REDUCE TO WRITING -PROVERBS 25:1-15 KEY VERSE: "These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out" (Proverb 25:1). Can you imagine a world without history, without writing and without documentation? Most important events and persons would have been lost forever! Today’s text starts with the introduction of how the entire chapter 25 of Proverbs came to be. It was copied out by the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah. The basic difference between divinely inspired truth and mere history is that all divine truths started out with the glory of God in mind and God was involved in moving men to write. Though most historical writings are at best to preserve knowledge, divinely inspired truths are well beyond history. The entire verses of this chapter are laden with eternal truths that are still relevant to us. Verses 2 to 7 speak about relationships with God and leadership. We are taught both spiritual truths and intellectual insights as to how ...

OPEN HEAVENS 2017 CURE FOR BACKSLIDING – Friday April 21st 2017 Memorise:  Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; Acts 3:19 Read:  Jeremiah 3:11-15 (KJV) 11 And the Lord said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah. 12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever. 13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord. 14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: 15 And I will...

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES FRIDAY, 21ST APRIL. HE'S BROUGHT YOU INTO “A LARGE PLACE”. He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me (Psalm 18:19). “A large place” means a wealthy place; being born again, you’re the seed of Abraham, and a joint heir with Christ. Effectively, this means the whole world belongs to you. It’s too late for you to be poor or be counted as the poor. The only way you can be poor is by choice or ignorance, because God has already brought you out of poverty into your wealthy place. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says, “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” Notice that it doesn’t say, “…so that ye might pray to be rich,” no; He’s already done it. In Christ Jesus, you’ve been made rich. The Holy Spirit, writing to the Church through Paul, dec...

The Gift of Giving Tim Gustafson Luke 3:7–14 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion.  2 Corinthians 9:7 A pastor breathed life into the phrase “He’d give you the shirt off his back” when he gave this unsettling challenge to his church: “What would happen if we took the coats off our backs and gave them to the needy?” Then he took his own coat and laid it at the front of the church. Dozens of others followed his example. This was during the winter, so the trip home was less comfortable that day. But for dozens of people in need, the season warmed up just a bit. When John the Baptist roamed the Judean wilderness, he had a stern warning for the crowd that came to hear him. “You brood of vipers!” he said. “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (Luke 3:7–8). Startled, they asked him, “What should we do then?” He responded with this adv...

APRIL 20 Afraid to Stray Devotional by John Piper Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind! (Psalm 31:19) Consider two important truths in Psalm 31:19. 1. The goodness of the Lord There is a peculiar goodness of God. That is, there is not only God’s general goodness that he shows to all people, making his sun rise on the evil and the good (Matthew 5:45), but also a peculiar goodness, as the psalm says, for “those who fear” him. This goodness is abundant beyond measure. It is boundless. It lasts forever. It is all-encompassing. There is only goodness for those who fear him. Everything works together for their good (Romans 8:28). Even their pains are filled with profit according to Romans 5:3–5. But those who do not fear him receive a temporary goodness. Romans 2:4–5 describe it like this: “Do you presume on the riches ...

Go with the Flow by Joyce Meyer - posted April 20, 2017 But the meek [in the end] shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. —Psalm 37:11 We can learn to get along with people. It is especially important to learn to get along with our immediate family members and coworkers. There are many informative books about personality differences to help us understand why people feel and act the way they do. Understanding helps to smooth over strained relationships. People make decisions differently. Some give an immediate answer, while others want time to think about things first. Try to understand the people you will see today. Ask God to show you ways to get along with them. He will give you favor as you trust in Him.

OPEN HEAVENS 2017 BACKSLIDER-IN-HEART II – Thursday April 20th 2017 Memorise:  For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. 2nd Timothy 4:10 Read : Judges 14:5-10 (King James Version) 5 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. 6 And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. 7 And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. 8 And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. 9 And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and th...