Watch the Friends You Keep

TEXT: 2 CHRONICLES 18:1-12

KEY VERSE: “Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab” (2 Chronicles 18:1).

The spiritual declension of Solomon began when he established illicit relationships with “strange women” (1 Kings 11:4). A similar thing also happened to Jehoshaphat who had been blessed and honoured by God for his commitment to Him.

However, he entered into friendship with Ahab, a wicked king. He even arranged for his son to marry Athaliah, Ahab’s daughter who would later become a tyrant and introduce idolatry in Judah. Ahab made a big feast for Jehoshaphat and his entourage in Samaria. Ahab also cleverly convinced Jehoshaphat to enter into a military alliance with him. But Jehoshaphat who still retained his godliness, would not go to war without asking counsel of God. Ahab promptly produced 400 of his hired prophets who urged them to go to war with a promise of victory. Jehoshaphat was not fooled, hence he specifically asked for “a prophet of the Lord”. Even when Prophet Micaiah told the truth as directed by the Lord with regard to the outcome of the battle, this would not still dissuade Jehoshaphat from going to war, where he was almost killed.

Christians, whether leaders or not, who make friends with unbelievers, compromise righteous values, and will have their spiritual awareness dulled. They would become insensitive to the leading of the Spirit of God and spineless to resist the allurement of the wicked people to go into sin. If they continue in that downward slide, they would soon lose their relationship with the Lord completely. Such people would normally desire to be told only what they want to hear. But believers must stand on the unchanging word of God. For it is only the truth that can set man free.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: “Evil communication corrupts good manners”

By Creation and by Choice

TEXT: PSALM 116:10-19

KEY VERSE: “I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people” (Psalm 116:14).

The prophet Jonah had to put up with an avoidable stay in the bosom of a big fish. He could have escaped this if he had paid his vows to God earlier. It was an insight that dawned on him as the great sea creature tossed him to and fro. What are your vows too? Is it not total devotion to God and His cause for the great salvation He brought to us through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ.

What can the pardoned sinner render unto God in exchange for His goodness? Or, what can those who have been delivered from trouble or distress give in appreciation for God’s magnanimity? The best gift we can offer God is unreserved submission and devotion of ourselves and all that we have to His service.

The Psalmist said, in his own case: “I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.” He said he would take up the cup of consolation, the benefit God bestowed unto him and taste of His love in them.

We have numerous causes for which to praise God and to give up ourselves unto Him. We are His own by creation and by redemption. We equally belong to Him by His manifold investments and endowments in our lives. And we need to rightly recognise ourselves as His servants indeed. How wonderful to give birth to children and to raise them in godly homes! If God has mercifully loosened our bonds, we are thus twofold servants of His, for we cannot afford to use our new-found liberty to serve an enemy to our new Master and Redeemer.

We should follow the Psalmist’s example, who willingly offered to God without being ashamed of anyone, and without boasting about it. Such are the true saints of God, in whose lives and deaths He will be glorified.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Render sacrificial service to God.

You need to see this........

This video clip from Pastor Joseph Prince really touched me and i know someone will be bless too by listening and watching the video, i telling you will be bless too. Thanks be to our Lord Jesus Christ for given us His life.
See the video below.Enjoy!!!!

Recipes: Chocolate Strawberry Oasis Pie, YUMMY YUMMY

Ingredients:

For Crust:
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 ounce bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
7 ounces chocolate wafer cookies (about 30 cookies)
1 pint strawberries, trimmed and halved

For Filling:
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch of salt
6 large egg yolks
2 1/2 cups whole milk
6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 tablespoon bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Lightly spray a 9-inch pie dish with nonstick spray. Place the butter and chopped chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, heat on high for 30 seconds or until just melted. Stir until smooth. Finely grind cookies in processor. Add chocolate mixture and process until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture into prepared pie dish. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Arrange strawberry halves in a single layer in the bottom of the crust.

For filling, whisk sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, spices, and salt in heavy medium saucepan to combine. Whisk in egg yolks to form thick paste. Gradually whisk in milk, then whisk over medium-high heat until mixture thickens and boils 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Whisk in bourbon and vanilla. Cool 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Pour filling over strawberries until level with the top edge of the crust (you may not use all the filling). Chill until set, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. Top with fresh whipped cream and more strawberries, if desired.

