and letting them remain with Him, many of us go to God in prayer just to get some temporary relief. After a while, we wander away and soon find ourselves struggling under the weight of the same old familiar burdens and cares—trying all the while to be more independent. The only way to really get rid of these burdens is to overcome the temptation to be independent people, placing ourselves totally in God’s hands.

We must not allow ourselves to reach back and re-grab those things that we’ve already given over to Him. It’s not our job to give guidance, counsel, or direction to God. Our job is to simply trust God with what is going on in our lives, having faith that He will let us know what is best for us.

God is God—and we aren’t. As easy as that is to understand, it’s hard for people who have been independent to walk it out in their daily lives. If we will yield ourselves and our burdens to Him and give up trying to be so independent, He will teach us His ways and care for us much better than we could ever care for ourselves.

Trust in Him: You don’t have to go through life independently. Trust yourself to God’s care every day, and have faith that He will let you know what is best for you.

Memorise: And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. Matthew 24:11
Read: 1st Timothy 4:1-2 (KJV)

1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;




Bible in one year: Exodus 38:21-40:38, Psalms 119:97-112
MESSAGE
The Bible tells us about the things that will happen to mark the end of this world and the beginning of eternal life. Beginning with the rapture, there will be extreme joy for those that will be found on the Lord’s side, while there will be extreme pain and sorrow for those that will be found on the devil’s side. Open Heavens Tuesday 13 December 2016:- signs of the last days. As the curtain begins to be drawn over the activities of this world, the trumpet will sound. Then, Jesus Christ will appear physically in the sky with overwhelming glory, to raise the dead, judge the world, destroy every opposition to God, and consummate His everlasting Kingdom.


Believers from the Bible days prepared for His return, waiting the eagerness and joy, but rapture didn’t happen. It was with this in mind that the disciples asked Jesus questions about what would be the signs of the last days in Matthew 24:3:


“… the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”

The same two important questions that the whole world still asks till date are: when shall these things be? What shall be the signs? Fortunately, the Bible does not beat around the bush about the first question (when), Jesus clearly states that nobody knows the exact time except the father. Note that Jesus preceded the answer with a warning, “Take heed that no man deceive you”. Open heavens devotional 2016.
Never believe anyone that gives you a date or timetable for the Second Coming of Jesus, no matter how advanced the mathematical theory may seem. Jesus however spoke extensively on the signs of the last days; the Bible has enough information to help Christians make adequate preparations for the Second Coming of Christ. Matthew 24:1-15 speaks volumes and 1st Timothy 4:1 says:


“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devil;”


The key things to look out for are these; false prophets, lovers of self, wars and rumours of war, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, persecution, betrayal, iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold, some shall depart from the faith, seducing spirits, doctrines of devils, hypocrisy. All these are presently happening at an alarming rate all over the world. Children of God should pay special attention to false prophets with teachings that are contrary to the Word of God. Any teaching that cannot be substantiated with the Bible belongs to the devil; avoid them and their messages like a plague. Be warned.

Matthew 28:18–19

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore…

When God created man, He gave man authority to have dominion over everything on earth. (Genesis 1:26) But when man sinned, he gave this authority to Satan. And when man's authority was transferred to Satan, Satan brought in diseases, poverty, strife, bitterness, pain, loss and death. He messed up everything on earth for man.

"Pastor Prince, why didn't God just grab the devil by the neck and throw him out of the garden?" God did not do that because He is a judicial God. It was a man who gave away his authority to Satan. So it had to be a man who would legally take it back. And God has done this through a Man. His name is Jesus!

By His death on the cross, Jesus righteously restored all that man had lost. That is why, just before He went back to heaven, He said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore…” Those words tell us that He has transferred His authority to us. The same authority that He had over the storm, evil spirits, sicknesses, diseases and even death is now ours to use.

So when there are reports of a flu epidemic and of young children falling sick in the media, know that you have dominion over the epidemic. Declare, “By the authority given to me in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, this flu virus will not come near my children. I plead the blood of Jesus over them.”

If you have been told that your family has a history of heart disease, take dominion and declare, “By the authority given to me in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I destroy every form, manifestation and hereditary cause of this disease. By His blood, my family has been redeemed from this and every other curse.”

