People Are More Important Than Things by Joyce Meyer - posted March 17, 2017 Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the , love for the Father is not in him. —1 John 2:15 One day my previous housekeeper was cooking a roast for us in the pressure cooker. She did something wrong and the valve blew off the top, shooting steam, roast, grease, potatoes, and carrots straight up into the air. The ceiling fan above the stove was on full speed. It caught the food and grease and sent them flying all over the kitchen walls, ceiling, floor, furniture—and the housekeeper. When I came home from work, she was sitting in a corner of the kitchen, crying. She looked so bad I thought she had received some tragic news. I finally got her to tell me what had happened; and when she did, I started laughing. By the time Dave came in, she and I were both laughing hysterically. She said, "I've destroyed your kitchen!" I remember telling her...

FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017 UNCLEAN MADE CLEAN -LEVITICUS 15:1-18 KEY VERSE: "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man hath a running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is unclean" (Leviticus 15:2). Generally, the Mosaic Law spoke of something as "unclean" if it was unfit to be used in worship to God. Being "clean" or "unclean" was a ceremonial designation governing the ritual of corporate worship. For example, there were certain animals, like pigs, considered unclean and therefore not to be used in sacrifices; and there were certain actions, like touching a dead body, that made a living person unclean and temporarily unable to participate in the worship ceremony. In the text, God declared any man with a running issue from his flesh unclean, including his beddings, clothes and the saddle he sits upon. Whatever and whoever he came in contact with, was to be declared unclean likewise and had to meet c...

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES FRIDAY, 17TH MARCH. GROWING STRONG AND STURDY IN FAITH. And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:1). In 1 Peter 2:2, the Bible says, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” Peter, here, was referring to Christians who had just newly received salvation and needed to feed on the sincere milk of the Word to help them grow, which is okay. But, in 1 Corinthians 3, Paul wasn’t referring to new converts. He used the Greek word “nepios” which refers to someone who is childish in behaviour, attitude, understanding, and particularly, communication. He rebuked the “nepios” for their continued need for milk though they were no longer children. He said, “I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able” (1 Corinthians 3:2). It’s like when we tell people who have been Christia...

open heavens march 17 2017 devotional hosts at heaven's gate HOSTS AT HEAVEN’S GATE – Friday March 17th 2017 Memorise: Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:2 Read: Colossians 3:1-4 (KJV) 1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Bible in one year: Exodus 11-12, Isaiah 62, Hymn: Sing hymn 15 MESSAGE: In the world we live in today, a lot of people are overwhelmed by sorrow and are living in depression. It is therefore no accident that one of the crucial assignments of the Holy Spirit is the work of the comforting the sorrowful and uplifting the depressed (John 16:6-7). His comfort shifts your focus away from your fears, wipes away your t...

FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2107 THANK YOU JESUS TEXT: 17: 15-16A BIBLE TEXT: "And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks" (Luke 17: 15-16a). Saying "˜thank you' to someone who has been of help to you in any way, is a sign of gratitude, and it gives joy to the helper. When people show appreciation for a kind gesture, room is created for more benevolent acts.  In the Old Testament dispensation, thanksgiving and first fruit offerings were made to appreciate God's blessings. "One who forgets the language of gratitude can never be on speaking terms with happiness," C. Nail Strait declared. Our text tells of the story of ten lepers who cried to Jesus for healing. He healed them all but only one, a Samaritan, remembered to turn back to say, thank you to Jesus. Sadly, many youths today behave like the nine ungrateful lepers. They ask God for p...

After You David McCasland Genesis 13:1–18 Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left. Genesis 13:9 In some cultures a younger person is expected to permit his elder to enter a room first. In others, the most important or highest ranking individual enters first. No matter what our traditions, there are times when we find it difficult to allow someone to choose first on important matters, especially when that privilege rightfully belongs to us. Abram (later called Abraham) and his nephew Lot had so many flocks, herds, and tents that the land could not support both of them as they traveled together. To avoid conflict, Abram suggested they part company and generously gave Lot first choice of the land. His nephew took the fertile Jordan Valley, leaving Abram with the less desirable land. Abram did not insist on his rights as the elder in this situation but trusted his future to...

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FREEDOM Today’s Scripture: Romans 8:20-21 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. Booker T. Washington, in his book, Up from Slavery, describes the scenes among the blacks on the night of the Proclamation of their freedom. “There was no sleep that night,” he says. “All was excitement and expectancy. Early in the morning we were all sent for. The Proclamation was read and we were told that we were free and could go when and where we pleased… there was great rejoicing, followed by wild scenes of ecstasy. “But,” he goes on to say, “The wild rejoicing did not last long.  By the time the coloured people had returned to their cabins, there was a marked change in their feelings. The great responsibility of being free seemed to take possession of them. It was ve...