Read more at loveandoliveoil.com

OPEN YOUR MOUTH WIDE

I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide, and I will fill

it. Psalm 81:10

The movie "Blank Check" tells the story of a young boy who finds a blank cheque complete with the signature! His imagination begins to run wild. He thinks about cashing the cheque for $1,000 then $10,000.

He finally decides to make the cheque out for $1 million. The boy takes the cheque to the bank to have it cashed.

Now we all know that in order to cash a cheque, the money has to be in the account.Amazingly, the cheque is good and he leaves the bank with $1 million cash!

God's promises are like the blank cheque that the little boy found. As we read the Bible, we find many promises that the Lord has left for us to claim.

Through those promises, we are able to draw on the limitless supply of God's account in heaven.

From Genesis to Revelation, there are blank cheques to cover our health, peace, marriage, children, labour or any other area of our lives.

Some find their 'blank cheque' as they study God's Word for their daily devotion; others find their cheque as they listen to the preaching of the word or as they read an inspired Christian book.

Each of those promises are made up of simple words but behind those simple words are the power that created the entire universe.

Like the young boy, you can decide how much you want to claim from the promises of God. You receive according to the level of your faith and trust in the Lord.

Will you limit God's power, or believe Him without reservation? The cheque is in your hands; write the amount you want.

Prayer: Lord, I believe in Your promises and claim them in the name of Jesus.

Scriptural Reading: Psalm 81-1 -16

LET US PRAY

"Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him. Children born to a young man

are like arrows in a warrior’s hands. How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!
He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates." Psalm 127:3-5(NLT)

Today is Children's Day and we rejoice with all the children around the globe. We know that "Jesus loves the little children; all the children of the world; whether yellow, black, or white; they are precious in His sight; Jesus loves the little children of the world!" But we also know that satan loves not our children and he is after them vehemently because he knows, just like we do, that they are the future and if he can lay hold of them now, then, he has the future in his hands - GOD FORBID!!!

Our task this morning is simple - we are going to pray! Today, we pray for the preservation of children all over the world. We pray against every assault and onslaught of the enemy targeted at their destinies. We pray for their future, which is ours too. We pray for God's divine touch upon their lives.

We will particularly pray for:
1. Every child or children you know (born and unborn; conceived and yet-to-be-conceived). To follow the way and the truth of the Lord, Bible say you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.
2. All the children in the nations of the world (known and unknown).
3. All the less privileged children - orphans and vulnerable children
4. The Chibok girls (we want God to secure their release and bring them back to their parents).

We have the Spirit of God and He leads us in the place of prayer. Let us pray - as the Spirit leads.

Between Children And Parents

TEXT: EPHESIANS 6:1-4

KEY VERSE: “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).

As the world celebrates the children’s day today, it is a fact that children are the joy and delight of their parents. It is sad however to observe that the relationship between parents and children in some homes have turned sour as a result of the failure of both parties in their duties, as spelt out in the text, one to another.

Children are commanded to obey their parents in all things as long as those things do not run contrary to the will of God. Parents in turn have it as a duty to show good understanding of their children and not provoke them to wrath. Where there is this balance in the parents/children relationship, there are bound to be harmony, trust, mutual confidence, peace and progress in the family.

Obedience from children to parents should be a loving submission. Children will obey their parents without questioning when they know and feel they are truly loved by their parents. Their obedience is the way they respond to this love. When parents truly love their children, they will deal with them with proper understanding and tolerance. They will not have an overbearing and repelling attitude towards them. Their expectation of them will not be too high.

However, this does not mean that parents should indulge their children in anyway. While they remain kind, gentle and loving, they are at the same time expected to be firm and principled. They have it as their duty to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Christian parents have it as their primary responsibility to lead their children to the Lord and through their own personal practical lives and examples as well as deliberate and consistent instructions from the word of God, bring them up in the fear of the Lord. If we all do these, our homes will be strong and peaceful and our societies in turn, will have less aggressions, protests and violence coming from disgruntled children whose homes have failed them.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: There is no conflict in love.