My friend, the authority which has been restored to us is not just the authority on earth which man had before the fall, but Jesus’ unquestionable and complete authority in heaven and on earth!

The rest is in your hands.

Life moves in cycles.

The earth’s progression through the four seasons ensures maturation and renewal; the ice caps of winter melt into the streams of spring.

Our relationships follow similar cycles. There are some that come into our lives for a lifetime while others only for a season.

Surely, those that walk out of our lives are not always bad people – sometimes their part in our story is just over. We may have lost our spouse, partner or best friend simply because no matter how hard we tried to make it work, our values were no longer aligned. We shaved down the edges of the square peg, trying to force it into a round hole, but it just doesn’t fit – and we know it.

Although we believed they would be in our lives forever, their season has come to an end.



Everyone reminds you that you will heal from this, yet you wish you could believe that.

Some might say that it takes half the length of the relationship to heal from the loss, while others say that after a month things will start to feel better. Yet, a recent study found that it actually takes just three months for the grief to turn into greater self-awareness and healing; just hold on a little longer.

The reality of this loss might have left us physically ill, bewildered, heartbroken and searching for answers. Yet, the more we overthink things, the sharper the hurt. We lessen the hurt by realizing that our story continues.

We are not defined by this loss!

We can choose to channel the pain into service to others and a greater caring for ourselves.

And truthfully, if all we can do to start healing today is to sit quietly yet a little longer, so be it. Never doubt that their chapter might be over, but our story goes on.

A clearer head and heart move us on to the next season of our lives.

READ: Mark 11:12-21
And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever...

Mark 11:14

The story of Jesus cursing the fig tree is not readily understood by most Christians.

“And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it” (Mark 11:13-14).

“And in the morning, as they passed by , they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away” (Mark 11:20-21).

Why should Jesus curse a tree which does not have fruits for Him to eat? Another question is, why did Jesus curse the tree knowing that it was not the season for figs? The answer to these questions is simple: There is a time that God expects fruit from you. If you do not have the fruits when He wants them you may receive a deathly curse. “For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned” (Hebrews 6:7-8).

With everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy redeemer. —Isaiah 54:8

If God is all-powerful and all-loving, it would seem inconsistent with His nature to allow anyone to be lost. Here again we rationalize because we do not understand the nature of God. God cannot go against His own laws and against His own nature. God is holy. He cannot tolerate sin in His presence. He created us free to choose how we would live. He invites us to come His way, but leaves us free to pursue our own ends with tragic, natural consequences. We glibly say, “Surely a loving God would not allow a person He loves to be lost. He just wouldn’t allow it.” Far from allowing it, God has done everything He can to prevent it! Talk about love! “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son . . . ” This is good news. Because of what God in love has done for us, we need not be lost.

Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.
Proverbs 16:3, The Amplified Bible

Right now you may be on the edge of a major decision...about to make a change in your job or your church or your personal life. You know you need divine guidance. And you're hoping desperately to hear from the Lord.

If that's your situation, don't panic. Being led by the Lord isn't some complicated process that only the spiritual "pros" can master.

I found that out years ago when I was a new believer. I wanted to live in a way that was pleasing to God, but I didn't know how to make decisions that were in line with His will.

Then one day as I was studying The Amplified Bible, I came across Proverbs 16:3. Immediately, I latched on to this verse and began to use it in my life—and I can tell you now from experience, it works!

It will work for you too if you'll do what it says. Roll your works over on God, commit your ways to Him, trust them wholly to Him. He'll start adjusting your thoughts to be like His until, at some point, you'll just know the right thing to do. Of course, faith is involved. One of the requirements is trust, and you won't be able to do that without feeding on God's Word. Then as you practice rolling your works upon the Lord and trusting Him, you become more confident in your ability to hear. Start now with whatever problem is bothering you. Pray and trust God with it. In other words, believe you receive when you pray. Stop worrying and begin believing.

Learn to live this way and it doesn't matter whether you've been a Christian 30 minutes or 30 years, your plans shall be established and succeed!


Scripture Reading:

Psalm 37:1-7